A Son is Born

   Last Friday my sister let me know she was going to be headed into the hospital to get induced. I had been hoping to get away that weekend and this seemed like the opportunity I was hoping for. The plan was for me to look after her daughter so her husband could be there for her during her labor. The weekend did not go exactly as planned but turned out perfectly in the end. Friday night she ended up not getting induced as women left right and center were coming in to have babies and there was no time to induce her, but she had to stay at the hospital overnight. The next day she waited all day and finally in the evening the process was started. The first night I had stayed at her house with her daughter but the second night she and I had a little sleep over at the hospital so her husband could get a better sleep. We got pizza for dinner and bought some magazines and junk food and pretended we were staying at a hotel for the night. We walked the halls listening to new babies cry and a woman in the throes of labor. It was a most memorable sleep over indeed.

  The next day the second step of inducing labor was started but still things were quite slow (I had come out Friday night, it was now Sunday) and it was hard not to be impatient or frustrated but my sister was a champion! We had to understand that they were doing the best they could as there were so many babies being born. Late Sunday night my sister had her water broken and less than two hours later her son was born. I attended my first birth as another friend of my sister's was able to stay with her daughter.

  I have always wanted to attend a birth. I have been at my own of course but I knew that being at someone else's would be different. This was as beautiful as a hospital birth could be. We had a mother, doula, midwife, nurse, husband and sister in a small room with lights low. My sister used a tens machine to counteract contractions. The atmosphere was hushed and calm and the room felt holy, sacred and beautiful. My sister had a long and traumatic first birth and I feel like this second birth was very healing and lovely. I was so honored to attend and take pictures of this entrance of a brand new soul to the world.

It was a strong beautiful reminder that motherhood is also a sisterhood and in that room the love and support was precious to see and feel. It reminded me of how I felt during two of my births and also reminded me that this is what every mother in the world needs not just during her birth but forever after and how tragic it is that in our society this is not always the case.

       Here are some pictures of the journey we took to the birth of my nephew:

                                             This flower greeted me by my sister's front door.

This is Saturday morning when I took my little niece into see her mommy after their first night apart.

 This nurse was so sweet and chatty. My sister has a needle phobia and she had to insert a massive needle into my sister's vein. It was done with so much kindness and gentleness.

There were so many little details around the room reminding us of our purpose here.

                     Lots of this happened...waiting...hoping...trying to get things started.

We made a little trip to the cafeteria and I realized from straight on I could barely tell she was pregnant at all!

                                                      But from the side....

             Sleep over night!!! We had so much fun getting gussied up to walk the halls.

A breakfast of champions....sure to inspire a mother in labor or just having birthed a child....(not)

                     An evening visit to see mommy before another night away from her.

And now things are getting real ~ we had a day pass from the hospital and after drinking raspberry leaf tea in vast quantities and using other remedies to get labor going contractions are painful and we feel the need to get back to the hospital!

Once we arrive contractions slow down to almost nothing so she does her hair and gets ready for whatever is coming her way. After two full days and going on night three.... STILL smiling!

Our family suffers from a connective tissue disorder and this pillow was my sister's saving grace as her hips and tailbone would partially dislocate over and over.

           Things are getting real...water has been broken and that first contraction is a doozy!

                                        Our sweet nurse getting everything prepared.

                                                      Contractions aren't fun.

Midwifery care is such a blessing we are so thankful for here where we live and this midwife was such a sweet heart. She is showing my sister how to use the tens machine. The time is about ten minutes after 11:pm Sunday night.

               And now the time is almost here and the pain is getting intense.

This is my sister's doula giving so much love and assurance through her gentle touch.

                                     The midwife whispering strength and courage

                                                   She is mighty and strong

                                                          A beautiful moment.

                                                               And he is here!

                     Mom is relieved and still in pain and daddy is looking at his son

                                           All the hands helping with cutting the cord.

The placenta took a while to come and so daddy was able to do skin on skin quite quickly after birth.

                                                    So fresh so new so sweet.

                The post birth nap that is more than bliss and so well deserved.

This is my sister hours after giving birth! She had a relatively quick and easy labor, minor tearing, and this made it so that she could be up and doing her hair so quickly after giving birth. This is amazing and wonderful and so different than her last experience.

Here is big sister. She has just realized her brother is here and not in mommy's tummy anymore. Her heart is almost bursting with excitement.

      She has given him a thousand kisses and squealed 'brother' over and over.

                 After this they got ready and went home to start a new life as a family of four.