A New Year's Eve Celebration to Remember

Baby Rose Victoria Sieckmann- 12/31/11

Laura was due to have baby Rose on December 17, 2011, but as fate would have it, Rose Victoria was not born until 2 weeks past her due date. Right before hitting the 42 week mark, Laura went into labor on December 29 at 10am. After riding the waves for 12 hours at home with Eric, Patty (Laura's mom) and Brooke (the doula) the group packed into the car and drove to the birthing center as per the birth plan.

At the birthing center

 At this point, Laura was having fairly intense contractions with only about 4 minutes in between. At the birthing center, Laura continued to labor for another 24 hours while managing to walk outside through contractions, get a bit of sleep and even eat a bit. It seemed somewhere around hour 32 that the baby would not arrive, ever and Laura's pain was pretty intense with pains coming every minute or so. Laura persevered through labor for another 4 hours at the birthing center with the only change being the growing intensity of the pain, Baby Rose was just not ready to come down! It was at that point, and at the recommendation of the midwives, that Laura, Eric, Patty, Brooke and Pam (the midwife) packed into the car again, this time headed for the hospital. 

Laura and Eric at the hospital (epidural complete)

Upon arriving at the CMC Pineville Maternity ward, Laura was fairly exhausted after laboring for 36 hours straight and she opted to have an epidural. With the instant relief from pain that Laura experienced she relaxed and her water broke within 2 hours. Laura then managed to sleep for a few hours and regained more strength. A few hours later there was mild change, and a pitocin drip was started to encourage the process. Laura labored for a few more hours with contractions that were felt due to the low dose of the epidural. It was not until around 9:40am on December 31 that Laura was getting ready to push. As the nurses and midwives rushed around the room making last minute preparations for the birth Rose began her entrance into the world.

Laura bringing Rose into the world (push it)

Ironically, after going exactly two weeks to the day overdue and laboring for about 48 hours, the pushing only went on for 20 minutes before Rose Victoria Sieckmann was born. She came at officially 10:10am on December 31, 2011. She weighted in at 8lbs. 7oz. and measured 20 inches long. 

Proud new daddy!

xoxox Laura and Rose xoxox

Rose's first nights sleep

Rose was born a healthy pink baby and gave her parents Eric and Laura a reason to celebrate the New Year that night! As the ball dropped and 2012 was ushered in Rose's mommy and daddy were changing her first diaper, oblivious to anything but the miracle the lay in front of them. 

The first diaper change

On New Years Day the Sieckmann family was released from the hospital and went home after their 4 day adventure.

New Years day- We're home!

First picture after arriving home

And that my friends is the story (gory details excluded) of the birth of Rose Victoria Sieckmann.