Wesley Frank May

Sorry all for the delay!  I've been busy!  This sweet baby boy arrived early on March 1st, after four hours of labor.  He came out 10lbs 8 oz, and 22 inches long!  He arrived only two days after my "due date"!  Can you believe it?  And yes, I did go out and buy new pants that I never got to wear! 

So here is the quick version of my birth story.  We had a dinner party the night before, so I went to bed early after a long day of cleaning, cooking, church, and kids and an Olympic Canadian Gold Medal Hockey Game!  By 2:42 ( :P  exactly!) I had my first contraction.  I started watching the clock to see if it was going anywhere.  I was pretty sure I would end up going back to sleep and that nothing was going to come of it.  I wasn't expecting this baby til the middle of March based on past history!  Anyway, they were five minutes apart and lasting almost a minute.  At the end of the first hour, I couldn't sleep anymore, so I stopped trying and let Trevor know we were having a baby! 

We both went down to the kitchen to tidy up from our dinner party (for something to do).  After a bit, I decided it wasn't too early to call my sister and let her in on our news.  We chatted for an hour or so, while I tossed down the phone and moaned through my contractions.  She was great support and an awesome cheering squad for me, especially since Trevor had crashed on the couch when we started chatting).  I hung up on her when things started to pick up and called my mom to let her know, too.  After a few minutes I had to let her go, too, and I woke Trevor up with my moaning.  He went and phoned the midwives to let them know that things were picking up and they should head on over.
I had planned to listen to my birth music, and smell my oils and light candles, but things were going so fast that I wasn't getting any of that done!   

I was having contractions every minute by now and I headed up to the shower.  I moaned them out in the shower until the water ran out.  Our midwife, Jane, arrived just before and began racing to get set up.  I moved from the shower to sit on the toilet for a while.  The contractions felt better there and were coming every thirty seconds.  Jane came in and checked the baby with the Doppler for a few seconds, and moved off again.  She came back a few minutes later to check my dilation and pronounced me a seven.  I was discouraged, but determined.  My mantra from the beginning of labor was "longer, stronger, closer together"  and I changed it to "I am getting Huge!" 

Time is a blur, it went so fast, but a short time later, I was crawling onto my bed.  I put my face down on a pile of pillows, with Trevor at my head rubbing my back, and I pushed that baby out!  Pushing contractions felt so great!  I was happy for the change.  I had gotten quite loud in the bathroom, and the kids were up by now and kept coming in to check on me.  Jane had one hand on the baby's head as I pushed him out, and she guided me to push slowly to avoid tearing (with other baby's I pushed them out so fast I needed stitches, but not this time!  Thanks Jane!). 

I rolled onto my back and Jane handed my slippery, fat baby to me.  It's the most amazing memory.  Trevor and I rubbed his back and talked to him while he started to breath and pink up.  I had started to bleed, so Jane had me push out the placenta quickly and shot me up with oxytocin to slow it down.  I still hadn't checked to see what we'd had, and I'd asked everyone not to tell me, but Trevor let it slip when he went to the door to tell the kids that the baby had arrived.  :D  A boy!  I have to say I was surprised!  Born around 7:15 am.  After a night with a big full moon!

This little baby of ours was born in the Caul, which means, he was born with all his membranes in tact.  Jane said he looked like saran wrap covered him as he came out, and she had to tear it off of his back after he was born.  This is a very special thing, and these babies are said to be very spiritual souls. 

Our second midwife, Savan, arrived soon after, I guess I was too fast for her!  She got to help with the clean up!  I was still bleeding heavy so they gave me another shot.  I nursed my baby for a while and then, when things had calmed down, and all the kids had come in to see the baby, we got busy phoning  our friends and family to let them know our good news! 

We had picked out two boys names before the baby was born, but I just didn't like the middle name.  So Wesley had no middle name for his first week of life.  There was a name in my head that kept pestering me and wouldn't go away.  I played with it and didn't tell anyone until I was sure.  This little boy was meant to be named after his grandpa Frank, and there was no way that I could deny it.  The name wouldn't leave my head and once I was sure, I let Trevor know.  He, of course was proud to name this babe after his dad, and I could finally let my mind rest!  Grandpa Frank is a great man.  He is giving and generous and full of wisdom and love and honor.  I hope our little Wesley will be proud of the name that he will carry on. 

 (Peter was so busy taking pictures, that we didn't get one of him holding the baby til later and I haven't put them on the computer yet.  Harlee isn't sure what she thinks of the baby when he cried for the first time!  I love her face!)