Introducing Max Harrison Seiner

Yes that's right ! He came EARLY! a month early!


here is the usual info:

Born: Wednesday Feb 4th, 2009 at 7:10am
Weighing in at 6 pounds
19.5 inches

He was at 36 weeks and just days before he was considered full term so the doctor felt that he was full term based on his weight, and health and size.

Don't you want to hear the birth story? Well I've got one for you if you want to stay....

First off I must start this by saying the pessimism really works for me.
What I mean is this:
I was pretty convinced that I couldn't get pregnant - so I wasn't really attached to it, but felt we could try for a year and see what happens. Within 8 months I was pregnant.

Then I thought that I couldn't and shouldn't really have a baby vaginally. I just felt that the baby would get stuck, and cord would wrap around his neck and he wouldn't make it. I was all for a c-section. Plus I felt that nothing baby size should ever pass through the vaginal canal. that's just not right. right? Yea - I have heard that we were made to give birth - but maybe the design was off.....and we were also made with freedom of choice. so there you go!

Anyhow -

The baby shower was on Sunday. 25 people in our home. That morning - at about 3:45 I had the first sign of labor progressing called the bloody show. Yep - they really call it that. And I will leave it at that. I heard that it might mean labor is right around the corner - but it also could mean nothing! I was writing down my contractions that had started 3 weeks ago and they were all so far apart I wasn't worried about it. I knew that I had to have 1 hour of contractions that were about 5 minutes apart for me to consider going to the hospital.

Monday I felt like I had the flu

Tuesday Jerry called me on his way home from work and I had the first contraction. It was hard and different then all the others. I couldn't talk through it and it was coming from a different place.
3 minutes later, another contraction, 3 minutes later, another one. After 40 minutes of being on the phone with Jerry and then Amy we concluded that I had 10 contractions and needed to go to the hospital.

We figured they would send us home since I've heard so many stories of this. You think the contractions are bad but really they have just begun and you are sent home until you are further along.

We were told we weren't going anywhere. I was already 3 centimeters.

Had some pretty "off" experiences at the beginning with our hospital. Ie: they didn't have our pre-admittance info anywhere that we dropped off a month prior, so we couldn't proceed until we filled out paper work which held things up a lot.
Also had a few nurses who were not so hot at finding a vein for the IV. Both of my hands looked like a war zone and at a certain point I started to lose it because it hurt so bad on my hands - worse then the contractions!
If Jerry wasn't there I would have lost my mind. He was so calm and helpful. Loving and present.

Then there was a shift change and the nurses that came on were exactly what I needed. Maternal, nice, touchy, gentle, kind, fun, nursing team. Phew. Other then the UGLY decor at the hospital, I felt much more taken care of, and in better spirits.
The anesthesiologist came in to find the vein and she was AWESOME. she made me feel so much better and taken care of as well.

I didn't know if I was going to have a vaginal birth or c-section because the baby was early I just didn't know what was best for him and I wanted to do whatever was least likely to be harmful to him. I spoke with my doctor who said that the baby was really far down and because of that - and the fact that he is early - he would be smaller - and both of those factors would make it easier for a vaginal birth and he suggested I start there. I said ok! Totally felt trust in him and in that decision without a second thought.

Jerry and I took all the birthing classes at the hospital in the last few months of pregnancy, so we knew all about breathing - and what to expect - what devices they use in the labor room - what they look like - why they are used - all that. And Jerry and I practiced our breathing together. Every time I looked at him to breathe with him it would tickle me on the inside. Made me smile. Even if I couldn't outwardly smile! His eyes melted me.

The anesthesiologist came back later to administer the Epidural and I completely trusted her which is good because that needle is fricken Huge.

ok- so - once the epidural was in - I started to feel numb from in the legs and feet but I could still move them around and wiggle my toes so it didn't freak me out too bad. I basically slept through the night. Jerry slept next to me in a chair in the labor room ( which by the way was a huge room ) My parents drove up from San Diego and stayed at the hospital overnight as well. I needed another doctor in the room who knew me - and that person was Dr. Just! I think hearing the story of my birth over and over again made me feel terrified in general of giving birth so having people there in the room who were educated and knew what was going on but who were on "my team" made me feel better. ( basically my mom stopped breathing during my birth and rose up and saw herself on the table - and I was still inside of her. They had to go in with forceps and get me in a way that is usually not done in order to try to save me. Obviously my mom came back and lived to tell the tale ( over and over again! ) But it did impact my feelings about giving birth of course.

anyhoo

I slept the night away - feeling NOTHING except a cramp in my neck from laying funny on it.
At around 6am the doctor woke me and checked me and told me I was at 10 centimeters. I couldn't believe it. I literally slept through the contractions and the transition.

