How fast time goes...

Dear Noah,

I can barely believe how fast time has gone since you came into my life. Just yesterday I was sitting here with you in my belly and today you are in my arms. Your arrival was not an easy one nor did anything really go according to how your momma had it laid out in her head, but the end result was beautiful...we finally had you, our healthy baby boy, in our arms.

You decided to start making your presence known on Thursday night, the 17th of Dec., by giving mommy some good contractions that lasted well into Fri. night. But by 6pm the contractions had faded and the hope of meeting you on your due date did to. Sat. brought a few small contractions but nothing worthy of calling home about. Then Sunday morning around 2:30am mommy woke up to go the bathroom and found blood. I was excited but scared so I woke daddy and we headed to the hospital. After monitoring you for over 20 minutes and being checked out by the Doctor, we were declared fine and sent home until the contractions were less than three mins apart. So sadly we came back home and mommy endured contractions for the rest of the day and into Monday morning. Monday morning brought momma some worries because she hadn't felt you move since about 10pm Sunday night. So Daddy took me back to the hospital before he went to work to just make sure everything was alright. Again the Doctors monitored me for twenty mins and did a quick exam. The Doctor also re-striped my membranes and sent Daddy and I walking around the hospital for two hours before coming back to get rechecked. Mommy and Daddy wandered everywhere, stopping often so I could make it through a contraction, but to no eval we still were not far enough along after two hours of walking. So again we were sent home. I was pretty scared because I could tell the contractions were way stronger and I really couldn't find any comfortable position to be in and Daddy had to go back to work.

For the rest of the day momma went through contractions that got stronger and stronger and brought many moans, groans and tears with them. Daddy helped me time the contractions later that night and by 11pm the contractions were between 1-3 mins apart, so we headed once again to the hospital.

This time it was a go! I was admitted to Labor and Delivery by 1am and I was 5cm dilated 100% effaced and at a +1 gestation. However, I was in pain and as hard as daddy tried to keep me focused and breathe I just couldn't get my mind focused. I ended up screaming like a mad woman, but honestly it was the only thing that made me feel better. Thankfully momma decided to take the drugs offered by the hospital and an Angel named Charley came and gave them to me. Within mins I was mostly sain again, and I was actually able to get some sleep after 2 days of not sleeping. I was re-checked around 3am and I was 6cm dilated. At 6am I was 8cm dilated, and at 8am I was still 8cm. The hospital broke my water and gave me a small amount of pitocin to help me get into a regular contracting pattern and it helped although the contractions never stayed completely regular throughout the labor. Around 10am a mid-wife came in to check me since all the doctors were in a meeting or surgery and she discovered that I was about 9cm dilated but your head was what they call Transverse...or you were looking at my hip.

A little while later the Doctor came back in to re-examine me and she was not happy that your head was no longer facing the right way. She talked to me about a c-section, but I told her we really needed to think about it and that I wanted the chance to push.

The nurse, Caroline, and anesthesiologist, Kathy, were absolutely wonderful in encouraging me to try for a vaginal delivery as long as yours and my heart rate held steady and no one was stressed. They said that the Doctor was really conservative and didn't like to take any risks, but there was no reason to think I couldn't do it.

So after reaching 10cm about 11am, I "labored down" for an hour before telling the doctor that I was going to try pushing against her wishes. I started pushing at 1240pm and continued through two more attempts by the doctor to try to get me to have a c-section. Finally about an hour and a half into the pushing the head doctor came in with the labor doctor to check me and give his opinion. I had turned on my side to push some before he walked in and it must have done the trick because he declared that your head was in the correct position and there was no reason to believe that I wouldn't be able to have a vaginal birth! I was so excited....even though I still had a long road ahead.

I continued pushing. Eventually a little while later, another nurse came in and informed me that she had been praying for me to be able to have a natural birth. Caroline asked her for a little lube and the new nurse decided to add 6 or so packets to the area down below, declaring she would get the baby o one way or another :) She also asked me if I wanted a mirror, and reluctantly I agreed. It was the best decision I could have ever made! I never thought that I would honestly want to see that area of my body especially given the circumstances, but it was so helpful! I could see when I was pushing correct and I could see your head! With every push the room filled with more and more excitement. Finally it was time. I told the nurse that you were coming out within the next 20 mins, even though in my heart I knew it would be with the next set of pushes. The nurse made first call, and the room filled with people. The Doctor added a bottle of baby shampoo to my girl parts, declaring she wanted you to have a head full of clean hair when you came out. The next contraction came and I pushed... and I got to see your face for the first time. I was in love. After 2 hours and 55 mins of pushing, drug adjustments, tears over the constant talk of a c-section, laughing so hard we couldn't tell when the contractions were coming, 6+ packs of lube and a bottle of baby shampoo, learning my son decided to poo inside me two hours after my water was broken, and a surprise cord around his neck when he came out (miraculously it never affected his heart rate)...you were here! I was a momma, Wes was a daddy and we had you as our son. Our hearts broke. As you were taken to the station to be suctioned out and evaluated Daddy and I broke into tears. Tears of Joy and Excitement and tears of worry as I couldn't hear any noises and I knew the risks with you swallowing the Meconium. Daddy reassured me you were ok after I sent him over to be with you. After being evaluated by peds you were declared alright. However after a few more mins your oxygen saturation was only in the 80's, so peds was called back down. They decided to take you to the NICU to be safe. I asked to hold you before you went and for the next 30 seconds I loved you I loved you, to be strong for momma, and come back to me. As you and Daddy left the room, and all the Doctors cleared out. I was left in silence for the next 30 mins or so, until the nurse came in.

A little over an hour later you and Daddy returned, and our family was together. You were declared healthy and you were actually never admitted to the NICU since your oxygen saturation was up to 99% by the time the reached the NICU doors.