Our Yankee Doodle Dandy

*I wrote this in the hospital, but didn't have time to post it.  We've been home since Thursday afternoon are loving being a family of 6!*

He's here!  And since I'm sitting here at the hospital alone with a sleeping baby I figure I might as well tell the birth story while it's still fresh in my mind (though I probably should actually try to nap). It's long and detailed (like usual) but I like to have it documented.

As a few back-notes, we decided that since there were some small complications with the last pregnancy that we'd do a hospital birth this time and hope for the best (meaning, hope for a birth that was how I wanted it to be and not with unnecessary medical interventions).  Also, because we had decided it, I had been having a LOT of anxiety about when to go to the hospital so to avoid a birth in transit.  I had never been in labor on the way before and had stressed a bit since I tend to go quickly.

The morning of the 4th I woke up around 4:30 to use the bathroom.  After getting back into bed, my mind started racing a million miles an hour of things that I needed to do today to get ready for this baby to come!  I took that as a sign and got back up and started packing the kids' clothes and things. Then I started having contractions.

At around 5:30 I woke Adrian up to let him know that we were having a baby today and that I was going to need a blessing soon.  My contractions were really far apart, but fairly strong.  At close to 6 we called our friend who came to be with the kids when they woke up.  I wanted to go to the hospital regardless of the fact that my contractions were still really far apart (remember my baby-in-car anxiety).  When we arrived at the hospital around 7ish I was pleased that I was at a 5/6 and 80% but as I was lying on the triage bed I had basically no contractions. Maybe two and I was there quite a while.  After being admitted and walked back to my room, the contractions were still so far apart that I laid on the bed to rest.  In about an hour's time I had maybe 4 contractions--intense and painful--but so few!  I told myself that I had two choices: stay in bed and have this birth take forever or get up and walk around to get the contractions going and get this baby out!  It was actually really tempting to stay in the bed.

Another back-note is that I don't think I had mentally prepared myself for this birth like I had with previous ones.  I was really scared, actually.  I still remembered what it is like to push out a baby without drugs, and it hurts.  So I was feeling really weak, mentally.  I didn't want to go through with it anymore (haha).

So around 9:00 I got out of the bed and had a conversation with Adrian that included the words "what's the big deal with an epidural anyways?  Everyone gets them.  There is nothing wrong with them.  It doesn't seem like that bad of an idea right now."  If you know me well enough, hearing those words come from my mouth might have shocked you. He disagreed and told me I was strong and he knew I could do it.  I asked my nurse (a natural childbirther herself) for a pep talk also.  She commented that a lot of times natural birth moms get the "I can't do this anymore" feeling when they're at an 8 so she asked if I wanted to be checked.  I said sure, knowing full well that you don't really dilate without contractions and I wasn't really having contractions.  And yet somehow I was at an 8.

That gave me the little confidence I needed.  I got into the hydrotherapy tub for about a half hour in which point the contractions picked up a bit.  Still far apart, but closer than they had been and definitely more intense.  At 9:45 I felt I had better get out to avoid birthing in there and got onto the bed.  I checked at a 9 1/2 and was doing well.  At 10:00 my water broke and I had him at 10:22. It was still so strange to me how far apart my contractions were, even at the end.  Sure they were closer together --like a minute or two in between each--but in my past births they were one on top of the other barely giving a time for a breath in between.  It just amazes me how bodies work and just know what they're doing.

After he was born, everything was wonderful.  He scored 9s on his apgars, I had no tearing, no stitches, and no extra bleeding or hemorrhaging.  Adam screamed for a good hour or so (slight exaggeration) but has been super mellow since.  I'm hoping to be able to get out of here as soon as possible (my doc and the baby doc have both given approval) but we'll see how long it really takes.

More pictures to come!