Making a Baby: Take 2 (Part 5 - Final Part)

The wrap - up:  I know I told you this would be shorter than Zac’s story... I’ve lied to you again, but not on purpose... sorry.  Though technically, if I can finish in this post, it will be one post shorter than Zac’s.  

Everything I had hoped for came to pass with Eli’s birth.  I am very thankful for that.  There were 0 interventions and though Tiffany’s contractions were much stronger and harder, the labor itself I think went much smoother.  

We moved rooms around 7:30 am on the 9th.  Tiff was able to get up and use the restroom on her own the very first time!  After I ate lunch around noon I got back to the room to find Tiffany back in street clothes and climbing into bed!  She was trying hard to convince the doctors she was ready to go home (8 hours after giving birth).  And she most likely was.  As was Eli.  But hospital policy wouldn’t allow us to leave before the 24 hour mark.  Greenville’s policy is apparently 48 hours, but for non first time parents and people who are having 0 complications or help from the nurses they let you go after 24 hours.  And that was mostly to do the heel prick test on Eli and the jaundice test that you have to wait 24 hours to do I think.

On the 10th around 11am Tiff and Eli were discharged and waited around until 1pm for the nurses to do their thing and get the papers to her to sign.  Then they were on the way home!

One other thing that was little strange... the head nurse got a little snippy with us when we declined the vitamin K shot, the eye goop stuff and the Hep B Vaccination.  She, very irritably, asked if we had done that with our first.  We assured her we had.  Then from that moment forward she asked our permission, in a very annoyed tone of voice, to do anything to Eli.  When she would check his vitals she would ask permission.  She asked permission to weigh him.  She would state that they had to do these things and if it was okay she was going to do them now.  I’m not sure what the deal was.  They asked if we wanted those three things, we said no, we signed the waiver and we moved on.  Apparently she didn’t.  I tried to be super nice to her and when she asked about weighing him I said sure, whatever you need to do is fine with us.  And even let them know they could go ahead and do the tests they needed, the post birth exam and the bath whenever they wanted to.  She was pretty sweet and nice when she left.  Not sure what the hangup in the middle was.

And now the little man is here!  Zac loves him.  He hasn’t had a problem with there being a little one around, yet anyway.  A large part of that is due to Tiffany being so good at not ignoring him in order to tend to Eli.  She is very good at giving them both plenty of attention.  Zac is pretty laid back too, always has been, hopefully always will be!  In the hospital, when they pricked Eli's feet he didn’t flinch!  He didn’t cry when they took his temperature, rectally.  He fussed some when they weighed him.  He currently appears to be more laid back than Zac was.  I hope so!  That would be awesome.  

Another thing I found interesting: both Zac and Eli were born at 40 weeks and 3 days.

Once again, Tiffany labored amazingly!  She is so strong physically and mentally.  She never asked for anything during labor, or complained about anything.  She just pushed through and labored very well!  She never ceases to amaze me.  

I had only 1 recommendation  in my posts about Zac's birth for people who are pregnant.  It’s still the same one after a second birth:  Take a birthing class!  I have no clue how people go into labor without being taught ahead of time what is normal, what is not, what to expect, what to do.  When we got pregnant with Zac, Tiffany and I had NO CLUE what to expect or how to labor. We knew nothing, and we didn't pretend like we did. Our Bradley Method birthing class was amazing!  It taught us everything we needed to know going into labor (and much more). And without it, I would  have never made it through either labor.  I know Tiffany feels the same way.  


I mentioned before that God graciously answered each of the prayers I listed in an earlier post. With Zac's birth, the Lord taught me ALOT! Well, He did the same thing again with Eli's. He just taught me different stuff. To keep it brief, He's been answering lots of prayers lately. I know He was there in the silence with Zac and I know He was there in the answered prayers leading up to and with Eli's birth. I certainly haven't figured out the whole prayer thing and how the Lord answers yet, and doubt anyone ever will. But I've been learning how to ask my heavenly father for good things, to trust that He hears me and wants to give me good things. Good things may not be what I initially think they are, but He knows exactly what's best for me. He's been teaching me how to pray boldly, like the apostles did, and to pray for good things, expecting Christ to come through and not just accepting, but trusting his sovereign will in all outcomes. So I thank God and praise God for everything that happened with both births, the easy and the difficult things we went through with both.