Our New Little Man

Noah Samuel Dimond

June 21, 2011 7:59 PM

7 lbs 3 oz

20 in

Noah's entrance into the world was swift and the easiest of my three.  I progressed from five to ten centimeters in about 45 minutes, then pushed for just six minutes before Noah was born.  I give full credit to my epidural for the quick progression.  Going from three to five centimeters took me several hours.  I had wanted to go without the epidural but the pain in my back was unrelenting, not even abating between contractions.  The anesthesiologist spent 40 (painful) minutes trying to place the epidural at three different levels before she finally got it in.  She said that I was "challenging" and that the anatomy in my lower lumbar levels was completely abnormal.  Thank you back surgery.  After the epidural was placed, though, I was able to relax finally.  In 20 minutes I started to feel some pressure and had already progressed from five to seven centimeters.  About 20 minutes after that I felt like I needed to push, so they checked me and I was complete.  AMAZING.  I had a hot spot in my epidural in exactly the right (wrong) spot to feel everything except the pain from the contractions-Just tons of pressure and a very strong urge to push.  I think that the hot spot is probably the reason that I got him out so fast.  That was seriously uncomfortable!  Everything went unbelievably well.  I couldn't be happier with my labor and delivery experience.

Here are some pictures from Noah's first days of life:

39 and 1 weeks

That was ridiculous!

Looking just like Abbie

Really? A bath right now?

Meeting big sister

I have three kids!

Look at all that dark hair!

 
I have to admit that I am completely in love.  Smitten.  In heaven.  Noah is perfect.  Yes, he cries from sun-down to sun-up (seriously, it doesn't stop).  Yes, he nurses for an hour every hour and a half.  Yes, I'm completely exhausted.  But I can't not smile when I look at him.  My heart is full.  No, not full, it's overflowing.  We waited so long for this little boy, went through so much before he was ready to come to our family.  Now, looking at his angelic face and snuggling his tiny body against my chest, I can honestly say that I would do it all again knowing that he would be waiting for me at the end of the journey.