Let me just start by saying that I had the most amazing labor and delivery experience ever. It wasn't exactly how I had scripted it in my head 9 months ago, but now that it's done there is literally nothing that I would change about it. As a Labor & Delivery nurse myself, I can say that my labor absolutely did not fit the norm for first-time moms and thank God for that. I was only in active labor for 3 hours and only pushed for 20 minutes. Combine that with the fact that my baby weighed almost 10 pounds and you have a modern-day miracle =)
My last day of work was Tuesday February 25th and on Wednesday I had an ultrasound that estimated my baby to weigh around 8lbs 6oz, give or take a pound either direction. I was devastated. I knew I was still two weeks away from my due date and kept picturing the baby growing and growing until he was 10 pounds. Of course being an L&D nurse meant I was also picturing all of the bad things that can happen with a large baby - shoulder dystocia, failure to descend aka c-section, low blood sugars and NICU admission, etc etc. I had a feeling my whole pregnancy that my baby would be big, Aaron and I are both pretty tall, but hearing that number made it a reality and I started obsessing - imagine that.
Thursday afternoon I got so excited because I started having contractions every 5 minutes that were moderately painful. I knew I was in early labor and just prayed that the contractions wouldn't fizzle out. I called the nurses at work to give them a heads-up and they even decorated a room for me. 8 hours later the contractions stopped and I cried myself to sleep =(
Friday afternoon the same exact thing happened at the same exact time. I tried not to get excited this time. I knew I was already 3cm dilated (probably from working so much and being on my feet constantly) but I also knew that early labor could last for days and days. We send girls home from the hospital all the time in early labor and tell them to just be patient, come back when you're in ACTIVE labor. Well around 11pm that night the contractions were slowing down again, and I lost my mind. Aaron and I were sitting on the couch watching a movie and out of nowhere I started crying. He asked me what was wrong and I told him how scared I was of the baby being too big and how I wasn't going into active labor. It could be days or weeks before that happens, and the baby is just sitting in there getting bigger and bigger. He tried to calm me down but it didn't work, I needed a plan. So I texted my midwife who I knew was on-call that night and told her what was bothering me. She told me she was at the hospital right now and that I could come in and talk to her. I had Aaron in the car in a hot minute.
We got to the hospital around midnight and I felt ridiculous walking in there to see my friends, not in labor and with tear streaks on my face. I told Aaron as we were walking through the door 'I hope the girls don't think I'm crazy for coming in here tonight'. My midwife took us into the room that the nurses had decorated for me and we sat on the couch and talked for a while. The only expectations I had for going in there that night was to leave with an Rx for a repeat ultrasound to remeasure the baby, or maybe a plan to induce me soon if I don't go into labor. I did NOT plan on staying and having the baby that night, but when my midwife said "let's just put you on the monitor and see what your contractions and the baby's heartbeat look like", I jumped at the chance.
The monitor showed that I was in fact contracting regularly every couple minutes, even though they weren't too too painful, and that combined with the fact that I was now a good 4cm dilated meant that I was technically in labor and had the option of breaking my water. I looked at Aaron sitting on the couch and judging by his smile I knew he was okay with that. I agreed and before I knew it I was being admitted for labor. Holy crap.
At that moment in time, every detail of how I thought I wanted my labor to go went out the window. I wasn't worried about not having my friends from day shift there to hang out with me, or not having my hair done cute. All I cared about was me, Aaron and our baby. Period.
I told Aaron not to call our parents yet, to give the nurses time to get us settled in, because labor always takes a really long time, no point getting everyone all excited yet. So my friends Katie and Jenn did my admission and started my IV. We had been keeping the hospital bags in the car for the last couple of days so I put on my nightgown and slippers as I tried to wrap my head around the fact that this was really happening. Next thing I know the midwife is getting ready to break my water and then panic sunk in. This was it, once the water breaks there's no going back. Am I sure I want to do this? Are Aaron and I ready? Am I sure I don't want to stay pregnant for a few more days and wait it out? Too late. There was a gush of warm water and I heard my midwife tell me I was now almost 5cm. OMG. It was 01:15 am.
