The Labor Story

My doctor was out of town for my 40 week appointment and the NP who was covering for him thought I would go before he got back, as did I. She set up a 41 week appointment for me just in case I didn't go into labor before then. The 21st rolled around, my doctor was back in town, and no real signs of labor, I was beginning to think that our baby was never going to come! Dr. Jones checked me at my appointment and said I was still dilated to a 4 and 70% effaced (where I had been for about 4 weeks). He stripped my membranes and said that I should go soon and he set up an induction for Thursday the 23rd if I didn't.


We called Wednesday night to find out what time to come in and they said to call at 5:00AM the next morning and they would let us know. I went to Ry's 10:00PM softball game and when we got home I could not sleep, so I took some Benadryl hoping it would help me get some sleep before the big day. Ry gave me a wonderful blessing before we went to bed that night. I woke up at 5:00AM to call Labor and Delivery, they told me to eat a light breakfast and come on up. I showered and choked down some toast and orange juice and rechecked my hospital bags to make sure we had everything we needed. I was so anxious, nervous, and excited that I was making myself sick; I almost threw up in route to the hospital.

Once we arrived the the L and D floor, we checked in and found out that the charge nurse for the day was our good friend, Tammy, who had conveniently assigned herself to by my nurse. I was SO relieved when she told me that, she gave me a big hug and got us all set up in our labor room. She drew my blood and started me on pitocin at 7:30AM, my contractions were showing up on the machine, but I couldn't feel a thing. Ry and I walked the hall, I rotated and bounced on the birth ball, I paced around the room, and Tammy increased my pit to 16 and still nothing was happening. I had a popcicle and drank tons of water, I was surprised by how thirsty I had become. Dr. Jones had come in to check on my and told me he would come break my water in a couple hours if I still hadn't progressed. So 1:45PM rolled around and I was still only dilated to a 4, so he broke my water, what an insane sensation!!! I seriously felt like I was peeing and had no control over it...and it didn't stop flowing. As soon as he broke my water the contractions hit me like a brick!! They were SO strong and coming every 2-3 minutes, so in the back of my mind I thought "this will speed things up and I should meet my sweet baby in no time". I couldn't have been more wrong. I decided to get in the jacuzzi tub and labor in there for about a half hour, Ry was so great, he helped me with my breathing and rubbed my back, yes, I had BAD back labor. After I got out of the jacuzzi tub I thought maybe sitting on the ball would help alleviate some of my back pain. By now my contractions were 1 1/2 minutes to 2 minutes apart and I started throwing up because of the pain and I felt like I wasn't getting any breaks in between contractions. After sitting on the ball for a while I decided to get back into bed and try to relax, that didn't happen. They turned down the pitocin because my contractions were literally every minute and I felt like I was going to die. Ry and Tammy asked if I wanted anything for pain and by this point I really didn't think the whole all natural labor was going to work anymore. So I caved and got a shot of nubaine, which didn't do much but make me feel super tired and really loopy. Ry was practically begging me to get an epidural and Tammy kept reminding me that healthy baby is my number one goal. I said I would wait an hour and see how far I had progressed and go from there, I figured if I progressed quickly that I could tough it out. So an hour had passed and Tammy checked me and I had gone from a 5 to a 5 1/2, I was absolutely devastated, I really really wanted to try and go natural, but by this point I was sick of throwing up from the pain level, I was completely exhausted and all I could think about was meeting my sweet bundle of love. So I decided to visit with the anesthesiologist and ask all my questions and make sure that this was going to be a good decision. I have heard lots of stories about epidurals slowing labor, working only half way, and lots of other awful things; I was one hundred percent at ease after he told me that once you are past a 5 that it can actually help speed labor, and that all the other risks I was worried about happen very very VERY rarely. By this time it was 4:00PM and by the time the anesthesiologist was set up I was dilated to a 7 and literally felt like I was going to pass out with every contraction. Once he put the epidural in I was in heaven, I have never felt such a sense of relief in my entire life! I pretty much fell right to sleep for a couple hours, which was much needed considering what happened next.

