Aliza Mira

Aliza Mira
Aliza = 'joyful' Mira=variant of Mirus (Latin) meaning 'astonishing' 'gift from God'
8lbs 14oz, 20 1/2" long
March 14, 2011 - 4:07am

Labor started around 4 Sunday afternoon. My contractions were about 2-4 minutes apart when I was up and moving, 5-7 apart when I sat down. I wasn't sure if this was the real thing but I didn't want to hold still long enough to find out.

By 1:30am, we had decided that it had to be labor, so we called the midwives. The firstmidwife came just after 2 and I was at 7 cm! I still wasn't vocalizing as long as I was in the tub, everything was completely bearable. So I stayed put. After a while, I suddenly realized I was really having to vocalize a lot and that being quiet wasn't working. Clearly, my tub must be broken. I decided to stand up and try a more vertical position.

I stood up and leaned against the sink for a contraction. I snapped at Aaron to push on my back, then snapped at him to stop, then, shocked, I shouted "I think I'm pushing!" My photographer (who I'd asked to stay downstairs until the baby was descending) came running upstairs, and I'm so glad she did. She caught the most surprising moment of my life! The MW came checked and said "Oh, yep. I see the head." The next contraction came, my water broke, the head was born (I was applying counter pressure trying to slow the descent) and I yelled "Here she comes!" or "She's coming!", I can't remember. Then she was born with the next contraction, while I yelled "Someone catch her!" Incredible.

Aaron caught her mainly because he was the only one who could get to her! The MW kept praising him for his quick hands and for how difficult catching was in that situation. But there was no stopping her! The MW was reaching around from one side and Aaron was holding her from the other, I didn't have time to move away from the sink.

The second MW had come about 5 minutes before I unexpectedly started pushing. She only ended up staying an hour or two. Once the placenta was out she went home and let us rest.

Adelaide was asleep in the room next to the bathroom and she never woke up through any of it. We finally had to wake her up later so she could meet her sister.

We've named her Aliza Mira. Aliza is a Hebrew name meaning 'joyful' and a reference to Eliza Doolittle (Just you wait 'enry 'iggins Just you wait!) and Mira is a variant of the Latin word meaning 'surprise' 'gift from God'. She's 8lbs, 14oz, 14 1/4" head, 20 1/2" long, and spectacular. She was born at 4:07am; labor was about 12 hours exactly and only hard for the last few minutes. I had one small tear, but it didn't require stitches and I feel absolutely fantastic. These after baby hormones are the best!

And she can NURSE! Addie had so much trouble for so long, and this baby finds my nipple by herself, latches on, and nothing hurts! She knows exactly what she's doing.

We are all happy and healthy and doing great. Adelaide loves her little sister, and Aaron and I are pretty darn fond of her as well. I cannot believe how blessed we are.