Welcome to the world Andi!

ANDI NOELLE DODD

BORN: Sunday, 9/14/08, 4:20 PM

5 lbs 10 oz

19" long

Andi hours after birth at The Birth Center

Hello friends and family,



Well I have finally had the time to jump on and post our latest and most important blog. We welcomed Andi Noelle into the world on Sunday, September 14, 3 weeks before her due date - it was definitely an experience!





Here's the low down if you are interested in reading the details:

9/13 - 10:00 AM - My baby shower - How great -I've finally got everything I need and can get it all set up! It was so great having my friends together to celebrate. I am so thankful for such wonderful friends and family - you all are amazing and I am blessed to have such awesome support and love!

Sweet friends who threw the shower: Lindsay, Kim, Amanda, and me (and Andi)

I had a great time opening the gifts - thank you everyone!

Later that night we went to a family dinner and then the nesting really began. For some reason, I can't help it. I have this uncontrollable urge to have everything opened and washed - I want it all to be at least accessible. A crazy amount of adrenaline keeps me going and I stay up til 12:00 organizing and getting the house clean.

9/13 - 12:30 PM - HMMM - is that my water??? NO - it couldn't be - I have no contractions - oh well let's go to bed and we'll call the Birth Center in the AM. Ryan and I had a great night of sleep followed by an awesome breakfast the next day with my Mom and Dad.

9/14 - 10:00 AM - OK - let's get the car seat installed and swing by the BC to see what's going on. We're thinking - probably not today.

10:30 AM - At the Birth Center - WHAT? I'm 3 CM already? Great - but not so great - we've got to get my body moving - now we're on the 24 hour delivery countdown - from last night. So 1 pill of Cytotech and away we went back home to do some laboring.

2:00 PM - Back at the Birth Center - WOW - what happened - these contractions are huge - and there is no "break" in between - It was more like: Huge Contraction, cramping, Huge contraction, little contraction, cramping, etc. What happened to the "smiley face" stage of labor??? I'm praying - God - please tell me I'm dilating - this is way intense. Ryan is a huge help. We really do work together as a team - he makes great suggestions and I do everything that he says - it was an amazing partnership!

2:30 PM - I need some IV fluids - I'm so weak - I forgot to be drinking water - I was so preoccupied with managing the contractions. So they hook me up and I start doing some pacing. At this time at the BC, they have already had 2 births that morning and another woman is downstairs laboring at the same time! Carol our midwife was AMAZING - she gave great instructions and I just did what she said. However, because of all of the commotion, Ryan and I were really on our own doing most of the work w/o the presence of the BC Team.

3:45 PM - I'm at 3 CM - this is not good - I have to get going! 1/2 a pill of Cytotech and more pacing. They decide to draw me a bath thinking: it's going to take at least another few hours. They also tell me to go outside and start walking around the park. I don't make it that far.

Instead I'm thinking:

4:10 PM - I think I have to go to the bathroom? I sit down and all of the sudden have a HUGE urge to push - I had no idea it was coming - my body just did it on it's own. But I say: "The baby is coming NOW". The BC Staff hear me downstairs and all 4 come running. They walk me to the bedroom and I squat at the bedpost: 1 huge push and I say: "I can feel her head coming out!" Her head touches the floor. The BC Staff is racing around trying to get the bed ready. I make it onto the bed by the time the next contraction hits and I give 2 pushes.

4:20 PM - Ryan reaches down and catches Andi. He places her on my belly and I am so amazed - are you really here? Of course tears come and I have an overwhelming sense of relief, joy, excitement, love. She's as healthy as can be and my body has responded great - no muscular tearing but a few surface lesions need to be stitched. This was actually more painful than the pushing stage. After 40 minutes of stitching they are able to stop the bleeding and I finally can rest with our little girl. We spent the evening at the BC. It was sweet family time! We also had a few family visitors!

We had a great time with some family visitors - My mom was there for the birth, Dad was pacing outside, Jan, Charlie, and Kristen came to visit. Amazingly, I felt great and enjoyed a yummy meal with Ryan. Andi was out - she must have been wiped out with such a busy day!Before heading home, I showered and Ryan gave Andi her first birth! She loved her bath and time with her Daddy!
We left the Birth Center at midnight and got home and went straight to bed - well sort of. Our first night was tough - Andi had some difficulty getting enough milk and kept us up nursing or fussing. The second and third nights went much smoother - I feel like I'm learning how to anticipate her needs, meet her needs, and of course take care of myself at the same time. It's been a busy time but overall I have felt great! I love her so much already, and I can't wait to get to know her more every day!

We've had a few visitors swing by the house. I'll be posting more pics soon!