Wren's Nest

Friday, March 14, 2014

Our New Addition, Ava Elizabeth Wren 3.6.2014

Ava Elizabeth Wren is here!

Ava was born March 6th, 2014. She was 8 lbs 15 oz., 21 1/2 inches long. I love telling my birth story and love hearing them, so here you go. When she decided to come it all happened very quickly. I woke David up at 430 am, having mild contractions and vague labor symptoms. We got up and got ourselves ready. By 630am I called my midwife to get her opinion which she left up to me. I assumed I would go quickly because Charlie came quickly for the first baby. By 700 am we left the house because I decided I would rather drive there and turn around than have to drive an hour in the car in active labor. Well, we drove an hour in the car in active labor. Everything picked up the moment we got going. My water broke en route to the birth center around 730. We arrived at 800 am and they had the tub ready for me. I spent the rest of the time in there. Ava was born at 859 am; I almost caught her myself but once her head was out I needed help with the rest of her body. She had a double nuchal cord and body cord. The midwife Nicole untangled her in the water and then brought her up to me. She came around quickly. I wasn't scared with her delivery (I was with Charlie) I just wanted it to be over and was wondering why in the h, e, double L I choose an unmedicated delivery. Of course once I was holding her it was all worth it.

Her birth was different than Charlie's but in some ways similar, I am thankful that it was fast. After her birth, we relaxed for a few hours together at the birth center. They came in and handed us a few pieces of paper and told us to take our time, around noon. David looked at me and said I think we just received our discharge instructions. We were headed back home by 1pm, stopped at Panera Bread to get lunch (to go) and were home a little after 2. We were riding home laughing that we couldn't believe we had a baby today. I got to go in and get Charlie when he woke up from his nap. Mom and Charlie were at home, my Dad arrived that afternoon. Erin and Cora came in on the weekend. Since, we have been hanging out having fun together and I have been relaxing with Ava.

Its amazing to have another newborn again. There isn't anything better than laying on the couch with her on my chest sleeping. The first baby is such a huge life changer. With the second, a toddler makes a newborn seem easy.

I don't want everyone to go, they have been so helpful. I am thankful for getting some one-on-one time with Ava. Cousin Cora has been great entertainment for Charlie, he is going to miss Erin and Cora and his Nana and Pop.

We feel so fortunate to have 2 beautiful, amazing kids and such wonderful family support. Really enjoying the moment with little Ava, the days already seem to be going quickly.

Ava is 1 week old today!

Notes from Dad:

As Amy said, many things were different and the same for Ava's birth. I worried that I came in to her delivery with too much confidence, where for Charlie I had been studying birthing books up to his delivery. However, I was so busy teaching 2 courses (both new preps) and trying to get everything ready for when Ava arrived. As it turned out, Amy did an amazing job staying in complete control, and we both had expectations of how things would progress. I was hesitant going to a birth center an hour away, as I knew that Amy would likely be in some form of labor on the drive. We were very lucky that we just missed rush-hour traffic, and an ice storm that came the next day. However, having Amy in labor while trying to drive on an interstate is an experience I am happy to do once.

Amy and I also had the added challenge of being away from our close Denver "family" who were so supportive for Charlie's birth. For Charlie, we knew every midwife and nurse who took care of us. This time, we had to trust providers who we knew very little about in a new birthing environment (birth center instead of a hospital). We were very fortunate that there were no complications and Amy did all the work, and left very little for I or the midwife to do. Having an hour after the birth to spend alone with Amy and Ava was invaluable, and something I will remember for a long time. Yet, going back to the "real world" so soon after her birth was quite surreal. It felt like we went to a midwife appointment and came back with a baby. I feel very lucky that Amy has had two amazing births, and we now have two amazing little kids. The last 12 months have been full of changes and challenges, but Ava's arrival has been the highlight for me.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Any Day

I am term for my pregnancy and this time period is welcomed. She could literally decide to come any day or week.

I have thought throughout most of the pregnancy that the baby is easier to take care of in verses out and there was no rush. I realize that people take care of multiple children all of the time but juggling two children seems a little busy to say the least. However, I have become anxious to meet her and look at her for the first time. In addition I am no longer comfortable in my pregnant body. I am fine during the day but I dread night time. I realize I am going to be up with the new baby frequently with feedings, crying, diaper changes, etc. but this welcomed compared to what is waking me up or keeping me from falling asleep. I have some "common discomforts of pregnancy" in addition to some other discomforts that will likely go away once she is out. Overtime they wear on you and although I am doing my best to manage them they have mentally taken their toll. Plus, when you get to the point you almost have to log roll out of bed or get a rolling start because it is to difficult to just sit up, it seems time to be done. I should reread this post in a month to help me during my sleep deprivation. With all of this in mind Charlie didn't come until 41 weeks so I could still have many long nights ahead of me. Her eviction notice has been served. In the meantime we are keeping busy.

