Happy Three Monthiversary!

Happy Three Monthiversary Drew!  Here are some of my faves from our monthly shots...

Do we really have to do this again??

Look how I can hold my head up!

This one's a winner!

I'm tired of modeling! (Actually, he did NOT like the kissy noise I was making to try to get him to smile!)

And don't you love how some of the best ones turn out blurry??

(Don't forget to check out the "monthiversaries" link for the "line up" ---------->)

It's hard to believe that only 3 months ago today our lives changed forever!

It's also hard to believe how quickly things are forgotten!  Just a few weeks after Drew was born my mom and I were watching "Knocked Up".  In it the main character gives birth naturally (without pain medications).  In one scene the family waiting in the waiting room begins to hear her screaming.  "Gynecology is only a hobby of mine, but it sounds like she's crowning" one character says.  The sister says "yeah, crowning always sounds like that."  I said to my mom, "I didn't scream, did I?" I realized I had already forgotten quite a bit about that life-changing day. Because of that I was so thankful to meet up with our doula Kim to recount that day those days and get this birth story (which I embellished with my own perspective and memories) and photos. (In case you're wondering, no, I didn't scream.  You'll see later what I did say though.)

Stop reading now if birth grosses you out and/or you don't want to see some slightly bloody pictures. There's nothing revealing or excessively disgusting, but I just thought I'd give fair warning.

Sunday ,6/27/10

I feel a bit crampy all day. The cramps come on and off but they are not painful nor are they regular or timeable so I go about my usual business. Jason, my mom, and I decide to go see Toy Story 3 that evening. While watching the movie the cramps seem to start coming more regularly- every 10 minutes or so, but they are easy to ignore. I go to bed when we get home and tell my mom "see you in the morning, if not sooner!"

Monday, 6/28/10

I wake up around 3 am to a cramp, but am slightly disappointed that I slept 5 hours or so and felt nothing. I go back to sleep and wake up again an hour or so later. This continues a few times until I finally get up.

I text my doula Kim at 11:15 am to let her know what's been happening overnight. I am now having cramps about every 10 minutes but I am unsure if it's the "real thing". They're not very painful and they seem to come on when I change positions- when I stand up, or sit down. I try walking for longer than a 10 minute period to see if they're actually coming on they're own or if I'm causing them to come. I'm still undecided so I decide to go to my weekly prenatal appointment. I don't have a single contraction in the half hour ride to the office but then have a rather painful one when trying to get out of the car.

The vaginal exam at the doctor's office shows that I am 4-5 cm dilated already! Considering I still wasn't sure I was in labor, I'm shocked! I call my doula at 12:15 pm. I was told by the doctor to go straight to the hospital but I don't feel that I'm ready to be there yet. Kim agrees that since I got to 4-5 cm without much work that I may not want to stray far from the hospital, but I probably have time to get some lunch and then go home to get a few things.

Jason, my mom, and I go to Panera for lunch. I get a salad- something light but with some protein. I know to avoid acidic foods so I'm disappointed that I accidentally get a salad covered in a vinaigrette. My mom and Jason ask me if I want them to take it back but the contractions are coming regularly and more intensely so I cant' really concentrate enough to decide and just choose to eat the salad as is. I don't even eat that much of it.

At 2:15 pm I call Kim to let her know I have decided to head to the hospital. My contractions are coming every 5-6 minutes. I get to the hospital and check in then wait to go through triage. Kim arrives at at the hospital at 3:30 and I'm still waiting to be seen. My mom, Jason, and Stacey are also waiting with me. My contractions are now coming every 4-5 minutes. I am sitting and breathing through them but I find it hard being in the waiting room and trying to relax and breathe while strangers are watching me.

The contractions are getting more intense and I keep feeling like I'm going to throw up. I tell everyone that I'd like to just get it over with so I can start concentrating on relaxing instead of concentrating on trying not to puke. I decide to get up and start walking; Jason accompanies me. After only a minute or so of walking I suddenly feel an intense urge to throw up so I run to a trash can, just barely making it. At that moment a nurse walks by and directs me to a bathroom where I throw up again and am really regretting the vinaigrette. I tell Jason to tell the front desk that I've thrown up and ask how much longer before I can go into triage and get a room.

Shortly thereafter, at 4:15, I finally get called back for triage. They hook me up to monitors to check how regularly contractions are coming. I throw up two more times. After 45 minutes they decide I am truly in labor and take me to my delivery room. My nurse is Deborah. My contractions are more intense but they're still coming every 4-5 minutes.

In the room I labor in bed for a little while. Dr. Bowen comes in and examines me at 5:45pm. I'm 9 ½ cm dilated! Drew is at 0 station. This means he is nice and low. I am shocked that I'm almost completely dilated since contractions never came faster than 4 minutes apart.  Besides throwing up, what happened to "transition!?"  Dr. Bowen gives me the option to help things pick up by breaking my water. The contractions are quite intense and I'm not quite ready for them to get stronger so I decide to wait and just let labor continue to progress on its own. 

Smiling at 9.5 cm dilated

 At this point my mom and Stacey join all of us in the labor room and help give me support. They mostly sit and watch quietly, trying not to interfere, but tell me I'm doing a great job. 

Kim and Stacey

My mom encouraging me through a contraction

Right now I enjoy using the birth ball. I like the position of sitting on the ball and leaning back on Jason or leaning on it on top of the bed.

