1 week already!!

Tomorrow is the one week mark of Maya's birth! How did that happen? The week flew by - we spent the first 48 hours just trying to get things done - errands to the pharmacy, some shopping for basic easy meals, laundry - lots of laundry and trying to figure out the whole feeding, sleeping thing and of course I was recovering from the birth itself (total body work out - my ribs hurt, who would have expected that?). Yesterday we had a visit from our doula Mary Esther, who was with us for the birth. A fantastic and experienced woman who was also our Bradley childbirth instructor. She was incredibly supportive during the birth and allowed us to take our minds of any real worries with continuous encouragement and reassurance that everything was going fine. Yesterday's visit focused on feedings for the little peanut so that we're both comfortable during and after (mom less sore, baby less gassy - because Maya is a little barracuda!!). It was great to see her and get some advice as well as talk through our birth story with her.

It was interesting how I remember the birth somewhat differently from those who witnessed it - she commented that I started out being very detailed in my story and then my memory became hazier on the events as the night went on and I was less clear on what had occurred in what order. All in all it was a quick labor with organized contractions that started around 9pm and became close together very quickly. We called Mary Esther around 10pm to let her know we were having regular contractions (for the first time they were 6, then 5 mins apart). Within an hour they were 2 mins apart lasting a good minute and we called her back and called our midwife. Brian was on the phone with everyone while I was laboring any way I could in our living room. Mary Esther picked us up in her car a little after 12 (we were waiting for her downstairs outside the building and several people stopped to ask if we needed help - pretty funny to see a women in labor clinging to the poles of our building canopy) we were in the hospital by 12:30 and Maya was born at 7:10am. Could not have asked for a better natural delivery. We had a great birth team with our midwife who hung back and gave things time, doula and the intermittent nurse and were lucky enough to have gone into labor in the nick of time to have our baby in the birthing center at Roosevelt hospital. I was 1 day shy of 41 weeks which although not uncommon for first pregnancies, you are 'risked out' of the birthing center and have to go to regular labor and delivery. Instead we were able to labor, deliver and recover in a room that looked more like a bedroom than a hospital room - complete with queen size bed and jacuzzi tub (which we definitely used).

After the birth we were able to nap in bed with baby in the middle which was really nice. My parents came over with lunch from Whole Foods and we spent the rest of the day relaxing. The baby never leaves the room for measuring or other tests - everything comes to you.

Yesterday grandma Lynn arrived in New York and Grandpa Gib is on his way today. We made it out for breakfast this morning with Maya asleep in her stroller (first meal out - whoo hoo!). All in all I'm feeling fine 1 week out and loving watching the scale go down everyday - I've lost 24 lbs in 6 days putting me within 6 lbs of my pre-pregnancy weight (yes, my ankles were very swollen) and was able to put my wedding rings back on last night! Maya is truly amazing and we feel nothing but incredibly lucky and incredibly blessed to have her.