I’m happy to announce that my wife Elanne gave birth at 9:44pm on July 23, 2011 to a beautiful baby girl.
Sylvie was born at home (in our bed, as a matter of fact!) weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces.
She’s healthy and doing very well as she explores this wide world outside the womb, and is diligently perfecting her breastfeeding technique.
Elanne and I are tired, as expected, but overflowing with joy and wonder. All the cliches are true – but don’t come close to expressing the reality of what it’s like to bring a child into the world and meet her for the first time. Of course all of you who are parents know exactly what I’m talking about.
I’m taking some time off from seeing patients and everything else I do to bond with Sylvie, rest and find a rhythm in this new family configuration. I do have a blog post I wrote before Sylvie’s birth I may post next week, but other than that things will be pretty quiet around here until I return to half-time work on August 8th.
In this quite space I’ve also had time to reflect on how fortunate I am to have such a passionate, engaged and supportive audience here on the blog, on my podcast and on Twitter and Facebook. I feel honored to be able to do this work and share it with you all, and I’m so grateful for your presence in this community.
I’ll leave you with a few more pictures… daddy has to change a dirty diaper!
Congrats & enjoy your babymoon!
Great info dude!!
my first time commenting here, love your podcasts chris, congratulations on your new girl!!
Congradulations Chris! Your baby is absolutely adorable! 🙂
Congratulations from another home-birthing mother of four, all grown now. Sylvie is gorgeous! It has been such a treat to share your journey through your blog and podcasts. I look forward to sharing more of your healthy skepticism.
Congratulations! And the pic with her feet is precious!
Congratulations Chris and Elanne! Also, that’s a great looking bicep holding Sylvie.
So neat! Nice healthy weight too! What a precious blessing she is.
We just watched that documentary that Ricki Lake made called “The Business of Being Born”.
They explore the differences between home births and hospital births.
Ya dunn good Chris (and Elanne).
Congratulations!!! Enjoy it all.
Chris and Elanne, congrats, and welcome to the world, Sylvie. Enjoy a slow, quiet babymoon, it does whizz by so quickly. And i understand the cliches…I remember when my first child was born I kept telling everyone that I couldn’t believe how beautiful he was, he was like a gift of light, so perfect and tiny and passive and sweet. ENJOY!!
love from liz
Just beautiful! Congratulations, I am so pleased to hear that the birth at home went well. Enjoy and have fun 🙂
She’s perfect and she’s lucky to have you as parents. All the best wishes for you.
Congrats on starting an adventure which change your life in ways you can’t possibly know.
Yay! Congrats & many blessings!
Congrats Chris!!!
Beautiful! Congratulations!!
What a beautiful girl and a name to match. Congratulations.
Congratulations! I was just about to email you to see if the happy “event” had occurred yet.
Take Care… Hope you bought some AU before the runup : )
Congrats, doc-daddy! 🙂
OMG She’s perfect!!!!!!!!!!! And epigenetically too! 🙂 Congratulations Chris and to your beautiful wife!
God bless her. Best wishes in the days (and nights) ahead. -T.
What a blessing! You daughter is beautiful and looks like a picture of health! Give your wife a high five from me! She’s done a very good thing indeed.
Congratulations to you both! She’s beautiful – enjoy all the moments of wonder!
She is precious. Congratulations!
Congrats! She is adorable!
Congratulations to you and your family, she looks beautiful.
No doubt she is one healthy baby.
Best regards,
Jackson
Congratulations on your beautiful new daughter! And thanks for sharing the pictures!
Love those precious feet. Enjoy the miracle and have fun bonding.
congratulations, her little footsies are adorable!
Congratulations, Chris! Many blessings for the newborn!
Congratulations! She is absolutely beautiful. Enjoy your time with her 🙂
Congratulations on your beautiful little girl, Chris and Elanne.
I found with my son that the particular day was ( yes, down to the day) was the best day. Babies, toddlers, grade one, two, three,… was the best.
