On May 12, I went in for my 36 week appointment. I was very excited to see if I had progressed at all. When my doctor checked me, I was a fingertip dialated, my cervix was thinning, and Ben was head-down. I was very encouraged by this report, seeing that both my body and Ben were making progress before labor would start. On May 19, I went in for my 37 week appointment. Again, I was interested in finding out if I had progressed at all from that point. When she checked me, I was 2 cm and 90% effaced. I could not believe how fast I had progressed! I had a gut feeling that something was going to happen that weekend. That Friday was a great day. My father-in-law received his diploma for his MDiv. We were so proud of his accomplishment. That Saturday, some close family friends were throwing him a party in Knoxville. We had planned on going, but my doctor said that there was no way that I was traveling with how I was progressing. Even with her telling us that we couldn't go, it didn't matter in the end.
Throughout the third trimester, I had been getting up a couple times in the night to go to the bathroom. Saturday the 21st was no exception. However, this time was different. When I went to the bathroom at 1:50, I felt a gush. It wasn't a lot, but it was different. I looked online to see if this was really my water breaking. I decided to wait half an hour and then check to see if anything had changed. Sure enough, half an hour went by and I knew that we were going to the hospital. We left the house and got to the hospital at 4:30. We went to triage where they examined me to make sure that my water had broken. They said that it had broken and that I was still 2 cm and 90% effaced. Once they said yes, we went into my hospital room between 5:30 and 6:00.
They started my pitocin at 7:00. I knew from the beginning that I would have an epidural. I had a few friends tell me that as soon as I could to go ahead and take it. I was having some contractions, but they weren't serious. However, I knew that they were only going to intensify. The anesthesiologist came around 7:30. I hate needles, so I was nervous about getting that needle put in my spine. I was surprised at how quickly it went by. All I felt was a burn and pinch, then it was over. As time went on, Chris and my mom would look at the contractions and be amazed. Apparently, they were coming at a good pace, and I wasn't feeling a thing!
They checked me again at 10:00 and I was 7 cm and 100% effaced. I believe it was this time when they told us that he had hair. I was so excited! They checked me again two hours later and I was 9 cm. They said that unless I felt pressure and the need to push, they would come by at 2:00, most likely to push the baby out. I was excited. It would be very soon when I would meet my baby boy! At 12:45, my dad arrived at the hospital. He took a 7:00 flight out of Jacksonville after my mom called him and told him that I was in labor.
They nurse came in at 2:00, checked me, and said that it was time to start pushing. I hadn't seen the doctor hardly at all during the labor. She had 11 of the 19 patients on the floor. The nurse got ready and I started pushing at 2:20. I was completely numb in my legs because of the epidural. Yet after getting the hang of pushing, I started to feel pressure and the need to push. So I pushed through each contraction, getting more excited about meeting Ben. At 3:11 P.M., we finally saw his sweet face! He hardly cried at all, and he was so cute! I could not get over how cute he was! He was 7 lbs 8 oz of cuteness! Tears were in my eyes. I was overwhelmed with love for this little guy.
It has been 11 days since he was born and I have loved every minute of it. Ben is such a content, sweet baby. He hardly cries, he loves to eat, and we have to wake him up in the middle of the night so that he can eat. He has a habit of peeing when getting his diaper changed...or when he's taking a bath. He loves to be snuggled and held, and he loves looking at whoever is talking to him. He has totally captured his daddy's heart, and turned his dad into a sap in the process :)
I cannot imagine life without him. While Chris and I had originally planned to wait a few years before kids, I am so glad that the Lord had other things in store. Being a mommy is such a joy, and I cannot wait to watch him grow. We pray that Ben would come to know the God of his father, and that he will love Jesus and live a life that displays the grace of God.
I hope that you have enjoyed looking at the photos of my boy. I mean, how could you not?! :)
Have a blessed week!
I am so glad that you had a great labor and that Ben arrived a few weeks early :) Congrats!
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