Lena Jan Weight made her entrance this morning at 3:42 am, 9 lbs 4 oz, and very healthy with chubby cheeks. :)

She was several days over-due and my midwife was concerned that this little peanut was going to get too big and have problems getting hung up. Amy had shoulder distocia and was born at her due date, and my midwife was worried that this baby might have the same... so, after weeks of raspberry tea, long walks, and the like to get labor started, I'd just decided to wait for the baby to come when it did. But the conversation with the midwife made me concerned, so I asked Ryan for a blessing and asked his family and mine to pray that I would start labor. The power of prayer is real -- after days of having no consistent contractions, my labor started in earnest at 9:30, every 10 minutes. By 11:30 the contractions were coming strong and every 2 minutes, so we called the midwife and she came down with her assistant.

I labored a little in the shower, and then the contractions were quite intense and I chose to lay down on the bed during contractions. I listened to some peaceful music and tried to think of the contractions as a wave I was riding that I just needed 4-5 deep slow breaths to crest. Ryan would rub my back in between contractions and remind me to just take one at a time, and breathe slowly. He did such a good job supporting me. I felt  b I was coping alright, but they definitely were getting much more intense. With Esther, when they broke my water, I was a 7 and Esther was completely out 5 minutes later. Because I was starting to really struggle, I thought: I'll just have my water broken (an amniotomy) and then I'll be done. I was a 9 and mostly effaced. At 3:am, my midwife broke my water.

But, for whatever reason, it did not go quite that quickly. My cushion was gone. Ryan was going to deliver the baby with the midwife's assistance, so my Mom came in and held my hand as we waited for her to 'pop out', as it were. Contractions were really intense without my water and it was a real test of strength and endurance for me. Eventually my body started having the urge to push and my midwife was really good about coaching me through the urges so I wouldn't tear too bad.

Lena did have shoulder distocia -- much worse than what Amy'd had. My midwife had me change positions to all fours and pushed my one leg up so I was kneeling on one leg with the other leg tucked up to my chest. She had to reach in and help align the shoulders to help them out, and I had to push with all my might. Finally... that amazing release -- that relief when Lena's entire body slipped out. My midwife passed her up between my legs, and I got to see for myself that she was a girl. Our little Lena Jan!!

She nursed shortly after, and won us all over with her darling chubby cheeks. She is a really good baby. She eats, poops and pees well and is a delight to us all. Esther and Amy were very excited to wake up to a new big sister. Amy was not so sure she wanted a brother, so she felt very validated that it was Lena and not Jacob. I felt very validated when I discovered she was 9 lb 4 oz. No wonder pushing was more intense... but for all that, I hardly tore, and nothing that required stitches... A HUGE relief and blessing to me since I tore my stitches 3 days after Esther's birth doing something so simple as sitting up on the couch. It is a great comfort not having to worry about any stitches this time. I'm sure if I'd been in the hospital and not coached and coaxed through the pushing I would've torn something fierce.

My midwife and her assistant were great -- it was so different from the experiences I'd had at the hospital. They were so supportive and encouraging, and it felt like a team working together to help me bring Lena in the world. It was neat to have my Mom there, holding my hand and stroking my brow as I pushed for 45 minutes... kind of a neat bonding to have 3 generations of girls working together. My midwife and assistant cleaned up all the towels and the mess. Ryan held me as I held Lena and we just enjoyed the moment of holding this new daughter. She is so precious and dear to us already, and we feel very blessed that her entrance into this world was safe for her and for me.