Labor and Delivery of Joaquin Koa

Joaquin Koa Carbajal-Nielsen, 11/1/2011, 8lbs 2 oz, 20.5 inches

Today my little Joa is already one month old, and I thought it fitting to finally write about the story of his birth. My little babe decided to make his entrance to the world (well sort of) at 3 am on October 31st. I started having crazy contractions but I didn't want to wake my husband or go to the hospital right away, so I waited it out till about 8am. I already had an appointment set with the OB GYN so I just went in and told him that I thought I was in active labor. Of course I was already about 4cm dilated and completely effaced. He of course, sent me straight to labor and delivery.


Esteban and I were stoked. We headed straight to the hospital. My mom was home from a trip and made it!! I was so excited because she had never been present to see the births of her grandchildren. David was a C-section, she babysat David when Annabelle was born, and she was in another country when Lorelei was born. Natalie, my oldest sister dropped all her beautiful babes at a friends house so she could be present for the birth. These 3 helped me so much during my labor. They were the best!!

My birthing coaches in action. Not pictured Natalie Moon

We arrived at the hospital around 9am and I immediately began walking, I wanted this baby OUT! I always said I wanted a Halloween baby...but Joaquin had other plans. My birth plan was to go completely natural. It took me from 9am till around 9pm to completely dilate but baby boy was face up so I had very intense back labor. Now watching all those TLC baby birthing shows I thought that when you reached 10cm that that was it... it's time to push and baby would be here... but no no no... There's another measuring system doctors use to see how far the baby has made it down and Joaquin just didn't want to drop.

At around 12am I was in such immense pain my doctor suggested to give me the epidural. He convinced me that my baby would drop and I would get much needed rest. Plus I was approaching the 24 hour mark of my water being broken, which can cause infection. At 10 cm, I had to sit completely still through crazy intense contractions while they gave me the epidural. (I don't recommend this) They had to stick me several times because I guess it's hard to find the epidural space on short women... boo! My doctor, who I switched to mid pregnancy, was a saint. He held me throughout the entire process.

Dr. Werner prior to performing the epidural

Trying to Push!!

 At around 3 am the nurses woke me up and said I was ready to push... which was quite tricky because I couldn't feel a thing. They gave me a towel wrapped around a bar to pull on while I pushed. But while I was resting baby boy turned his head a bit...but in the wrong direction. His little nose was just in the wrong angle that he couldn't fit completely through my pelvis. The doctor tried forceps and the vacuum to turn him but Joa just wouldn't come out.

Now, those of you who knew me throughout my pregnancy, the LAST thing I wanted was a C-Section. I have never had major surgery and being cut open just freaked me out. My doctor, knowing my birth plan, looked at me and said "Susannah, we are running out of options. This baby needs to be born. Most of my colleagues would have sliced you open hours ago... I am going to need to do a C-Section." After 24 hours of long, painful labor, I realized that the doctor was right... They prepped me for surgery and Joaquin was born 30 minutes later.

Baby Joa crying

When Esteban and I heard his little cry as he was pulled from his warm womby home our hearts just melted. I still get kind of upset when I watch those stupid baby shows and see little teenagers able to vaginally deliver their children. But the truth is, it doesn't matter how they're birthed just as long as the baby and mother are healthy and happy.


I am so thankful for little Joaquin. He has brought such joy to our lives. All the pain and anguish I felt throughout the delivery diminished the minute I heard his helpless wail. After I got out of recovery I told Esteban that I would go through all the pain 4 more times. He of course looked at me like I was crazy. I am definitely waiting at least 2-3 years before we have the next one. Well that's the plan at least, but we all know plans can change. For now, I am just going to enjoy my time with my beautiful boy because I can already see how fast he is going to grow.

Happy and healthy mama and baby.

Baby Joa

After much contemplation Esteban and I decided to get the 3D/4D ultrasound done. And let me tell you, I do not regret it. It was the best early birthday present ever. Joa didn't like being poked and prodded much, he kept hitting my stomach and covering his face. But he already seems like he'll be a funny little guy. He stuck his tongue out, sucked his fingers, put his foot in his mouth, waved to us, and snuggled up with the placenta. Esteban and I just sat there in awe. I'm really getting anxious to have him but he's gotta stay put for at least 4 more weeks. From what we can tell, he's going to look just like his "papi." Big luscious lips!!

Big Old Belly!

So I waited 5 months until my belly actually looked some what pregnant. But really it just looked like I ate too much at lunch and had a food baby.

I waited just one more month and it looked like this!

One month later....

2 weeks later...

It's fascinating at how fast little Joa is growing. I'm 7 months (28 weeks and 4 days to be exact) now and I'm kind of scared to see how big I'll be when I'm 9 months. At the rate he's growing I should possibly fear for next week.

Addendum:

Here are shots of my belly at 8 and 9 months!

8 months prego

9 months prego (38 weeks, the day before I went into labor)

Havingababyit'saBOY

Esteban and I are going to be "padres!" I am 26 weeks along with a little baby man. I remember the day I found out I was pregnant. I took a pregnancy test as a joke because someone at work said I was sensitive to smells. Who wouldn't be when you work in a call center? People prepare/heat up chinese food, tuna sandwiches, and soup all in one pantry area! But I took their advice and the little stick said "PREGNANT!"

