Ingenue Mom

       Pictures taken by Sara Corman Photography Also, a note about the pictures - they don't necessarily follow with what his writing may be saying at that point, but I wanted everyone to see these pictures of Lewis. I feel like so many times the focus is on the mother during labor (understandably), but Lewis is so active and involved throughout labor that these pictures are really special to both of us. Also, you can read my version of Lux's birth here . - Cameron It’s difficult to start this story as it’s so different than I remembered from the first time.   First, I must admit that though I had spent many hours in research, watched dozens of births on YouTube and had lots of classroom hours before Isis’s birth , I was not prepared to be a father before her.   My story of those events were completely colored with my overwhelming anxiety about what to do afterwards.   Fast forward almost 3 years, lots of lessons, many diffic...

I love people's Wordless Wednesday posts. And I would like to start doing it. But today when I was picking out a picture to start, the one I kept coming back to was this one. And honestly, it needs some words to explain why it sticks out to me. Pictures by Sara Corman Photography I love my birth pictures . Like really love them. I will cherish looking back at those and remembering that day and that pain and that joy and those tears. It was an amazing day. The thing that is so interesting to me is that something about the way they look makes the whole experience seem so quiet and so peaceful. Maybe it's the black and white, maybe it's the fact that she somehow caught every beautiful moment and when I look, even though I was there and I experienced it, I don't see the fear and the wave of up and down that was going through me in those hours. But this picture says more. In this moment, you can't tell, but I was screaming. Literally at the top of my lun...

First of all, the birth pictures were all taken by Sara Corman Photography .  Please check out her blog for more!    39 weeks, 2 days - the morning of the induction I spent the last several weeks of this pregnancy in a lot of discomfort. It was difficult for me this time to work at the end. My heartburn was really difficult to deal with as time went on. My body was more fatigued than it had been with Isis as well. I just found myself ready to be done with pregnancy earlier than I’d anticipated. As I’d started dilating, I thought that things were progressing and that labor was coming soon, but my body continued to progress and labor continued to wait. I met with my midwife for my 38 week appointment and I started going in 2 days in a row so she could sweep my membranes and try to move things along. Still nothing. So she told me that since I was at 4-5 cm and since I had a vaginal birth with Isis and progressed to 10 cm on my own, that she was willin...

Lux Violet Born Friday, October 12 at 3:56pm 7 lbs 15 oz 20 inches long I've been enjoying the last week or so & haven't taken the time to blog about everything. Lux finally arrived & it has been really amazing! Welcoming a second child into the world was extremely challenging, but also so fulfilling! I have loved adding a new member to our family & seeing how it changes the dynamic between all of us. It has been a really enjoyable change & I'm happy to say that Isis is dealing with it really well! She loves helping & holding her & always wants to tell me how pretty she is.   I've been working on my birth story. It's a little long, but I think I'm just going to leave it as it is. I want to remember it fully. I also had a birth photographer this time & I'm excited to share some of her pictures! All of that is coming up in the next week!

Maternity pictures by Sara Corman Photography   I am laying in bed, trying to take a nap, and I can't stop thinking about what is coming soon. With Isis, I didn't start dilating until I was 37 weeks. I went from 1 cm to almost 4 cm in 2 1/2 weeks and Isis was born 3 days early. This time, I was having lots of strong Braxton Hicks contractions from 23 weeks or so on, so when I got to 35 weeks and was feeling a lot of pressure in my bottom all the time, I asked to be checked. I was already 1 cm at that point. I am now 38weeks and 3 days. I'm at a full 4 cm and 100% effaced. I've decided that with baby #3, I will not be checked until I hit my due date - if I get that far. Because clearly it doesn't mean anything and it just gives me anxiety to sit here thinking that things could get started at any moment, but they don't. It's also interesting this time because it's a second birth. I had Isis with no medical interventions, no IV, no medication, et...

I've already packed my hospital bag, but I thought maybe I'd share what I'm bringing this time. There are a few things different from last time. For me: Pair of sweatpants/yoga pants the comfortable, not super tight kind 2 t-shirts comfortable, easy to pull up to nurse, so not tight 1 cute nightgown & a cute robe I got a cute nursing one at Motherhood Maternity. Last time I didn't bring anything like this. I just slept in a t-shirt. But I remember just feeling frumpy and I wanted to feel somewhat cute after birth. 4 pairs of underwear I bring extras because it's messy after birth & you never know. Also along those lines, I bring the older ones that are really comfortable - think your period pair, ladies. Another thought on this topic, if you have a preference on ginormous pads, bring your own, but in my opinion, none of them are comfortable so I just use the hospital ones. Nursing bra a comfortable one, notice the comfort theme C...