Our sweet baby boy arrived Thursday, February 21st at 8:43 AM. He weighed in at 8 lbs 13 oz and is 21.5 inches long.
To tell his birth story I'll back up a little bit and give some details on the last couple weeks of the pregnancy. This is for journaling purposes and will be more detailed than many care to know!
Overall, I felt really good during the third trimester. My energy stayed quite steady and I felt big but not overly miserable. In fact, I didn't feel that usual desperation to be done being pregnant for quite a while. I had a fair amount of Braxton-Hicks contractions so when my nurse midwife offered to check my dilation at 37 weeks I was anxious to see what was going on. She said I was dilated to a 3 and about 60 % effaced. She said she'd be surprised if I made it to my due date and I responded saying that I wouldn't be surprised at all since I was very dilated for a long time before Nathan's birth. Week 38 brought a cold to our house and I caught it. I'm not one to get a cough but this time I did. Having a bad cough while having a big belly is misery. It brought me sleepless nights and I offered prayers that week that I wouldn' go into labor until my strength was back.
Luckily after a weeks time I was back up and running.
I had a nurse midwife appointment when I was 39.5 weeks (Tuesday). I was dilated to about a 5 and 70% effaced. For Trent's work schedule I was really hoping for a weekend baby so made an appointment to go back 3 days later to get my membranes stripped. Well, luckily Matthew had other ideas. I woke up Thursday morning at 5:45 AM and had a couple contractions I thought might be "real". I got back in bed to relax while Trent got ready for work. Trent was ready to head to work about 10 minutes later. I still wasn't positive I was in active labor but felt like I didn't want him to leave yet. He texted his chief saying he would be late or possibly not in at all if I was having the baby. I decided to get up and shower, wash my hair, get spiffy..just in case this was the real thing then I could be fresh and ready. Well, after getting in the shower I realized a quick rinse was all that was happening. These contractions were very REAL and coming quickly now.
I told Trent I thought we better get moving so he woke up the kids and got them ready to take across the street to a neighbor's house and got the car loaded. Contractions were coming quickly and steadily now for me. While Trent scurried around the house getting ready as fast as he could I practiced my relaxation so I could stay relaxed and manage the intensity of the labor.
We drove to the hospital around 7:15 AM, just in time to see a beautiful sunrise over Lexington. It was an intense ride as I could tell things were really moving along at this point. I asked Trent to drop me off at the entrance of the hospital as I knew walking from a parking stall was out of the question for me at that point. So, I stood in the entrance of the hospital having contractions while Trent parked and brought in our bag. By the time I got up to my room I was feeling VERY ready to settle in and relieved that I didn't have more moving around to do.
The nurse checked me and reported that I was dilated to an 8-9 centimeters. My water was still intact but from past experience I knew as soon as it broke it would be baby time. At this point Trent had gotten my relaxation music playing and was helping me through each contraction by lightly massaging my neck. The nurses were so good and were really supportive. My nurse midwife came and checked me and reported that I was fully dilated and effaced, but water was still intact. She offered to break it for me if I wanted but I declined. I was still sitting on the bed at this point and just needed a minute to gather my energy and move positions. I knew I needed to be ready to push as soon as I moved. After a couple more contractions I turned around and knelt on the bed. My water broke and after a couple contractions our sweet baby was born! Trent caught him and then announced that we had a boy. This hospital really encourages the golden hour of bonding right after birth. After getting Matthew and I checked and settled everyone left the three of us alone to snuggle and soak in the special moment. I had waited quite awhile for this moment of holding this little one in my arms.
Later that day Trent went and picked up the kids from a friend's house and brought them to meet their new brother. They didn't want to know the gender of the baby until they came and we had agreed that I would wrap the baby in a pink or blue blanket, respectively.
I think he passed the test...they sure thought he was cute!
The long awaited moment of holding the baby was finally here!
To tell his birth story I'll back up a little bit and give some details on the last couple weeks of the pregnancy. This is for journaling purposes and will be more detailed than many care to know!
