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Monday, April 07, 2008
Thursday, April 03, 2008
More Love - Holding Blake
Before Blake was born, Niel and I had wondered if we could love this new
baby as much as we love Caleb, and how it'd be difficult to "split-up"
this love between two sons. Now after meeting Blake, we realize we were
wrong. Love doesn't split up; instead, love multiplies. I find myself
increased in love and happiness. Seems the more children and loved ones
we have, the more we love. Niel put this into an analogy with God, that
He has more and more children multiplying all over the earth, and thus
His love increases- He doesn't love one more than another, but all
equally. Having children helps us understand God more, doesn't it? :)
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Blake Evan Thompson
.
Blake Evan Thompson
Born April 2, 2008 at 5:55 a.m.
7.9 Lbs. and 20 1/2 Inches
Erika had an all natural birth, no medications! Erika and Blake are
doing well!
Story of my labor with Blake
On the morning of April 1st, "April Fool's", my ob/gyn found my cervix still completely closed, and didn't think the baby would come soon. Induction was scheduled the following Monday April 7th. I was disappointed, hoping to have natural labor, and not deal with pitocin, known to cause more painful contractions.
When I had begun contractions, Niel, Caleb, and I were celebrating the due date at "Best Thai Restaurant" on Chicago and Spruce. A teacher told Niel that if I needed to try induce labor, I should try Thai. The food was delicious, top-rated best in Riverside! During dinner at around 6:30, I started having what I thought was Braxton-Hicks, that I've been having so frequently for the last month and half. This time, it was mildy painful, but no different from what I felt for the last couple of days (and had reported to my doctor who dismissed it as just Braxton-Hicks merely because of its time irregularity). This continued throughout the evening, without stopping, but still was irregular, jumping from minutes of ten, six, twenty, thirty, eight, etc. with some regularity only a few times in a row.
We both didn't take these contractions seriously and went about our evening. I gave Caleb a bath, waiting in between pains to do the motions. While watching "Dance with the Stars", I started wondering if I was in early labor, or if I'd start in the middle of the night. At bedtime, I wasn't able to lie still in bed, tossing and turning at every contraction (on average ten minutes apart). Bothered by my motions, Niel moved to the guest bed to make sure he's well rested and able to help me later if needed. Unable to sleep, I took a warm bath with no improvement results. I started to realize that I might be in actual labor, but still kept the possibility that it was a false alarm. I lit a "Stress-Free" candle for my bedside, and struggled to sleep. I'd sleep for only ten minutes, only to be interrupted with painful contractions, which still were irregular, according to my faithful timing of each, using my pager. Around 2 a.m., I paged a list of girlfriend moms asking for their opinion, although I knew most of them would be asleep. This continued for one or two hours, until I realized I was in much more pain, and that sleep was impossible. Yes, this is labor!
During every contraction, I tried to ease the pain by kneeling, walking on fours, lying back, to no avail. I later felt mildly nauseated, hot, a bit dizzy, finding comfort lying on the very cool bathroom floor with toilet nearby. It helped most to kneel, resting my chest on the toilet seat (lid closed) for some reason. During all this time, Niel was still asleep in the other room, unawares. At 3 a.m., I decided I was too much of a wimp to bear through what I thought was the first or earlier stages of labor. (I've heard girlfriends' stories of going to the hospital only to find out that they weren't far along in labor, at only 1 or 3 centimeters apart, and being told to return home, hence I decided to wait it out a little longer at home - which I later learned was a risky mistake!) I paged a friend and my mom about coming over ASAP to rescue us, so we'd be able to leave for the hospital, leaving Caleb asleep in his crib with an adult in the house. I woke Niel half an hour after calling mom for rescue, telling him I'm in labor and we're hospital bound. I had already packed my bag, ready to go, during the earlier hours of labor. In the hours while I waited for rescue, the contractions went down to only one minute apart, with excruciating pain I became MAD that I wasn't already at the hospital drugged with painkillers. The massages and thoughtful gestures Niel tried doing for me no longer worked, and only made it worse. I didn't want to be touched, for every pressure on my flesh intensified the pain.
We finally were able to leave the house at 5 a.m., enduring the most painful drive at bumps and curves. I begged Niel to drive FAST during the one minute intervals I didn't have contractions, and then to drive SLOW when the pain came. We entered Riverside Community Hospital at around 5:15 a.m. By then, I was crouching, and desperate to crawl on the floor in pain. I was quickly wheeled to the maternity ward, but was hassled for insurance papers, registration, etc. We also tried asking for an interpreter. All seemed hopeless. Thankfully, the staff finally led me to a room where I could lie down. At around 5:30, a nurse inspected my cervix, and it was already 8 centimeters wide, leading to 10! Being naive, I asked for painkillers, and was shocked to be informed "NO", it was too late . . . the baby was expected to come within the hour (when he actually came 14 minutes later after that point!). I'd have to brave it all on my own, and I've always known to have very low pain tolerance, so, I thought, oh boy . . . can I do this? By then, the contractions were killing me, I had just got to get this maddening pain over with by going along with the motions and push if I felt like it. Nurses were present, but my regular doctor would miss it, and another doctor was on his way, to be with me in five minutes, I was told. No, I knew I couldn't wait even five minutes. Baby felt like he was coming out NOW! During the subsequent contractions, I could FEEL some widening, opening of my pelvis and whatever else it was, and an urge to push during each motion. The nurse said if I had to push, to go ahead. Yeeeeahhhhh! I'll push, that's for sure! One more, and I could feel the baby coming, and feel my vagina widening even more along with the anus in the "pooping" pressure. The doctor then walked in, just in time. The second push, and finally the head came out, and that was the most relieving reduction of pain I've ever felt. The third and easy push, and out came the entire baby!
