I spent lots of time thinking about the type of birth experience
I hoped to have this time around.
I didn't know whether I wanted an epidural or not
with Kenzie it started wearing off right before pushing.
I knew I didn't want to be induced unless necessary.
And I hoped I could labor at home for awhile and spend just a couple hours
actually laboring at the hospital.
I had lots of things i didn't and did want in my birth plan,
but knew to be ready for the plan to not go my way.
Well, at my 40 week appointment (I was 40 weeks 1 day)
I was still at a 3 where I had sat at 2 weeks already.
I joked that I was an elephant and would be pregnant still in 2012.
We had already made an appointment for an induction at the end of that week ( 11/11/11)
but I discussed it with my doctor and we decided we were both comfortable canceling it and seeing if he'd come on his own before 42 weeks.
I headed home assuming I'd probably have to get induced at 42 weeks.
I finished up my birth plan that evening but didn't print it out because
I thought I had plenty of time.
How very wrong I was...
At 2:45 am my labor began, but at the time I was unaware it was labor.
(remember I had not gone into labor on my own before)
Around 5 am or so I realized that this had to be it, that I really was in labor.
But I felt like I couldn't leave my bathroom.
We got in the car around 5:45 or so.
The hospital is roughly 25 minutes away.
There was already some early morning traffic
and it was a not so fun ride.
Kenzie was in the back seat and
I tried very very hard to control how I was laboring in front of her.
We arrived at the hospital sometime after 6
got into our room and was checked pretty much immediately.
I was fully dilated and my water had not yet broke.
They took McKenzie to the nurses station and she colored until Colby arrived.
I worked through a few contractions as they very quickly tried to get everything ready.
No time for drugs or anything.
(I had started to think I might try for an epidural if I couldn't handle the contractions anymore...
so much for that.)
My water broke while pushing and after about 15 minutes
Colby made his debut!!
There had been Meconium in the amniotic fluid
so he had to be checked over quickly instead
of being able to be put on my chest immediately
but his health was number 1 priority our bonding time could wait.
And I did eventually get my mama/son bonding and feeding time.
After awhile big sister came back in
and she was beyond thrilled.
Baby! Baby!
is what I heard when she first came in.
Then, "Colby's here!"
And then when she climbed up in bed with me
she said, "Mama he's not in your tummy anymore!"
She loved him instantly and didn't want to stop loving on him,
and still almost 4 weeks later, can't keep her hands off of him & wants to hold him nonstop.
so so happy that she adores him.
but sometimes her loving is a bit overwhelming.
Proud Daddy. He was truly amazing during labor and afterwards.
There aren't words to describe what he meant to me that day.
She loves him so much.
One of the fantastic nurses I had during my stay showed me how to tuck blankets around he and I so that we could bond and sleep and he wouldn't slip off me. It was so special, some of the best moments I had with him while in the hospital. perfect.
We fell in love with him instantly.
And he's been such a perfect addition.
I love having a son.
And all my fears about having a boy and not knowing what to do
have disappeared.
