She finally made it!
Mayumi Eva Qualter arrived Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 10:47 am.
She measured 21 inches and weighed in at 7lb 12oz.
Mayumi Eva Qualter arrived Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 10:47 am.
She measured 21 inches and weighed in at 7lb 12oz.
She was delivered naturally at the DC Family Health and Birth Center, assisted by Certified Nurse Midwives Nora and Lisa. 
Do you want to hear the whole story? It is pretty graphic, so stop reading if you don't want the gory details (Ginny, this is for you!).
Friday night I was feeling pretty uncomfortable and super-ready to get this baby out! Mike and I spent all day Saturday walking around and while we were out running errands, I lost my mucus plug - it was shocking! I had no idea it would be so... much. So I figured I had to be pretty close. I'd been having periodic contractions and by evening they started to get closer... but I still wasn't positive. Mike was hesitant to leave to watch a UFC fight at Eagle's with the guys, but I insisted he go and that I would call him if anything "happened." Before he left he asked if I would iron a shirt for him to wear to church the next morning and I agreed, then I sat my big ol' butt down and watched the Red Sox game. Mike got home after midnight and asked if I had ironed his shirt - I told him yes, I had, but there was no way he was going to need it because his daughter was en route! Mike decided to pass the time by sitting at the computer and making a mix of "labor music" on his Ipod. My contractions were about 20 minutes apart and after another hour of watching TV I was starting to feel kind of miserable, so Mike ran me a bath and called the midwife. My contractions were now 10 -15 minutes apart and I was riding them out in the warm water. The midwife encouraged me to labor at home for as long as I could - she wanted me to be 4 cm dilated before I went in to the birth center. Around 4am my contractions were pretty strong and painful and 5 minutes apart, so we drove the 3 minutes to the birth center and met Lisa at the door. She ran me a bath and I immediately got in the tub - I was 6 cm dilated and Lisa was quite pleased with my progress. Mike sat on the edge and held my hand and with every contraction he pushed on my lower back while I gripped the rails and rocked back and forth. I was pretty nauseous and vomited a few times - and had no desire to eat or drink though Mike and Lisa kept encouraging me to. I was exhausted and slept between contractions, but when I felt one come on again, I would immediately sit up, wide awake, and rock through it. Lisa was great, reminding me to breathe through my nose and work with each contraction. I was in the tub for over 2 hours and started to feel the need to push, but by then the water had gotten pretty cold (and nasty, to tell you the truth) and I was using too much energy shivering, so I decided (with Mike's encouragement) to get out of the tub. But not after I had pushed enough to feel the baby head starting to crown - it was terrifying to feel a human head in my crotch! This was about 6:30 - not bad progress! I was sure I would pop out the baby in the next few minutes...
I got on the toilet to push and it was then that my water broke. Actually, exploded was more like it! But it hurt so badly and I was so tired... I kept pushing and pushing, but baby's head didn't seem to be making any progress.
I started to get really scared, though I kept trying to push those feelings away. Up until that point everything seemed to be going so well and so quickly. I had been super-powerful, but at this point I was absolutely exhausted. I kept pushing and pushing and her head just wouldn't come out - and it HURT!!! Thankfully, the midwife was constantly monitoring the baby's heartbeat and she was fine - showed no signs of distress. By this time, Lisa's shift had ended and a new midwife, Nora, came to take over. But Lisa didn't leave, she stayed around until 4 HOURS LATER I pushed that baby out of me. I was on the floor of the bathroom, on my back with Mike at my head and that baby finally came out! She was all purple with an incredibly cone-shaped head and she was immediately put onto my chest where she didn't cry at all, just blinked and looked around as if to say, "What's all the fuss about?" She was wet, but not really bloody or slimy, and she seemed huge to me - I couldn't believe I had pushed something as large as her out of me.
With enormous effort I put on a night shirt and somehow made the journey of a few feet from the bathroom to the bed. Mike laid next to me with the baby between us and we marvelled at what had just happened. No longer nauseous, I scarfed down a granola bar, some dried apples rings and some almonds, I successfully attempted to breastfeed, and then all three of us slept. It was much deserved!
