It's a GIRL!!! Pictures & the insane birth story

The Birth

Giada Marie: born one minute after my admittance to the hospital

Around 8 pm on Christmas, I started feeling crampy every 15 or 20 minutes. It was very mild, but had a noticeable pattern. I passed the time sewing diapers after dinner, but the cramps didn't go away. I didn’t mention it to anyone until about 11 when Leo and I went to bed. I told him we should get some sleep because it seems like the cramping is not letting up. We called our doula to let her know there could possibly be an early morning call, as this might be the start of something.

The cramping continued in the night, with cramps slowly turning into what I would call contractions. I slept through most of them, but around 3 or 4 they started waking me up. I moved to the rocking chair, hoping that would be more comfortable (I had heartburn and needed to be upright). I couldn’t sleep there, but I did time the contractions and they were 5 to 7 minutes apart. They weren’t painful yet though, or increasing in intensity.

We called Susan, our doula, at 4:30 and asked her to come over. I was managing fine, but wanted her here with me. I took a shower and put on some makeup.

Susan arrived about 5:00 am, and the three of us sat on the couch and worked through the contractions. Some were more intense than others. I know now that when I had a couple bad ones, we should have left then. But I really, really wanted to labor at home as long as possible, and one strong contraction would be followed by a mild one, still 5 to 7 minutes apart and only lasting about 20-30 seconds. We all thought we had several hours to go, and wanted to wait until the contractions were closer together, longer and more intense. So, I ate a banana, sat on the couch, and Leo & Susan coached me when I needed it. I was feeling the contractions all in my hips and upper thighs, and no where else.

About 7:00 Rosie woke up so we moved to the other room on the other couch (she normally plays where we were before). After a few contractions like all the others, suddenly the labor got really intense. At 7:15 I told Susan I was ready to go – I knew it was going to get more painful and that was all I could tolerate. I wanted an epidural. I was feeling a ton of pressure in my pelvis and felt like the baby was “right there.” I know now, that feeling was the baby descending and I was fully dilated. I wish we’d have left that very second.

But, it took us a few minutes to get going… despite the intensity of labor, I had to say goodbye to Rosie first. At 7:25 we left the house. The pressure was building and I was starting to get a little worried. Every. Single. Stoplight. Was red. At the first light, I had a massive contraction, only at that point, there was no more pain; only massive pressure. It felt like the baby was going to come out. My whole body began shaking. I had to squeeze my legs together. For some reason, I didn’t say specifically to Leo what I was feeling. I just said, “You need to hurry.”

On the freeway, another strong urge. This one had me screaming and panting. YOU HAVE TO HURRY!! He’s trying to coach me through, weaving in and out of traffic.

Back on the city roads, more lights. PLEASE GOD PLEASE HURRY. More pressure, more urges… I had my legs squeezed tight. I was really scared.

Finally at 7:40 am we arrive at the birth center. Leo pulls up, and asks, “should I park?” I scream, NO!!! and practically leap out of the car. At the nurses’ station, I can’t even speak. I’m panting and moaning, and leaning on the counter. Leo gives them my name. He has NO idea I’m so close. Honestly, I didn’t either. So he runs out to park the car.

And in the following minute:

I’m standing there at the nurses’ station, and I felt “something” down below and all the sudden, I had to go to the bathroom really bad! I told them, I need to use the bathroom before I get into the bed. They put me in a wheelchair and took me 10 feet over to the nearest empty room.

I walked to the toilet and sat down. The nurse prepared the room. Susan went into the bathroom with me. As soon as I sat down I lost total control of my body and everything just started happening. I started screaming, “The baby is COMING!!! It’s coming out and I can’t stop it!!” I’m sure I was crying at that point. Susan reached down and caught the baby’s head! Over the toilet! I’m totally freaking out, screaming, “Please help!!” Susan is yelling, “I have its head! HURRY!!!!” The alert code goes off in the birth center, and the bathroom is suddenly filled with nurses. I am totally panicked and freaking out, screaming, “Where’s Leo!? Please, GET LEO!!!” I didn’t realize I had already pushed the baby out, I was just crying and screaming. I had an unassisted birth! No doctor is listed on Giada's birth information. Susan said, “Look Trista, it’s your baby, she’s crying!! She’s ok!!” The nurses were saying, “It’s ok, it’s ok! The baby is beautiful” I looked down to see that it was a girl, and then someone said, “Leo’s right here! He’s here”

Giada was born at 7:41 am. One minute after I walked up to the nurses' station!

While all that happened … as Leo parked the car, he quickly grabbed a few things, and ran into the birth center. He was running because he thought I needed help, not because he thought the baby was being born! Or he would have just left the car. I didn’t know, I really didn’t. He runs into the center, hearing the alert code and he knew right away it was for us. The nurses yell, “She’s delivering!” “Where?!” he says. “Room 139!!!” So Leo runs to 139 but there is no one in bed. He turns and looks into the bathroom. He sees a dozen nurses, baby Giada covered in blood and gore, being held upside down over the trash can. Me, half standing, half sitting, having just delivered, with my pants at my knees, covered in blood, the umbilical cord coming out of me and connected to the baby. Blood all over the toilet and spattered on the wall. A nurse was getting ready to cut the cord, but she could not reach it with her right hand. She yelled, “I’m not a lefty!” But she had the scissors, so she cut.

