Five Days in the Hospital with Aiden

I know it's been awhile since my last post, breastfeeding takes a lot more time than I remember. Plus, I've been napping when Kels does and spending time with Kels when Aiden is asleep. Oh the juggling act begins! Slowly but surely, I'll post all the pics I've got. Even Greece.

Five days is the standard time for women to stay in the hospital here for a normal birth - longer for C-sections and complications. They like to wait until the mother's milk comes in and both mother and baby are well. For me, this was a nice chance for me to get to know my baby, have some alone time, and enjoy the food. I had some great conversations with the nurses and got to see a few visitors. This was all thanks to my mom and Tally who watched Kelsey. I think Kelsey got to go to the lake beach almost every day. My mom made friends with some of our Swiss neighbors that are always at the beach and now we are best buds. Funny enough, they don't speak very much English and my mom doesn't speak any German.

Leaving to go to the hospital on Friday, July 17th at 10pm

The Birth

I have lots more pictures of the actual birth (never knew my mom was such a shutterbug - like mother like daughter) but none that I'm sharing on the blog

Tal holding Aiden for the first time, moments after his birth

Aiden with mom & dad, moments after his water birth

Dr. Behrens (who was five minutes too late), Tal, Aiden, & Anita (the awesome midwife who delivered him)

Anita, the midwife who delivered Aiden - without the doctor there!

The other midwife who helped deliver him. This was the first birth she had witnessed and was so excited to be a part of it. When Anita, the midwife who delivered Aiden, knew the doctor wouldn't make it in time, she had to call on another midwife to come help/be a witness.
The handsome pediatrician that also saw Kelsey after she was born. He's weighing Aiden, who was 4.030 kilos, or 9lbs.

Grandma dressing her new grandson. Notice his footprint on her arm.

One of the first of millions of kisses to come

What just happened and where the heck am I?

My cute baby boy, in my arms after more than 9 months of waiting

My biggest supports. We were all relieved, so happy he's finally here and all went great

Kelsey meets Aiden

Here's Kelsey's first encounter with Aiden, about 8 hours after he was born.

Love at first sight

First kiss

Family photo on my hospital bed

I love the way Kelsey is looking over at me. She's been putting her hands in her mouth ALL THE TIME and we're trying to break her of that habit. Aiden just looks like he's putting up with her.

So curious about every bit of him

Mother of TWO!? Love that Aiden is yawning. Kelsey wore him out!

Photo Ops of Aiden

He's already a binky baby

Sweet dreams, little one

His headboard stats

praying?

Can you see the little wound in his hand? Here it has healed a bit, but looked pretty bad when he was first born. It's from sucking his hand so hard in the womb! He also had a lot of dry skin/peeling on his hands and feet. The midwives said they think he was more than 5 days overdue - more like 14 days.

I'm going to eat you!

intrigue?

confused? full?
stretching
hungry?
sweet.

yawn

Aiden sucking his thumb. I always feel bad for my babies who act like they are starving for the two or three days before my milk comes in.

Gotta love the outfits they put them in in the hospital

So you're that other voice I heard all the time...hi dad

Visitors

The Wunderbar Todd family. They were so great to watch Kelsey while we went to the hospital. She loves them so much.

Kelsey's best friend "Emma-dee" and her new brothers, Dominic & Liam. My BRAVE friend Jennifer took the train with all three in tow to come visit us at the hospital. It seemed there was at least one kid crying the entire time. We marveled at how our TWO suddenly became FIVE.

Daddy with his little babe and baby - not that he's a visitor, but just to note that he came by on his way to work, on his lunch break, and on his way home. He has 2 weeks paternity but it must be consecutive and so we're using that to go home for Christmas.

Anita came into my room one night (with another baby "attached" to her) and we chatted for at least an hour about everything from relationships to religion. I didn't get much sleep but we sure had fun talking! Plus, it's not like I was going to get much anyways.

We also had three of our friends/Tal's co-workers come by and hold him and I forgot to get pictures! They picked out the cutest outfits and got me a nursing boppy. Thanks you guys!

Hospital Perks

Our family walk around the hospital grounds

Our newest addition is so fun to watch

A bit uneasy with Kelsey running around and poking/touching/hugging/holding him

A sweet kiss, but he's not so sure what to make of it

Grandma or "Mimi" has her hands full with two grandbabies!

Koo-koos! Peek-a-Boo!

A tantrum thrown when it was time to go back inside

Look mom! I love how excited she gets about even the little things

Dinner for Two

Our date night at the hospital. They gave us a complimentary dinner and free babysitting (of Aiden, my mom took Kels). With Kels we ate it up in my room but this time, we decided to "go out" (to the hospital restaurant downstairs). We tried "tar-tar" for the first time.

Good Eatin'

The top right is my favorite thing and I ordered it every day for breakfast: Birchermuesli. It's a Swiss yogurt with cereal and fruit. Hard to explain, best just to try it.

Going down in history

These charts hang in the Labor & Delivery room and show the cycles of the moon on the days of the year. For every baby that is born, they put a pink or blue tack on the day on this calendar. Here is Aiden next to his and Kelsey next to hers. We're responsible for a pink and a blue tack on the wall ;). Isn't that a cool idea?

