Ezra Ecklund Kiefer

Thankfully Ezra Ecklund Kiefer decided to arrive a week early on January 9th, 2011. He weighed 7 lbs. 1.6 oz and was 19" long. I had gotten an ultrasound the week before, and they estimated he was 7 lbs. 14 oz. (give or take a pound...luckily it was take). I had a decision to make; schedule the repeat c-section or keep with my original plan to try the vbac. It was touch and go, but with a call from my sister, it was decided: wait and see. Hold out hope for the vbac.

On Saturday night, I started having contractions, but I must say I wasn't even really sure that was what they were. You would think the second time around it would be obvious. I can't remember if it was 10:00 p.m. or more like midnight when they started. Matt and Grandpa Jim had just returned that night from a great day skiing. The timing couldn't have been much better. I tried to sleep, but at 1:00 a.m. I held a committee meeting. With Matt and Mom, we decided I should wait it out at home for a little while longer and try to sleep as much as possible. My contractions seemed sporadic to me and didn't meet the criteria of a consistent 8-10 minutes apart.

A short while later, I got up and headed downstairs. Sleep wasn't working, so I thought I would do better in the living room with my book. I did manage to read 1 chapter, but I'm not sure I could tell you today what it was about. I held out until about 4 a.m., sitting on my big bouncy ball and doing my breathing. I decided it was time to call the doctor (I really wanted to hold out until Elias woke up, so we wouldn't be gone when he woke up, but it's good I didn't). When I called the doctor, I told the phone service I thought I was going to have a baby. I told the doctor I was pretty sure I was having contractions. She asked if they hurt. They definitely hurt. She told me to head to the hospital.

I woke Matt and Mom, and we headed to Rose Medical Center. My contracitons were getting closer and closer, but I am proud that I still walked to the delivery room. When the nurse checked me, she said I was 8 cm, and they had to call the doctor quickly. An on-call hospital doctor started helping with the delivery, but luckily my doctor arrived in time. I pushed for about 30 minutes, and Ezra arrived at 5:56 a.m. via a natural, drug free delivery. It was the delivery I had wanted last time. Welcome Ezra!