I am 23 years old and Joe, my loving soul mate is 27. We have been together for 5 years and engaged for 3. We have a beautiful thriving relationship, that through thick and thin can always work things out. We both have common interests in the arts (he is a talented musician and I enjoy visual arts), nature/ the outdoors, and traveling. Sometimes we are a little "too" alike, if you know what I mean LOL.

Around the end of summer of 1998, Joe and I both started talking about wanting to start a family. At which time we stopped using protection and soon after had conceived our little babe. Joe knew I was pregnant before I did... about a week before AF (auntie flow) was due I had leaned over and gave him a kiss while he was still in bed. He just looked up at me and asked if I had any make-up on. (which I never wear) Told him no and then he said "you are glowing." We both just looked at each other and was thinking in my mind... "could I be pregnant? nah!" During that week he was bugging me about testing, which we did... and it was POSITIVE!!! We went going through every emotion and then some. Soon the overwhelming feelings were those of excitement and joy.

My pregnancy was an easy one. I just loved being pregnant, being intimately connected to our baby and relished every new feeling. It still amazes me we bonded and helped create this beautiful child that is both a part of us.

Back to my pregnancy... it was uneventful. Started having braxton hicks around 4-5 months along and the further along I was the stronger they became. The last 2 months I had lots of false labor, so, when pre-labor actually started I did not believe it was the "real" thing.

My son decided to take his time meeting us. It was 4 days past my due date and I lost the mucous plug. There was no blood or onset of labor and wasn't sure if that was really my plug. Two days later, July 31st, my mother was due into town, so I scrubbed our apartment from top to bottom. Didn't sit down until we were on our way out to the airport. As we were walking to the terminal I had noticed mild, irregular contractions without any peaks. Joe said "this is it" and I objected thinking it was just false labor.

After we met with my mom we all headed off to our apartment. Joe helped carry her luggage in and we (my mother and I) decided to do a little grocery shopping. Walking around the store really helped bring on the contractions because they started coming on stronger and getting a little more regular. That was our cue and we went home. Joe drew me a bath to soak in and determine if it was just false labor. (Midwife suggested soaks, false labor goes away while you soak.) The contractions kept coming and I was definitely in the beginning of labor. My back ached with every contraction and as they got stronger the back pain intensified. After a few hours we headed off to the birthing center. Labor was progressing rapidly... dilated from 4 to 8 centimeters in 2 hours. I labored mainly in the shower because of the intensity of back labor. Ayden was posterior, which was causing the contractions to be concentrated in my back.

I got through most of my labor without any help, but I broke down and practically begged for some relief. Before we did anything else, we tried the shower some more, walking around the room, swaying hips, back rub (OUCH!) and eventually breaking my bag... nothing helped. Not to mention I was vomiting from the pain and had to have an IV with phenegren (anti-nausea & vomiting medication) added. Our midwife and I discussed meds, what would be best for our baby. Decided on a low-dose epidural which I was still able to use my legs with for squatting. Ahhhh, RELIEF!

I had to pushed for over 2 hours, this little boy was stubborn! He was in distress which was from his posterior position and pushing for so long. I had to have an episiotomy and not more than two pushes later, Ayden Sealth Groothoff-Ross was born at 5:20 a.m., August 1st, 1999! I instantly fell deeply in love with our little boy. He was just so beautiful, warm and slimy. I felt like I was in a dream, couldn't actually believe he was finally here!!! Healthy pink and screaming when he came out into the world... his cry was like angelic music to my ears. The voice of the little one we had both been longing to hear after many, many months of waiting. The wait was well worth it!

Our birth had not gone quite as I had planned or envisioned it to... I had planned on a natural birth with no interventions. You can never know "exactly" how your labor and delivery may go, that I had learned. But one thing is for sure, breastfeeding came naturally to both Ayden and I. The first time he latched on it was perfect, just how I had always vision it. Such a natural nurser and from there all cares were diminished. We never had any latching or positioning problems, but boy were my nipples sore the first 2 plus weeks. Warm compresses helped with the engorgement and vitamin E oil worked on healing my poor cracked nipples.

Ever since birth, Ayden has nursed without any problems. For that I feel so very blessed. I have a close friend who has had problems and it is very heartbreaking. So, a day never goes by that I take for granted the ease we have had nursing. My heart goes out to mothers who have problems and feel they have failed in some way. Which they haven't, some things are beyond our control.