On Thursday, September 10th I woke up after having a sinus infection for two days deciding to stay home from work and go to the doctors to get a prescription for antibiotics. I didn't want to ignore the cold and, in turn, not be able to kiss our sweet Ben when he made his arrival.
Chris left early that morning to play in a golf tournament with his dad up past Frederick. We both knew it didn't make sense for him to stay home waiting for something to happen - especially since we weren't even at his due date yet. At this point, I was sure he was going to come after due date since he didn't make his arrival on my birthday. The midwives had all told me the same thing - that he would be making his arrival early, but as each day came and went I found myself more impatient and more discouraged.
I made an appointment to go to Urgent Care after calling my OB/GYN office and was prescribed Amoxicillin. Around lunch time I drove to CVS to drop off my prescription and came back home to continue working. Around 3PM I decided since my prescription still wasn't ready and having only two more hours in the work day, I would try a trick to stimulate my nipples that Tammy told me could help start contractions. I walked upstairs into Ben's room and grabbed the breast pump out of the closet. I came back downstairs, saw a text that my medicine was ready to be picked up and plugged in the machine. As soon as I sat down on the family room couch I felt a "pop" of water - I had a feeling that I didn't pee my pants... I remember thinking that I may be pregnant, but I should still know the difference between peeing my pants and my water breaking. Half nervous and half excited I waddled to the bathroom. As soon as I sat down I felt liquid instantly gush out of me. I couldn't believe this was it!
They tell you that once your water breaks you have about 24 hours before they want the baby to come since after your water breaks, it leaves you open to infection. Since it was only 3:30PM at the time my water broke, I knew my doctors office would be open. I called the office and asked if they wanted me to come in to be checked. Instead, they told me to go straight to the hospital. I called Chris almost in a panic. I needed him to head home. I called my mom and asked her to come over and called Tammy letting her know I was 99% sure that my water broke. She was already at the hospital working and told me she would stay until we came and were checked in .
Once my mom got to the house, I jumped in the shower. At this point I wasn't experiencing any contractions. I knew they could take their time and it could be hours before they progressed. I remember feeling like I was constantly leaking, even after getting out of the shower. By the time I started to blow dry my hair I could feel the contractions starting. They weren't too strong and about 5-7 minutes apart. I decided to wait to time the contractions until we were in the car on the way to the hospital. Trying to track them and get ready would be too much. I got dressed and made sure our bags were packed as the contractions started getting more intense and closer together. I called Chris asking where he was. By the time he got home I had my mom start and put all of our bags and the car seat in the car so we would be ready to go. The contractions were getting stronger and I just wanted to get to the hospital.
Chris got home, sweaty from playing golf all day, and by that time I was afraid to wait any longer. Without showering we were off to the hospital. I started timing my contractions in the car on an app I had downloaded months ago. They were consistently about 3-4 minutes apart by the time we got to the hospital. We grabbed our bag and headed up to the labor and delivery unit - around 5PM.
As soon as we got to the nurses station we saw Tammy. I was breathing through my contractions, waiting to be checked into a room while a girl was crying in a wheelchair because of her contractions. In the room across from the nurses station the door was cracked and you could hear screaming. She was pushing and Tammy told us she waited too long to come to the hospital and wasn't able to get an epidural. Needless to say, I was terrified of what was to come. I was able to walk and breathe through the contractions at this point and seeing/hearing these two women made me panic that the worst was still to come.
After about 20-30 minutes we were headed to our room. I changed into my gown and our nurse hooked me up to a fetal heart rate monitor and a monitor to track my contractions. She asked if I wanted an epidural (which I said yes) and explained that I needed a full bag of IV in me before they could administer it. I called my mom and told her to head to the hospital since we were checked in!
I continued to breathe through the contractions which were about 1-2 minutes apart at this point. We had a nurse change at 7PM and I was given the epidural at 7:30. Everything the nurses told me about what to expect (feeling wise) with the epidural happened and I remember it not being as bad as I had anticipated. I just kept trying to focus on my breathing. I remember Chris trying to comfort me by telling jokes and rubbing me, but until the epidural kicked in I just needed my space and to focus on the waves of contractions! They best way to explain how the contractions felt is the feeling of having to hold your pee really badly, the cramps you get in your stomach would also wrap to your back.