I woke up around 7:30PM and looked at Ry and said, "babe, I think I need to push" I was feeling contractions again and I had the urge to push. I called my nurse in, she checked me and said that I was to a 10 and to hang on while she grabbed Dr. Jones. From the time the nurse left the room until she and Dr. Jones got back, Cooper's heart rate kept decelling with every contraction. The second Dr. Jones saw that he told the nurse to call the surgical team because I was going to need an emergency C-section. When I heard this I just looked at Ry and started to cry, after laboring all day I was not about to be sliced open. I asked if I could just try pushing as Dr. Jones was throwing on his scrub gown and he said go ahead, so I pushed and pushed and pushed my guts out!! As I was pushing I kept praying that I would have the strength to get him out quickly and that there would be no need for a c-section. I didn't have any breaks between contractions, they had my push through them because Coop had to get out ASAP. As soon as Dr. Jones checked me he reached up and had to turn Cooper because he was facing posterior, (which half killed me by the way,) and then saw that the cord was wrapped around his neck. Knowing all of this just helped me push to get our little guy here as fast as I could, seven LONG minutes later they laid a purple and blue baby on my chest. He wasn't moving and he wasn't crying, I just looked around in shock waiting for someone to say or do something. The nurses wisked baby over to the nurses' station and started suctioning and rubbing him and that little cry that finally came out was the sweetest sound I have ever heard!!

While Dr. Jones was sewing me up, (I tore pretty good) I just listened to my sweet Cooper's cry and fell in love with him the instant I held him. He is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!!! Ry was on camera duty while they stiched me up and finished cleaning up all the mess. Ry and I are so grateful that our little guy made it here healthy and whole, 7 pounds 9 ounces, 21 1/2 inches long, and just as darling as can be! After they handed him to me he looked up at me, and Ry and I just stared at him, he was so alert for about 2 hours after birth, it was truly an amazing and spiritual experience. After I had been holding Cooper for a little bit the nurse asked if I wanted any food, and I was famished so I told her some juice and crackers would be great. She brought me grape juice and graham crackers which tasted so delicious after throwing up all day and having absolutely nothing in my stomach. Mareesa was standing next to me looking down and Coop and I told her to hand me the barf bag fast, she grabbed it and shoved it onto my mouth (not in front of my mouth) so bright purple throw up didn't go in the bag but all over me, all over Cooper, all over the bedding. I felt SO bad, they took Coop to the nursery to get cleaned up, they had to change everything I was wearing and all my bedding. After that was all done I got to snuggle with my little bug again.

I'm so grateful for such a supportive husband who cheered me on the entire labor, helped me breathe during the horrid contractions, and did everything in his power to make my labor the best it could be. He is the best Daddy in the world, it's so sweet to see him with our little Cooper. Having Coop in our home the past two weeks has been such a blessing and a miracle, I can't imagine our lives without him now that he's finally here. I'm so grateful that I get to be a Mom, it's such a huge responsibility and I am beginning to mildy understand the love our Heavenly Father must have for each of us. I  thought that my love for Ry was as much as I could love, and then our baby Coop came along and my love for both of my boys has grown immenesly!!!

One last look at the pregnant belly...whoop whoop!!

On our way into the hospital, excited and so ready to be parents!

The best nurse in the world, Tammy!

Before the hard labor hit...

Isn't he the most precious thing you have ever seen?!

Finally holding my sweet little Cooper, he is the sweetest thing in the entire world!!!

Our first family picture!

Proud Grandpa, he could not be more excited!!!

Gammie loving and talking to our little Coop.

Proud Uncle Marcus, (we're SO sad that McKaid couldn't be here) he will be getting lots and lots of pictures from us.

Excited Auntie Weenie!!!

Our handsome little nugget, look at those long feet!!!

Ry admiring our little one, and making sure he's still breathing (just like worried Dads do)...

 Coopy meeting Aunt Ashley.

 Our beautiful little man, i'm so in love, can you tell!?

Grandpa Mike