The first hour after birth...

For this blog post you will have a window into the first hour postpartum, while we bonded with our sweet baby  in the birth pool.

Moments after I delivered, my sweet son, Cooper woke up. He crawled from the doorway (where he had been sleeping) into the kitchen. Craig was there to hold him while he processed what had just happened. 

 We all looked together as I pulled the baby away from my body and we saw that it was a BOY!

 He was not a very loud baby, little cries here and there but for the most part he was just relaxed and resting. His cord was still pulsing and his color was beautiful, my midwife reassured me that he was doing just fine.

 It is during this time that the birth team is very hands-off. I was not bleeding, baby was transitioning well and the biggest priority was time for our family to bond.

 I like this shot because you can see Karen and her student Katie as they simply observe us, ready to help if we need anything, but allowing us time and space to welcome our new addition.

 I am showing the kids his umbilical cord.

I was amazed at how big his feet were. I felt that little heel stretching out on my right side for the past month, it was so fun to feel it on the outside.

In no time at all he was interested in nursing, so we had our first nursing session still in the tub.

 Cooper decided to jump in and join the fun. The tub was kept at about body temp so it was nice and warm.

 My mom called my mother-in-law, Diana, on facetime. Diana had been there for both Kylie and Coopers birth, we were sad she could not be there for this baby, but facetime worked well :)

 The kids got out of the tub, took a quick shower, put on pj's and came back to cut the cord. Kylie started, Cooper helped out and Kylie finished it off :) We had not talked about who would cut the cord, we had watched many birth videos and often the dad would cut the cord. But when the time I asked the kids and they were both very interested in participating. It was so cool to have them do it.

 Next up it was Craigs turn for some skin to skin while I delivered my placenta and got out of the tub.

 Before getting up to deliver the placenta I showed the kids the amniotic sac, a large part of it was hanging out, as I got up they were able to see it better and touch it.

 The next post will be graphic photos of the delivery of the placenta and photos of the placenta when it was being examined. I know that placenta photos are not for everyone, that is why they will have their own post :)