Lunch Break at Hanging Rock State Park

Charlie loves his gymnastics

Baby Girls Bedroom

Installing the new gate with Dad

I feel fortunate to get to experience the difference of what it is like to prepare for a second child. It is humbling to realize preparation is good to an extent but having a little toddler keeping your mind and time occupied is a nice distraction from thinking and preparing for the baby every minute of every day. I also feel fortunate that I have one delivery under my belt (although with my career I of all people should trust childbirth); knowing that my body has already done this once and I survived is reassuring.

I am preparing to deliver in an out-of-hospital birth center this time. I knew what I was getting with Charlie's delivery and that allowed me to trust the people around me and just go in and have a baby, not fearing my environment or who was caring for me. I did not need a "birth plan". My plan was taken care of for me because I was fortunate to work and be a patient in a practice that trust in the birthing process. For being a hospital I truly believe that University of Colorado birth center has an environment that supports natural childbirth, this is a hard accomplishment for a hospital. I have been in other hospital settings were they make statements that they are the "baby hospital" of the area etc. The reality is they have extremely high c-section rates and their acknowledgment of skin-to-skin after delivery is the 5 seconds it takes the practitioner to cut the cord. I have chosen the birth center in North Carolina because I want people around us who also trust and believe in natural childbirth. I want minimal interventions but positive support. The water birth helped so much with Charlie's birth I want access to that as well. I would do anything to be taken care of by my friends and colleagues again but it's not in the cards. I am so thankful to Jessica, Krista, all of the midwives who gave me advice and support along the way and treated me like a person/patient and not a provider. I am so thankful to the wonderful nurses who allowed me to birth and trusted the process to create such a wonderful environment for Charlie to born into, Jane, Terry, Michelle, Jocelyn and Lindsey. Labor is labor, its hard, painful, raw, intimate, emotional and wonderful all at the same time. I can't believe the time is upon us again.

Being out of my comfort zone has been a good experience for me professionally. I have realized how difficult it is to trust people you don't know during one of the most important times in a family's life. When I delivered with my old job I had complete trust in my peers, friends and co-workers. As a provider I didn't understand and would get frustrated with a patient and family's hesitation and questioning of the care they received until now. I realize now how hard it is to put confidence and trust into complete strangers.

Anyway we are as ready for her as we will ever be. I am curious to experience Charlie's reaction to his new sister. Hopefully the next post will have a picture of her in it, if not be prepared for a post on the difficulties of going past your due date and how I think the "due day" should be changed to a "due month".

“A woman in birth is at once her most powerful, and most vulnerable. But any woman who has birthed unhindered understands that we are stronger than we know.” – Marcie Macari

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Happy New Year!

It has been awhile since I last posted and I don't think I will bother to catch up on our events since then. As a new years resolution I would like to try to blog again. I like looking back at our post. We have had a lot of transitions this year and we survived. I am still having a hard time getting over losing Mabel. We want another dog eventually but she was one of a kind.

Camping outside of Telluride, CO July 2013
Charlie learned to walk on this trip :)

On a happier note we have made it well into the third trimester of my pregnancy and are excited to meet a Baby Girl sometime the end of February early March. Charlie is going to be a great big brother.

Visiting Scott and Rachelle in Portland, OR November 2013 (I need more pregnancy photos)

Charlie keeps David and I entertained and so happy. He loves to run, play, climb and be active. Charlie is a great little traveler. He has traveled a lot this year including all over Colorado, Maine, Florida, Oregon, Ohio, South Carolina and North Carolina. We get to have some stability at home now until the baby comes. We have been checking out everything Winston Salem has to offer. David is very happy with his job to say the least.

Here are some pictures of a successful day trip Charlie and I had at the Children's Museum today. We were both impressed.

Excited about the kitchen set up

Why take stairs when you can take a giant beanstalk?

Kid's Grocery

Snack Time

Checking out Max from one of his favorite books

Story time @ the Museum

Well that's it for now. My goal is for at least 1 more post before our little girl arrives.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Charlie 11 months

Charles is 11 months old today!

David and I love our time with Charlie. He is so happy and so much fun to be with. The world is his jungle gym currently. He is wanting to crawl up anything and use whatever he can for support to stand and make his way around. Charlie loves his food and sitting down for meals is a good break from spotting him all day long.