The thing I hate the most about the contractions is the shivering right before one comes on, then the intense heat right after. I grab a blanket every time a contraction comes, then right after I ask Jason or Kim to give me a sip of water and wipe my face with a cold cloth. Stacey and my mom comment on how flushed my face is right after a contraction and I think to myself, "well, it IS on fire, isn't it?"

By 6:30 pm my contractions are even more intense. I am working harder and am moaning a little with each one. They are still coming every 4 minutes. I mention that I'm feeling low pressure with contractions. At 7:05 pm I feel pressure that doesn't go away between contractions. At 7:30, my new nurse, Brittany, does an exam. I am completely dilated and have a bulging bag of fluid. Drew has come down more to almost +1 but I don't feel any urge to push yet.

At 8:10 I'm getting tired and start wondering how long I can do this. I try to go to the restroom to pee because sometimes a full bladder can get in the way. Nothing happens. Jason is sitting with me as I have a couple contractions in the bathroom. I am getting frustrated. Things were moving along so quickly, why is nothing happening now? Jason suggests getting the doctor to break my water. I had forgotten I had that option. I quickly agree. When Dr. Bowen does so there is not much tension on the membranes so she thinks that the water may have already been leaking. It takes a minute to actually break the bag since there isn't much tension. It is during the second contraction after this that I start to feel the urge to bear down. Kim encourages me to just do what feels right.

At 9:10 I am walking around the room and stopping to work through contractions. I like leaning on Jason or the bed when I feel one coming. I am still only feeling the urge to push intermittently. I continue to moan through contractions and bear down when I feel the urge. 
 

By 10:50 pm I am feeling the pushing urge more powerfully but it is still coming intermittently. I am now pushing harder than I was earlier. My contractions are still every 4 minutes. Suddenly things pick up and I start spontaneous pushing with every contraction. Jason and Kim encourage me to push even harder than I have been.

Since I have been in labor at the hospital for several hours now the doctor wants to monitor Drew's heartbeat more regularly to make sure he's still handling the pressure of the contractions. I had been hooked up to monitors intermittently allowing the doctor to monitor Drew every once in a while, but allowing me to wander in between.  Now, to keep a more constant eye on Drew but still allow me freedom, Brittany, my nurse, gives me a telemetry unit (a wireless device to monitor the baby's heartbeat) .

Tuesday, 6/29/10

At 12:10 am, Brittany wants to examine me again. She says that I am so calm and quiet with my contractions that it is hard to tell how intense things are. The baby has now moved down to +2 station and comes down to +3 with a contraction. Dr. Bowen comes in and tells me that if I would like to let her help me with some more directed pushing I will have a baby soon. I am ready to meet this little guy and am getting very exhausted so I agree. All of a sudden everyone begins moving around. Brittany converts the bed to a "chair" and pulls out the stirrups. My mom and Stacey get on either side of me to hold my legs during contractions. Jason takes a place by my head where he doesn't have to see the action but can continue to encourage me.

At 12:25 am I am instructed to push 3 times for 10 seconds each during each contraction. After the first contraction I realize how much work this is going to be. My contractions have slowed a bit at this point so I get a nice rest between pushing; in fact, I am dozing off between contractions. This continues for a while; a contraction comes, I put my chin to my chest and push really hard, then I fall asleep.

Everyone keeps telling me I'm doing a great job. After a while they say that they are starting to see Drew's head. Brittany asks if I want a mirror. I agree- it's not fair that everyone else gets to see what is going on! I watch my progress in the mirror set up at the end of the bed which definitely helps to continue to motivate me. Each time I get a peek of a little more of Drew's head so I keep thinking, "okay, he's definitely coming out on the next contraction!". I'm pushing even harder now with each contraction because I "just know" he's coming this time. I don't know how many contractions pass after I'm "positive" that he's going to arrive, but he finally crowns at 1:18 am. I reach down to touch his head. "It's so squishy!"

For whatever reason my body decides it is time to give me a "rest" and I go almost 7 minutes without another contraction. I am incredibly uncomfortable, though not in pain. With his head partially out I feel like I have to hold my bottom off the bed so I don't squish him. My legs are getting very tired. Finally, at 1:25 am, another contraction comes. I push and Drew's head comes out. He's holding onto his cord so I'm told to wait a moment, then I push again and he is born. I reach for him right away. Once he is suctioned he is handed straight to me. He is slimy and squishy but feels perfect in my arms! I hold him for a while and exclaim how small he is and tell him how happy I am that he's finally here. 

My mom cuts the cord while I'm holding him.  I'd share a picture, but I think there's already enough blood and gore here for now. She can't believe how difficult it is to cut.  I guess it's thick... it was his lifeline after all!

After a little while Brittany has to take him to clean him off and weigh him. He weighs 8lbs 6oz and is 20 inches long. 

 

Once he's all clean he's handed back to me and Kim helps me to get him to breastfeed. He latches on right away and eats for 20 minutes! It is such an amazing feeling. 

He's here. I did it. He's happy. He's healthy. He's hungry!

Hi Mommy!

Hi Daddy!

Hi Grandma!

 Thank you Kim for helping make this day amazing!! We couldn't have done it without you!

One amazing woman!

Welcome Andrew! You have been such a blessing to our family already!