Try some feet pictures of all three of you – babies, mommies, than daddies ((()))
What a beautiful little girl . I know how happy you must be, as happy as I am with my two lovely daughters. May Sylvie bring as much joy into your life as my daughters have in mine.
FEETS! Teh FEETS! *mooshymelt* d’aaaaawwwwww!!!
Congrats to both of you! Babies are awesome. 😀
Congratulations! What a beautiful baby girl! Enjoy this time with your new family.
Congratulations! The pictures are so precious <3
I think it's super cool that Slyvie was born where she was probably made. Good thing it wasn't at the movie theaters! 😛
Kidding aside, thank you for sharing this special moment with us.
I’m so happy for you both. Glad to hear all went well. Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl.
Congratulations Chris, she’s absolutely beautiful. I’m so impressed with your wife and your bravery and conviction in doing childbirth the natural way. Our second was born this way and it was such a different experience. Enjoy.
Great news and beautiful photos
How wonderful! She is beautiful, and a blessed child to be born into your family.
Peace
Gail
Congratulations on your home birth! It’s never too early to start considering the possibility of homeschooling when the time comes. One perk is that it provides greater parental control over your child’s nutritional environment. : )
Seems to me like these things are going hand in hand. Once you jump off the band wagon its hard to get back on!
Congrats. Beautiful family. Best wishes.
Awwww! She’s gorgeous! SO happy you were able to have a home birth and that everything went smoothly. That is always such a blessing to hear! 🙂
Enjoy your time with your family. Now is such precious time!
Marvellous news. What a relief!
Congratulations and best wishes!
Congratulation from the UK. 8 pounds, 6 ounces is a good weight.
yahoo! congrats guys! babies born at home are such happy babies…and so are their mamas and dads who get to be comfy in their own beds 🙂
OOOOH those little feet! Mazel Tov! Or maybe Mazel Toe.
Many congratulations are your new family member 🙂
Congratulations! I’m delighted for you and Elanne.
Congrats! I’m glad everything went well. 🙂
She is stunningly beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing her with us. Congratulations.
Those pictures are so precious! Congratulations.
Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl! And for having her “the old fashioned way”. We forget how natural a process it is, or rather, can be. All the best to the 3 of you!
She’s absolutely perfect! Congrats.
Chris, wow….how beautiful she is! How very great to hear that everything is wonderful! My sincere congratulations and warmest regards!!
Hooray and welcome to Sylvie! Looks like you’ve been taking some gorgeous pics on your own, but let me know when you want to schedule our photo session! Can’t wait to meet her!
Congratulations Chris!!! A beautiful baby! My best to Elanne.
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!
Having a baby is a wonderful thing.
All my best to you and Mommy,
Rosalyn
congratulations man, she’s beautiful. Hope mom and daughter (and you i guess xD) are doing well! Thanks for everything you do, enjoy you’re work.
She’s adorable and squishy! It’s great to hear that the home-birthing went so well. The baby feet picture is a heart melter! Much congrats to the new rents, and happy diaper changing! 🙂
Congratulations! there is nothing more precious than a healthy new life coming into this world. Enjoy fatherhood and all the best to you and your new growing family!
Congratulations! She is adorable!! Enjoy every moment you have with her 🙂
What a beauty! Congrats to you both.
Hey Chris – Many congrats to you guys!
The cliches are true! I remind myself to enjoy every moment, especially when I’m awake in the middle of the night breastfeeding because it really DOES go by very fast! Enjoy this magical time with your family. She is gorgeous and I love her hair!
Many Many Congratulations…!!
How wonderful! As we say here, mazal tov! She is amazing. Enjoy her!
Congrats!!! Sounds like you guys grew a good one. Keep it up.
Congratulations!
Ah, you forget they were once that tiny!
I’m just listening to a podcast now and I saw t his. Congratulations… how beautiful.
Have a wonderful Babymoon! She is BEAUTIFUL!! There is nothing more peaceful or more precious then a sleeping baby on your chest. God bless you and your family Chris!!