On January 21st, we welcomed our precious baby girl, Elizabeth Ella Grace (or Ella, as we call her), into the world. Life since then has been full of more love, joy, and happiness than ever before! As I mentioned in one of my last posts before the baby, my plan was to take a short […]
Childbirth Without Fear, pt.2
What happened last night? Is everything okay?” my husband asked, as we woke up that January morning. I was one week past my due date and we were eagerly expecting our little girl’s arrival. “I passed my plug and started having contractions,” I responded. “I didn’t want to wake you because I figured you needed […]
Childbirth Without Fear, pt.1
I’m super hungry. I just want a huge burger!” DJ, my mom, and my aunt subsequently accompanied me to a restaurant after leaving the doctor’s office late that morning. I had been in early labor since 4 AM, and my contractions were getting stronger and closer together. So, after calling my midwife, and being told […]
Is A Year-Long Maternity Leave Possible in Residency?
Hey, just so you know, I’m going to need about 20 minutes to pump every 2-3 hours throughout the day.” It was a familiar, yet not particularly enjoyable, conversation I had grown accustomed to having with each new senior resident at the beginning of every rotation. I had just finished maternity leave and was somehow […]
Pain and Peace: My Labor & Delivery Story
“I think my water broke.” I calmly told my husband as I came back into the room at 2 AM, that Tuesday morning. I was three days away from my due date and there was certainly no surprise that baby would be making his appearance any day now. I had been having irregular Braxton-Hicks contractions […]
Big Belly, Big House pt. 2
“ARGHH!!” There I was, moaning in pain through each and every contraction, while all I heard in the background was the “BANG, BANG, BANG!” of our contractor’s hammer working away. Strangely enough, it was music to my ears. In fact, I jokingly referred to it as the soundtrack for my labor. At that point, I […]