I’d like to tell you about the long, hard labor that brought a beautiful miracle into the world… My brother-and-sister-in-law are two wonderful people who are already amazing parents.

The words I have just don’t to it justice…. This is the day (and night and day again) that my sweet niece, Harper Lynn, was born.

Don’t let this next image fool you, Ian really was an expert birth support <3 😛

as was Tiffany’s mom…

Days after her water broke, 12 hours of pitocin, many many many contractions, sitting on a ball, dancing, walking, standing, squatting… all let to 7 cm dilation.  At her next exam, the resident who checked Tiffany felt something odd.  A hand?  An elbow next to the head? She called in the attending OB.  That part she felt was a nose.

Harper was presenting face down with her chin toward mom’s back – the position is called mentum posterior. This rare presentation cannot be delivered vaginally as the baby’s neck cannot stretch this way  during delivery.

All of Tiffany’s hard work paid off – babies benefit from labor.  It was not for nothing, but the final stage would have to be in an OR.

An hour later we were able to see sweet Harper.  A little puffy from her position and a little bruised from being pulled out – she scared everyone with a slow start breathing.  But she got the hang of it quickly and hasn’t had another scare since.

Here’s the first time her dad got to touch her.  He said she’s the softest thing he’s ever felt.

 

 

And finally Daddy got to hold his precious little girl.

And the grandparents got to meet her, too.

And the next set of grandparents…

And finally, mom was out of surgery and recovery.  She refused pain medicine so she could see her baby as soon as possible.

And at nearly 4 in the morning after all she went though, Harper met her mama.