Taos Gibson MacTavish Huntress.
Born on January 8, 2012 at 11:11 am.
7 lbs, 7 ounces, 20 inches long.
- Taos @ 6 hours old.
Taos was born at home, in an unassisted waterbirth. Johanna began having contractions on my birthday, Saturday night, around 10 pm. After five hours, the contractions stopped completely, so we slept for a few hours. In the early morning, they began again, growing in intensity but decreasing in frequency. The pace of the contractions became wildly irregular, from 6-10 minutes apart, when Johanna got in the bathtub. This was traditionally the simple method, during all of her pregnancies, to slow contractions and take a break.
Then, her water broke, and three contractions later, the baby was born in the warm water.
I had the privilege of playing midwife, lifting my son out of the water and placing him onto his mothers breast, where he has remained for most of the time since that moment. He is a champion nurser.
He has big, dark eyes, pools of deep blue so dark that we think they will change to brown in a few months. He doesn’t cry very much, but regards the world curiously and calmly. When trying to get his digestive system in working order (a new experience for all babies) he clenches his fists and his face, letting out a long growl that sounds like he is wrestling a bear.
Johanna is well, in good spirits, with no complications. We have seen the doctor, filed for his birth certificate, and begun the process to file for dual citizenship.
Our Costa Rican adventure has reached its culmination: our son is here.
If you like this, or have something to say, I’d love to see your comments below.
