a birth story

Wednesday July 10: due date.  dilated to 2.5.  schedule to be induced the next week if nothing happens.

Thursday July 11: anniversary.  thankfully, he lets us have our special day all to ourselves.

Friday July 12:

12:30 a.m.  wake up quite uncomfortable with an upset stomach.  wake up about every hour after that with discomfort/cramping/needing to use the potty.

6:30 a.m.  after a long night with very little sleep, little e crawls into bed with me for a bit, then we're up for the day.

7:00 a.m.  dishes, laundry, tidying up.  having small cramps.  they are not nearly as painful as they were during the night.  i'm not sure if they are contractions or not, since they don't feel like what everyone tells you they feel like.  they don't seem very frequent - maybe every 30 minutes or so.

11:30 a.m.  one of my besties comes over to hang out.  i tell her about my discomfort, and i'm still uncertain about them being contractions.  we visit, watch little e play with her baby boy, and have lunch.

1:45 p.m.  my friend leaves just as Jeffree gets home from work.  at this point i am assuming they are contractions, due to the fact that i have felt them all day.  there is no tightening or hardening.  it just feels like i have some indigestion.

2:30 p.m. jeffree tells me they seem pretty close together, since i'm telling him every time i have one.  he thinks i should time them.  i think we should take a nap.  i win.  we go to lay down when i get a phone call from a friend.  her van is having troubles.  they're in cedar and wonder if they can park the van at our house while they wait for family to help them out.  jeff proceeds with the nap idea while i wait for our friends to arrive.  i decide to time my contractions.

3:15 p.m.  our friends have come and gone and i'm surprised that my contractions are only 10-12 minutes apart.

4:00 p.m.  naptime is over for the whole fam.  i announce to jeffree that as it turns out, i don't really like contractions.  i also tell him i want an epidural.  i figure i must be a pansy, since i don't believe i'm actually in active labor.  we are headed to my family's house at 5:00 for a movie night.  we decide to pack our bag so it will be ready just in case.

4:30 p.m.  my sister has been texting me and asks how close my contractions are.  i say "ten minutes?"

4:40 p.m.  i hop in the shower.  i am having pretty intense contractions now. i'm having a big contraction, then a few minutes later i feel like i'm going to have a contraction, but it fades before turning into a full blown contraction.

5:10 p.m.  i'm not sure what to do, so i call my mom and explain things to her.  do the small pains count as contractions or are they just after shocks? should i be timing them?  my mom says, "lori, just go to the hospital. then you don't have to wonder." i hang up and tell jeffree we're going to the hospital.  we finish packing e's bag.

5:20 p.m.  i figure i better use the lou before we take off.  there's blood and i tell jeffree, "we're going to have this baby."

5:30 p.m.  we get to my parents house and have my siblings come outside to meet us and get little e.  we head for the hospital.  i'm still not a big fan of contractions.  they're getting worse.  i make it pretty clear that whatever happens, jeff needs to make sure i get an epidural.  we go through the emergency doors, since it's past regular hours.  labor and delivery is like forever away from the doors, so despite my best efforts to hurry, i have to pause a handful of times to endure a contraction.  i'm hunched over in pain and i tell jeff i need an epidural.  he says, "let's go.  keep walking.  let's get in there."  *note to husbands: don't tell your wife to keep walking if she's having contractions.  just saying.

5:45 p.m.  i'm finally checked in and i'm in the hospital bed.  the nurse comes to check me and i think she's going to tell me i'm at a three and that i need to go home and tough it out.  as she's checking me she asks, "were you dilated at all at your last appointment?"  the way she asks makes me think i went backwards and i'm only a one or something.  i nervously confirm that, yes, i was dilated to 2.5.  she replies, "oh.  well, you're at an 8 now."  i was blown away.   i was on the phone with my mom asking her if she thought i was in labor and i was at an 8!!!  "can i get an epidural?" i asked.

6:30 p.m.  I have my epidural and I'm feeling pretty good.  the anesthesiologist had to leave his garden to come in, since the one at the hospital was stuck in OR.  my doctor is here after leaving his cart at home depot.  we're all set to go.  the epidural slows down my contractions, so my dr waits for one, then has me push to break my water.

7:15 p.m. after pushing for about 20 minutes, he's here.  he's beautiful and perfect and in my arms.  a few tears surface as i think about the miracle that my body just performed.  he is the miracle.  i'm in awe at how quickly it happened and how much i was able to do on my own.  and i'm so glad he's here.

7:19 p.m.  my mom and sister arrive.  my sister wanted to watch me give birth, but my mom convinced her that i would be a while before having him.  she's pretty sad she missed it.  grandpa brings little e to the hospital a little while later.  she takes charge immediately.  "dad, you hold the baby.  mom, you hold me."  i cuddle with her and she seems to understand that he is here now and is part of our family.  she loves him, but after a few kisses, wants to just be with me.  my dad tells me that i don't look like i just gave birth.  and i don't really feel like i just gave birth.  it seems so strange that he is already here.  i just keep thinking, "is that all?  are we finished?"  jeff's parents arrive after my family leaves.  after loves from family, i walk to my recovery room, and jeffree, k man and i settle down for the night.

we love him so much.  he's healthy and sweet and sleeps all night in the hospital.  both of us are doing well.  24 hours later, we are home with our sweet little man. 

he is the perfect addition to our little family.