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August 21st, at the wedding of a family friend. As you can see, despite Ita being 5 months pregnant, she really wasn't showing a lot.
Around Dec. 9th, 2004, Ita went into labor. She was listening to another lady who was really in labor (and in medical danger) and felt that labor wasn't so bad and the other woman was being dramatic. Turned out it didn't feel so bad because it was false labor!
A different perspective during Ita's false labor on Dec. 9th, 2004.
Ita at the beginning of the induction, Dec. 31, 2004. This was just prior to the IV being inserted to administer the induction medication. The devices attached to her tummy are sensors for the CTG machine, which measured her labor pain and Jasmine's heartbeat. The device in her right hand is a trigger she pressed every time Jasmine moved so the doctor could differentiate between labor pains and baby movements. To try and encourage the process they put the tube in her nose, which supplied oxygen. By the way, Wahyu decided Jasmine would be a girl (we asked the doctor not to be told, and whenever he tried Jasmine would block his view anyway) prior to Jasmine being born. His reasoning was that the Javanese believe that if a baby's late it's going to be a girl because she's still putting on her make-up! I guess they're right! The induction was performed in a different room and floor from where Ita recovered after the c-section.
Here's Daddy Glenn carrying his new baby...teddy bear????!!!??! Just a little hijinks and practice before Jasmine was born! The bear was a gift from Ninik the day before Jasmine was born. I've got the bear in a baby carrying device that's popular in Indonesia.
Here's a [G-rated] photo of Ita during the c-section. I wasn't allowed in OR to be with her, which may have been for the best since, when I saw the photos, it almost made me cry!
Some people say newborns are beautiful. I'm not one of them. Not even for my baby girl. I think newborns are, on the average, somewhat ugly, especially before they're cleaned up. Here's Ita and Jasmine immediately after the completion of the c-section to get Jasmine out. Jasmine was supposed to have arrived between Dec. 17-24th, 2004, but delayed. Dec. 31st, Dr. Asril attempted to induce but, after 36 hours Ita was only opened 5 cm and we decided it would not be wise to continue the induction. Prior to the surgery *I* got to shave Ita's pubes off! I gave Wahyu's (Ita's big brother) camera to a midwife to take photos in the OR. She did a pretty good job, don't you think?
Jasmine's second photo-op, immediately after the c-section, while she was still in the incubator. As you can see she wasn't satisfied with the accommodations. ;)
The pot you see contains the afterbirth and stuff from Jasmine's birthing. It's hung next to our back door in a ceramic pot and will be buried eventually. They believe here that the afterbirth (ari-ari) is a of twin of the baby.
At the hospital 2 days after Jasmine was born. She's wrapped up in a "bedong", which is a blanket used for swaddling a baby. They are very fond of swaddling here. One person told us they do it because they believe it helps make the baby feel more secure since it's somewhat like being in the womb. But another person said it's to help make sure the baby's legs grow straight...Hrmmm...In any event, the bed next to Ita's was vacant and I'd taken off from work to be with Ita and Jasmine, so I took advantage of the bed and slept in it for most of the time Ita was in the hospital. Hospital policy states that beds are only for patients but the nurses often turn a blind eye. Having said that one lady had her younger daughter sleeping in her bed with her while the older one slept in another bed. The next day the bed was cleaned and pulled out from behind the privacy curtain and a notice of the hospital policy was placed on the bed, adding that no one should sit or lay on it.
Here's Mommy Ita holding Jasmine the day after the c-section in her hospital bed. As you can see Ita had a lot of pimples during her pregnancy! She still had her IV in, of course.
Jasmine, a couple days after coming home from the hospital, sleeping off a hard day of, well, being a baby!
And here she is, refreshed!
Even in her first month Jasmine had a limited ability to roll. Here she is, not long after coming home, sleeping it off on her side.
A baby who has no qualms about digging for gold. What a gal! :)
I, Glenn, got to do a lot of things before Ita because of the surgery. One of the many things I got to do first was give her a bath. Ok, so the nurses at the hospital did it before me but that doesn't really count, does it? ;) Thus, this is the first bath Jasmine received at home - by me!
Here's our dear friend Ninik holding Jasmine in February 2005. Ninik was very helpful and supportive, giving Jasmine lots of clothes and that giant teddy bear. She also provided transportation for the family at times and came to the hospital a few times - even for the false labor!