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pretty cool way to come into the world
We knew from the beginning that I would probably end up with an induction. With #1 I went to 41wks and even then had zero progress, so it just seemed likely this one would do the same.
I was due December 15th and with very little progress at 39 weeks we scheduled my induction for the following week. I was supposed to go in on the evening of December 14th with hopes that I’d give birth on my due date. No such luck. I got the call in the afternoon to come in at 3:00 the following day instead. Disappointed, I got myself ready yet again, took what I hoped would be our last picture as a family of 3, and then set out to the hospital. Upon arrival I was given the devastating news that yet again I was being canceled on. A woman had come in right at the same time as me with high blood pressure, so they needed to make sure to handle emergency situations first. Twice I’d walked out of my bedroom thinking about how the next time I was in it, there would be a baby in my arms, a baby boy finally filling that bassinet. Twice I left home, knowing that when we got back we’d be a family of FOUR. Twice I was left disappointed and sad.
On the morning on December 16th I got a phone call from a nurse at the hospital asking if I would like to have a baby today. Excited and scared (and everything in between), I jumped in the shower, had breakfast, then wished farewell to my 4 yr old daughter and was off to the hospital. We checked in at 8am and I was given a pill around 9:30 that is supposed to be given 4 hours apart in 3 increments to help get the cervix ready. At this point I was only 2cm and 50% effaced (where I’d been for the past week). By noon my contractions were 10 minutes apart, but not very painful. 1:30pm I got my second dose, but my contractions became far too close together after that to do a 3rd dose. We were afraid it would stress out the baby so we chose to skip it. By 5:20pm I was still only 3cm and 80% effaced. At 8:30pm nothing had changed. I was not convinced the baby would be making an appearance any time soon so I sent my husband home to put our daughter to bed and get some rest himself. That might have been the hardest part for me. In four years this was the first night I’d ever spent away from my girl. And being in the hospital alone was a little overwhelming for me too. I didn’t realize how much it would freak me out, but the nursing staff was amazing. At 9:30pm we began the Pitocin. They asked if I would like an epidural with it, but I was set on holding off as long as possible on that. With #1 I was given it too early and had too much, which made my blood pressure and her heart rate drop. It was scary as hell, and I didn’t want a repeat of that. The night was rough though! I couldn’t sleep at all and my contractions were becoming unbearable. I could barely breathe through them, so by 2:10am I asked for the epidural. At that point I was 4cm with contractions 2 minutes apart. It made my blood pressure drop though and I nearly passed out. I was a mess as they worked to get me back to normal. But luckily the baby showed no reaction to it and once the epidural kicked in I was finally numb and able to get some much needed rest. My husband came back to the hospital by 4:30am and after that it moved fast! At 7am I was 8cm, by 7:30am I was 9 cm. 7:44 10cm!! Thanks to the epidural, I couldn’t feel a thing.
There was a freak snow storm that morning so although I was fully dilated, my doctor was still on her way. I had another doctor from the practice come in just in case she didn’t make it. He was astonished at how relaxed I was, just joking around with them and feeling nothing. My doctor made it clear SHE wanted to be there though. She’d been with me through my miscarriages and every single appointment with this pregnancy as we watched my levels move up and his heart rate reach perfection. After all we’d been through, we both just wanted to see it through together. So we all waited and when she did arrive we decided there was nothing wrong with just letting the baby push down a little further on his own. At that point I shifted onto my side and that’s when my water broke, at 8am. After a bit the nurse said to do a practice push. I was scared I wouldn’t be able to since I still couldn't feel ANYTHING, not even that need to push or the pressure you're supposed to. I tried a small one & she screamed to stop because the head was already crowning! My doctor came running back in, got suited up and told me not to cough or anything. I laughed at that and his head popped out!!! They came sprinting over to catch him, telling me NOT to push! I just sat there in complete and total astonishment as the baby just slid right out of me. I still have a hard time processing this. I’ve never heard of a baby popping out because his mom laughed, I don’t think I’ve even heard of a mom LAUGHING during childbirth at all, or a baby just sliding out as she sits there chilling out and watching. I didn't tear at all like I had last time and felt close to no pain as I healed afterwards. If all births were like this, I’d have a dozen more.
So on December 17, 2015 at 8:54am, Sawyer was born. We all thought he was going to be huge (even when we saw him we were all betting on a 9 pounder). He was only 7lb 12oz and 20 inches long. I cried when I saw him, sobbed. It seemed too surreal to actually be happening. This was mine. THIS was the child I’d been praying for for so long, the one inside of me that I couldn’t fathom being real. They put him on me and for an hour he and I cuddled skin-on-skin, then he latched right away and we nursed. It was the most amazing hour of my life.
I still can’t believe that my child came into this world through a simple LAUGH. After everything we’ve been through these last 2 years, it just felt like God was kind of handing me the best Christmas gift in the world and saying “This is for you!” We’ve been waiting and fighting for him for SO long! He’s finally here.
Message edited 12/27/2015 6:17:28 PM.
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