Birth Story - this is probably more story me and Elana to reflect on someday but some of you also might enjoy reading a bit about our experience with second birth here in the DR.
A little back story. We chose to have Elana at the Santiago hospital which is a much large hospital and much more professional than where Oliver was born. It is also about an hour away at best depending on the time of day and traffic. The reason we chose this is our doctor at Los Rios (where Oliver was born) explained that since Oliver was born the Los Rios Hospital will not allow father’s to be in the delivery room when the baby is born. Our doctor stated this is due to a history of doctor’s being hit during this time… I don’t know much more about that, but HOMS (the Santiago hospital) said with doctor permission we will allowed to have Josh in on the birth. We really appreciated our doctor at Santiago. IT was also nice because my friend Lexie was due around the same time so we would go to our doctor appointments together and then grab a treat or 2 in Santiago before returning home (Santiago provides a Baskin Robins, Wendy’s, and nicer creative restaurants).
Now to the Thursday February 23rd special day. Lexie & I had been to the doctor that Wednesday before and he said everything looked good but didn’t mention any progressing of labor. That night I had a feeling it could be soon (the coming Sunday would have been 40 weeks) so I was planning on packing our final hospital bag items the next morning, BUT: the next morning I work up around 3 having to go to the restroom, which happened a lot towards the end of pregnancy, and felt slight cramping but was able to go back to sleep easier. I again work up around 4:30 with a little more pain but figuring it was only the beginning I tried to rest and relax but I couldn’t go back to sleep much so about 5:30 am I started walking around, getting stuff ready, tracking contractions loosely. These contractions were completely different as with Oliver I had front labor. Elana brought me much laboring in the front, not a lot of contracting still much very intense pain. I noticed the contractions with quickly becoming more intense as I had begun walking around the house. Around 6 am I called my doctor and started communicating with my Duola. I let Josh know I thought baby girls would be here today but not too soon and he should continue to get some rest. The contractions with about ever 5 minutes for a minute long. But by 6:45 am I was ready to start thinking about going to the hospital. So Josh got up, got a few things ready because by that point I was in intense labor and couldn’t really think straight. He showered and we contacted our neighbor to help with Oliver until his nanny came. We were off to the hospital around 7:15 am. Man, that was a long and painful ride, by the time we pulled up to the emergency room I was ready to push (so similar to Oliver’s story). They rushed me in in a wheel chair- where Josh and I tried to communicate in our broken Spanish and my 10 CM dilated brain that we couldn’t check in but needed to go to the delivery room immediately. Then they wheeled me up stairs to where they put me on a bed in the laboring room. They tried to check the baby with an ultrasound but again I explained, a little more violently that I need to push, this baby was coming. Then they wheeled me into the delivery room and transfer me to the delivery room and baby Elana was born but 8:30am (we probably go to the hospital around 8 or 8:15). Josh almost was locked-out of the delivery room but fortunately our doula showed up just in time and was able to get him in (the nurses were not trained to let husbands in the delivery room). This time was so quick I felt I was not able to fully grasp what was happening or really get on top of the pain but she came and we were so excited to welcome our baby Elana Ramsier into the family.
Picking a name: Well as usually we didn’t have a name ready. We had a few name ideas but didn’t settle on one. So while we were in the hospital following her birth we started looking at names. We enjoy a good meaning and really I don’t know how we came up with Elana but it means spreading the light in greek. In Hebrew it means an Oak tree. Our prayer for Elana is that she can spread the light and love of the Lord where ever she goes and that she will be deeply rooted in the Lord as an Oak tree. We also have gifted her the animal of an owl that she may be wise in her sharing of the Light. (she is also a night owl in that she wakes up and enjoys playing during the evening time) -
Entering the family: We all came home from the hospital on Friday. Oliver was not sure about the new addition and still sometimes will ask daddy to “hold it” so mommy can hold him. He loves to give her kisses though and tell her good night. Elana is doing well. We all have been battling colds so that has not been fun. She is a great sleeper and we all have appreciated that greatly. usually in the evening she is awake for a few hours and then wakes up 1 or 2 times in the night depending on when she goes to bed. We love our little family. My mom and Josh’s parents have been here to visit and we look forward to my sister and dad coming to meet her on May 5! I will get done yacking and get some pictures posted!!