It was time to push. Jerry held one leg - and my mom held the other leg and I held them from under the knees and pulled them towards me.
( side note : I thought every time we saw birthing movies Jerry and I would squirm during the birth and we would look at each other and say " c-section! " - and laugh. We thought Jerry would pass out from what was going on down there and he certainly wouldn't be holding a leg and looking at the head coming out of there......but he was a total rock star and didn't look pale or seem uncomfortable at all! He was really grounded, and into the process. Thank God He was my birth partner!!!! )

My first push they told me that they could see his head!
This was shocking to say the least! I figured - being the pessimist - that I would be pushing for HOURS before seeing anything.

So each time you push - you do it in a set of three pushes.
I did 5 sets of 3 and the baby literally slid out!
Seriously.

It was over in 15 -20 minutes.
I felt nothing and laughed through each push because I thought it was hilarious to push real hard when I couldn't feel it at all. I would just bust out laughing.

They put Max on my chest and I breast fed right away. It was shocking to me! shocking in an amazing way. This baby is breast feeding with me! This is My baby! This is Crazy. This is amazing. This is shocking. It was all so fast and I didn't have that elated crying session or anything like that. Just happy, and shocked.

I gave birth to a baby boy.

me.

vaginally.

crazy.

And so EASY! and PAINLESS.

Who would have ever thought that I would have THAT story to tell. NOT ME.

We didn't know his name for a few days. It was making us crazy. We had Harrison, Oscar and Max on the top of our list the entire pregnancy but none really felt like him.

Then my cousin Alyssa suggested Max Harrison or Harrison Max and I knew it was right. So did Jerry.
Max Harrison Seiner.
How Perfect.

Now we are home from the hospital and getting to know him and he is getting to know us. It's amazing to watch him, hold him, feed him, watch him sleep, smell his skin, kiss his face all over, watch his papa hold him, etc. I'm pretty blissed out in love with him and was the moment I saw him. He Just started to open his eyes for brief moments and we just squeal every time we see him look at us.

He is peaceful, and just makes the cutest squeeking noises. He loves to be swaddled, and shooshed, and held. he also loves his head massaged lightly, and under his chin. He loves the sounds of his papa's voice, and he loves both breast milk and formula. He also loves being in a sling and we love carrying him around with us that way, and napping with him that way as well.

Tomorrow is his first doctor's appointment and first outing in the world. We aren't sure what to pack along with us, but we are going to have fun packing his little bag and heading out. Of course we will bring the cameras.

Pretty girl - by the way - seems to like him. She is leaving him alone but curious. Not hiding out in a closet. Being a little needy but sleeping in the other room and leaving Max and his bed, and stuff alone.

Of course there's more to the story - and more photos - but anyone who has kids will tell you that posting on a blog is much more then just sitting down and writing. It took me HOURS to get this done in between feeding, changing, holding, swaddling, shooshing Max, and taking care of myself and Jerry best I can as well. Gone are the days of self centered distractions for hours on end - and I'm glad for that.

I'll be posting more about him with more photos as we go. This blog is dedicated to him, as a place to record everything MAX - so that he has something to read and entertain himself with when he is older and wants to find out more about his parents - and his life from a different point of view.

I'm so grateful to have an opportunity to meet this little perfect Max Harrison and be there for him in whatever way we need to be.

We love you baby MAX and so do so many others already! I can't wait for them to meet you and you them.

you are a bright shiny being and you make our home and our lives glow. I look forward to seeing how you evolve and grow into who you are suppose to become. Your papa and I support you in having your best life ever and being the best "you" that you can be. I have no idea what that will be - but we do know that it includes experiencing love as much as possible.