Andy birth story

When I went to the doctor on Thursday I was only  1 1/2 cm dialated so I was not expecting a baby this weekend.  Kristie was pretty sure he was coming this weekend, and she was right:)
What a Happy Mother's day gift.
Here is how it went down:

Sat Night: Took a bath

3-5am: contractions (maybe 4 an hour)

5:30-10:00 Contractions between 5-9 min apart

10:00-12:00 Contractions between 4-6 min. apart (I was walking around outside) but I had to stop to breathe through them.

12:10 I call the midwife and ask what she wants me to do.  She says to head to the hospital, but we probably don’t need to drive 90mph.

12:20 told John to come home from work

Painful contractions start.

12:30 I try to go to the bathroom but feel like pushing...I decide that is not good.

1:10 John is home. Julie helps load the car and pull it out of the driveway.  Jay is sleeping in the house and Julie plans on keeping him. Then he wakes up and comes outside.  Apparently he cries when we leave, but I don’t even look at him because I am in so much pain.

1:15 Contractions 2 min. apart and I am screaming my head off yelling “no,no, no” because I don’t want the baby to come out while we are driving and definitely speeding.  We hit lots of red lights and pass a cop going the other way but he doesn’t stop us.  John gets frustrated at the traffic (and probably because he has never heard me in so much pain).

1:36 We get to the hospital and do a drive through the front and then race to emergency.  In between contractions we walk to the door, John puts me in a wheelchair and we race inside.  They say we need our name, but when some nurses hear me scream they come and grab me to take me to triage. On the way up they get barely enough information to know who I am and when I am due.  Triage is empty and no-one is around.  Then I rip my clothes off, get in a gown and lay down.  I ask for an epidural and the nurse snickers and says we have a lot of questions to answer.  I yell again and say I feel like I have to push.  She glances at my half open legs and says “were going to have that baby right here!” They decide between contractions to try and wheel me to a labor and delivery room.  They call the midwife on the way and make sure they have a baby nurse ready to go.  In between another contraction (literally 1-2 min. apart) They move me to the labor bed.  I have another contraction and my water breaks (gushes as John would say).  The next contraction Ruth (the nurse in the room) tells me to push, so I push three times and the head comes out.  I push one more time and he is totally out.  He starts crying right away and they wipe him off and put him on my chest.

1:51  I am amazed at the baby, but even more amazed that I just had a baby without an epidural.  Then everybody started talking about how I almost had the baby at the stoplight.  I am so glad we made it to the hospital and that baby was doing great.  Then I was like… “now what?”  I didn’t have an IV or anything and it all went so quickly.  I needed some stitches, but it wasn’t as bad as last time.  I was laughing, texting people and wide awake. I had also taken a shower and put on makeup in the morning (the painful labor made me sweaty, but it wasn’t too bad).

He nursed right away, and it was easy to do everything because no one was really around waiting to see him.  I tried calling my mom, but she didn’t answer.  When she did call me back I said “Happy Mother’s Day” and “I just had the baby!”

4:00 I got up to go the bathroom and then we left for the other room.  About 10 min. after we arrived in the other room, Julie brought Jay, Cavyn and Nyco.   

Jay said “hi mommy” and “baby”.  He was also very excited about the “nack” (snacks) Julie had brought for us.  He checked out Andy right away with Daddy and was pretty amazed.  Later he petted him on the head gently and pointed out his hair and other parts of his face.  I don’t think he understands he is “our” baby, but he still loves him.

Jay was pretty crazy after that: jumping on the couches and keeping our visitors Kristie, Chad and Christine and John busy by keeping him from running around and pushing buttons.

Andy is doing great…he loves to eat, cry and sleep. More pictures later.