Happy As We Grow: Birth Story! 5 Months Overdue...

I need to write this down before I forget! Caleb's Birth Story:

Monday December 5th I did not take a nap during Sesame Street. That was absolutely unheard of!! My friend Fancy called me to check up on me & I told her about the weird turn of events surrounding Sesame Street. Then she said, "You know, I've heard of women getting bursts of energy before they go into labor". Which, of course, I was so happy to hear due to the fact that I do not glow when I am pregnant...I wilt ;) Just kidding! I do not wilt, but I do not love it. I love babies, but not so much the process of growing them.

I digress. So, back to not napping during Sesame Street. I took Fancy's words of encouragement to heart & decided to take Autumn for a walk around the neighborhood....and started cramping! Yay! It was light & didn't mean much to me since I had been cramping pretty much my entire 3rd trimester. As the day progressed, they began to get more steady. I called the doctor when they were 10 mins apart (maybe at like 4:00pm?) & she said that it could be false labor & not to assume anything. Sad face :( They even stopped for awhile & I went into a mild depression. Not really a depression, but I did cry. But then they came back & were worse. At 10pm they were 7 mins apart & I called the doctor & told her they hurt really bad & she said to come on in and get checked. Yay! So my mom & me & Fancy (who had arrived around 9:30pm) headed to the hospital.

They checked me. TWO centimeters! What??? I had been dialated to 2 cm since I was 36 weeks. So they made me sit there for an hour & then they would recheck me. So I sat & endured the pain...which continued to get worse. When they rechecked me, I was dialated to 5cm! Yes, we sure did cheer out loud like we had won the lottery :)

So they wheeled me back to the labor ward (that's sounds like an old-fashioned word but I like it) and hooked a bag of IV fluids up to me because I had to have a bag of them before my epidural. By the time they went through my system, I was 7 cm dilated and it was 1:15am. Looking back, I kinda wish I hadn't gotten an epidural, but I had no idea how quick everything was going to go and I love labor so much and I wouldn't want to not love it due to pain so I guess it's good I got it (ha, were you able to follow that sentence?). Since I got it so late into labor, it didn't take all the way anyway. I had about a baseball size of pain that never went away. That was enough for me ;)

Everything happened really quickly after that. He was born December 6 at 3:15 am, weighing 8lbs 3oz and 20 inches long with lovely brown hair and lovely blue eyes. One funny thing is my water broke but it never came out because Caleb's head was blocking it so when he was born, he came out with a tidal wave! It was pretty funny to see. My mom cut the umbilical cord, I got to nurse right away, and then we all crashed (well, for an hour or two...you know how newborns eat).

As far as physical labor, it was so wonderful. I have had the privilege of giving birth to two babies and I Freaking. Love. It. I don't love being pregnant, but going through labor is sooooo amazing and magical and it has been, by far, the most miraculous and astonishing and wonderful experience I have ever had.

As far as emotionally, it was ok. I mean, I was so blessed to have my mom and one of my bestest bestest friends in the labor room with me...but I would have preferred my husband. I missed him and I was sad without him. He was on Skype, praise the Lord, but it certainly wasn't the same. I will never choose to have another baby without him. If God chooses for me, then I'll deal with it then, but if it's up to me, we will never be apart again for a birth. I would say I regret that decision, but then I might not have my sweet Caleb and of course of course of course he's worth it!

And, now a few pics.
Next baby, I'm bringing a photographer! And, brushing my hair.