Andrew James Arthur Little: The Arrival

(WRITTEN THE DAY AFTER HIS BIRTH)

Our cute little man, Andrew, was born yesterday (March 15) morning at 4:07am. He weighed a healthy 8 lbs 2 oz and was measured to be 20" long. He had a tiny bit of trouble with his breathing, but after some skin to skin time with mom and a little bit of crying into an oxygen mask his lungs seemed to be as strong as they should be.

So, for those who want all the nitty gritty - here's "The Story":

I had my "38 week" check up on Wednesday the 13th which included an ultrasound. (I was actually 38 weeks and 3 days...) I think the ultrasound was scheduled to determine his size, and to make sure everything looked good considering I was planning on doing a VBAC, or vaginal birth after cesarean section. During this ultrasound they determined that my fluids "looked thick", and told my doctor this, who decided not to tell us this. Not at first anyway...

I had my check up after the ultrasound, and during the check my doctor was planning to see if I had progressed at all. Usually getting "checked" for progress takes a few seconds, right? Well, he was in there for those few seconds, and then proceeded to start "digging around". That's certainly what it felt like! It hurt, a lot, and I started complaining - partly from the pain and partly because I was confused about what he was doing and why. After this he told us he had stretched me (which I found out from the nurse later that that means he "stripped my membranes"), and that I could put my clothes on and he'd be back. I was furious! It turns out there WAS a good reason, he just didn't tell us until I asked some questions and squeezed a few answers out of him. The moral is, if he would have explained about the "thick" fluid and given me the options - or the only choice or whatever - he still would have stripped my membranes because we would have agreed to it, but it was extremely frustrating not knowing the information, not expecting pain but then feeling pain, and not getting a choice in this BIG DEAL of an action. It put me into labor a week and a half before my due date and I was NOT ready for that to be happening. My doctor told me to expect to have the baby within 48 hours. (Yes, I WAS going crazy, if you couldn't tell from my rant!)

But alas, it is what it is. I got over it (what could I do, right?) and quit being cautious with what I did. I vacuumed the whole house (it was LONG overdue...) tidied up a couple of the rooms that REALLY needed it, and made sure I had the essentials in my hospital bag.

I started the crampy contractions in the middle of the night and TOTALLY thought that it was going to happen that night, and started timing. I DEFINITELY wasn't in labor, but had forgotten enough about what REAL labor feels like to think that I was. So I got next to no sleep that night. My contractions were anywhere from 10 minutes to 45 minutes apart, and definitely not getting stronger OR consistent.

This kind of sporadic and "tricky" labor continued through the day of the 14th and I was convinced that this little man wasn't going to come within 48 hours after all (even though I still had PLENTY of those hours left to pass...).

I went to bed exhausted (after American Idol, of course) and slept from 10:30 until just after 11:45 when I was woken up with a popping sound (I don't know if that was real or in my dreams, but it woke me up) and after I was awake I realized that I was in a fair amount of pain. I clocked my first "real" contraction. 10 minutes later I had another real one. 6 minutes after that, another one. Then they started getting SUPER close together SUPER fast. As in, 4 minutes, then 3 minutes 40 seconds, then 3 minutes 30 seconds etc etc. I hopped in the shower at the 4 minute contraction and hollered out to Trenton that we probably needed to go as fast as we can because this was happening SUPER FAST.

I got dressed and we grabbed a few things and hopped in the car. Luckily, the contractions didn't get much closer together than 3 minutes until after I was checked in at the hospital. We called my mom as we got in the car (the girls had stayed at their house both Wednesday night and Thursday night in anticipation of this baby coming any time) and she headed to the hospital too, to be there for his arrival while dad stayed back home to let the girls sleep.

All of this happened within the hour, and we were at the hospital by 12:45 am. I was checked and was dilated to a 5, so was given an IV and some pain killer (hallelujah) and wheeled into my room.

I got an epidural and was PAIN FREE (and even pressure free) for the duration of the labor and delivery. I was in heaven! With Mackenzi, the epidural wore off before I was fully dilated, AND I was still able to feel when I was contracting. Although, I couldn't feel the pain as much, just the uncomfortable pressure. So. This experience was much different. It, was, AMAZING. I loved it! I was so chill. I had an awesome nurse too, who was super helpful and actually had been a midwife for 20 something years before becoming an RN 4 years ago. She had a LOT of helpful knowledge and know how. I was blessed.

I was fully dilated by 3:30 but my water was still in tact. My doctor came and broke my water, and I was told he'd be back in 30 minutes to deliver the baby. My nurse helped me push when I felt the urge (which was SO FAINT, but still definitely there) and I even kept my feet on the bed, just had my knees in the air. No one was holding my legs squashed up against my body, and my face didn't contort in ANY WAY due to the effort of pushing. (You need visuals, right?) My nurse said the baby was coming nice and steady with each push, and since the pressure or "urge to push" was so chill, I chose to push every once in a while instead of EVERY contraction. After all, I wasn't uncomfortable at all, and since the doctor wasn't there yet I was taking my time. This is SO DIFFERENT than the experience I had with Mackenzi - where I couldn't stand to wait for my doctor to get there and was pushing and holding my OWN legs up in the air etc etc. I was a crazy woman! So different.

Andrew's little head was getting super close, and at 4am or there abouts, my nurse told me to hold off on pushing for a minute while the doctor set himself up. As soon as the next contraction came (after my doctor was ready) I pushed that little man out! He TOTALLY splashed the doctor and I laughed. I held him after Trenton cut the cord and after he got a little cleaned up, and he was SO SOFT. Not super slimy like Mackenzi was.

He has been such a good baby - and so far an AWESOME eater. His big sisters LOVE to hold him and kiss on him, and giggle over every move he makes (especially Brooklin). Mackenzi is still learning the art of keeping her fingers out of his eyes and other holes in his face, but she's getting better and she LOVES to kiss him and stroke his cheeks and head.

You know, I had such nerves over having a 3rd baby, and especially a MALE 3rd baby - but as soon as that little body popped out and I saw him I felt such peace at having him join our family! I can't even describe the relief that I felt in that one moment, and SO MUCH anxiety left in that moment. I'm so in love with our little Andrew man, and think he makes the perfect little addition to our family!

For pictures, visit my Facebook page :)