Connor is HERE!!!

As expected last Thursday, I headed into the hospital for my scheduled induction and a mere 6 and a half hours later, we were the proud parents of Connor Rhys!

Everyone had been on pins and needles the week leading up to my induction. My mom planned a birth lottery with friends and family to estimate Connor's due date, people at work kept asking how I was feeling or if I was having contractions and I was just trying to get through my last few days in the office and wrap things up so I could leave work at work for awhile. I knew I wouldn't go into labor early. Based upon my doctor's appointments and where Connor was, I was confident I'd be going to the hospital for my scheduled induction. I know I had that thought with Declan but this time my induction was scheduled for a week earlier and I hadn't had any signs of labor that made me believe otherwise.

Sure enough, I made it to Thursday morning and we headed to the hospital at 5:30 am for my 6 am induction. I was nervous as I had no idea what to expect but the hospital staff was awesome and put me at ease from the time I got up to the Family Birthplace and got settled in my birthing suite. By 6:30 am, I was settled in bed, they started my IV of Pitocin and ran through a battery of questions for my chart. To start, I was already 3 centimeters dilated and 50-80% effaced (depending on who checked) and the doctor's instructions were to up the Pitocin every 30 minutes until I started laboring on my own. Come to find out, I was having contractions every 4-7 minutes but really couldn't feel them at all.  It was a good sign though and we were well on our way.

After my epidural failed with Declan's birth, I was adamant I would get it in enough time this time to ensure I was somewhat comfortable through delivery with Connor. The nurses were extremely supportive and made sure to get the anesthesiologist scheduled and the epidural in place before they broke my water. Around 9-9:30 am, I got my epidural and shortly thereafter the house doctor came in and broke my water.  I still wasn't very far along, only about 4 centimeters but at least I would be comfortable throughout the remainder of my labor and delivery. It was really weird getting the epidural, my legs were tingly and heavy but I wasn't completely numb. It did the trick though and I didn't feel pain. Around 10:45 am, I had progressed to 6 centimeters and besides feeling some pressure in my pelvis, I was doing ok.  At 11:30 am, I had made it to 10 centimeters and was fully effaced and my nurse made the call to my doctor so we could begin delivery. My doctor arrived a little after 12 pm and started her prep for Connor's delivery, my mom and Dustin got into place along with the delivery team and with 3 strong pushes, Connor arrived at 12:32 pm, weighing 7 lbs 0 ozs and 20.5 inches long.  He was absolutely precious and I couldn't believe that I was actually able to birth my second son.  They laid him on my chest and I didn't ever want to let go of him. Along with skin to skin, I was able to start nursing him and thankfully he took to it like a champ.

In the late afternoon, we were moved out of the birthing suite to a different recovery room because there were so many other women scheduled for inductions or just due to have babies and they needed to make sure the rooms were ready to go. We spent the rest of the day adjusting to life with a newborn and then catching up with family letting them know Connor had arrived.  We FaceTimed with Declan after preschool and he was so excited to see his brother even though Connor slept through the entire introduction.

On Friday, Connor had his 25 hour assessment and I had a checkup with my doctor.  Both went well and because we had no complications we were released from the hospital around 5:30 pm and headed home to start our life as a family of 4. Declan met Connor in person for the first time and you could see the pure joy in his face seeing his little brother. He was concerned with why Connor wasn't talking to him but we explained that he was just a newborn and mostly slept and occasionally cried. Declan showed Connor his Hot Wheels and then wanted to hold him.  My heart was filled with so much joy!

Yesterday we took Connor to the pediatrician for his first checkup. He's down a bit in weigh which is expected and has the slightest bit of jaundice but other than that is doing well.  We go back on Wednesday morning for another weight check. I'm attempting nursing with Connor with the occasional formula supplement. I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself this time and know that a fed baby is more important than anything else.  

Overall I know, I have two of the most perfect boys and I'm the luckiest mom in the world.

He's Here!!!

My induction was scheduled for this evening but we won't be keeping that appointment. Declan decided to make his entrance into the world on Friday night at 11:40 pm after 6 or so hours of labor.  While my labor was considered short, it was extremely eventful and a truly emotional experience.

So, let's start at the beginning.....I had my last doctor's appointment and ultrasound on Wednesday afternoon. At the ultrasound Declan passed all of the biophysical profile requirements and was right on target for his gestational age of 38 weeks and 6 days. We didn't get any ultrasound pics because he was so low in my pelvis and most of the pics would be mostly unidentifiable. The ultrasound tech told us that while we didn't get any pics, we'd see our boy soon enough since I really only had 8 days until my due date. After my ultrasound, I saw my doctor and she did a cervical check and determined I was still 1 cm dilated but I was nearly completely thinned out. My belly was measuring 39 weeks, which was also on track. We talked about my scheduled induction and went over a few things before leaving the office. The last thing my doctor said to me before leaving the room was that if Declan decided to come early, she was on call all weekend at the hospital and would be the one delivering Declan.  I just laughed it off and told her I'd see her at my induction.

