Luke Henri Michael Curtice is here!

Luke is finally here! On November 17, 2008 at 3:15pm Luke was born at home! Thats right we had a surprise home birth. Daddy caught Luke and mom and baby were both healthy and doing well. It all started at 7:30am when I woke up with slight cramping, I had been having cramping/contractions all week so I wasn't sure if it was the real thing. Thank goodness I had Ray stay home from work! About 10am contractions started slowing so I got into the shower and got ready for my chiropractor appointment. Ray took me to the chiro to be adjusted which I am so thankful! My hips and low back were really needing some TLC! We then went to Wendy's for lunch-not a great meal for a laboring women-but I didn't throw it up! Around 1pm we returned home and I took a lavender bath while listening to some relaxing music and Ray put JP down for a nap. The contractions were getting a little more intense at this point but I was handling them well and still didn't think I was in "active" labor. Raymond checked on me around 1:45pm and helped me out of the tub. I called Mary our doula in Denton and she decided to leave and drive down. I texted Sondra our Waco doula and gave her an update and we called the Midwife, Christy and gave her an update. I called my mom and asked if she could come soon to watch JP and Ray called my sister. Ray started holding me up during all my contractions which really helped me, I was still doing well and staying relaxed. I think I was in denial that we were in active labor! Around 2:45pm my mom, dad and sister arrived. Contractions were getting very hard and I was starting to loose my concentration. Ray was still holding me up and my low back was killing me so Lauren was holding an ice pack on my back. I was getting really tired and tried lying down on my bed. I hated this position and was loosing control and not staying relaxed! Ray kept breathing with me and trying to keep me calm. Around 3:10 my water broke. I asked Lauren to look at it and make sure there was no meconium. The baby's head was starting to crown at that point but I didn't realize it, I wasn't even pushing! I was very uncomfortable lying down so I stood up. Lauren looked and said we are having a baby here, and Ray said yes we are! Luke's head was born and then I pushed the rest of his body out while dad caught him. He turned Luke and patted his back until he started crying. My mom came into the room and we asked her to get some clean towels. Surprisingly everyone stayed very calm! Lauren called the midwife and she was outside in the driveway. She came in, a little surprised Luke had been born. Sondra arrived around the same time. They helped me on the bed and
Christy delivered the placenta. Christy examined me and decided that I had a 2nd degree tear and I needed to be transported so she could sew me up. Also, since we weren't planning a home birth, we didn't have a clamp or sterile scissors so Lauren called the EMTs. The fire dept arrived first and took my vitals and gave Christy a clamp and a scapel to cut the cord from the placenta. The EMTs arrived and loaded me and Luke up and off we went to the hospital. If I wouldn't have had a 2nd degree tear I probably wouldn't have had to go :( We arrived around 4:20pm and they took us up to labor and delivery. Christy called ahead of time so they were expecting us. The nurses weighed and measured Luke, he was 6lbs 14oz and 19in long! He got his first bath while I was being sewn up. We stayed in L & D for awhile because I was feeling light headed. Mary arrived from Denton and her and my mom came in to see me. My mom and dad took JP to dinner at Cheddars while the nurses where getting us ready to go to postpartum. When we were settled Mary, Sondra, and Lauren were there to support me. My parents arrived with JP and dinner from Cheddars. JP was very excited to see Baby brother Luke! He gave him lots of kisses and was already being a great big brother! Brian came in to see us and Peter and Claire came in from Leander to visit the new addition. JP brought us a balloon and a beautiful flower arrangement with cranberries, red roses and white hydrangeas. Peter and Claire brought us goodies as well as a cute little outfit for Luke. By 10:30pm everyone had left and Lauren went to our home to bring us some items that we left and needed like toothpaste! We finally went to bed around 12:30am to be woken up every 1-2hrs during the night. The next day the pedi came by and released Luke and Christy came by and released me! So we left around 5pm that evening. We were so glad to be home! My mom spent the night with us which was a tremendous amount of help with JP! JP came down with a stomach bug on Wednesday and has been vomiting off and on since then :( Overall we have had a little more sleep and everyone is doing better! Thank you for everyones thoughts and prayers!