Baby Charlie is here!

Joanna · 10-23-16, 06:04 AM

I've been at VF such a long time, I feel like you ladies deserved a proper announcement for those who have not been following in the pre-natal/post-partum check-in. But yesterday, on October 22, my baby Charles Louis was born. I'm a mom now!

There was some drama involving a few days of high blood pressure readings and 'monitoring' before I hit 38 weeks and they finally decided to just induce me. Early labour involved a day and a half of various extremely unpleasant interventions to get that started, but after they broke my water yesterday afternoon, things progressed surprisingly quickly. I started the really strong contractions right after that, got an epidural an hour later, and was 9 cm in under two hours thanks to my cooperative baby.

The birth itself was a blur. I remember it started well and they told me I was really good at the pushing but then baby's heart rate dropped. I remember a second doctor coming in, a huge rush of fluid, the doctor saying 'oh no, that's bad!' and a suction machine. A minute later, he was plopped on my chest, crying and dripping wet, with the cord wrapped around his neck.

He was fixed up quickly and is fine now. He has not gotten the hang of eating yet and they had to check his blood sugar too, so I was feeding him bottles last night and will have to do a breastfeeding class if I want to try that again. He loves cuddling and listening to my voice and barely cries at all. He is a sweet little baby! He has to get a proper exam from pediatrician today, and a bath, but we will likely be home on our own tonight. I'm feeling pretty good and other than a little stinging down there, you'd barely know anything has happened.

I've been a member of this board since my second year of university. Now here I am years later, with a baby! I'll upload a pic once we are home and I can get one onto the computer :-) But trust me, he's a cutie.

2016-10-23 06.24.18 by ficbot, on Flickr

ETA: Picture!

Diana3271 · 10-23-16, 06:35 AM

Joanna Congratulations! I am very happy for you and Baby Charlie that everything went well. I know you can't wait to be in the comfort of you own home with your new family. Love and hugs to you.

Paula N · 10-23-16, 06:45 AM

Congratulations Joanna! I am so glad to hear that everything has turned out alright. What wonderful news. Thanks for sharing with us. Now you can dress him up in a Halloween costume in another week. How cute!

Buzzer · 10-23-16, 07:55 AM

CONGRATULATIONS! Such a beautiful story, and what a perfect ending! I love new babies! Great job, and huge hugs to you and your family!
By the way, best advice I got was to ignore all the advice you get... follow your instincts. Every baby is different, and every Mom is different!

Happy Birthday, Charlie!

PhyllisG · 10-23-16, 08:04 AM

Congratulations! Thank you for sharing this. Welcome Baby Charlie.

Joni O · 10-23-16, 08:06 AM

Congrats, Joanna!

MathTeacher · 10-23-16, 08:20 AM

Congratulations, Joanna! Welcome to the forum, Charlie.

Erica H. · 10-23-16, 08:39 AM

Congratulations!

Erica

laurajhawk · 10-23-16, 09:37 AM

Congratulations, Joanne!

mtngoat · 10-23-16, 10:20 AM

Aww - congratulations Joanna!

Can't wait to see the pics!

