A Brand New Birth Story

This post is linked at Finer Things Friday since a brand new baby is certainly a finer thing!  Also posted on Gratituesday by Heavenly Homemaker.

What a blessing I have to share with you tonight!  We are now a family of four!  I am seriously outnumbered in the testosterone department - thank goodness our furbaby is a girl!

I am amazed that God has chosen to allow us, feeble and sinful humans, to be the recipients of such a blessing.  Parenthood is amazing as it is.  Birth just emphasizes how amazing this miracle really is.

My Story

Sunday, I just felt really out of sorts - I didn't feel like myself and felt like I was sick.  I spent most of the day crashed on the couch.  I had had so many things happen in the preceding weeks that made me think labor was very close only to be told by my OB that I hadn't made any changes that I stopped getting my hopes up.  Well, at 6am Monday morning, I started having some regular braxton-hicks contractions - about every 7 minutes.   I used the bathroom and thought I might be leaking a little fluid so I grabbed a towel to put on the bed and went back to lay down and time the contractions.  At one point (at 7:20) I rolled over to find a more comfortable position.  I felt a big kick and a gush - my water had broken!

After calling parents and OB, we made arrangements for Buggy to stay with friends until my parents got here.  Hubby and I headed to the hospital.  I was starting contractions!  When my water broke with Buggy, I didn't start contracting and after 7 hours, the doctors decided to use pitocin to avoid infection and to get me delivered.  I was quite excited that I was going into labor on my own!

By the time we got to the hospital and I got set in a room and changed, the contractions were pretty strong - I could not talk through them at all.  Our hospital does not allow walking around after the water breaks so I was bed bound.  At that point, I opted for an epidural - slightly fearful that it would be too strong like last time.  The anesthesiologist was fantastic.  It turns out that he was the same anesthesiologist to give my OB HER epidural 25 years ago!

Once I was comfortable, the contractions pretty much stopped.  After 2 hours, they added a little pitocin.  I went from 4cm to 9cm in just 2 hours!  At one point, I felt the contractions with the epidural just as strongly as before the epi, but only on one side.  I had planned to ask for a slight increase in dose, but I ran out of time!  At 1pm, the nurse said, "sweetie, you are 9 cm!  I'll be back in 15 minutes and you'll probably be complete and be ready to push!"  Over that 15 minutes, I got the strong urge to poo and could feel Baby descending!  I made sure NOT to push since the doctors and nurses weren't in there yet!

When the nurse came back, she brought the OB and entourage.  She checked me and said I was complete!  I got to try one push and they hurried to get me set up!  What a fun and full room!  My OB was beaming and excited to deliver me.  2 residents were in the room to assist and learn.  3 nurses were in the room to help make sure everything went smoothly.  Add in Hubby and my mom - it's a good thing we had a big birthing room!

In just 15 minutes, I pushed baby out!  It was so amazing to be able to feel the pressure and be able to push correctly!  I got to see his little head and the OB delivered his body - so amazing.  He was screaming right away!

It was just a beautiful and fun birth.  Baby was health!  38 weeks 1 day.  5lbs 13.5oz.  19" long.  He is nursing like a champ!

Thank you Lord for this amazing blessing.  Thank you for our growing family.  I am overwhelmed with Your love!

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