Overall, I felt really good during the third trimester. My energy stayed quite steady and I felt big but not overly miserable. In fact, I didn't feel that usual desperation to be done being pregnant for quite a while. I had a fair amount of Braxton-Hicks contractions so when my nurse midwife offered to check my dilation at 37 weeks I was anxious to see what was going on. She said I was dilated to a 3 and about 60 % effaced. She said she'd be surprised if I made it to my due date and I responded saying that I wouldn't be surprised at all since I was very dilated for a long time before Nathan's birth. Week 38 brought a cold to our house and I caught it. I'm not one to get a cough but this time I did. Having a bad cough while having a big belly is misery. It brought me sleepless nights and I offered prayers that week that I wouldn' go into labor until my strength was back.
Luckily after a weeks time I was back up and running.
I had a nurse midwife appointment when I was 39.5 weeks (Tuesday). I was dilated to about a 5 and 70% effaced. For Trent's work schedule I was really hoping for a weekend baby so made an appointment to go back 3 days later to get my membranes stripped. Well, luckily Matthew had other ideas. I woke up Thursday morning at 5:45 AM and had a couple contractions I thought might be "real". I got back in bed to relax while Trent got ready for work. Trent was ready to head to work about 10 minutes later. I still wasn't positive I was in active labor but felt like I didn't want him to leave yet. He texted his chief saying he would be late or possibly not in at all if I was having the baby. I decided to get up and shower, wash my hair, get spiffy..just in case this was the real thing then I could be fresh and ready. Well, after getting in the shower I realized a quick rinse was all that was happening. These contractions were very REAL and coming quickly now.
I told Trent I thought we better get moving so he woke up the kids and got them ready to take across the street to a neighbor's house and got the car loaded. Contractions were coming quickly and steadily now for me. While Trent scurried around the house getting ready as fast as he could I practiced my relaxation so I could stay relaxed and manage the intensity of the labor.
We drove to the hospital around 7:15 AM, just in time to see a beautiful sunrise over Lexington. It was an intense ride as I could tell things were really moving along at this point. I asked Trent to drop me off at the entrance of the hospital as I knew walking from a parking stall was out of the question for me at that point. So, I stood in the entrance of the hospital having contractions while Trent parked and brought in our bag. By the time I got up to my room I was feeling VERY ready to settle in and relieved that I didn't have more moving around to do.
The nurse checked me and reported that I was dilated to an 8-9 centimeters. My water was still intact but from past experience I knew as soon as it broke it would be baby time. At this point Trent had gotten my relaxation music playing and was helping me through each contraction by lightly massaging my neck. The nurses were so good and were really supportive. My nurse midwife came and checked me and reported that I was fully dilated and effaced, but water was still intact. She offered to break it for me if I wanted but I declined. I was still sitting on the bed at this point and just needed a minute to gather my energy and move positions. I knew I needed to be ready to push as soon as I moved. After a couple more contractions I turned around and knelt on the bed. My water broke and after a couple contractions our sweet baby was born! Trent caught him and then announced that we had a boy. This hospital really encourages the golden hour of bonding right after birth. After getting Matthew and I checked and settled everyone left the three of us alone to snuggle and soak in the special moment. I had waited quite awhile for this moment of holding this little one in my arms.
Later that day Trent went and picked up the kids from a friend's house and brought them to meet their new brother. They didn't want to know the gender of the baby until they came and we had agreed that I would wrap the baby in a pink or blue blanket, respectively.
After one night in the hospital we were all very anxious to get home to our own beds. After both Matthew and I checked out with our doctors they gave us the go ahead to head home. As we were packing up our nurse came and suggested we stay to have our "celebratory meal" that the hospital provides. She said it was super yummy and worth staying for. She was right- it was like date night in the hospital!
All ready to go home-So happy our little man is here!
7 comments:
Em, you make birthing sound like a breeze....and you look great in your photo! Matthew looks just as precious as ever. He has one anxious, happy family, just waiting to love on him. So happy for y'all!
wow! he's gorgeous! congratulations!!
Loved the birthing story..thanks for sharing. I'm glad he's here safe and sound!!!
Yay! I'm so happy for you. What a sweet baby. I'm glad everything went alright and he is home with you now. =) Congratulations!
Huzzah!!! And I love your detail, you'll be so glad for it- I forget that stuff...and I'm totally jealous how fast you were an 8/9!!! Sheesh! I can only wish for that... What a doll, I can't wait to come and meet him :)
Awe, congratulations!!! Beautiful story...I loved the details :)
LOVED reading the birth story again and the pics are to die for! His hair is so cute in those last two. You can just feel the excitement H and N have in those pics.
Post a Comment