The Story

I started having contractions around 7:30 am on Thursday. They started getting pretty regular by 10, and by noon they were about 5 minutes apart and getting stronger. We were counting them wrong so we thought they were 3 minutes apart so we called the hospital and they said to come. When we got there we were sent to an evaluation room and I was only at a 1. So they hooked up a fetal monitor for 30 minutes or so and then had us walk around for an hour, then repeat. We got in that room around 1pm and we were there til around 5. It was pretty stressful for me. I didn't get along with the nurse very well and had a hard time communicating with her and was really anxious to leave. Our doc wanted to send us back home right away but she wanted to try and keep us. So they did. Around 5:00 I was at a 3 cm and they admitted us to labor and delivery. That room was so much better!! The contractions started getting MUCH more intense and painful and seemingly close together. Around 8:30 we decided to have them check me, see what had progressed and then maybe sit in a tub. Well, after all that I was still only a 3! So we talked and decided it was probably a good idea to get an epidural since I was in so much pain and had literally not progressed.

It turned out to be a really great decision.

They administered it just after 9 PM. By 11:00 I was still a 3, maybe 3.5. So they decided to break my water around midnight. They found it to be stained with meconium (baby pooped in it) and called the NICU to be ready and present for delivery. A couple hours later I was only at a 4. So they started me on pitocin. A couple hours later I was finally a 5. Another couple hours I was a 6. Then finally 7 cm after they were giving me the highest dose of pitocin and gave me a shot of valium cuz I started feeling sharp pain from the contractions through the epidural. Eventually around 8:30 or 9am on Friday morning the nurse said our doctor wanted blood work done in case we had to do a c-section. I was a little nervous. I hadn't eaten anything since noon the day before and I could only eat jello and apple juice (why not just give me a bucket of straight sugar? same thing, right?). I asked if the blood draw would make me nauseous and dizzy because I hadn't eaten. They said no because I was on an IV. Well, a minute after the blood nurse came in I said "I'm gonna throw up" and not more than 4 seconds later I did. So they waited to draw my blood. I think that jolted the baby and my body into action because I jumped from a 7 to 9 cm by 10 am. Soon after that check I started feeling new contraction feelings and felt like I wanted to push and that would help. So she checked me less than an hour later and said I was at a 10 and we could get ready to push.

Luckily, I had the sense to not push the epidural dose clicker (that gave more through the tube) when she checked me at 9 cm and when I started feeling the pushing contractions. My legs were completely numb from the valium and I couldn't move them, so I didn't want to click it. So, for the last 2 hours of labor, including an hour of pushing, the epidural was wearing off alot. Enough that I could feel the pushing contractions and know when to push and could feel the baby's head and feel him come out. Our doctor was super patient and worked with me and the baby's head so I didn't have to get an episiotomy. I only had a very small surface level tear.

Blake came out with the cord wrapped around his body and neck once so Scott didn't get to cut it. He also was kinda blue and not really moving when he came out. The NICU team grabbed him right away and started working on him right in the room. I was pretty nervous because he wasn't crying at all. It didn't take long for them to get air to him and for him to breathe. His oxygen levels were really low and they had to clear some gunk from his lungs and tummy. They said real quick that he was getting good color and making great progress. It was still really emotional and scary to watch. After they finished we got to spend about 30-40 minutes with him before they took him to the nursery for more observations and all that. We picked him up about an hour or so later and he was great!!

He was born 1/7/11 at 11:52 am, 7 lbs, 8 oz, 9 3/4 inches long, dark hair, dark eyes, good colored skin. He's gorgeous and SO sweet! We came home on Sunday afternoon. Things are going very well. He had a hard time eating at first, but now that we're home he's a champ. Our first night was really long, he was confused and thought it was day time. We'll see how he is tonight.

We sure love this guy and it is so fun being parents! I love watching Scott change diapers, clothes, swaddle and cuddle with him. He is the best dad ever. I'm feeling pretty good and moving pretty good. Feels a little like I got hit by a truck, but hey, I birthed a baby! Life is such a miracle and we feel so very blessed.