Rowan E S-B Day 1-4

We first met this little guy last Thursday at 10:58 a.m. after a night of expert laboring by his mama. Liz did an amazing job all the way through the labor. The labor itself was the most unbelievable thing I had ever seen and I was so glad that I had the chance to be a part of it. And then Rowan was born, and that became the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. Seeing our baby come out into the world made all of the stress and changes of the past months worth it. The delivery created this disjunction where the previous hours in the hospital room and the previous months of preparation vanished. Suddenly, we had this little boy right there with us. And suddenly, beyond doubt or uncertainty, it felt natural that he would be.














The midwife (really, all the midwives at the practice) was wonderful, and all the nurses and staff at Women's Hospital were great. Rowan came through the birth healthy, weighing 7lbs, 7 oz (about 3.4 kg...I had to google "metric conversion" for that one). They took all the initial vitals/measurements right there in the room, so we got to spend some time with him before he went to the nursery. They have this great program in NC that collects cord blood from the placenta and puts it in a public "bank." Then the stem cells are used for research and medical treatments. We were really glad--Liz's placenta had a high count and will be used for some sort of good. The alternatives in American hospitals are expensive private cord blood banking or the hospital disposing of the placenta. I don't think they let you take it out of the hospital.

















Here is Rowan in his fetching hospital whites. We asked that he not get a bath right away so that he could absorb the vernix into his skin, and not have his smell washed away immediately. The hospital honored this request, but put a little sign on his crib that said, "Use gloves when you hold me, I have not had a bath." I think that phrase should be on a t-shirt.
















Rowan had a big fan club already assembled. Granma S came to hold him...















As did Aunt Hannah...

















...Granma B...



















...Granpa S...

















...and Granpa B. After two days, he and Liz came home, and we had a birthday party!