Do you want to hear the whole story? It is pretty graphic, so stop reading if you don't want the gory details (Ginny, this is for you!).Friday night I was feeling pretty uncomfortable and super-ready to get this baby out! Mike and I spent all day Saturday walking around and while we were out running errands, I lost my mucus plug - it was shocking! I had no idea it would be so... much. So I figured I had to be pretty close. I'd been having periodic contractions and by evening they started to get closer... but I still wasn't positive. Mike was hesitant to leave to watch a UFC fight at Eagle's with the guys, but I insisted he go and that I would call him if anything "happened." Before he left he asked if I would iron a shirt for him to wear to church the next morning and I agreed, then I sat my big ol' butt down and watched the Red Sox game. Mike got home after midnight and asked if I had ironed his shirt - I told him yes, I had, but there was no way he was going to need it because his daughter was en route! Mike decided to pass the time by sitting at the computer and making a mix of "labor music" on his Ipod. My contractions were about 20 minutes apart and after another hour of watching TV I was starting to feel kind of miserable, so Mike ran me a bath and called the midwife. My contractions were now 10 -15 minutes apart and I was riding them out in the warm water. The midwife encouraged me to labor at home for as long as I could - she wanted me to be 4 cm dilated before I went in to the birth center. Around 4am my contractions were pretty strong and painful and 5 minutes apart, so we drove the 3 minutes to the birth center and met Lisa at the door. She ran me a bath and I immediately got in the tub - I was 6 cm dilated and Lisa was quite pleased with my progress. Mike sat on the edge and held my hand and with every contraction he pushed on my lower back while I gripped the rails and rocked back and forth. I was pretty nauseous and vomited a few times - and had no desire to eat or drink though Mike and Lisa kept encouraging me to. I was exhausted and slept between contractions, but when I felt one come on again, I would immediately sit up, wide awake, and rock through it. Lisa was great, reminding me to breathe through my nose and work with each contraction. I was in the tub for over 2 hours and started to feel the need to push, but by then the water had gotten pretty cold (and nasty, to tell you the truth) and I was using too much energy shivering, so I decided (with Mike's encouragement) to get out of the tub. But not after I had pushed enough to feel the baby head starting to crown - it was terrifying to feel a human head in my crotch! This was about 6:30 - not bad progress! I was sure I would pop out the baby in the next few minutes...
I got on the toilet to push and it was then that my water broke. Actually, exploded was more like it! But it hurt so badly and I was so tired... I kept pushing and pushing, but baby's head didn't seem to be making any progress.
I started to get really scared, though I kept trying to push those feelings away. Up until that point everything seemed to be going so well and so quickly. I had been super-powerful, but at this point I was absolutely exhausted. I kept pushing and pushing and her head just wouldn't come out - and it HURT!!! Thankfully, the midwife was constantly monitoring the baby's heartbeat and she was fine - showed no signs of distress. By this time, Lisa's shift had ended and a new midwife, Nora, came to take over. But Lisa didn't leave, she stayed around until 4 HOURS LATER I pushed that baby out of me. I was on the floor of the bathroom, on my back with Mike at my head and that baby finally came out! She was all purple with an incredibly cone-shaped head and she was immediately put onto my chest where she didn't cry at all, just blinked and looked around as if to say, "What's all the fuss about?" She was wet, but not really bloody or slimy, and she seemed huge to me - I couldn't believe I had pushed something as large as her out of me.
With enormous effort I put on a night shirt and somehow made the journey of a few feet from the bathroom to the bed. Mike laid next to me with the baby between us and we marvelled at what had just happened. No longer nauseous, I scarfed down a granola bar, some dried apples rings and some almonds, I successfully attempted to breastfeed, and then all three of us slept. It was much deserved!
When we woke a few hours later Nora finally took the baby away from me to weigh and measure her. We opted not to get the Vitamin K shot or get the eye gel and instead got packed up to head home. I walked out of the birth center at 5:30 - less than 7 hours after I gave birth - and baby and I recovered at home. Granted, I was incredibly sore... and my bottom was unrecognizable! But being home was just what we needed - after all, we didn't want to miss the Red Sox game! 
Thank you Nora (and Lisa, who had already left by this time).
We had barely been home for a few hours when we settled in to watch the Red Sox win game of the American League Championship. Well, Maya and I fell asleep before the end of the game, but Mike's sure she is good luck for Boston.
Rachel and Carol chatting it up
