Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Introducing: Mr. Christopher William

My little man couldn't wait to meet his mommy and daddy and surprised us by arriving on April 22, 2012 at 1:54pm.

My labor started at 1:30am on Sunday, 4/22/12 when I noticed some bleeding when I went to the bathroom.  I couldn't figure out why I was bleeding because I hadn't had sex or had a recent cervical check.  I decided to lay back down and try not to think too much about it and see if there was still blood the next time I went to the bathroom.  Well, about twenty minutes later, as I was laying in bed trying to fall back asleep, I felt a leak.  I literally said, "oh my god!" because I knew it had to be my water breaking.  I immediately stood up, bracing myself for a huge gush (which didn't happen) and went to the bathroom.  I peed again, which now that I think back on it, I wonder if it was the fluid gushing out rather than me peeing.  I decided to lay back down for a half hour to see if anything else leaked when I stood up.  So, after a little while, I stood up.  Nothing leaked.  So I started thinking maybe I really just peed my pants. lol.  During this whole time I had been feeling what I assumed to be contractions in my lower back.  They were about 2-3 minutes apart, with the occasional 4 or 5 minute gap.  They were getting worse as time went on but I still wasn't sure I was in REAL labor.  I was worried that going to the hospital would get me hooked up to a monitor and then sent right back home.  Because of this, I decided I would go to a local hospital, rather than the hospital I planned to deliver at, since it was much closer to my house. I woke my SO up and told him I was going to go get checked out.  We had his son that weekend, so he stayed home with him rather than all of us go to the ER to be sent back home.

I got to the hospital at 4:30am and was immediately brought up to the maternity ward - it's funny how people react when you say, "I think I'm in labor" lol.  The nurse checked me and I was still at 3cm (same as my previous cervical check) but the contractions kept coming 2-3 minutes apart and were all in my back.  My SO arrived around 8:30am and that's when the contractions started to get even more intense.  By 10am I abandoned all hope of going med-free and asked for medication.  They gave me an IV of Demerol, which did nothing but make me dizzy and feel like I was about to fall off the bed, but whatever.  The nurse checked me and I was 5cm.  She told me they were calling the anesthesiologist because I wasn't going anywhere.  This is when the back labor got unbearable.  No position was comfortable and I was crying through them all.  They seemed to be coming one on top of another and were lasting longer.  Around 11:15 or so, an angel appeared...and he gave me an epidural. BEST. INVENTION. EVER. After everything for the epidural was in place the nurse told me I was 10cm and would be pushing shortly.  Thankfully I had texted my mom at 10am to let her know I was staying and she got there just in time!

I started pushing around 12:00pm and wasn't making much progress as far as getting the baby's head to come down.  I blame the epidural but I can't trash-talk that thing, it was amazing.  So, at 1:54pm, with the help of the suction, little Christopher William was born screaming :)  He came 3 weeks early (original due date was 5/15) and weighed in at 5lb 13oz and measured 19 3/4".


I love this little man so much, and I fall more and more in love with him every day.



All of the uncomfortable moments, fatigue and pain was worth it. <3