Once the epidural was given they monitored Ben's heart rate. It was spiking after each contraction, but the midwives were amazing and made us feel that this was common. We tried to help Ben by rolling to my left side and finally they put me on oxygen so he would receive extra as well. Thankfully it worked! The midwives told Chris and our family to go get some dinner, that since this was our first labor, it could go on for hours before he arrived. I remember this was about 8:30. Everyone left the room and the midwives fluffed my pillows and told me to rest. We could potentially have a 9/11 baby.
Shortly after 9, the midwife came in to check my progress and saw I was fully effaced and dilated. In fact, she told me that Ben had hair on his head - that's how far down he was! I was anxious and excited to start the process - I remember texting Chris to come up since we were ready to start pushing as soon as they were finished eating. He came up while everyone else finished and I remember looking at him asking him if we were actually ready to do this - to become parents - and more importantly, was I actually ready to push out a baby.
My mom met us in the room and we started pushing! After pushing normally for 15-20 minutes, I turned to my left side and pushed him out after an additional 10 minutes. While pushing I kept thinking what will be the first thing I say to him? How will I act and then all of a sudden he was here! He was perfect.
Born September 10, 2015 at 10:12PM. Weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces and 18 3/4 inches long.
I remember saying "Hi Baby!" and looking around the room at everyone's faces. His hair was dark and so curly, I was for sure he would have Lauren's curls.
He started to latch and the midwives and nurses said because of the large bruise on the left side of his head, they wouldn't be shocked if he wouldn't nurse right away. He probably had a huge headache - it was from how he was positioned and came out through the canal. They weighed and measured him - which I was in disbelief of how short they measured him to be. We later found out it was a mistake since he wasn't fully stretched, but forever he will have his tiny length on the birth certificate.
The rest of the family came in before they stitched me back up for the night and I remember all of their proud faces. We're so lucky to have them all right outside cheering us on.
We were finally transfer to our room around midnight/1AM and went to bed that night as a family of three. I remember waking up with the sunrise, holding Benjamin and crying the happiest tears. I've never felt more joy than every day he has been in our lives.
We're so very lucky and blessed.
Chris left early that morning to play in a golf tournament with his dad up past Frederick. We both knew it didn't make sense for him to stay home waiting for something to happen - especially since we weren't even at his due date yet. At this point, I was sure he was going to come after due date since he didn't make his arrival on my birthday. The midwives had all told me the same thing - that he would be making his arrival early, but as each day came and went I found myself more impatient and more discouraged.
I made an appointment to go to Urgent Care after calling my OB/GYN office and was prescribed Amoxicillin. Around lunch time I drove to CVS to drop off my prescription and came back home to continue working. Around 3PM I decided since my prescription still wasn't ready and having only two more hours in the work day, I would try a trick to stimulate my nipples that Tammy told me could help start contractions. I walked upstairs into Ben's room and grabbed the breast pump out of the closet. I came back downstairs, saw a text that my medicine was ready to be picked up and plugged in the machine. As soon as I sat down on the family room couch I felt a "pop" of water - I had a feeling that I didn't pee my pants... I remember thinking that I may be pregnant, but I should still know the difference between peeing my pants and my water breaking. Half nervous and half excited I waddled to the bathroom. As soon as I sat down I felt liquid instantly gush out of me. I couldn't believe this was it!
They tell you that once your water breaks you have about 24 hours before they want the baby to come since after your water breaks, it leaves you open to infection. Since it was only 3:30PM at the time my water broke, I knew my doctors office would be open. I called the office and asked if they wanted me to come in to be checked. Instead, they told me to go straight to the hospital. I called Chris almost in a panic. I needed him to head home. I called my mom and asked her to come over and called Tammy letting her know I was 99% sure that my water broke. She was already at the hospital working and told me she would stay until we came and were checked in .
