I hadn't planned mentally for baby boy to be here so soon! Last Thursday at our appointment, our doctor said I hadn't really changed and was still at 2cm dilated and 50% effaced and my plug was still gone. He estimated that baby would be no bigger than 8 lbs at full term, but he could give us a better update the last two weeks of our pregnancy.
Friday I was truly blessed as my office threw me a surprise, Green Bay Packer themed, baby shower! My coworkers even dressed in green and yellow. It was a fantastic day!
The weekend was really low key. I can't even tell you what we did, so it wasn't anything spectacular. Saturday we went on a walk and I remember having a few contractions but I drank water and relaxed and they stopped. Sunday I got my breast pump ready so I could make sure I knew how to use it whenever baby decided to make his arrival.
I woke up Monday morning around 7:30 to what felt like I had peed myself. I went to go to the bathroom to try and pee and more "liquid" came out before I peed. I knew something was up, but I wasn't having contractions and nothing felt different so I called my friend who just had a baby. I told her I thought I was just going to go back to bed. She told me to call hubs, so I did. He said "did you call the hospital?!" I said no, I hadn't. I was planning to go back to sleep and see if there were any changes later. He said I needed to call the hospital, so I did. The hospital recommended I come in ASAP. I called hubs back and he said he would come to get me--he took my car that day as I was planning on working from home and doing paperwork. I knew he would be at least 30 minutes before he got home to get me, so I told him I was going to take a shower.
At that point, I was all adrenaline. I was scared, nervous, and excited all at the same time. I got in the shower and the switched was flipped. I started having contractions. By the time I was getting out of the shower, I was moaning in pain. I joke now that the neighbors likely thought something crazy was happening at our house because I was being so loud! Andy got home and I was putting on my makeup. I asked him to grab the additional things to put in our hospital bag, just in case we ended up getting admitted to the hospital. (I still wasn't convinced I was in labor). However, the closer that we got to the hospital, the stronger my contractions got. I was sure I was dying!!
PS. I took a picture with our board for the week that my friend Jaime made this weekend. Turns out it didn't go to waste, but should've read something more like BABY COMING SOON!
We got checked in and I got checked by the nurse. Yes, I was in labor and dilated to a three. As she checked me in and got my history, my contractions continued to get closer together and much stronger still. She informed me that we would be staying (AND YES AGAIN, HAVING A BABY TODAY!!!!!). As exciting as this news was to me, I was in so much pain I wasn't even thinking about that. I was thinking holy shit, this hurts. I was writhing in pain with each contraction and even screamed into the speaker at the side of the bed (which wasn't on).
I finally got moved from the evaluation side of labor and delivery and the actual labor room. It felt like forever, but this part sorta became a blur. I was waiting patiently for the epidural and did get finally get it! It was sweet, sweet relief. After that, I was just laying and talking with hubs and my Mama, who was also there during delivery. It felt like such a short time later I was being checked again and my cervix was at an eight! It was SO quick! I have no idea what time it actually was, but we were checked in at L&D around 9 and by 12 the nurses were prepping me to push!
I started pushing around 12 and wasn't making a ton of progress, although eventually Andy and my mom were able to see baby's head, and then more and more of it! My mom stayed in with us to take photos for our family later. Although the nurse said I was pushing exactly how I should be, things weren't moving on that quickly. My doctor came in around 2 something and helped move things along and around down there. And you know what? Just a few minutes later, mid-push session, Andy told me to look down. And you know what else? My perfect little boy was right there, taking his first breaths.
I was immediately overwhelmed with emotion! I am again as I write this post. They cleaned him up and put him on my chest to love on. They then explained that they wanted to put him under the warming light for just a few minutes to monitor his breathing. Since he was early term, they expressed that there could be a chance that he would have breathing complications so extra nurses came to examine him. He ended up going to the nursery for additional monitoring. It seemed like an eternity but Andy said it couldn't have been more than 30 minutes. I was panicking and telling him to go find our baby. They quickly brought him back to us and we got to breastfeed for the first time together. He stayed with us the rest of the night until we sent him to the nursery so we could both rest.
Over the next two days, we had lots of visitors and love sent our direction, which I cannot express my gratitude for. This beautiful little being has captured my entire heart and I love him so very much! I love all of the little sounds that he makes and his crazy stares. He's absolute perfection.
I cannot wait to help continue writing the story of his life, and welcome you all along for the journey!
Thank you again for all of the love, kind words, gifts, and thoughts sent our way! Xoxoxo
