[kretara]

After nine months of waiting we had a little girl, via C-Section, at 12:06 Friday afternoon.
She is a whopping 7 lbs. 2 ozs. and has a scream that can wake the dead, as she proved quite a few times last night.

She has the correct number of parts and everything is where it should be.

Name: Kaitlyn Marie

Her big sis is really happy and constantly proclaims (at the top of her VERY LOUD voice): this is MY baby!!!!!

I'll try to get pics either tonight or tomorrow morning. I'm so tired (2 hours of sleep in 36 hours) that I have no idea how I made it home from the hospital. I have no memory of driving home, but somehow I did. I left the digi camera there, stupid, tired me.

Now, I'm off to take a shower and then back to the hospital for another wonderful day of a baby cuddling, changing dirty diapers and catering to mom who is grouchy from lack of sleep and having a 'zipper' put in her stomach.

All hail Kaitlyn and Emily who are co-rulers of my little world.

[Grip]

Congrats!!!

[Franz Josef]

Congratulations kretara and grouchy mom and welcome Kaitlyn Marie . We're expecting ours next month - I've been trying to labor under the deliberate misapprehension they're really quiet when they emerge. So much for that.

Thanks for taking the time to post an update.

[Mac+]

Hey congratulations kretara - to you and "mom".

What a great feeling it must be. I have a friend that says he has to work out a way to bottle the emotion. Such an intense, natural high.

Here's to happiness and good health for you and your family ... oh, and lack of sleep in the months ahead.

[SledgeHammer]

Many congratulations. My soon-to-be-sister-in-law had her first baby last night, so I am now an (unofficial) uncle, and even that is pretty exciting, so I can only imagine the thrill of becoming a father (again ).

[turtle]

I'm looking forward to seeing some pics myself. I understand the commotion and lack of sleep. Congratulations and please keep us posted. It's good to know Mom and Dad are doing well and that Kaitlyn Marie has all parts in the right spot and even the right count. I really do rejoice with you!

[torifile]

November really is a hot and heavy month!

Congrats, kretara! Kaitlyn is a beautiful (and southern) name.

[Moogs]

Hey that's great news man. Muchas congratulatos.

[thegelding]

good job...two girls are great...

don't forget to take good care of mom too...

why the c-section?

try and get some sleep while you can

g

[DMBand0026]

Great news! Glad everything turned out well, glad mom and baby (and daddy and sister) are doing well

Congrats!

[Amadeus]

Congratulations kretara on the birth of Caitlyn Marie. Have your wife take care of herself as a nurse I know that she will for sore for a few days. Just be sure to listen to the nurses.

[FFL]

Congratulations!

I'm playing the Visiting Uncle this weekend, so I know the feeling better than most single guys.

[kretara]

Ok, time for a little update.
We are coming home late this afternoon. I should have some pics tonight. Damn I'm tired.

Originally Posted by thegelding why the c-section?

Our first child had to be delivered via C-Section due to fetal distress. The doc didn't want to take the chance of having a vaginal birth due to the potential to repture the old scars.

Turns out that we are really glad we (she) had the section. When the doc was examining the umbilical cord after the delivery he saw a true knot.

If you are expecting and don't want to be scared then don't read the next paragraph.

This is a really bad thing. The umbilical cord was tied in a knot, which means that if the cord was pulled (like during a vaginal birth) all blood flow through the cord would stop. This usually means infant death or severe hypoxia (very low/no oxygen in blood) which leads to brain injury and devastating neurological issues. There is no way to tell if the cord is tied in a knot or if the cord is looped around the babies neck (this was why my first baby had to be sectioned, she was hanging herself). My wife (nurse) and I (former respiratory therapist) worked in a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) for quite a while so we knew all the crazy stuff that can happen. So, we worried for 9 months.

Amadeus, a Massachusetts Nurse? We both worked at BI in Boston for a long time.

Shew! Well, none of that. Kaitlyn is still doing great. She kept us up all night and I think is planning on being a night owl.

Gotta go put the carseat in the car.

Thanks for all the well wishes!

[staph]

My umbilical cord was knotted.

I haven't noticed any ill effects as yet, although reliable reports say that my personality is pretty fucked.

Congratulations, btw.

[turtle]

Originally Posted by kretara Ok, time for a little update. We are coming home late this afternoon. I should have some pics tonight. Damn I'm tired.

I can't wait to see some of these pics...though you might want to catch a nap first.

Turns out that we are really glad we (she) had the section. When the doc was examining the umbilical cord after the delivery he saw a true knot. If you are expecting and don't want to be scared then don't read the next paragraph. This is a really bad thing. The umbilical cord was tied in a knot, which means that if the cord was pulled (like during a vaginal birth) all blood flow through the cord would stop. This usually means infant death or severe hypoxia (very low/no oxygen in blood) which leads to brain injury and devastating neurological issues. There is no way to tell if the cord is tied in a knot or if the cord is looped around the babies neck (this was why my first baby had to be sectioned, she was hanging herself). My wife (nurse) and I (former respiratory therapist) worked in a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) for quite a while so we knew all the crazy stuff that can happen. So, we worried for 9 months.

It's great how things worked out for you in this case. This is certainly a risk for any baby though I had to read it for my medical curiosity. I used to be a medic/Firefighter and love this stuff.

Shew! Well, none of that. Kaitlyn is still doing great. She kept us up all night and I think is planning on being a night owl.

Night owl is good in my book! My wife and I never go to sleep before midnight anyway, and it normally ends up being about 2am.

[nomorewindows]

Congratulations! Glad everything went well. Our baby days are far behind us, but we still coo over the precious little things. It's probably a good thing we don't have grand children (though we really, really want them). They would be horribly spoiled!

[Amadeus]

Originally Posted by kretara Ok, time for a little update. We are coming home late this afternoon. I should have some pics tonight. Damn I'm tired. Amadeus, a Massachusetts Nurse? We both worked at BI in Boston for a long time. Gotta go put the carseat in the car. Thanks for all the well wishes!

Will be looking forward to the pictures. My wife is a visiting nurse and sees patients that come out of BI. How long and when did you work at BI?

Is your wife's soreness decreasing?

[kretara]

Originally Posted by Amadeus How long and when did you work at BI? Is your wife's soreness decreasing?

Her soreness is getting better, thanks to really good drugs.

My wife worked at BI (in the NICU) from about 94-2003.
I wored there (in the NICU) from 96-00.

[kretara]

Ok, here is what you have all been waiting for........the pictures.
I've only had time to put up 2 images. My digi cam is truely a piece of shit so the image quality isn't too good.

Take me to the images!

[DMBand0026]

Great pictures.

The lack of a quality camera doesn't take away from the cuteness of your two beautiful kids.

Again, congratulations, hope all remains well.

[turtle]

Those ARE cool pictures. Congratulations again and I'm glad to hear all is going well.

[SledgeHammer]

Great pictures! I just met my nephew tonight, for the first time. He's less than 48 hours old. Babies really are amazing.

[scratt]

Congrats man!

[Amadeus]

Kaitlyn is very cute. I wish your wife all the best. Please be sure to take good care of her also.

[xionja]

Congratulations, super cute pictures! And Happy Birthday I forsee lots of fun double birthday weekends in the summer

[turtle]

Yeah, happy birthday daddy! I'm looking forward to hearing some updates and I'm sure you couldn't be happier than with this birthday present huh!

[Amadeus]

Happy 37th B-Day kretara. What a fantastic present. Hope that you will get your needed rest.