Trips to Labor and Delivery #2, #3, #4 (and a Brith Story!)

Sorry I've been missing Peeps, as you can tell by the title our little guy (aka Liam!) arrived....on his due date...here is his brief Birth Story.

Monday, June 13th I woke up all throughout the night with contractions.  Finally at 6:30am I couldn't take it anymore I decided to shower since V would be up in about 30 mins.  After he got up we started timing them, and they were about 4 minutes apart consistently so we called our bosses and headed to Labor and Delivery!  We were hooked up to the monitors and found that yes I was in early labor and having consistent contractions but now they were 5 mins apart I was only dilated to 1.5 but 80% effaced.  We headed home to labor.  V and I spent the day walking, I took several showers and tried to rest.  After about 12 hours my contractions were much stronger, I felt I couldn't just labor at home anymore so we went to back to Labor and Delivery, we were monitored again to find that I hadn't made any progress but yes my contractions were much stronger (literally off the chart).  My dr offered me pain medicine and to stay at the hospital or to take a sleeping pill and go home.  We took the pill, got food on the way home (now midnight) and tried to labor at home...again.  Our sweet nurse said that 4am was the "witching hour" and she'd see us again then.  I half rolled my eyes and half hoped she was right.

At home V tried to rest and I labored while resting on and off.  Unfortunately the sleeping pill made me hallucinate so I didn't get much rest (I do not recommend taking sleeping pills while laboring).  I took a nap here and there showered around 3am, by 4am I literally could not take it another moment and tearfully got V up to take me to Labor and Delivery again telling him I would not let them make us leave again without a baby!  It was the longest car ride of my life (we only live ~7 mins away).  I don't recall who called my bestie and V's parents but they met us at the hospital.  I was checked and at 4cm, finally active labor!  My dr was already there for an emergency c-section so he was in and out to check on me, I know I saw him but I don't remember it.  I quickly reached 8cm and couldn't do it anymore and asked for pain management.  I was given a shot of something until the anesthesiologist arrived....unfortunately he entered the room and announced "we might now have enough time", WHAT!?  I begged him, "you have to do something" I was given a "intertecral" or two hour epidural. 

Two hours later the baby wasn't handling labor well, I was on oxygen and my dr was handling another emergency....oh yeah and my pain meds were all but gone!  Things got intense fast.  At about 9:20am I begged our amazing nurse "Where is Dr Wonderful?!?!"  Out of the blue he, suddenly there were 3 more nurses and a table full of medical supplies at my side and I was told "Jen, this just became a race." and heard Dr Wonderful say something about "intervention".  I pushed as hard as I possibly could through three contractions and Liam was born 20 minutes from when I asked for Dr Wonderful!  9:56am, weighing 6.15lbs and 20 inches long....I started balling and thanking God immediately!  He didn't cry right away and wasn't placed on my chest because they were worried about him having muconimum in this amniotic fluid and they said my placenta had issues so placed him on a near by table to be checked while I delivered the placenta and V took pictures.  Our nurses and staff were amazing, finally hearing Liam cry was incredible.  I had a internal tear which is healing slowly but other than that both Liam and I are perfectly healthy.  He's a sweet and cuddly little guy who has completely changed our lives for the better. 

Proof that miracles happen!

I think back to this time last year when V and I were facing the reality of infertility testing and our fears of never having a child and now here we are, the wait was worth it no matter how hard.  Today V and I will celebrate his first Father's Day and it nothing could be more fitting!  V is so incredibly smitten it's amazing and makes me fall so much more in love with him hourly.

I'm off now for another nap, it's true you really do have to sleep when the baby sleeps!!  And with breastfeeding every two hours those naps are like gold!  Fun fact, less than 5% of babies are born on their due dates, neat huh?

Sorry if my writing is at it's all time low these days, I won't lie to you I'm exhausted but in the best possible way.  He's worth every moment of exhaustion.  It's been wonderful to see all the people who love him come visit and check on us.  You know who you are.