Birth story of Noah…
At 4:30am on Saturday 19th December 2009 I woke up to pee – waking up to pee in the middle of the night had become a ritual that occured at least 3-4 times a night since I had entered my 3rd trimester. No surprise (since it was start of the weekend) that I found Shun still fiddling with his computer and playing games but I convinced him he should go to bed since he had a dentist appointment scheduled and we had made lunch and shopping plans for the day. I wasn`t having any contractions but I did notice a bit of blood when I went to the toilet- I had noticed a little bit the night before as well when I thought my waters broke ( turns out they had a little bit- much to my surprise. Was watching TV with Shun and was like “ohhh” and Shun said “what?” and I replied with “I think I peed myself a little” but I guess it had just been a sign of what was to come- I had thought it might have been Goma-chan`s way of telling us he was on his way but I hadn`t wanted to get my hopes up)
I hopped back into bed and at 5:30am I woke up with period pain like cramps in my tummy that were coming every 10 minutes or so. I timed them while semi- sleeping until 6:30am when I woke Shun and said that I thought I was in labour but was going to go watch TV for another hour and moniter them to make sure. By 7:30am the pains had still not gone away, were coming regularly at 10 minutes apart and getting slightly stronger in intensity so I woke up Shun and he rang the hospital. They said to come when they got to about 8 minutes apart and to have a shower and some breakfast since it could take awhile. Shun rang his parents who said they would come in the car and arrive in an hour.
His parents showed up just before 9am and the contractions were still fairly bearable (I sat and ate breakfast, had a shower, layed down a little watching tv) and at 8 minutes apart. We got in the car with all the hospital baggage and headed on the 40 minute car ride to the clinic.
In the car the contractions jumped from 8 minutes apart to 2 minutes apart within 10 minutes of starting the journey. Shun`s mum was freaking out a little and I could tell Shun`s dad was trying to drive fast without trying to panic or go too fast. It was a pretty bumpy and uncomfortable car ride and I was trying my best to find a comfty position to sit in (it was a tiny car) and breathe properly while still trying to time the contractions (I gave up in the end!)
We arrived at the hospital at 9:40am and I went straight upstairs to the birthing area and into the freestyle labour room (choosen because I thought I would have a long first labour and wanted Shun to be able to lie down and rest too if it was taking a long time plus it would allow me to move around and use a birthing ball etc if neccessary however in the end none of this was neccessary) – we told the midwife that the contractions were already 2 minutes or so apart and she said “already??” and said to go into the room and she would be in in one minute and would start setting up. They checked me and said I was almost 9cm dilated but not to start pushing until she said because they still had to get everything ready. They strapped a monitor on me to check the babies heart beat which thankfully was strong and steady.
Shun came in with me (and his parents waited in the waiting room since he told them I was almost 9cm meaning the baby wouldn`t be far away- they had planned to go home and come back) and the contractions were getting pretty bad and definitely a lot stronger but I was probably more comfortable than I had been in the car since I could lie down and move around a little and find a (more) comfortable position.
At 10:00am the midwife checked me again, said I was 10cm dilated and ready to push. The freestyle labour room was futon on the floor so Shun sat behind me and I had my head on his lap on a pillow so that my head/stomach were a little raised making it easier to push when the time came. The midwife said the baby would probably be born by 10:30am (and I had my eye on the clock from then on!).
Pushing was hard. Much harder than dealing with the contractions had been.
I was still pushing at 10:30am and I was saying “where is he?” and the midwife was saying I was doing well and to keep pushing with each contraction. I was getting tired and had to rest through a couple of the contractions instead of pushing- I was beginning to think he would never come out and I was definitely getting over the pushing. I also ended up having an internal tear which was making the pushing quite painful and felt like I was burning.
The doctor came in at 10:40am.
Noah James was born at 10:52am after the doctor performed an episiotomy. I hadn`t wanted one but by that stage I just wanted him out and they said if they did it then he would be out with the next contraction so I agreed.
They placed him on my chest immediately (and Shun made a noise like he was going to be sick when the baby slipped out- but he wasn`t!!!! Shun was very skeptical about coming in with me for the birth but I gave him no choice- I know now he was glad he was there. He is not a fan of blood and I had been afraid he would be sick or pass out but he did very well) and I was so happy to have him out and there with me. I don`t even remember the placenta coming out but it was before 11:00am so it was also delivered very quickly. I kept looking at Noah and saying to Shun that he was so much smaller than I thought he would be. Shun ended up cutting the umbilical cord as well (despite having said he would never do it- when I wrote my birth plan he had made me write that he definitely didn`t want to do it- he is lucky they asked him again).
