For realsies, this is the last birth story post. This time with pictures!

At long last, photos from Judah's birth!

In case you missed it here is the first, second, and third part of his birth story.

This is the one and only picture from The Birthing Inn. What a pretty room. And look at that nice big tub for a water birth. Sigh, if only, if only. Hopefully when it comes time for baby number two my blood pressure can not freak out on me. The other two women in the room are my doula and my midwife. The waste basket on the bed would be my barf bucket. Awesome.

Goodbye, cute comfortable room. Hello, hospital room and gown. And this would be where my ideal birth plan said, "adios, suckers!" Still went all natural though, boo-ya!

A very new Judah. Still all purple and covered in meconium and all sorts of gross birth goo. Bill and I both really enjoyed how he had one continual crease from one eye over the bridge of the nose and along the other eye. He reminded us of:

They could be long lost twins, right?

I got to have skin to skin with Judah right away. Unfortunately, it didn't last very long. His temperature was a bit low. So they put him under a heat lamp and did a quick once over to get rid of his poo coating. Thankfully they were able to do it right in the room. Not once at the hospital was Judah taken out of my room.

Bill was a bit emotional (of course he was).

After I was stitched back together we were moved from the labor and delivery room to our postpartum room two floors down. Judah's little bassinet thing was right next to my bed. Even with having him so close it was hard for me to get him in and out of his bassinet. I couldn't do it from my bed and moving around was still very difficult and painful for me. The nurses were a big help and during the day Bill was as well. At night, not so much. He slept in a cot in the room, but he might as well have been back at our house. He was out cold during the night. I tried waking him up when I needed help either with Judah or getting myself to the restroom, but I was out of luck. Good thing the nurses were just a buzzer away.

He was so little (although, he sure didn't feel like when I was pushing him out).

I made it the entire first day with out changing Judah's diaper. Not on purpose, just happened to work that way between the nurses doing tests or monitoring (and changing him while they were at it) and Bill also changed him once of twice. As you can see, Judah found my execution somewhat lacking.

All ready to go home after an overnighter in the hospital.

I was so glad that we only had to stay 24 hours at the hospital. The nurses were very helpful, but it was so much nicer once we were at home. I think I only slept a few hours at most while at the hospital. Once we got home a nap was in order asap. It was so much more restful to sleep in my own bed than the hospital bed that would shift its alignment as to prevent bedsores (because, you know, bedsores happen in 24 hrs or less. Right.). It did it constantly and always with a not so pleasant mechanical whirring. Nothing like being thiiiiiis close to falling asleep only to be awakened by your bed. moving. on its own.

Bill was a natural. But I never had any doubts that he wouldn't be.

Somehow is three and a half months Judah went from this:

To this:

He's not so modest these days.

He's a wee bit bigger now.