PERFECT LITTLE FACES

Eden is 8 days old today and she is perfect.
We are so in love with her.
Right now, she's a content, easy going, happy baby.
We'll have to wait out the next few weeks to see if that's her regular demeanor or if we're just getting to enjoy a little newborn bliss before the storm. lol.
But for right now, she's a total little gem.
She doesn't cry much.. and when she does she sounds like a little squeaky toy. It's the cutest thing.
As long as we keep her fed and snuggled, she's content and happy, and sleeps pretty well in her bassinet. She wakes up regularly at night, but that's to be expected with a hungry little newborn.
After losing a little weight (she got down to 5lb 10oz), she was back up to her birth weight (6lb 1oz) by just a week old, so she is doing GREAT.

We're still having some feeding troubles, so I'm starting to lean towards just pumping like I did with my other 2, but other than that things with her are going smoothly so far.

Today I was able to coax Luke and Kate into sitting for a photo with Eden. I bought Jake a photo frame for Fathers day that he can put on his desk at work, and wanted to get a picture of all 3 kids to put in it.

I think considering the 3 minute window of co-operation I got, I didn't do too badly. lol

So here they are... my absolute pride and joy.
I love these perfect, little faces.

EDEN ELIZABETH

Our family has grown by one more little person.

Yesterday we welcomed Eden Elizabeth Geddes into our family.

She was born on June 9, 2014

39 weeks 2 days

11:45am

Weight: 6lb 1oz (2.74kg)

Length: 19 inches (48.25cm)

Head: 13 inches (33cm)

Her labor story:

I arrived at the hospital at 6am for a scheduled induction.

Upon arrival, I was hooked up to the monitors and checked, and I was having mild and irregular contractions already, on my own (they felt like menstrual cramping) and I was 3-4cm dilated.

At 7:40am they started me on the pitocin, which they kept at a very low dose because I was already contracting.. so the pitocin just helped to strengthen and regulate the contractions.

At 8:40am they ruptured my membranes.

As the contractions got stronger and stronger, I spent most of my time on a birthing ball, leaning over the foot of the bed.

For a couple hours as things got more intense, I debated about whether or not I wanted to get an epidural. Finally, after a few hard contractions I called it, and asked for the epidural.

When the anesthesiologist came in, my nurse first checked me and I was at 6cm. We figured I still had a ways to go. For the next 20 or so minutes, I had to sit dead still on the edge of the bed, breathing through hard contractions while the anesthesiologist got the epidural in place.

She inserted the bolus dose and left... it usually takes a little while to kick in, and my nurse still had to hook up the epidural pump.

Right as the anesthesiologist walked out of the room, and before the bolus dose had a chance to kick in or the pump be hooked up, I had a monster contraction and instantly felt a huge urge to push. My nurse quickly checked me again and I had gone from 6cm to 10cm with Eden's head crowning in the time it took for the epidural catheter to be placed.

My nurse quickly called for my Dr who came rushing in, and said, "Don't push, don't push... I just need a minute to get my things together",  (easier said than done when your body is not in your control anymore. lol

2 more contractions and 2 big pushes and Eden was born without the glorious pain relieving effects of the epidural. lol. (4hrs and 5 minutes after my induction was started)

It was honestly the most painful experience I've ever had. It lasted just a few short minutes but in the moment it felt like eternity. I had an insane amount of pressure and an incredible burning. I've heard of the expression "a ring of fire" to describe how it feels to naturally birth a baby, and I didn't understand that until yesterday. WOW... no jokes...
I can now say I've 'involuntarily' joined the 'natural birthing club' LOL

What an experience.

Jake had been on the phone with Grandma Geddes right before the anesthesiologist left the room. He told her that they had checked me, right before placing the epidural and I was only at 6cm and we expected it to still be a little while... after her birth, we checked his phone and realized that Eden was in my arms just 13 minutes after that call. LOL. Once she decided she was coming, she came FAST.

I was again fortunate enough, just like with Kate, to not have any tears, cuts or need any stitches so recovery should again be a lot easier than it was with Luke :)

The few hours after Edens delivery I was still pretty out of it and feeling a bit 'off'. Quite different to the 'high' I was on when Kate was born. I honestly think that the suddenly fast and painful end to my labor and delivery put me into a bit of a state of shock. While sitting through those contractions getting the epidural in place, I had gotten into the mindset that pain relief was near. Instead, I was suddenly hit hard with a chaotic, FAST, and much more painful experience I could have imagined and I was totally unprepared for it.

But, now I can say I've done it both ways. lol.

And if I had to do it again, (which I don't plan too. haha), I would DEFINITELY ask for the epidural sooner. LOL :D

Eden is BEAUTIFUL. I think she looks a lot like Kate as a newborn, but where Kate had bigger cheeks, Eden has adorable dimples.

I seem to have done things backwards, and had our biggest baby first, and each consecutive baby has gotten smaller. Luke was 8lbs (3.65kg), Kate was 6lb 6oz (2.89kg) and then Eden, a petite 6lb 1oz (2.74kg)

We are excited to have her join our family. The final piece to our family puzzle.

Life is good and we are feeling richly blessed by these special little people we are fortunate enough to be able to call our own and raise as part of our eternal family.