IT'S A GIRL!
Lucia Hope was born Tuesday October 17, 2006 at 5:18 PM. She was 7 pounds 11 ounces, 21 inches long and despite swallowing her own poop in utero, then barfing it up for the next two days, she is perfect! She came out without abdominal surgery - I still can't believe it. Jeff video taped the event which I am fearful of watching. I will concur with those who warned that the experience was incredibly excruciating. Certain parts of labor were actually similar to my appendix rupturing. I will disagree with those that theorize that you "forget: the pain as soon as the baby is born. We spent one more day in the hospital due to her barfing and lack of interest in breastfeeding, which meant that I had the pleasure of seeing no less than six lactation consultants in two days who spent an approximate total of ten hours manhandling my breasts while Lucia slept contentedly with my nipple in her mouth. She sleeps 23.5 hours a day, even eating in her sleep from a nifty little device that we have to tape to our finger until she gets the hang of breastfeeding. In all of my spare time I am hooked up to a milking machine and when I am not hooked up to the milking machine, I am sitting on a plastic donut seat eating mass quantities of food and marveling at our newest child. I have slept maybe ten hours in four days and actually am not minding it as much as I thought I would. I am on an adrenaline high from the last week. I will have more detail to add soon. I must get an hour of sleep before I hook up to my milking machine...