After that I sent Aaron home to get the camera - the ONLY thing we forgot to pack. I told him it was fine, this was going to take a long time, baby probably won't be here until lunch time. Ha. The second he walked out the door I had my first contraction since breaking my water and Oh. My. God. The pain was about 10 times worse than the contractions I was having before. This was definitely active labor. I knew that things would move quicker if I got out of bed and stayed upright as long as possible, so I sat on the birthing ball. That thing quickly became my new best friend. I sat on the ball for close to an hour, bouncing in sync with the baby's heart beat on the monitor. I would close my eyes and lean forward with each contraction and zone out. My nurse Katie stayed by my side and talked and talked to distract me from the pain.
Shortly after Aaron got back I was ready for my epidural. The CRNA did an amazing job. I didn't feel a single thing and it took longer for him to tape the epidural to my back than it did to put it in. The worst part was just trying to sit still for him while having contractions.
Once the epidural was finished my midwife rechecked me and I was 7cm. I didn't get an intrathecal dose of medicine so I wasn't immediately numb, I knew it would take about 20 minutes for the medicine to kick in so I layed on my side and tried to just breathe through the next couple of contractions.
After a while I started to get some pain relief. Thank Jesus. The contractions never totally went away but the pain went from a 10 to about a 5 and I was more than happy with that. After that our parents showed up and came in the room to say hi. I'm not sure exactly how long they were there for, it felt like only a few minutes to me, but suddenly I started to feel pressure and I had a contraction that felt as painful as the ones before the epidural. I knew what this meant, so I called for my nurse and midwife and kicked everyone out of the room. It was only 03:55am. I was 10cm and the baby's head was right there, ready to go. Game on.
Aaron had gone to the cafeteria to get coffee so my nurse called his cell phone and I'm told he came hauling ass back down the hallway. He was back at my side in a split second and we were ready to push!
This part of the delivery was amazing. The room was so calm and quiet, my nurses and midwife were so soothing and Katie kept Aaron laughing the whole time. The ambiance in the room could not have been better. I was proud of myself for staying so calm through the pushing,,, until the last two pushes. The head and the shoulders coming out was like nothing I could have ever imagined. Even with an epidural I still got a pretty decent dose of the pain of a 10lb baby coming out of you. It was unreal.
Brandon Adam Boyer was born at 04:15am on Saturday March 1st 2014.
When they put Brandon on my chest I was in shock. The first thing I noticed was how BIG he was! I was right! I knew it all along. This baby was huge and he NEEDED to come out. I immediately was happy with my decision to come in to the hospital that night. It had to have been God's plan all along. If this baby had been any bigger there's a chance there could have been complications. Everything had happened the way it was meant to.
9lbs 11.8oz. He's a beast of a baby and I love every ounce of him. I guess I just grow 'em good =)
My midwife and my nurses were amazing. It was so cool to be the patient and experience things from the other side. Your labor nurse plays a big part in making your delivery a good experience and I will never take that privilege for granted after this.
Our first picture as a family of three.
Mommy and Brandon <3
His face was so swollen and bruised from delivery but don't worry, it went back to normal over the next day. Aaron was very relieved =) After we were both cleaned up I immediately breastfed Brandon and of course he ate like a champ. Then our families came back in the room to see him and take pictures. Once they all left and went home to sleep it was just me, Aaron and our baby,,,, paradise.
I am so in love with my baby. It's true what everyone tells you, you have no clue how in love you will be with your baby until they are laying on your chest looking up at you; and having Brandon here just makes me love Aaron even more,, if that's even possible. The day we spent at the hospital just the three of us was by far the best day of my life and I wish we could go back to our hospital room and live there. I know that sounds weird, but for that one day the world stopped and the three of us had nothing to do but sit in bed together and cuddle. Brandon was the youngest he will ever be and Aaron was glowing as a new dad. I wish I could just live March 1st 2014 on repeat forever <3