So in the end I was in labour for just over 5 hours and Noah was born an hour and ten minutes after we arrived at the clinic (way quicker than I thought he would be! If I had known he would arrive so soon we would of made an earlier start! Next time I will definitely leave for the clinic a little earlier!). I had the episiotomy and I tore and I had an internal tear so I required quite a few stitches- due to the internal tear they decided to put me in the operating room and ended up giving me a general anaesthetic to stitch me up so I was put under and was asleep for about 50 minutes. Sitting over the next couple of days was a little uncomfortable but I am definitely getting better each day!
They took Noah to weigh him and do some tests and Shun went with him while I was being stitched up.
During the labour/pushing I got really hot but after he was born and after they were taking me into the other room I started to get very very cold so before they could do the anaesthetic they had to warm me up because I was shivering too much for them to put an IV in. I don`t really remember but the nurse and midwife said I kept asking about Noah`s weight and that I told the anaesthetic doctor that I had a little boy and that he was gorgeous.
Shun had only slept for 3 hours when I made him get up and call the clinic and his parents so he looks much more exhausted in all the photos than I do I think. Shun stayed that first day until about 8pm and after I woke up from the anaesthetic and was put into the recovery room Shun bought Noah back in (they had cleaned him up a little!) and his parents and brother and sister in law (who arrived while I was getting stitched up- they live within walking distance of my clinic) came in for a quick visit. They layed Noah on the bed with me so that we could spend some more time getting to know each other before we were moved upstairs to the bedroom.
Noah was very sleepy and after we were moved upstairs to my bedroom (they kept him downstairs for an hour to monitor his temperature which was a little low) he continued to sleep so I didn`t get a chance to breastfeed until about 5 hours or more after he was born- the midwife came in to help me wake him up and get him ready for his first feed which he did surprisingly well at. My milk didn`t come in fully until Monday night but he fed well those first few days anyway. He now feeds like a champ and we have not really had any issues with breastfeeding much to my surprise.
They were very worried that he wasn`t peeing (he didn`t pee until late on the 20th then didn`t pee again til the afternoon of 21st- they were concerned he might be a little dehydrated) so I gave him some sugar water a couple of times until my milk came in. He is now peeing 8 or more times a day so he is more than fine!!!
I am glad to be home and we are enjoying our time together as a family- Shun is working today and tomorrow but then he is off for 9 days. Plus my mum arrives from Australia on Saturday which I am very excited about. I am glad that Noah is finally here with us.
Oh and we still call him Goma-chan from time to time! Especially Shun! I guess the nickname really will stick.
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Congratulations Laura! I have been following carefully from america but couldnt get my phone to work to send you an omedetou or two…He is absolutely gorgeous and I am so happy you had a short labor! (sorry about the stitches though!) I hope you are healing well, and I will come and see you when I get back to the JP.
Hugs and snuggles to baby Noah.
Congratulations once again Laura! Noah (really having a hard time not writing Goma-chan) is adorable. I love the picture of him with the somewhat spikey hair.
Wow, only five hours total (and only 50 mins pushing)!!! That`s only an hour longer than it took to push Misora out, so jealous there as I agree the pushing was a hell of a lot harder than the contractions were. Overall (besides perhaps the extra stitches) it sounds like you had a nice labor.
I definitely want to get together a meet Noah as soon as your up for it after your mum leaves (I know she definitely wants to spend as much time cuddlying him as she can.
Oh..and T pointed out to me that he has the same jacket as Shun, can`t remember if thats the one he wore to the hospital or not.
That’s a lovely pic of the three of you. Sounds like a not too horrific experience – bar the internal stitches. Ouch. Your clinic sounds nice with the freestyle labor room and Shun being able to cut the cord. Might have to venture north to have the next one.
What great timing with your mum – enough time to get home from the clinic and have a few days enjoying your first christmas with bubs and then your mum. Jealous.
Wow, what a quick labour! Lucky you, well apart from the internal stiches of course. Noah is sooooooooooooooooo beautiful! I`m so glad that breast-feeding has been easy. That was the worst part for me in the first few days after Pops was born. I can`t wait to see more pics!
Take care and get some rest.
Cass
So the waiting that Goma-chan made you do was just in preparation for a speedy exit in the end! How lovely that you’re home in time for Christmas and your mum getting here – hope you all have a great time over the break!
I’ve already said it but, congratulations once again! Noah is beautiful and I’m glad the whole birthing experience was a fairly positive one..(bar the stitches but I guess most go through it). Wonderful that you have your mum coming to help and support you.
