I saw Dr Bell for my last OB check on Monday, February 9. We made a plan then that if I hadn't had Luke by Sunday, February 15, that I would be at the hospital ready for induction at 9pm. I spent all week just getting things ready and organized for his arrival. I went all week with no big contractions or physical changes to speak of.
Sunday finally arrived and Josh worked until 5pm that day. Kendall and I went to church like normal, came home and had lunch and took a nap, and ran to Target to pick up last minute items for baby brother. Our plan was to have Josh's parents come stay with Kendall while we went to the hospital. They came over at about 7 and ate dinner with us. Josh put Kendall to bed just like normal around 8. Then we left our house and headed to the hospital at 8:30. About halfway there I decided I was thirsty and I wanted a coke icee ;) so Josh took me by Burger King to get one.
We got to the hospital at 9pm and rode the elevator up to the 3rd floor. I went to get checked in and they immediately had me signing my life away. They very first form was consent to administer cytotec upon check-in to get my induction going. I had recently been enlightened of the dangers and the complications that typically arise with cytotec, so I declined that form and that drug alltogether. The nurses were kind of stumped when I declined it, so they had to call Dr Bell to see what our new plan of action was. While we waited to hear the new plan they got me settled in my room. My nurse came in and told me Dr Bell said we would just rest through the night and start pitocin at 4am. They went ahead and placed my IV then so they didn't have to bother me too much at 3:30 to get everything going. My nurse tried to get my vein 2 times before she went and got another nurse to try...she tried 2 times and then went and got a phlebotomist who got it her first try, thank God. I felt like a pin cushion. (If you've seen Big Hero 6, the part where Baymax and Hiro are in the police station and Bamax airs himself up to see where his holes were and the air starts leaking out so he plugs the holes with tape....that was me. Josh and I both thought of that in that moment and we laughed so much about it.)
We finally got to rest a little after visiting with my mom and sister for a while. Around 330am my nurse started my pitocin. The contractions started coming on almost immediately. They were regular and painful, but definitely not anything I couldn't breathe through. At around 7 with shift change my new nurse came in and introduced herself, Christian was her name. She checked my progress and saw that I had made virtually no change. I was still at a 2 or 3 and only 75% effaced. I was so dissappointed granted the regualr contractions I was having. So they kicked that pitocin way up.
Around 8:30 Dr Bell came in to see me. He checked me and I was dilated to a 4 and 90% effaced. FINALLY some change! He went ahead and broke my water while he was in. Immediately the contractions to follow were so painful. They got pretty intense and I was unable to talk through them. I could make it through by stopping everything and breathing through it. I was trying to make it further before I got my epidural, but my sister kept telling me if I was in that much pain there was no reason to wait. Her and Dr Bell both assured me I was far enough along in the process that it wouldn't stall anything. So I went ahead and sent for my epidural.
Around 9:15 the *awesome* CRNA was on his way down so my nurse checked me again. I was dilated to a 6 and 100% effaced. My CRNA came in and started prepping me for the epidural. He talked us through it and answered so many questions. My nurse helped me breathe through my contractions and by 9:45 the epidural was placed and I was beginning to feel relief already. By 10:15 my epidural had taken full effect and I wasn't feeling any pain at all, but I could still feel the pressure through the contractions. It was wonderful.
By this time my mom and sister had already been up there with us and Josh's parents had arrived. They all came in my room and we just talked and visited while I labored. I'm telling ya'll, epidural is THE WAY to go. It's amazing. Truly. My super sister helped me SO much throughout labor. She helped me switch sides every 30 minutes putting me into positions that helped to open my hips and move Luke down into the birth canal. She was amazing.
Around 11:15 my nurse checked me again and I was dilated to an 8! She called Dr Bell and let him know where I was in the process and that I would need him in an hour or two. By this time I was feeling some crazy pressure. I knew when I was having contractions, but the pressure was different.
At 11:45ish I had my nurse check me again because I was feeling different pressure this time, almost like I needed to push, I thought. She checked me and sure enough, I was complete and ready to push! She called Dr Bell and told him to get down here, he was on his way immediately!
While we waited for him to get to my room my nurse and sister helped me get into position and try a practice push. Half way through my push they told me to stop...my nurse asked if my first baby had hair because this one had a head full!
Dr Bell came in and got gowned up and ready to deliver our babe!!
He handed me a towel to pull on with each push while he held the other end and pulled back. At 12:03pm I began pushing. After 3 pushes, at 12:16pm I delivered a big, beautiful, dark haired baby boy! Halfway through my last push Dr Bell asked if anyone wanted to change their guesses on weight...he was huge. I got to hold him skin to skin while they did his Apgar scoring. He got an 8 and then a 9. When they took him to weigh him and get his vitals and stuff....we discovered he weighed 10 pounds 7 ounces and was 21 inches long!!! We had NO idea he would be that big! Dr Bell was astonished at his size, but he was amazing! He delivered my huge baby without once ever showing he was nervous of him getting stuck or anything. He was wonderful. I would recommend Dr Bell to
anyone delivering in our area.
Holding my precious baby boy was one of the best two moments of my entire life. I wish I could go back to that day and do it again. This labor and delivery expereince was the best.
I was up within an hour or two and Josh and I got to give our boy his very first bath!
Once we got him all bathed and I took my shower and got settled back in we got moved to our post partum room where we waited for the new big sister to get here to meet her baby brother!
When Aunt Kelli brought Kendall in she was all smiles and so excited to see her mommy and daddy! She spotted Luke and wanted to see the "baby" immediately. She wanted to kiss him and "hold" him. She was so curious about him. It was such an emotional moment for me and I couldn't help but cry happy tears. I was overwhelmed with emotions of happiness and sadness all at the same time. It was so bittersweet to have my two babies in my arms, but the reality that Kendall was no longer a baby hit so hard.
Today, Kendall is more in love with her baby brother than I ever thought would be possible. She sings to him, kisses him, gives him her toys and his binky. It's heart melting. We have all adjusted so well! It seems like the adjustment this time has come so much easier to me. I have been so blessed to escape post partum depression, I'm happy and thriving in the mom of two role. It's wonderful :) I can't wait to add a third someday!