I have been pretty weird about who I tell. I just wanted to make sure the little guy stayed put. But I'm almost 7 months so, I think we're good to go. Joaquin Koa will be born November 13th. I'm secretly hoping he's born on Halloween though. I can just imagine myself as the crazy mom that dresses up for her kids Halloween birthday parties. But come what may, and I love it!

Belated February

Oh dear, so I lied in my last blog, dang it! February went way too fast. Esteban and I did reach our one year mark. I can't believe we've been married a whole year. Time goes by when you're having fun, right? It was funny, I was talking with someone at work today how I switched schedules to have off on my anniversary. They questioned "Well why would you want to do that??" And my response was, "Well I actually enjoy being around my husband!"

It's sad to see so many marriages don't last nowadays. It was reported in 2008 that 40% of marriages in the US end in divorce. Research shows that number is declining now, due to the fact that a lot of people just aren't getting married anymore. I found this quote and I wanted to share...

"A good marriage does not require a perfect man or a perfect woman. It only requires a man and a woman committed to strive together toward perfection."

I'm glad Esteban and I know we aren't perfect. But if we work together, through all our kinks and wrinkles, we can work toward perfection.

Another Year, Another Resolution

Nenan and me at Myrtle Beach, SC

So I know its been a decade since I've written but my New Years Resolution is to write one

BLOG per MONTH. I know I know, we are already half way through January, I should've written this blog 3 weeks ago, have some patience will you? It's going to be very challenging but I will succeed.

With Jenny and Garret 

Esteban and I are coming up on our one year anniversary. It's incredible how time just flies. I still feel like a 12-year-old girl sometimes... but then reality hits... I'm really 25, high school is o

ver, college is over, I went on a mission, and I'm married. Pure craziness. But it's been a blast.

Work is going well. I have had to go through a lot of training, since I knew NADA about insurance. I have my own sales team now and I'm just working hard so they'll promote me. Esteban is going to school to get his B.S. in Industrial Psychology. The whole permanent residence process lasted from March till July. He was thrilled to finally have the right to go to school

and work.

Through 2010 (and late 2009) we took

many trips. We finally made it to Hawaii TOGETHER. We saw the Grand Canyon in AZ. We honeymooned in Florida. We museum hopped in Washington DC. We discovered hidden caverns and mountain ranges in Virginia. We reunited with family in South Carolina. We snorkeled and surfed in San Diego. And finally, we spent Christmas in Uruguay.

We passed a whole year with only seeing his family through Skype. It was so nice to actually embrace them again. Our nieces, Antonia and Clara, are so big now. They adore Esteban. Esteban is like the baby whisperer. Our nieces and nephew just love him. Annabelle could care less about her Aunty, she just wants to know where "Nenan" is.

Nenan and Annabelle napping

Clari y Nona con Tio Nenan

TIO NENAN

David and Nenan getting ready to fish

I could only get a week off of work and we took TACA CACA again, so it took 2 days to travel there due to extensive layovers in San Salvador and Lima. Including the weekends, we had a good 7 days in Santa Lucia. Though short, and humid as all get out, it was totally worth it. I took some lovely pictures of the Carbajal Family.

Check them out on Facebook.

S.I.M.P.L.E

Well gosh, just realized it's been months since I "blogged." And soooooooo much has gone on since Feb5th... so I'll just do a quick catch up! On the 27th WE GOT HITCHED. It was beautiful.. though VA was pumping out snow like it was NY a couple days prior, on "MY BIG DAY" we had clear blue skies walking out of the Washington D.C. Temple.

It went by so fast compared

to the year of waiting. The whole legal process seemed to carry on for a decade... and then suddenly on February 27th we were married in 10 min! But it was the BEST 1o MINUTES of our lives!

We had a very simple reception at a family friends house. I had always thought I'd have a big wedding, with a live band, dancing, outside, in the spring. But as the Rolling Stones taught us "You can't always get what you want." Esteban has taught me the benefits of simplicity and I'm actually glad I didn't do the big, white, EXPENSIVE wedding!

We had some Uruguayan flare, we danced the tango and had the food catered from an Argentine cafe! Our cakes were beautiful! And I looked like a movie star from the 50's, so I've been told!

We flew off to Florida the next morning! We did service to have a free day at Disney World, and Esteban really wanted to go to Animal Kingdom. So we hit that up, did the Safari like 3 times! We also made a road trip to Miami and found an Uruguayan restaurant :)

We got home on the 5th and finished up all his legal documents to become a permanent resident and then I started my Supervisor Leadership Program @ GEICO!

So I'm working full-time and now he's just waiting for all the papers to come through... which is taking forever since it's the GOVERNMENT! I can't believe I even complained about the fiance visa now that we're facing all this permanent

resident mumbo jumbo!

But we wont go into that. I'm just so glad he's

here and we're finally married! Life is grand!