Once my mom got to the house, I jumped in the shower. At this point I wasn't experiencing any contractions. I knew they could take their time and it could be hours before they progressed. I remember feeling like I was constantly leaking, even after getting out of the shower. By the time I started to blow dry my hair I could feel the contractions starting. They weren't too strong and about 5-7 minutes apart. I decided to wait to time the contractions until we were in the car on the way to the hospital. Trying to track them and get ready would be too much. I got dressed and made sure our bags were packed as the contractions started getting more intense and closer together. I called Chris asking where he was. By the time he got home I had my mom start and put all of our bags and the car seat in the car so we would be ready to go. The contractions were getting stronger and I just wanted to get to the hospital.
Chris got home, sweaty from playing golf all day, and by that time I was afraid to wait any longer. Without showering we were off to the hospital. I started timing my contractions in the car on an app I had downloaded months ago. They were consistently about 3-4 minutes apart by the time we got to the hospital. We grabbed our bag and headed up to the labor and delivery unit - around 5PM.
As soon as we got to the nurses station we saw Tammy. I was breathing through my contractions, waiting to be checked into a room while a girl was crying in a wheelchair because of her contractions. In the room across from the nurses station the door was cracked and you could hear screaming. She was pushing and Tammy told us she waited too long to come to the hospital and wasn't able to get an epidural. Needless to say, I was terrified of what was to come. I was able to walk and breathe through the contractions at this point and seeing/hearing these two women made me panic that the worst was still to come.
After about 20-30 minutes we were headed to our room. I changed into my gown and our nurse hooked me up to a fetal heart rate monitor and a monitor to track my contractions. She asked if I wanted an epidural (which I said yes) and explained that I needed a full bag of IV in me before they could administer it. I called my mom and told her to head to the hospital since we were checked in!
I continued to breathe through the contractions which were about 1-2 minutes apart at this point. We had a nurse change at 7PM and I was given the epidural at 7:30. Everything the nurses told me about what to expect (feeling wise) with the epidural happened and I remember it not being as bad as I had anticipated. I just kept trying to focus on my breathing. I remember Chris trying to comfort me by telling jokes and rubbing me, but until the epidural kicked in I just needed my space and to focus on the waves of contractions! They best way to explain how the contractions felt is the feeling of having to hold your pee really badly, the cramps you get in your stomach would also wrap to your back.
Once the epidural was given they monitored Ben's heart rate. It was spiking after each contraction, but the midwives were amazing and made us feel that this was common. We tried to help Ben by rolling to my left side and finally they put me on oxygen so he would receive extra as well. Thankfully it worked! The midwives told Chris and our family to go get some dinner, that since this was our first labor, it could go on for hours before he arrived. I remember this was about 8:30. Everyone left the room and the midwives fluffed my pillows and told me to rest. We could potentially have a 9/11 baby.
Shortly after 9, the midwife came in to check my progress and saw I was fully effaced and dilated. In fact, she told me that Ben had hair on his head - that's how far down he was! I was anxious and excited to start the process - I remember texting Chris to come up since we were ready to start pushing as soon as they were finished eating. He came up while everyone else finished and I remember looking at him asking him if we were actually ready to do this - to become parents - and more importantly, was I actually ready to push out a baby.
My mom met us in the room and we started pushing! After pushing normally for 15-20 minutes, I turned to my left side and pushed him out after an additional 10 minutes. While pushing I kept thinking what will be the first thing I say to him? How will I act and then all of a sudden he was here! He was perfect.
Born September 10, 2015 at 10:12PM. Weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces and 18 3/4 inches long.
I remember saying "Hi Baby!" and looking around the room at everyone's faces. His hair was dark and so curly, I was for sure he would have Lauren's curls.
He started to latch and the midwives and nurses said because of the large bruise on the left side of his head, they wouldn't be shocked if he wouldn't nurse right away. He probably had a huge headache - it was from how he was positioned and came out through the canal. They weighed and measured him - which I was in disbelief of how short they measured him to be. We later found out it was a mistake since he wasn't fully stretched, but forever he will have his tiny length on the birth certificate.
The rest of the family came in before they stitched me back up for the night and I remember all of their proud faces. We're so lucky to have them all right outside cheering us on.
We were finally transfer to our room around midnight/1AM and went to bed that night as a family of three. I remember waking up with the sunrise, holding Benjamin and crying the happiest tears. I've never felt more joy than every day he has been in our lives.
We're so very lucky and blessed.
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