Birthday Outing

My mom and I share our birthday and we went out shopping on Monday to celebrate.  We drove out to the outlets in Anthem and got some early Christmas shopping done.  Charlotte made out like a bandit.  Since we didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl until she was born, we didn't have anything pink or girly for her.  My mom and I went CRAZY at the Carter's outlet.  Everything in the store was 50% off.  We got her almost everything that she is going to need in six months size and a lot of nine months clothes as well.  Chad was overwhelmed by all the pink, purple and flowers when we got home and showed him everything.  He was especially horrified by the pink flowered head wraps and the tights with hearts on them.  This was our first all day outing and I was nervous about finding places where I could nurse comfortably.  I was shocked to find that they have an awesome mother's lounge off the food court.  We also tried out the baby sling for the first time, so that she wouldn't have to stay in the stroller all day.  I need to practice at home with it, so that I can get it adjusted properly, but it was comfortable and she seemed to like it.

She's here at last

Charlotte Janae Schwartz arrived Tuesday, September 30 at 7:18AM after 9 hours of labor and 20 minutes of pushing, one day before her due date.  She weighed 9 lbs 3oz and measured 21" long.  

On Monday evening, I was driving home from work when I felt an odd sensation.  It took me several minutes to realize that my water had broken.  It took me another 15 minutes to get home, so by the time I was there, the entire seat of my car was soaked in amniotic fluid.  Chad was nice enough to clean it all up for me with carpet cleaner for pet stains.  My contractions started about five hours later.  We arrived at the hospital at 12:30AM and I was 4cm dilated and 90% effaced.  I was checked again at 5AM and I was 7cm dilated and 100% effaced.  At 7AM I was ready to push and she emerged at 7:18AM.  Her birth was extremely exciting because we didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl.  The nurses and doctor were great.  I had a lot of anxiety about having a hospital birth because I have read tons of books on natural childbirth, took lamaze, prenatal yoga and natural childbirth classes and watched "The business of being born".  I really wanted a home birth, but my insurance wouldn't cover it and home births cost $4,000.  However, it worked out well because I was able to have the normal drug free birth that I wanted despite the fact that I was in a hospital.  Honestly, I don't think that I would have been able to push her out if I had been medicated because I wouldn't have been able to feel as much and with her large size I needed to be able to feel what was happening with my body.  It was hard though.  About one hour into transition, I asked about medication options, but it was too late for anything but an epidural, which was what I was absolutely opposed to, so I continued to labor and 80 minutes later she was born.  My recovery has been remarkably swift.  I feel great.  I have a lot of energy and want to get out of the house and do things, but I am having to restrain myself because she is only 8 days old and doesn't have much of an immune system yet.  We have gone out twice though.  On Monday, Charlotte and I went out by ourselves for the first time.  She had to get her newborn screening test and we also went to the post office and the bank.  Yesterday, my mom and I took her to the mall for an hour and a half.  She became a lot more alert when we were out and about.  She is waking up now, which means it is time to change a diaper and nurse.