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10-23-16, 06:04 AM
Joanna VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Toronto!	Baby Charlie is here! I've been at VF such a long time, I feel like you ladies deserved a proper announcement for those who have not been following in the pre-natal/post-partum check-in. But yesterday, on October 22, my baby Charles Louis was born. I'm a mom now! There was some drama involving a few days of high blood pressure readings and 'monitoring' before I hit 38 weeks and they finally decided to just induce me. Early labour involved a day and a half of various extremely unpleasant interventions to get that started, but after they broke my water yesterday afternoon, things progressed surprisingly quickly. I started the really strong contractions right after that, got an epidural an hour later, and was 9 cm in under two hours thanks to my cooperative baby. The birth itself was a blur. I remember it started well and they told me I was really good at the pushing but then baby's heart rate dropped. I remember a second doctor coming in, a huge rush of fluid, the doctor saying 'oh no, that's bad!' and a suction machine. A minute later, he was plopped on my chest, crying and dripping wet, with the cord wrapped around his neck. He was fixed up quickly and is fine now. He has not gotten the hang of eating yet and they had to check his blood sugar too, so I was feeding him bottles last night and will have to do a breastfeeding class if I want to try that again. He loves cuddling and listening to my voice and barely cries at all. He is a sweet little baby! He has to get a proper exam from pediatrician today, and a bath, but we will likely be home on our own tonight. I'm feeling pretty good and other than a little stinging down there, you'd barely know anything has happened. I've been a member of this board since my second year of university. Now here I am years later, with a baby! I'll upload a pic once we are home and I can get one onto the computer :-) But trust me, he's a cutie. 2016-10-23 06.24.18 by ficbot, on Flickr ETA: Picture!

10-23-16, 06:35 AM
Diana3271 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: South Carolina	Joanna Congratulations! I am very happy for you and Baby Charlie that everything went well. I know you can't wait to be in the comfort of you own home with your new family. Love and hugs to you. __________________ I started my most recent weight loss journey January 2008. I lost 1/2 of my starting body weight and entered into maintenance May 2011. Now the real work begins! You can fight it, or do what you've got to do to get it done. The choice is yours. ~Diana You have the rest of your life to get old. Stay young, as long as you can. ~Diana 10 Pound Slimdown Xtreme Graduate 02/12 Insanity Graduate - I actually survived! LM Combat 02/13 21 Day Fix Survivor! 6/14 Diana

10-23-16, 06:45 AM
Paula N VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001	Congratulations Joanna! I am so glad to hear that everything has turned out alright. What wonderful news. Thanks for sharing with us. Now you can dress him up in a Halloween costume in another week. How cute! __________________ It's so important to enjoy this, or else why bother? - Kari Anderson No dress rehearsal. This is our life.

10-23-16, 07:55 AM
Buzzer Join Date: Oct 2009	CONGRATULATIONS! Such a beautiful story, and what a perfect ending! I love new babies! Great job, and huge hugs to you and your family! By the way, best advice I got was to ignore all the advice you get... follow your instincts. Every baby is different, and every Mom is different! Happy Birthday, Charlie! __________________ Do-over day for Vidiots Anonymous 2011, 2012, 2013: Aw heck. Never mind. I just can't keep up with my do-over days. I'm weak and easily influenced STS GRADUATE! 11/30/10 TA Omni 90 days completed! 7/11/11-ish Tapout XT1 90 days DONE! 6/29/13 Body Beast: Done 3/14, minus the last week. I started JNL and never looked back! JNL DONE! 5/12/14

10-23-16, 08:04 AM
PhyllisG Join Date: May 2005 Location: Woodstock NY	Congratulations! Thank you for sharing this. Welcome Baby Charlie.

10-23-16, 08:06 AM
Joni O VF Supporter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Twin Cities, MN	Congrats, Joanna!

10-23-16, 08:20 AM
MathTeacher Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Arkansas	Congratulations, Joanna! Welcome to the forum, Charlie. __________________ In a world where you can be anything, be kind.

10-23-16, 08:39 AM
Erica H. Join Date: Nov 2001	Congratulations! Erica

10-23-16, 09:37 AM
laurajhawk Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Colorado	Congratulations, Joanne! __________________ - Laura "Don't say 'I can't' ... say 'I presently suck at this thing.'" - Matt Meese, BYU Divine Comedy

10-23-16, 10:20 AM
mtngoat Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Alberta, Canada	Aww - congratulations Joanna! Can't wait to see the pics! __________________ Lori Lacey (trying to convince Brent to take a Pilates class): C'mon Brent, don't you want to unify your mind and body? Brent: Nah. I'm not gonna put all my eggs in one basket. Corner Gas Season1 Episode 3 "Pilates Twist"