A Story

Baby turned four last week. He wanted to have lunch with his dad. On the way to dad's work we drove by the hospital where baby was born. And I couldn't help but think, "Has it really been four years since we were there?" As I thought back on that day a lot of the details were still crisp. Almost too fresh. But some are getting blurry. I realized I have never written the story of his birth. Or of any of my children's birth. I'm sure there are some details I will always remember. Moments that have been shared and repeated. And others that will fade. So today I will share the story of my baby's birth. Maybe one day he'll want to read about it.

 My due date was April 17th. I was planning to have a VBAC and the doctor told me if I was starting to dilate, they would induce me at 38 weeks. I imagined that he would come on my father's birthday. April 3. That would be perfect since he would be named after him. I was certain I wouldn't be pregnant more than 38 weeks. This was my fifth baby after all. My body should know what it's doing at this point. Right? I went to my 37 week appointment. They doctor did the exam. I wasn't dilated. At all. I was so disappointed. She tried to reassure me. I would probably go on my own before my scheduled visit the next week. Nope. A week later? Still no. They finally scheduled an induction for April 16th. My mom flew in from Memphis and Matt worked out his school schedule. He was in nursing school doing his first semester of clinical rotations. We were ready. Then the doctor called and cancelled. They rescheduled us for the next morning at 6am. Matt had a clinical that day. It would have to work. Luckily he would be at the same hospital as me. But they called and rescheduled. There were no beds. Matt went to the hospital and I waited. We finally got the call to come at 7pm. My mom drove me to the hospital to meet Matt. We got checked in and they started the pitocin.  I was dilated 2 cm.  I asked the nurse how soon I could get an epidural. (I love modern medicine.)  She told me I had to have a full bag of IV fluid.  I asked her to crank it up and get it in me as fast as she could. 

After about an hour the anesthesiologist stopped by to introduce himself.  He told me he'd make sure I was comfortable enough to get a good nights sleep and that I would be well rested when the baby came the next morning.  I told him to change his plans because this baby would be here by midnight.
He came by again about thirty minutes later.  My contractions were regular, I was making good progress, he gave me an epidural.  It was almost 10:00.  My other babies came within two hours of the epidural.  I slept for a bit.  Matt and the doctor talked a lot. A LOT.  Then I started to have some pain on the left side of my back.  The nurse checked me and I was almost ready to start pushing.  She had me turn on my left side to help things along.  The pain in my side continued to grow so they called the anesthesiologist back.  He fixed me up and made me numb again. :)  The baby started showing signs of stress so they put me on oxygen.  His heart rate was dropping every time I had a contraction.  They put saline into my uterus to make the baby more comfortable.  Midnight came and went.  The nurse mentioned there was a possibility that the babies cord was around his neck.  That was why I wasn't dilated all the way.  The cord kept pulling him back up.  I finally was complete at about 1:45.   I pushed through three contractions and he was born.  I couldn't believe the way the doctor swung the cord around to free his little neck.  He started to cry immediately.  Scream really. 

They got him cleaned up and weighed.  Seven pounds, fourteen ounces.  Bigger than all of his brothers and sisters. His first set of APGARs were low.  The second much better.  He screamed the entire time.  I couldn't believe how loud he was. 

Daddy checked him out.  He was perfect.

 The nurses and doctors were finally finished with him.  The swaddled him tight, handed him to me and left us alone. Alone with our baby.   I quickly unwrapped him and checked out every inch of him.  I'm always amazed by these perfect little creatures.  That I made.  In  my body.  So incredible.  How they are so familiar but strange at the same time.  And this time there was such a feeling of wholeness.  That our family was complete.  Our Ian Thomas was here and I was so excited to get to know him.