He wove his way through the nurses, and we were both so shocked and panicked. I don’t remember what we said to each other. Something about it being a girl. He missed the birth and didn’t get to cut the cord, but I’m not quite sure THAT was the birth I would have wanted him scarred with! The scene he entered was bad enough.

I ended up with a 2nd degree tear, and Giada had bruises on her face from the speedy delivery. It was totally insane. Not something I would want to do again! But thankfully, the baby and I were just fine and there was not a single complication. Welcome Giada, we love you baby girl!!!

The Photos

Giada Marie Oliva
Born December 26, 2005
7 pounds, 5 ounces. 19 inches long


Getting weighed


First diaper


Sitting with Mama


Family of four


Rosie's reaction in the hospital to her sister


Nap with Daddy


Snuggled in her wrap


A hug from big sister



After Rosie decorated Giada with stickers

Happy due date! 40 weeks pregnant!

Your due date is kind of like your birthday. You are a year older, but you don't feel older really. It's an important day... but nothing really changes.



So as today passes into tomorrow I will officially be "overdue". But I feel the same as I did yesterday and the day before. I'll probably feel the same tomorrow too.

The baby is big. I mean, it feels big, because it's a 1-day old child inside my body. Really it's so tiny. Only 7 or so pounds. Our cat weighs more than that. I certainly do look 9 months pregnant.



We had a doctor appointment today. I am probably one of Dr. Bishop's most boring patients. My blood pressure was somewhere around 100/60, my weight has not changed since last week, my pee was clean, I have no swelling, and I had no real contractions to report. He checked my cervix, which has not changed since last week (still 1 to 2 cm and 75% effaced). He said the biggest change is baby's position -- baby has moved a lot lower. He said the baby is VERY low, and when he checked me, I felt him touch the baby's head... and I think my ribs are still bruised from baby's reaction. I'm glad to hear baby is getting into position.

Tomorrow afternoon I'm treating myself to an afternoon at the spa. Who doesn't deserve that after carrying a baby full term and then some? I'll have a massage, a facial, and a pedicure.

I'm working tomorrow morning and then using up the last of my vacation time tomorrow afternoon and Friday. Then I'm off work until February 27th.

Funny story: Today Tanya, my sister, flew to visit my mom in SoCal. She needs assistance with most things, so we met her at the airport where her caseworker dropped her off. We checked her in, and got passes to take her through security. Funny thing is, a very VERY pregnant makes a lot of people nervous behind security in an airport. Of course I must be flying -- you can't get back there if you aren't a passenger. One little girl asked me, in the boarding line as we waited, when I was due. I said, "Today!". I felt many eyes dart my direction. Oh MY GOD that woman is FLYING!? And when we left the gates and went through the crowds of people waiting, so many people stared. a LOT. And very concerned. It was pretty funny.

We have another appointment on the 28th if I go that far, which I think I will. Leo doesn't. Anyway, we have a monitoring session scheduled at labor and delivery before we see the doctor. The tests will check that baby is thriving and has enough fluid to be healthy. I'll get these tests every 3 days or so until I have the baby, starting next Wednesday (or until I have to be induced at 42 weeks).

More updates to come..... I hope.

Just Rosie

39 weeks! Update....

I had my 39 week checkup yesterday, and it went very well. My weight gain for the week was 1 pound, which is still a net loss over the past 4 weeks. That still blows me away. I can hardly believe that at 39 weeks I've only gained 15 pounds. Anyway, my blood pressure was nice and low. The top number was higher than usual for me, but still very low. I have no noticable swelling, although my socks make marks and my ring does not fit. But by looking at me you wouldn't notice any puffiness. The baby is moving a lot, still, very active. The doctor says that a moving baby is a healthy baby, so baby is still thriving in there. That made me very happy! and I feel good, no aches or pains. I do wish the heartburn would let up, but what can you do. I'm good friends with the Tums company these days.

The doctor checked my insides, and we have minimal progress. Actually, I'm almost exactly where I was with Rosie at 39 weeks. He told me I'm 1 to 2 cm. dilated and 75% effaced (I was a "fingertip" dilated w/ Rosie at this point). Effacement is where the cervix thins out in preparation for dilation. It's a very subjective measurement and really doesn't mean a whole lot in these preliminary stages. Some people dilate a lot before labor starts. I'm not one of those people. I was 1 to 2 cm. with Rosie all the way to 41.1 weeks when I went into early labor.

I get a lot of comments like "oh you must be miserable," "You're about to POP!", "I bet you can't wait to get that baby out!", but no, none of these things are true. I love being pregnant - I mean I really love it! As long as baby is healthy and I'm healthy, that is all that matters. So for now, I'm content to wait. And besides, I won't be pregnant FOREVER... the baby will be here in less than 3 weeks no matter what. And what's 3 weeks after doing this for 39?