When I had begun contractions, Niel, Caleb, and I were celebrating the due date at "Best Thai Restaurant" on Chicago and Spruce. A teacher told Niel that if I needed to try induce labor, I should try Thai. The food was delicious, top-rated best in Riverside! During dinner at around 6:30, I started having what I thought was Braxton-Hicks, that I've been having so frequently for the last month and half. This time, it was mildy painful, but no different from what I felt for the last couple of days (and had reported to my doctor who dismissed it as just Braxton-Hicks merely because of its time irregularity). This continued throughout the evening, without stopping, but still was irregular, jumping from minutes of ten, six, twenty, thirty, eight, etc. with some regularity only a few times in a row.
We both didn't take these contractions seriously and went about our evening. I gave Caleb a bath, waiting in between pains to do the motions. While watching "Dance with the Stars", I started wondering if I was in early labor, or if I'd start in the middle of the night. At bedtime, I wasn't able to lie still in bed, tossing and turning at every contraction (on average ten minutes apart). Bothered by my motions, Niel moved to the guest bed to make sure he's well rested and able to help me later if needed. Unable to sleep, I took a warm bath with no improvement results. I started to realize that I might be in actual labor, but still kept the possibility that it was a false alarm. I lit a "Stress-Free" candle for my bedside, and struggled to sleep. I'd sleep for only ten minutes, only to be interrupted with painful contractions, which still were irregular, according to my faithful timing of each, using my pager. Around 2 a.m., I paged a list of girlfriend moms asking for their opinion, although I knew most of them would be asleep. This continued for one or two hours, until I realized I was in much more pain, and that sleep was impossible. Yes, this is labor!
During every contraction, I tried to ease the pain by kneeling, walking on fours, lying back, to no avail. I later felt mildly nauseated, hot, a bit dizzy, finding comfort lying on the very cool bathroom floor with toilet nearby. It helped most to kneel, resting my chest on the toilet seat (lid closed) for some reason. During all this time, Niel was still asleep in the other room, unawares. At 3 a.m., I decided I was too much of a wimp to bear through what I thought was the first or earlier stages of labor. (I've heard girlfriends' stories of going to the hospital only to find out that they weren't far along in labor, at only 1 or 3 centimeters apart, and being told to return home, hence I decided to wait it out a little longer at home - which I later learned was a risky mistake!) I paged a friend and my mom about coming over ASAP to rescue us, so we'd be able to leave for the hospital, leaving Caleb asleep in his crib with an adult in the house. I woke Niel half an hour after calling mom for rescue, telling him I'm in labor and we're hospital bound. I had already packed my bag, ready to go, during the earlier hours of labor. In the hours while I waited for rescue, the contractions went down to only one minute apart, with excruciating pain I became MAD that I wasn't already at the hospital drugged with painkillers. The massages and thoughtful gestures Niel tried doing for me no longer worked, and only made it worse. I didn't want to be touched, for every pressure on my flesh intensified the pain.
We finally were able to leave the house at 5 a.m., enduring the most painful drive at bumps and curves. I begged Niel to drive FAST during the one minute intervals I didn't have contractions, and then to drive SLOW when the pain came. We entered Riverside Community Hospital at around 5:15 a.m. By then, I was crouching, and desperate to crawl on the floor in pain. I was quickly wheeled to the maternity ward, but was hassled for insurance papers, registration, etc. We also tried asking for an interpreter. All seemed hopeless. Thankfully, the staff finally led me to a room where I could lie down. At around 5:30, a nurse inspected my cervix, and it was already 8 centimeters wide, leading to 10! Being naive, I asked for painkillers, and was shocked to be informed "NO", it was too late . . . the baby was expected to come within the hour (when he actually came 14 minutes later after that point!). I'd have to brave it all on my own, and I've always known to have very low pain tolerance, so, I thought, oh boy . . . can I do this? By then, the contractions were killing me, I had just got to get this maddening pain over with by going along with the motions and push if I felt like it. Nurses were present, but my regular doctor would miss it, and another doctor was on his way, to be with me in five minutes, I was told. No, I knew I couldn't wait even five minutes. Baby felt like he was coming out NOW! During the subsequent contractions, I could FEEL some widening, opening of my pelvis and whatever else it was, and an urge to push during each motion. The nurse said if I had to push, to go ahead. Yeeeeahhhhh! I'll push, that's for sure! One more, and I could feel the baby coming, and feel my vagina widening even more along with the anus in the "pooping" pressure. The doctor then walked in, just in time. The second push, and finally the head came out, and that was the most relieving reduction of pain I've ever felt. The third and easy push, and out came the entire baby!
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