Blending In: Pregnancy and Birth (Long Post!!)

Here’s a novel about the event that changed my life J Sorry for the length, I am writing this just as much for myself as I am for you, before I forget it all!

We found out early last August that we were expecting. It was quite the shock and it took a while to sink in, but once it did we were excited! I didn’t have any morning sickness and felt great! All of our appointments went great, other than we didn’t like the doctor or clinic I chose. At about 17 weeks I started having contractions, so I had a brief stay in the hospital just to check on everything, and they ended up doing an ultrasound and we found out early that not only was everything fine, but we were going to have a little boy!!!

I was ecstatic. I had a feeling from the beginning that it was a boy. Steve was also so happy. All of his friends have girls, so he was convinced he was going to have another girl. But I told him, all of my friends have boys and boys dominate in my family too, so I was sure it was a boy. And I always win…. J

We switched doctors from that point on and were very happy with that decision going forward.

In October, we told Paige that she is going to be a big sister. She was beside herself and sooo excited. For the next several months, we heard “baby brother” this and “baby brother” that. She would come home from preschool with cards and pictures and letters for her brother, it was so precious. There was not a tinge of jealousy at all.

In February, we traveled to Nebraska for my baby shower. We brought Paige and I bought her a big sister book, shirt and a little brother doll to open at the shower. My friend Kristin also bought her a big sister badge that she wore and she got to sit at the front and open presents with me. I wanted to make sure she felt like she was a part of everything. We also had her help us put his crib together and do all the shopping for the furniture and necessities. That definitely helped.

As March came and went, I was beginning to be really impatient. I wasn’t due until April 12, but I was convinced I was going to have him early, so I was just waiting and waiting. At my 39-week appointment, when the doctor told me I was only dilated to 1 and 40% effaced, I was devastated. She prepared me for being induced, and said that we would schedule it for a week after my due date. I couldn’t imagine being pregnant for another two weeks. Not that I was miserable, I was just so ready to see my little man! That was on April 6^th.

On Friday, April 8, I went and got my hair done. I had planned to wait until after he was born, but I thought, since I’m going to be pregnant forever, I better just go get my hair done! That night, Steve and I went and saw “Limitless” in the theaters. The timing couldn’t be better. On my last night ever before motherhood, we went on a date!

Saturday morning, April 9^th, at about 3 a.m. I started having mild contractions. I had downloaded an app on my phone that times and averages contractions, so I laid in bed and let Steve sleep and timed them for 3 hours. Finally, at 6, I realized I might really be in labor! I wasn’t yet too uncomfortable…I was really excited. I woke him up, called my mom, and took a shower. We took our time, ate breakfast, got ready, and when the contractions didn’t stop, and started getting closer together and more intense, we finally called the doctor. That was at about 8 a.m. She asked me several questions and then asked me to head to the hospital! We packed up and arrived at the hospital at about 10:30 a.m. My mom and little sisters were already halfway to Denver J

When we arrived, a nurse came and got us from the emergency room. On the way, Steve made small talk and we laughed and joked around the whole way up. She showed us to our room, which was huge! Shortly after that a new nurse, Kathy, came and introduced herself to us. She said “Sandra (the other nurse) came and said ‘I like them, so I gave them the good room!’” Apparently, we had the best room with the best view…she told us she always knows when Sandra doesn’t like a couple, because they get the small room with no window. Word to the wise…be nice to the nurses!!

Kathy was awesome. She checked me, and I was still only at a 1 and 40% effaced. She said she called my doctor and was told that if I wasn’t at least dilated to a 2 by 12:30, two hours later, to send me home. By this point, my contractions were very close together and I was pretty uncomfortable. I did not want to go home. Kathy told us she would do everything she could to make sure I didn’t go home, because she could tell I was in labor. She had us walk the halls for an hour, then I soaked in the tub for an hour. The walk was a little embarrassing. I kept having to stop and hold on to Steve during contractions. I was breathing thru them, but people kept asking if I was alright. I wanted to ring their necks. What does it look like I’m doing here people? Move on with your business and let me handle this! LOL.

The two hours went by and it was game time. Kathy came in and I was praying and praying that I had progressed enough not to be sent home. She checked me and Praise the Lord, I was at a 2. We were there to stay, and the epidural was on its way!

The epidural placement went smoothly, and my mom and sisters arrived right afterwards. The problem was, it wasn’t working on my right side. By this point I was having contractions every 3-4 minutes, and I could still feel them. They kept having my lay on my right side to help with it, but my right side never fully went numb the way my left side did. But it did get better.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, I was slowly but surely dilating. I felt bad for Akaela and Noelle, they were there all day, evening and into the night. Most of the time they were in the waiting room watching movies, as Steve of course had sports on in the room.

There were a few scares, Gavin’s heart rate kept dropping during contractions…so all the nurses would rush in, turn me over, give me oxygen, then leave. They broke my water in the evening…I’m a little hazy on what time. After that, Gavin’s heart rate dropped again so they put a tube back in me and started pumping water back in…which was really weird and nothing I had ever heard of. But it seemed to help.

The other thing they did that I had never heard of was “laboring down.” They had me sit up with my legs crossed for about a half hour after I had reached 10 centimeters and 100% effacement. They said this would bring him down and would help so I wouldn’t have to push as long.

At 9:00 p.m., they had me push. It was such a good one that they stopped me, called the doctor, and had her rush to get in. I only pushed 4 times, and Gavin was born at 9:39 p.m. That’s when the chaos started. My mom and Steve were in the room and they have trouble describing the amount of water that came out….after they pumped me back full of all of that water, it had to go somewhere! They said the doctor had boots on up to her knees and they kinda chuckled to themselves when they saw them, but that it’s a good thing she had them on because she sure needed them! Then, when Steve cut the umbilical cord, blood spurted across the room and hit me in the forehead! I didn’t care though, I wiped it off and said give me my baby please! J

They put Gavin on my chest briefly then whisked him away to clean him off. That’s when we all got nervous. We hadn’t heard him cry or make a peep yet. Nurses rushed in the room, and I could see my mom and Steve’s face as they did everything they could to get him to breathe. The looks on their faces were terrifying for me to see. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, my little man screamed. It was the best sound in the world. Relief came over my mom and Steve’s faces, and they finally were able to breathe as well!

He was a big boy! 8 lbs, 1 oz and 21 ¾ inches. We named him Gavin David Linville. Gavin is a name I’ve always liked, and we debated between it and Landon the whole pregnancy. David is Steve’s dad’s name.

I can’t believe it has been almost 16 weeks since that day. I can’t imagine life without him. It’s so cliché to say how amazing motherhood is, but man, it really is. I can’t get enough of him and I live for my drive home, when I get to pick him up every day. Every morning I have Steve send me a picture of him since he’s still asleep when I leave for work.

Paige has still not showed one ounce of jealousy. She is the best big sister…she just adores Gavin. She’s a great help too! She helps with diaper changes (by handing us the diapers and wipes, not actually changing the diaper), baths and his binky.

Steve often gets weekdays off, and the other day he was home with the kids. He sent me a picture of Gavin on his activity mat, Paige playing with him, and both dogs sitting there watching. I replied with “I love our family!” And I do. So happy.