Ice Fishing

Today at 2:13pm, 7 lbs 10 oz, 21 inches long, Pooka landed a real keeper.





We are glad JJ is here safely. Birth was completed without incisions, epidural, or narcotics. Apparently JJ had read the instruction manual for newborns and was ready to nurse heartily as soon as she was given the opportunity.

While waiting for JJ to come out and play Pooka came up with a new game that we played in the labor and delivery room. We chose a number of activities that could help distract Pooka from contractions and wrote them down on slips of paper which were placed in a box. Before each contraction I would randomly select a slip of paper and then when the contraction arrived I would use that method.
Methods selected included efflorage on Pooka's shoulder or forearm, massaging Pooka's feet, icepack application on the small of Pooka's back, and massaging the small of Pooka's back with a rubber ball, and playing handpile. She indicated that the surprise and variation would make it more fun than just picking a different one for each contraction.
I suggested that if surprise helped we should borrow Boss's approach to being pleasantly surprised and throw candy around the room. She reminded me she was diabetic. So instead we had a feast of orange juice and cookies after JJ was born.