Amazing Staff

I'm drawing a blank on her name, but she was a hebamme or midwife that was doing a rotation on the wochenbett or after labor care side. She helped me a lot and went the extra mile for me. Or shall I say Kilometer ;). In this hospital, I never had a bad nurse, or even an unfriendly one. Every nurse, especially the midwives, were exceptional. That's why I chose it - never met a midwife I didn't like. Everytime I met one I thought, "I hope she's working when I deliver."

Going Home

A half-smile, or a little gas perhaps? I think he's just glad to be in daddy's arms

We have a similar picture with Kelsey here when we brought her home from the hospital

Coming up next...first day(s) at home!

Welcome Aiden Talmadge Price!

Baby Aiden finally arrived SIX days late at 6:45am on Saturday, July 18 weighing in at 9 pounds (4050 grams) and measuring 20 inches long (51 cm, same as Kelsey). He is the chubbiest baby on the floor weighing 1 kilo more than each of the 4 girls he's surrounded by. He looks just like a Price baby, and I think he looks like Tally's oldest brother, Taft! He's got dimples in his cheeks and a small cleft in his chin. These are just the first pictures...rest assured more are on the way. It was nice to have my mom there for many reasons, one of them being to take pictures!
Tal was so happy to hold his little boy after 9+ long months. He wasn't set on the middle name until my mom and I were talking to Aiden and saying Aiden Talmadge Price. Suddenly it felt right, and Tal filled out the name card.

Since I was 5 days overdue and my mom was already in town, I decided to be induced. This scared me a bit, but I felt good about the choice. My doctor had me go in at 10pm on Friday night to be induced (interesting time, but who am I to judge). By the time they gave me the medicine (not pictocin, don't know what it's called in English), it was 12am on Saturday. I sent Tally home to rest and my mom and I slept. At about 2am, I woke up to pee and started having regular contractions. I couldn't sleep, and so I walked around and had a great time talking to my midwife or Hebamme, Anita. She didn't have any other patients and was helping out with the newborns (I got to hold little 2 and 3 kilo baby girls for a bit). My mom woke up and joined in the fun - we read our books and listened to Nora Jones. All was good, until things turned serious. My contractions started getting very strong and very close together. My mom rubbed my back and at about 5:30am, I called Tally and told him it was time to come over. I was only dilated to a 3 by now and felt it might be too early, but I wanted him there to help me through. I asked Anita to fill up the tub. I thought, 'if this doesn't help, I'm going to get an epidural. I couldn't imagine surviving these contractions for as long as it would take to get to a 10. The bath was very soothing, but of course, it doesn't take away the contractions. I knew from last time I had to relax and not fight the contractions to allow dilation. Tal was there by now and I could hear my mom and the nurse say they thought the baby wouldn't come until the next shift (7am). Around 6:15, I felt a hint of that familiar "I have to push" feeling. I told my mom to go get the nurse. She checked me and I was at a 10 already. The midwife said "don't push, give me 10 minutes to call the doctor, another midwife and get everything prepared!" Poor thing just ended her apprenticeship in April and was all alone on the night shift. With each contraction, I tried to breathe and not push (easier said than done). However, at 6:47, without a doctor, Aiden made his way into the water and into the world in one big push. He was blue and not breathing for a bit, but I was able to hold him, still attached to me, and help stimulate his breathing. He finally coughed and screamed and slowly gained his pinkish color. Tally cut the umbilical cord (and later my mom at the part that was closer to the baby) and we rejoiced that all was well. Then the doctor walked in...about 5 minutes too late. I feel so blessed that the baby is healthy, the labor went quickly, and my family was there to support me. I don't know how I got so lucky (ps I didn't tear!?!). I couldn't ask for more and find myself thanking God for each of these beautiful blessings. Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts and support!

They don't wipe all the slime off of them here, but feel it's better to leave the natural "lotion" on the baby which is why he looks so white, like a little doll or something.

Kelsey is coming in a few minutes to see the baby for the first time. I will try to upload pictures and video of that as soon as I can. She'll be so excited to see him - and I'm excited to see her reaction!

You can check out his picture on the hospital website under baby gallerie

Waiting for Baby

Tal took this picture of me on my birthday. I don't know if you can tell but my belly is pretty big.

He's going to be a BIG boy I think!

Jessi Berg came to Zurich for the day and I only wish I could have spent more time with her. We played at Ashley's and Yi made us yummy Chinese food! It was bittersweet though since it was our last time playing at Ashley's - the last of the Barlow/Shontz apartment (sigh). So many fun memories there. We'll have to plan a trip to Geneva soon - and a trip to London to see Ashley!

My little jumper

Now she counts before she jumps: One, Two, ONE! We're still working on that. This was on one of our many walks to get baby to come out!

Cuddling up to a great movie...or Barney.

I thought it was so cute that she wanted to lay longways on the short part of the couch! We had some lazy days at home when mom was too tired to go to the park AGAIN.