Our Sebastian Peter Edward Gopfrich was born at 9:17pm on a dark and stormy St. Patrick's Day. He entered this world after a bolt of lighting and a loud thunderclap!
My water broke 24 hours before that, and luckily I spent most of the night sleeping through early labor. It wasn't until around 10am that the pain really geared up.
My water broke 24 hours before that, and luckily I spent most of the night sleeping through early labor. It wasn't until around 10am that the pain really geared up.
Can you believe this is a photo of my little cherub right after he was born? He has a wonderful personality!
The active labor only lasted a few hours and those were spent in the warm tub set up in the living room. The tub was a blessing! My brother just asked if our tub was green on purpose (St. Patty's Day!), haha! The active labor was less painful (but more vocal) than the early labor. We felt so lucky we were able to have him born into the water in our own home with the help of our midwife Dr. Gleisner and her assistant Sara. I'd always envisioned gving birth at home in a tub and it was such a satisfying experience (despite the pain). Later that night we all bundled off to our bedroom and slept pretty much through the next day.
Since then I've been completely and utterly exhuasted!! Walking and sitting hurt--a lot. Peer is doing a good job of helping to take care of everyone. We are currently working on nursing (around the clock) and sleeping and getting to know each other. We are so grateful for all of the support and love shown to us by our family and friends. I'm frustrated I haven't been able to respond to everyone but hopefully in time I will be able to.
I'll write more and post more photographs of our amazing little boy soon, once I've regained a little more consciousness!
Today we gave Sebastian his first bath--he loved it (and mommy did, too!).
