Six Billion and One

I would like to announce the birth of Sema (say-ma) Jenna at 08:35 12/31/04. She is healthy and normal, weighed 3.3 kg at birth and was 53 cm long. The birth was fast and without incident… a textbook birth.

My wife went into labor at about 2AM, shortly after I posted my last entry. We walked for awhile, and I held her through the contractions. They got regular and strong by 4AM, then she conserved her strength, resting between contractions. I gave her water mixed with honey, rubbed her back, and helped her change positions for pain control. By 7AM we went to the hospital. She entered transition shortly after we arrived, her water broke at 10 centimeters, and the baby was born soon after, about an hour after we got into the delivery room. I cut the cord (I’ve cut the cord for all three of my kids), and she was placed on my wife’s chest, and immediately latched on. She has scarcely released herself since. My wife’s milk came in 24 hours later and everybody is doing just what they’re supposed to. We are blessed.

My wife and the baby stayed in the hospital another 36 hours, mostly to rest. Peace and quiet is hard to come by in our house. Both are home now and doing fine. Sema met her brother and sister (and maid) four hours after she was born. They are absolutely fascinated with her. My daughter especially is quite protective of her, rebuking me for letting her cry during a diaper change “Daddy stop that, the baby don’t like it”.

Sema is a scrawny little thing, just like her brother. She looks just like him too at that age. She has long fingers and toes, skinny little legs and a perfectly round head…. Amazing.

The facilities at the hospital were fine. We chose a private hospital because the main hospital here is a teaching hospital… too many residents and too many bells and whistles for our tastes regarding childbirth. For just about everything else we like teaching hospitals. The one we chose is very small, and they did a great job. Per our wishes, the OB just let my wife do her thing unmolested, caught the baby when it was time, and monitored my wife’s recovery. No drugs were used, and for us a first… no lacerations.

We have been inundated with food, clothes, baby stuff, chocolate, and goodwill. The welcome that Sema has received is remarkable. They don’t typically have baby showers here, as there is no need, people just spontaneously give things, and quite generously too I might add. Thanks everyone!