So, we're on for next week. I have another appointment on Wednesday, my due date. I'm scheduled to stop working at noon on the 22nd and spend the rest of the day at the spa. aaaahhhhh!!!!

Baby 2 Belly Casting

Another Babe.... Another Belly!
Just like we did with Rosie, we casted my belly for this baby too. Just a little different this time, since I am further along this time than when Heather and I casted the Rosie belly. Also we thought it would be fun to cast in Leo's hand. I'm still nervous people will think I have a giant man-hand, but hopefully you can tell it's Leo. Anyway, our doula team, Susan and Nichole casted my belly at our last prenatal visit before the birth.

The casting supplies can be purchased at any craft store. You don't have to buy the special "belly casting kit." You can buy rolls of plaster -- cloth coated in dried plaster. Then you cut the roll into pieces. Dip each piece in water and apply to belly. You can apply the plaster fairly thin, getting details on the belly as you wish (such as my gigantically huge belly button). The cast is then reenforced from the back after it is removed.

First, I had to cover myself in vasaline. I didn't photograph this part, but let me tell you this: my doula had the vasaline in her car all day and it was COLD!!!!

Next, we let Leo go work on his woodworking while we casted the boobs:



I opted for a nipple-free belly cast thank you.

Then, we had Leo put his hand on my tummy, and finished the cast:



I didn't have to wait long at all for it to dry... maybe 5 minutes after the last piece of plaster was added. Once it was removed, Susan and Nichole reenforced weak spots from the back:



Cino stood by to assist where possible


The finished cast (pre-decorations of course!)

38 weeks pregnant..... and all is well

I had my 38 week appointment today. Everything looks great! My blood pressure is lower than most non-pregnant people's. I've lost 1/2 pound from last week. The baby is responding well to stimulus. We couldn't ask for anything better! Looks like these last few weeks shouldn't be too tough.

Last week, the doctor said that the baby was still pretty high. But this week doctor said the baby is moving lower. That's a good sign! I did not get my cervix checked. I have no use for that information. I'm a very Zen pregnant woman these days.

I'm not really feeling any contractions to speak of. Oh, a handful of times I've gotten hit with one that takes my breath away but they are not consistent and never occur in succession. It'll be like one contraction then nothing for 3 or 4 days. I feel a sudden surge of pressure in my pelvis fairly often, but I think those are just baby moving its head around down in there.

Baby's movement has slowed down, so I don't have crazy-psycho gymnast in there anymore. It's a nice change!

So, even though we've got 2 weeks to the due date, we have FOUR weeks till we absolutely have to kick the baby out on January 4th. So no matter what, we'll have a baby within the next 28 days. Please cross your fingers for me that I don't have to be induced. I don't want that! I don't care if I have to wait till January 3rd, I just want baby to come on its own.

Here's my 38 week belly:



cool pictures to come tomorrow -- we're doing a belly cast tonight!

Rosie says hi

The Weekend of Accomplishments

It's Crunch Time!
We got so much done this weekend you really wouldn't believe I'm almost 38 weeks pregnant and Leo is still doing a pretty good amount of travel for work. Our house is starting to look like a new baby is coming!

So what did we do?

• Finished, upholstered, and installed Rosie's window seat
  
  Leo has been working so hard nights and weekends to build this. Because we'll be sharing a changing table w/ both kids, we need the changing area out in the hallway. So we decided to replace Rosie's changing area with a window seat/storage area. It came out beautiful! There are three compartments, and I made an upholstered pad for each one.
  
  



• Moved and organized changing area
  
  Now that the window seat is in, we were able to move the changing table out to the hallway. It looks great!
  
  



• Finished baby's giraffe chair
  
  Now, I haven't yet posted pictures of the baby's room, because it's not *quite* finished yet, but the theme is safari / jungle animals. Leo had a great idea to make the baby a miniature chair in the shape of a giraffe. Another project that he worked really hard to finish! He designed, built, and painted the chair (including the spots), and I gave it a face:
  
  
  
  




• Made Rosie her final set of jammies
  
  Before I took my sewing class, poor Rosie was wearing thin, high-water, knit jammies that didn't fit and barely fit over her gigantically stuffed night time diaper. So in my sewing class I learned to make her jammies. This weekend I finished the last set. I have to alter the pattern to fit her lanky frame while still fitting comfortably over the diaper. I use the coziest microfleece. Here's one of the ones I made before -- I don't have a picture of this weekend's Hello Kitty jammies. Of course, with every set, she gets a matching blankie:
  
  
  
  
• Took Rosie to the mall playground


• Took Rosie to the park to play


• Leo put up the Christmas lights outside


• I cut fabric for 25 diapers and I've got 14 of them halfway completed


There is so much more to list but we did so many things I've forgotten now what it all was!

Baby room pictures coming later this week!