Alaska governor

[Guest guest]

News release about Gov. Palin:

Gov. Palin was back at work today, holding a meeting on the natural gas

pipeline three days after giving birth to her fifth child.

Palin and her husband, Todd, showed the baby, Trig Paxson Van Palin, to a few

reporters and talked about the sooner-than-expected delivery.

Trig arrived about a month early and has Down syndrome, the governor confirmed.

Testing during early pregnancy revealed the condition. Palin said she was sad at

first but they now feel blessed that God chose them. The couple has lots of

family support, she said.

Palin was in Texas at a Republican Governors Association energy conference last

week when early signs of labor began. She said she called her doctor early

Thursday morning after some amniotic fluid began to leak. She talked over what

was happening with her doctor, and they consulted about what to do.

She gave the keynote luncheon address, then she and Todd caught an Alaska

Airlines flight back to Alaska. She said was never in full-blown labor on the

plane but was having a contraction or two every hour.

" By my fifth child, I know what labor feels like, " Palin said. That wasn't

labor, she said.

The governor said she won't take a maternity leave but will bring Trig with her

to work. Her spokesperson later clarified, at Palin's request, that the governor

will take time off for medical appointments, physical therapy and whatever Trig

needs.