The Lord Is Good
They say babies like to come in the middle of the night. Well I'd say
that is true a lot of times. Tobias is one of those babies. While he
wasn't born in the middle of the night his arrival started before the
sun ever came up.
I was 41 weeks. Tired. Exhausted. Ready to meet our little guy. Why wouldn't he just come already!?! I went to bed on the 8th praying to God that he would come this night. I had done it pretty much everyday for the past week. I had started giving up hope he would ever come out. I would just be pregnant forever.
At 5am I woke up to what I thought was a contraction. It's probably just more Braxton Hicks I thought. This one was different though, it kinda hurt. I mean on a scale of 1-10 it hurt like a 1 but you get the idea. I figured it was a fluke and it wouldn't continue. When I had several more I decided to start timing them. Once I realized I was indeed having contractions I was stoked. Then I realized I should move to make sure they were the real deal. I was afraid moving would make them stop and I was so done with being pregnant! I moved anyways. So when they still continued I decided to get up and go to the bathroom and get some water and see if they would still continue. Well they did. I lay awake just thanking God for each little one and praying.
When Joshua's alarm went off at 6:30 I was pretty sure our little guy was coming. He decided to go check on the parking lot and sidewalks at work, only after asking if he had time to go. I told him to go ahead and I would get stuff together.
The timing could not have been more perfect. I was able to get up and gather some last minute things, shower, and finish in time for Shiloh to wake up, and explain to her what was happening. She was so excited that Grandy was coming to play and when we tried to remind her about her brother coming she excitedly exclaimed that Santa was also coming! Yes, I suppose he is but not exactly what we were going for. Haha!
Since my contractions were so close together Rose suggested we go to the hospital. She felt the baby should be monitored. I had been having contractions for about 3 hours and everyone said he would come in about 5-6 based on my previous labor experience with Shiloh. Once Grandy got to the house and we said our goodbyes we headed toward the hospital. We had no idea the intense experience we were about to have...
Upon arrival at 9am we discovered Joyce was there! I was SO excited! They thought we were there to pre-register, I apparently don't look like I am in pain when I am in labor. Ha! Joyce got us set-up in triage to check everything out. I was 3cm and 75% effaced. Yep, definitely in labor. Dr. Heineck was on call and came in to talk to us after a few minutes. He checked me again and I was 4cm. He said he didn't think I was in active labor based on how I was talking to him and whatnot. He said we could go home and wait till I was in active labor to come back or I could stay, he would break my water and I could progress quicker. Yeah I wasn't too inclined to agree with his assessment. I know he is the doctor but I had a feeling about everything that I couldn't explain. We decided to stay.
Amie
had just arrived and we got moved to our room 1114. I got all set-up
and waited for the Doctor to come break my water. During this time I was
able to walk and talk with no problem even during contractions. While
waiting I got to meet Rose. She goes around the Birthplace and gives
massages to the patients in labor. She was AMAZING! Heck yeah, I'd like a
massage while in labor! There were 7 other women in labor so we settled
in to wait for Dr. Heineck to get a minute to come break my water.
At some point I decided to sit on the birthing ball. I figured I'd get an epidural and I didn't want to be stuck in the bed the entire time, so I decided to take advantage while I could still walk. I hadn't been sitting there long and had been talking to Joshua and Amie. My contractions were getting closer together and more intense but I might say they were a 5 on a scale of 1-10. They hurt but weren't unbearable at all. Joshua enjoyed telling me how often they were coming. It felt like a big spacing compared to the every 2 minutes I had with Shiloh. I finally decided to go ahead and get an epidural to avoid my pain getting out of control when Heineck broke my water. Joyce left the room to go put in the request.
A few minutes after Joyce left, I was still sitting on the ball when I felt another contraction start, a pop and a massive gush of fluid. Yep, My water just broke on it's own. It was 11:45am.
My discomfort was magnified significantly once my water broke. Joyce checked to see where I was. I was 6cm! I still had a little ways to go. I could no longer talk through my contractions that just a few minutes before were little more than a nuisance. Needless to say it escalated quickly. Amie and Joshua were both holding my hands at this point and people were telling me they were getting me drugs. Joshua started joking with each person who came in that if they weren't here with drugs we didn't want them there. Joyce told me to tell her if I felt like I had to push. Within 2-3 contractions I felt just that. Inside I was kinda panicked, I knew this meant there was no time for drugs. I was about to do this all on my own...
