Archive for Pregnancy

birth photos

// July 25th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Mariah, Pregnancy, The Grays, our pictures

our doula, nancy, brought over our birth photos today.  so glad we have them – this means i can finish up my photo book and submit it to print!  for the whole birth story see [THIS] entry.

they’re not in order, and for some reason i can’t get them to change…hmmm…

rachel-nick-mariah-10
rachel-nick-mariah-6
rachel-mariah-nick-7-bw

rachel-mariah-nick-5-bw
rachel-mariah-1-bw
nick-cutting-cord-bw

nick-mariah-10
nick-mariah-5
nick-mariah-3


Birth Story of Mariah Nicole Gray

// April 6th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Mariah, Pregnancy, The Grays

WARNING: it's a long post!  I tried to break it down as much as i could.  i wish i'd had some pictures of the labor and delivery, but i refused them at the time.  we're wondering if we'll get the ones our doula took…we'll see.
March 16th, 2009
I was four days past my due date, and really ready to meet Mariah.  I had a midwife appointment that afternoon and was not dilated at all.  I had to schedule an ultrasound for later in the week and was preparing myself to be VERY late.  This was also the last day of teaching my class, so I was able to finish everything up (including grades) and wondered what I would do with myself the rest of the week.
11pm: Woke up to crampy feelings in my abdomen and lower back, but was able to sleep.  I thought it could be the real thing, but wasn’t too sure.  This continued through the night.
March 17th
4am-8am: Pretty positive this was the real deal, and woke Nick to tell him.  We were pretty excited and didn’t get too much sleep.
8am: Timed contractions – 5-7 minutes apart.
9am: Contractions were becoming more painful and I had some light bleeding, but I did light housework.
1:30pm: Contractions 3 minutes apart lasting about 1 minute, unable to take a nap. Called the midwife, who instructed me to wait 2 hours to see how things progressed.
3:30pm: Called midwife back and was ready to go, but the hospital was full.  I was given the option to go to another hospital or wait one more hour.  I chose to wait.
4:30pm:  Hospital was still full.  We prepared to head to Saint John’s instead of Woodwinds.  As we headed out the door, we were told there was room at Woodwinds!  Hooray!  We were off to the hospital and texted our friends and family.  We were prepared to have a Saint Patrick's Day baby.
6:30pm: Set up in the hospital, midwife comes to check – only dilated 1 centimeter!  I was devastated, and ready to ask for pitocin so I could stay.  We were given the option to stick around for 2 hours, hydrate and move around to see if I made any progress, otherwise I’d be sent home with drugs to sleep and wait it out.  I stayed and labored on the ball and in the tub, while my contractions got more and more intense.
10pm: Midwife had stayed busy with several other births, so we stayed longer than the 2 hour mark.  I had made it to 4 centimeters and was allowed to stay!  The volunteer doula joined us helping me breathe through contractions and helping Nick know how to help me.  Labor was getting MUCH stronger.
March 18th
2am:  Midwife checks – 6 centimeters and water had not broken. Continued hard labor, but fell asleep between contractions.  Even though they were still 2 minutes apart, I felt like I had 20 minutes of rest between them.
4am:  Still at 6 centimeters!  We decide to break my water. I was upset that my progress had slowed down and was ready to give up in order to end everything soon.  I wanted an Epidural and Pitocin, anything to move things along.  Nick asked the doula to leave and we had a tearful chat about how I could do it naturally the way I wanted.
5:30 am: I was ready to go to the waterbirth room.  I had finally made it to 7 centimeters, but could be stretched to 8 or 9.
6am: In waterbirth room.  New midwife was on shift.  The pain was so intense I began moaning through instead of breathing.  The doula was great at helping me moan “correctly”. 
7am:  Felt the need to push – so I pushed! I had a bit of a cervix lip that was blocking the baby and pushing her back in.  At this point the room was filling up with an extra nurse and a nursing student.  I didn’t care at all and had my eyes closed almost the entire time anyway.  Everyone kept commenting on how relaxed and calm I was.  I certainly didn’t feel relaxed!
7:30-8:20: Contractions were not long enough in the water, so I was instructed to get out and push for awhile.  It was SO hard, and I was a little upset that I was limited to being on my back and pushing.  Side pushing was effective for me and I made some progress.
8:20: Back in the water to push again.  2 pushes on my hands and knees, a few side pushes and then her head finally came out!  A big tear, and TONS of pain, but it was short lived.  I was able to feel her head and so excited for the next contraction when she fully emerged and I could hold her in my arms for the first time.  Mariah was born at 8:44am and weighed 8lbs. 12oz. 

Photos of Mariah

// March 22nd, 2009 // No Comments » // Mariah, Pregnancy, The Grays

for those of you who don't have facebook, you can follow the pictures we post by clicking this link:

FACEBOOK PHOTOS

we will be updating it regularly…

We present to you Mariah Nicole gray

// March 18th, 2009 // No Comments » // Mariah, Pregnancy, The Grays

If you've been following our blog lately, you can probably tell that Rachel and I have been expecting a baby (I hope that 30+ weekly baby bump images didn't give it away).  This morning, Mariah decided that it was time to come out.  Rachel had been having contractions the day before and we headed into the hospital around 6 on Saint Patrick"s day.  It was very slow progress at the beginning, but the hours passed and eventually it was time for Rachel to push.  Mariah finally popped her head out at 8:44 this morning.  She weighs 8 pounds 12 ounces.  Below, you'll find a few pictures of her fist hours of life.  Expect a lot more in the days to come.

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big headed baby – 13 inches.  very hard to push out

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not happy after eye drops

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all bundled up to keep warm

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mommy and mariah's first bath

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breakfast after a LONG night

41 weeks 3 days

// March 16th, 2009 // No Comments » // Pregnancy, The Grays

i thought i'd give an update since everyone seems to be asking AND i just had a midwife apointment.  i'm tempted to just stop going out in public so i don't have to answer questions and so people aren't disapointed in the fact that i'm still around.

i saw my midwife today and left really crabby, for many reasons:
my appointment was at 11:20 and i wasn't seen until 12:00.  that meant i left a urine sample 45 mintues before i was checked – not comfortable.  it also meant i was starving b/c i was past lunch time!
so after all that waiting i am told i've made no progress in two weeks.  which she says not to get disapointed about because it doesn't really mean anything anyway, it doesn't give an indication of when labor will begin.
she also told me mariah is face up.  that means if she doesn't turn i'm facing back labor.  awesome!  so pray she turns before delivery.

i will be going for an ultrasound this friday or saturday to make sure all is well w/ baby, aminotic fluid, placenta, and that i can wait it out longer, but i'm really hoping and praying that i don't need to have that appointment. 

i'm so thankful the weather has warmed up and the snow is melting like crazy.  it keeps me going during this time of waiting.  but i do get pretty emotional and overwhelmed with having to wait.  i know she'll come at just the right time and that i'll forget about this whole waiting game  yadda yadda, but right now in the moment it gets a little tough.

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