A bit of H's Story

I've put off writing out H's birth story.  I didn't know if I wanted to / should write it.  But also have felt a need to.  My labor was such a different experience this time around. Not that my first delivery wasn't personal or special, but my emotions and my instincts were a little less controlled then -- having two years of motherhood under my belt, I'm a little more guarded now.  I hold M's birth story so close to my heart as I do H's.  This time, however, I just don't feel totally comfortable sharing it all.  I'm going to keep most of the details for our family.  But here are pieces of his story.  

Throughout my whole pregnancy I experienced several braxton hicks a day.  I joked (although, I was pretty serious actually) that I didn't think I would ever know when it was actually labor because of how many contractions I always had anyway.

But from the very first contraction, contrary to my fears, I knew it was labor.  It was 5:34pm.  I had just layed down on the bed for a quick rest with M before going to friends' for dinner.  David was painting the bedroom closet.  M was watching a movie on the ipad.  I started timing them right away.

30 minutes later we went on to our friends' house.  By the time we started eating I was beyond sure I was in labor.    We carried on as normal, I would just occasionally stop talking for 30/45 seconds and wiggle a little and then jump right back into conversation.  

By 7:45 I figured we better get home and get ready to go.  I had my heart set on putting M to bed.  And I even talked myself into a shower.  Our friend arrived to stay the night with M and contractions were 4 minutes apart at this point.  I'm not sure why I was so leisurely with my time.

We make it to the hospital around 8:40.  I had to sit alone for 15 minutes in a triage room while David filled out paperwork.  Sitting there alone things kept speeding up.  

Apparently it was a very busy crazy night at the hospital.  The nurses told us there were 6 women who came in all in very progressed labor.  I had asked to talk to anesthesia as soon as I got there.  The nurses kept ignoring my requests because they didn't want to tell me that they didn't think I had time and that because of how busy it was that anesthesia wouldn't get to me.  

Here is where I'll take a little break from the details, but I will say that things were fast and furious.  It was difficult.  There was panic and there was pain.  But it was also beautiful.

At nearly 9cm they finally came in for the epidural.  They had me laying on my side and wearing an oxygen mask at this point because H's heart rate was occasionally dipping too low. They were actually too afraid of sitting me up for the epidural because he was so far engaged and they didn't want my water to break (or something like that, I don't quite recall).  I urged them to let me sit up and promised I could sit still.  I got the medicine.  

I thanked Jesus for the peace that passed over me after I made the definite decision for the drugs and gave time for them to kick in.  About 45 minutes later they gave me the okay to start pushing.  3 contractions (9 pushes later) he was born as I watched in the mirror!  At 10:50pm, after just a little over 5 hours of labor, our sweet H was born.

They laid him on my chest.  I looked him all over and kissed his soft skin.  I took note of his long skinny fingers and whispered in his ear that Jesus loves him.  I made quick comparisons in my head about the difference between him and his sister.  And kissed him some more.

Our hospital stay was pleasant.  We slept better than the first time.  Asked better questions.  Protected our alone time better.  We were ready to go home earlier.  Round two has been such a completely different ball game.

All my worries and fears about being home with two have been dispelled.  M loves her brother.  We have great alone time together just us girls. I have great alone time with my son.  And we have such beautiful time all together as a family of 4.  H is a good sleeper and a good eater.  I have healed well.  Feeling very spoiled and very very blessed.  There are of course lots of things to adjust to.  And I have had my days of "balancing out my hormones" as I like to say -- but that is perhaps another post.  But my heart just smiles.  I am overcome with thankfulness.

[turning off comments for today. xo]