They called for Dr. Heineck who was taking FOREVER! Didn't he know that I needed to push and that meant he needed to be there now? There were a lot of things that happened after that which I don't remember. They kept telling me not to push. Well that's a load of crap to tell a women whose body is pushing anyways. Joshua claims a nurse was motioning secret things to him and Amie but I couldn't see her. He also said they pushed my nurse call button and told the nurse at the station we needed Heineck NOW. Later we found out he was literally running down the hall to my room. He arrived at 12:13pm.
I had felt the need to push for the past 8-10 minutes so when he finally arrived I was more than ready. He quickly checked to make sure I was fully dilated. Then I pushed for all I was worth. I actually felt the baby move a whole lot the first push, but not as much with the following ones. So afterward when Amie, Joshua, Joyce and Heineck kept saying he was almost here and it was almost over I kind of didn't believe them. He told me at one point to reach down and touch his head. Well, I did but I must say it's kinda hard to tell what you are touching when you are in pain, but numb, and your baby's head is squished. Guys, I pushed for 9 minutes. WHAT?!?!?!
This time around was way different than with Shiloh. I felt EVERYTHING! At one point I told Joshua I couldn't do it. He quickly told me I could, and he was almost here. Later I found out he was internally freaking out when I said that. He also said I have a very primal scream. Well those things kinda happen when you are giving birth with no pain meds. Just sayin'.
Little Tobias emerged with his hand pinned next to his face due to his umbilical cord wrapped around his body twice. They had to untangle him to get him out. Just like that it was over. Just as quickly as my water broke, he was here and BEAUTIFUL! He looked so much like his sister, yet so very different too. Surprisingly I did not burst into tears but I was in shock at having just had him with no epidural. After snuggling him for a while they measured and weighed him. He was a whopping 8lbs 10oz, 20.5 inches long! I could not believe he was so big. I just kept saying "I can't believe I just did that. How did I just do that?" It was an amazing experience for sure, although I'm not certain I want to repeat the no drugs part. We are super thankful to have added a healthy little boy to our family. Here's to a brand new adventure as a family of 4!
I was 41 weeks. Tired. Exhausted. Ready to meet our little guy. Why wouldn't he just come already!?! I went to bed on the 8th praying to God that he would come this night. I had done it pretty much everyday for the past week. I had started giving up hope he would ever come out. I would just be pregnant forever.
At 5am I woke up to what I thought was a contraction. It's probably just more Braxton Hicks I thought. This one was different though, it kinda hurt. I mean on a scale of 1-10 it hurt like a 1 but you get the idea. I figured it was a fluke and it wouldn't continue. When I had several more I decided to start timing them. Once I realized I was indeed having contractions I was stoked. Then I realized I should move to make sure they were the real deal. I was afraid moving would make them stop and I was so done with being pregnant! I moved anyways. So when they still continued I decided to get up and go to the bathroom and get some water and see if they would still continue. Well they did. I lay awake just thanking God for each little one and praying.
The timing could not have been more perfect. I was able to get up and gather some last minute things, shower, and finish in time for Shiloh to wake up, and explain to her what was happening. She was so excited that Grandy was coming to play and when we tried to remind her about her brother coming she excitedly exclaimed that Santa was also coming! Yes, I suppose he is but not exactly what we were going for. Haha!
Since my contractions were so close together Rose suggested we go to the hospital. She felt the baby should be monitored. I had been having contractions for about 3 hours and everyone said he would come in about 5-6 based on my previous labor experience with Shiloh. Once Grandy got to the house and we said our goodbyes we headed toward the hospital. We had no idea the intense experience we were about to have...
Upon arrival at 9am we discovered Joyce was there! I was SO excited! They thought we were there to pre-register, I apparently don't look like I am in pain when I am in labor. Ha! Joyce got us set-up in triage to check everything out. I was 3cm and 75% effaced. Yep, definitely in labor. Dr. Heineck was on call and came in to talk to us after a few minutes. He checked me again and I was 4cm. He said he didn't think I was in active labor based on how I was talking to him and whatnot. He said we could go home and wait till I was in active labor to come back or I could stay, he would break my water and I could progress quicker. Yeah I wasn't too inclined to agree with his assessment. I know he is the doctor but I had a feeling about everything that I couldn't explain. We decided to stay.