I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful Christmas and New year and enjoy your babymoon!!
Thanks for sharing the wonderful story of how Goma-chan was born! Sounds like it was a day you’ll never forget! Ganbatte looking after him by yourself while Shun is working over the next 2 days! I bet you can’t wait until your Mum gets there to help you!
Congratulations!
and has a head full of amazing hair, i love it!
He’s very adorable
I love your first family photo – it’s a really nice one!! I checked out your photos on flickr and think the one of Noah with his spiky hair is just adorable!! I think he is going to have trouble keeping the girls away when he gets older
Instinctively I knew you were going to have a pretty easy labour and suprise suprise, I was right!! Now, I just hope that in April I have a labour that mirrors yours
Congratulations again Lulu!!
Again, congratulations! I was just wondering how/ why you chose the name for your son. I think it is a nice name and I just wondered if there was a story behind it or not.
Thanks for all the comments everyone.
Trisha- We thought of Noah for a name earlier on while I was pregnant but could never make a firm decision although it was one of our favourites the entire time. I liked that it was easy to pronounce in Japanese and English and that we could have kanji for it.
We tossed up quite a few Japanese names as well and our favourites were Shion & Kaito but a lot of the Japanese names I liked Shun hated and a lot of the Japanese names he liked I hated but we both really liked Noah! We had kanji decided for all of our names but had not made a firm decision until after he was born.
James was chosen as it is a family name (my father`s middle name and my grandfather`s name)- it will not appear on any of his documents though but if he chooses to later in life he can add it in as a legal name change.
Thanks for sharing your story with us. Other than the stitches (ouchie!) it sounds like a nice fast labor. Noah certainly was ready to enter the world in his own way. I hope you have a great visit with your mum and Christmas as well. What a great present!
Such a great story! You make the whole thing sound so easy
I’m really glad it all went okay, in the end– sometimes I thought the wait would never end! He’s gorgeous– I love the spiky hair picture on Flickr too!
Have a lovely Christmas, and a very happy new year!
xoxo
Thank you for writing your whole birth story. So interesting, and for people who have been through it, it is fun to see how others’ experiences were. It sounds like you were calm and had a good partner…despite his lack of sleep! (I was wondering what was up with his hairstyle when I saw the photos on flickr yesterday!)
So glad it all went well! The car ride sounds like something out of a movie, but it’s good that it all happened so quickly and that you’re both safe and healthy. Stitches aren’t fun, but you’ll be feeling better in no time.
Good luck with this new part of your adventure! The first few days and weeks at home are so amazing…. a blur of sleep deprivation, but such a special time.
ps Merry Christmas!
Wow! What a great birth story! You’ve been so blessed from begining to end! Your pregnancy seemed to pass so quickly (don’t know how it felt for you though) and such a quick and easy delivery (except the stitches, ouch!) and no problems BFing either! Almost enough to make me want to do it one more time! LOL Congratulations again! And Merry Christmas!
Tatsuya was asking me this morning if you had posted a birth story… I said “I haven’t checked, but maybe nooooo! Little Noah must be demanding all her attention away!” But it looks like I was wrong, and he allowed you a few moments to update
Anyway, I’m glad to hear everything went well for the most part, and Noah is absolutely adorable! I’m loving the name more and more as I think about it, very cute <3 I also love the pictures you posted on Facebook, I was squealing the whole time!
Congratulations again to you and Shun. Merry (belated) Christmas! I hope the two of us can meet the Marushima family plus one sometime soon.
I’m so so glad you had what seems like a perfect labour! The first time it’s so hard to know what to expect and how long, but that’s great you got there on time! I think it’s interesting that you an Melanie (maybe everyone!?) both had a harder time pushing than contractions as for me it was 200% the other way around. Lol
He’s just perfect and I can’t wait to meet him (in February???) So happy everything is going well! You have a wonderful family =) *hugs* Merry Xmas!
Oh wow, congratulations! This is the first time I’ve been online in a while and I was wondering if Goma-chan had been born yet! I love your photo and can’t wait to see more as Noah grows!
Wow! How fast and easy it all sounds! I thought we had a pretty fast first birth with a labor of just around 12 hours. Definitely not!
The picture is adorable. Glad you’re all together and that things are off to such a great start!
I agree with some other commenters, you made this sound very easy
He is beautiful. Glad everything is off to a great start and hope you are enjoying every minute of this precious time.
Congratulations to you and Shun! I am so glad the birth was relatively easy!
Also, Shun has awesome hair, the end.
Oh and Noah is SUPER CUTE.