Birth!

We are proud to announce the birth of Noah Lewis Cornelius Saturday July 17th 2010 at 7:32 p.m. He weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs 7.2 oz. 22 inches long.

It was another successful vaginal birth after cesarean for me. For some reason I figured that it would be a smooth and easy birth since I had done it before. Lesson learned...birth is hard and it never goes the way you expect.

The basic story is that we checked into the hospital at 10:00, contractions 4 minutes apart 2 cm dilated. I labored throughout the day. I sent some e-mails, updated my facebook status, Aaron and I played cards. I spent some time in the tub and on the birthing ball. As things got more intense I climbed into the bed and stayed on my left side.

They checked my progress at around 2:00. I think I was a four. I remember being devastated having thought that I would go so fast. Now in retrospect I realize that was awesome progress.

Things started picking up at this point. I started shaking and I threw up twice, both good signs that I was moving to the active phase of labor. The funny thing is that I felt like I was doing such a good job of visualizing and staying calm and open, but really once I moved to active labor I realized that I wasted all my visualization on the "easy" part.

Around 6:15 I was 6 cm. I was having constant contractions and they HURT!!! I asked for an epidural. The midwife asked me several times if I really wanted and epidural and I said yes! The anesthesiologist came 20 minutes later and I was checked before he got started, I was 8 cm! But for some reason I still got the epidural. As he was inserting it, I needed to push.

Now once an epidural is in it takes 15 minutes to take effect. Before he ever turned it on I was fully dilated and pushing.

Noah was coming fast, but then his shoulders got stuck. I was trying with all my might, but he was STUCK! Then his heart rate began to drop. MOM! Get me out of here NOW was the message. I was given a small episiotomy and the nurses were pushing on my belly to get him out. After he was born I noticed a long bruise on Noah's left shoulder, likely the shoulder that was stuck.

I didn't know this until I spoke to the midwife yesterday. You get to a point in labor where you are unaware of your surroundings. I was unaware that my sister-in-law and my mother were supporting me so that Aaron could watch Noah be born. I was even unaware that his heart rate was dropping, I just heard the nurse telling me I had to get him out NOW!

Finally I pushed him out and I heard all the staff saying that is a BIG baby. They said it over and over, Lauren this is a big baby. I guess I kind of figured he was 11 lbs or something. Honestly I was kind of let down when they said he was 9 lbs 7.2 oz. However this weight breaks records on both sides of the family so I guess I will take it.

I was so shaky and tired that I was scared to hold him. Aaron was holding him and kept asking what we should name him. I was still out of it enough that I couldn't think or see straight.


Then all of a sudden someone noticed a beautiful rainbow outside the birthing suite window. Aaron asked, "Hey what if we name him Noah?" It wasn't on our list, we hadn't even considered it, but it fit. Not only because of the rainbow, but because of so many of our prayers that were answered with a safe, timely, healthy birth. Louis is Aaron's fathers middle name so Lewis is our tribute to Aaron's father.


One of the nurses on duty has a husband who is a New England Culinary Institute chef and he had brought in a chocolate cake for the staff. They gave me a congratulatory slice. I couldn't eat it right away, but when I did it was SOOOOOOOOOO good!

So that is the story. He is here and wonderful.