Amie
had just arrived and we got moved to our room 1114. I got all set-up
and waited for the Doctor to come break my water. During this time I was
able to walk and talk with no problem even during contractions. While
waiting I got to meet Rose. She goes around the Birthplace and gives
massages to the patients in labor. She was AMAZING! Heck yeah, I'd like a
massage while in labor! There were 7 other women in labor so we settled
in to wait for Dr. Heineck to get a minute to come break my water.At some point I decided to sit on the birthing ball. I figured I'd get an epidural and I didn't want to be stuck in the bed the entire time, so I decided to take advantage while I could still walk. I hadn't been sitting there long and had been talking to Joshua and Amie. My contractions were getting closer together and more intense but I might say they were a 5 on a scale of 1-10. They hurt but weren't unbearable at all. Joshua enjoyed telling me how often they were coming. It felt like a big spacing compared to the every 2 minutes I had with Shiloh. I finally decided to go ahead and get an epidural to avoid my pain getting out of control when Heineck broke my water. Joyce left the room to go put in the request.
A few minutes after Joyce left, I was still sitting on the ball when I felt another contraction start, a pop and a massive gush of fluid. Yep, My water just broke on it's own. It was 11:45am.
My discomfort was magnified significantly once my water broke. Joyce checked to see where I was. I was 6cm! I still had a little ways to go. I could no longer talk through my contractions that just a few minutes before were little more than a nuisance. Needless to say it escalated quickly. Amie and Joshua were both holding my hands at this point and people were telling me they were getting me drugs. Joshua started joking with each person who came in that if they weren't here with drugs we didn't want them there. Joyce told me to tell her if I felt like I had to push. Within 2-3 contractions I felt just that. Inside I was kinda panicked, I knew this meant there was no time for drugs. I was about to do this all on my own...
They called for Dr. Heineck who was taking FOREVER! Didn't he know that I needed to push and that meant he needed to be there now? There were a lot of things that happened after that which I don't remember. They kept telling me not to push. Well that's a load of crap to tell a women whose body is pushing anyways. Joshua claims a nurse was motioning secret things to him and Amie but I couldn't see her. He also said they pushed my nurse call button and told the nurse at the station we needed Heineck NOW. Later we found out he was literally running down the hall to my room. He arrived at 12:13pm.
I had felt the need to push for the past 8-10 minutes so when he finally arrived I was more than ready. He quickly checked to make sure I was fully dilated. Then I pushed for all I was worth. I actually felt the baby move a whole lot the first push, but not as much with the following ones. So afterward when Amie, Joshua, Joyce and Heineck kept saying he was almost here and it was almost over I kind of didn't believe them. He told me at one point to reach down and touch his head. Well, I did but I must say it's kinda hard to tell what you are touching when you are in pain, but numb, and your baby's head is squished. Guys, I pushed for 9 minutes. WHAT?!?!?!This time around was way different than with Shiloh. I felt EVERYTHING! At one point I told Joshua I couldn't do it. He quickly told me I could, and he was almost here. Later I found out he was internally freaking out when I said that. He also said I have a very primal scream. Well those things kinda happen when you are giving birth with no pain meds. Just sayin'.
Little Tobias emerged with his hand pinned next to his face due to his umbilical cord wrapped around his body twice. They had to untangle him to get him out. Just like that it was over. Just as quickly as my water broke, he was here and BEAUTIFUL! He looked so much like his sister, yet so very different too. Surprisingly I did not burst into tears but I was in shock at having just had him with no epidural. After snuggling him for a while they measured and weighed him. He was a whopping 8lbs 10oz, 20.5 inches long! I could not believe he was so big. I just kept saying "I can't believe I just did that. How did I just do that?" It was an amazing experience for sure, although I'm not certain I want to repeat the no drugs part. We are super thankful to have added a healthy little boy to our family. Here's to a brand new adventure as a family of 4!
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