Thursday started out like any other day and weeknight. We got home from work and D and I went to workout for 30 or so minutes. After our workout we made dinner and sat down to watch the Blues season opening game. We talked about the upcoming weekend and were planning one last date night on Saturday before Declan's arrival.  Our date night was going to consist of dinner at Olive Garden because I was craving soup and salad and D wanted the never ending pasta bowl....I know, we're wild and crazy! Around 9:30 pm, as we were watching the 3rd period of the Blues game, I felt a gush of something.  I thought I accidentally went to the bathroom on myself and ran down the hall to take care of that. It was a strange feeling but I didn't think my water broke.  I spent another 15-20 minutes in both bathrooms dealing with a few more gushes. I just thought it was my mucous plug and decided to just put on a sanitary pad and head to bed for the night.

I got up multiple times during the night and was soaked each time I got up. It was starting worry me some but I wasn't sure what to expect so I tried to research it a bit in the middle of the night.  Still not convinced it was my bag of water, I got up the next morning, showered and went to work, still feeling the small gushes every 20-30 minutes.

I had quite a bit to work to finish up and a conference call with our biggest customer but still wasn't feeling 100% right. I thought about coming home in the afternoon and just trying to take it easy but D convinced me to call the doctor to see if I needed to come in, in case it was something major. I called the doctor's office at lunchtime and they told me given the fact I was 39 weeks and 1 day along, I should probably go to Labor and Delivery to be checked out, so I sent a quick email to my boss to let him know I was leaving for the day and off to the hospital I went.

They set me up in Triage, put the monitors on me and started a few tests to determine if I was leaking amniotic fluid or if it was just mucous.  After 3 hours in Triage, they determine I had a ruptured amniotic sac and I was going to be admitted into the hospital and I would be having a baby sooner rather than later!

I was moved to a room around 4 pm on Friday where they hooked me back up to monitors and started my IV of fluids.  Around 4:30 pm, they started the Pitocin and we were off! I texted all of my family to let them know what was going on and everyone was crazy excited. My mom, step-dad, dad and step-mom all started heading toward the hospital to be there for support.

Each half an hour they increased my Pitocin and I was feeling alright and my contractions were bearable until around 8:30 pm. At that point, I hit a wall and my contractions became super strong. I asked for my epidural and was set to get it when all hell broke loose in Labor and Delivery and the Anesthesiologists headed towards the OR for other emergency C-sections. I was still only dilated to 1 cm but the contractions were extremely intense and the nurses explained that I'd get my epidural as soon as everything slowed down. Unfortunately things did not slow down in Labor and Delivery for quite some time and at 10 pm, I still hadn't received my epidural and I felt like I was dying from the pain of the contractions. At that point, they again checked to see how dilated I was, which was still 1 cm so they offered me an IV pain medication, Stadol. This made me extremely tired when I wasn't in the middle of a contraction but it did help take the edge off and allowed me to rest. Around 10:30 pm, the Anesthesiologist finally arrived to administer my epidural. I was in such pain that it made it difficult to sit still for them to insert the catheter into my back and I had to rely heavily on the nurses as they made my family leave the room.  About 10:45 pm, they finally had the epidural set.  I was hoping this would be the answers to my laboring prayers but unfortunately it was too little too late for me.  I, somehow, went from 1 cm to 10 cm in less than an hour and once I hit 10, it was time for me to push. The epidural did not have time to work through my system and I virtually had to deliver via a natural birth.  At 11 pm, I started pushing and began the final descent into motherhood.  It was an unbelievable amount of pain and pressure and with each contraction and push, I felt weaker and weaker and just wanted for it all to be over. Between breathing, pushing, resting, breathing, pushing, resting, I was exhausted. I remember yelling at one point, "just get him out of me!"

At 11:40 pm after only 40 minutes of pushing, Declan James arrived weighing 7 lbs 3 ozs and measuring 20 inches long.

I have never felt such happiness and joy and it was an unbelievable miracle! They laid him on my chest as soon as he was born for immediate skin to skin and I couldn't stop crying. I was so overjoyed and couldn't believe that after 9 months, I finally had my baby boy! It truly was the most amazing experience I've ever faced even if it was scary and quite painful.

We spent a good part of Saturday being checked out by the doctors and trying to get acclimated to our new life. The hospital completed his assessments late Saturday night as soon as Declan was 24 hours old and he passed with flying colors. Sunday was much of the same and we were released around 4:30 that afternoon to head home and start our new life together as a family.

We're slowly adjusting to life with a newborn but I can tell you, I have never felt this much love for a human being. He's the most perfect, sweetest little boy and I'm so happy to have him here with us. I pinch myself daily at how lucky I am to be able to be this little guy's mama and I can't wait to see what our future holds.