Ruby Kate

 I am not going to share the entire birth story/pregnancy here, but I did want to document that I really wanted to have little Ruby naturally and unmedicated.  I had been induced/ & had epidurals with the boys and felt that something had been missing in their births.  A connection at birth maybe?  They had both seemed sleepy and my deliveries sort of anti-climatic and out of my control.  I wasn't sure if there would be a difference, but I really wanted this baby girl to come on her own.  Sadly, she didn't seem to be in a hurry to arrive.

Here I am at 42 weeks, relentlessly bouncing on my yoga ball, insisting that this baby needed to come out!  My doctor had scheduled an induction for the following morning.  Holy cow, I looked ginormous!

After being induced at 5:00 am, little Ruby arrived at 10:29 am in quick fashion!  I was able to get through the pitocin contractions and have her unmedicated. Only during transition, when I felt out of control with everything was it too hard and then fifteen minutes later she was born. 

She nursed right away for about an hour.  It was a special moment for me.  Neither boys, for different reasons, had been able to eat right away. 

We were so grateful she was finally here and perfectly healthy!  My Mom and Jack arrived about an hour after she was born and Jack took on the role of caretaker to me.  Rubbing my arms and asking me if I was OK.



Her feet were super dry because she was so full-term, but she looked so healthy and strong.

Our first photo as a family, after Tyson arrived from school.

Dusty gave Ruby her first bath in the recovery room, and the nurse picked out this bow for her.

I think the boys couldn't believe she was actually here!  Tyson just kept grinning and grinning!  Jack would pat her and give her tiny kisses.

About three hours after her birth she really woke up and started looking around for the first time.

She slept pretty good through the night at the hospital.  Dusty slept on the floor near me in the room, and did I sleep?  Not really-- I kept checking on my new little one who was already so dear to my heart.

After jumping through all the hoops to get discharged from the hospital it was finally time to go home.  We got Ruby all ready to go.

It was a team effort!

At home, we had her bassinet all ready for her.  Newborn babies are so deliciously sleepy and it's so fun to watch them sleep through all the chaos.

My Mom gave Ruby her first bath at home. 

Poor little girl had to be on the bili-lights after her birth.  I wasn't that worried about her jaundice because she was nursing so well.  Crazily enough, we had a freak spring snow storm that knocked out the power the day after she was born and she couldn't be on the lights anyway for most of the day.

The boys went to church on Sunday (Mother's Day) when Ruby was two days old, looking dapper.

Meanwhile, my Mom took good care of me.  Letting me rest on the couch and do nothing but sleep, hold my baby, and enjoy being home and not pregnant anymore!