A Birth Story: Boston Chandler Hair

I realize that it has been entirely too long since I have updated this thing. That being said, this post isn't for you, it's for me. After people started asking me how my labor and delivery went, I realized that I didn't quite remember all the details that I would have wanted to. Each time I told it, I remembered more and more. And then, one day I read a friend's post. Her son was 3 and she was trying to remember the details of his birth. She remembered a lot, but was so grateful she had recorded it to be able to look back to. I want that. I want a record to look to when I don't remember. So, here it is.

At my 8 week appointment, I was given the due date of April 4. At my next appointment, the computer generated a due date of April 6 but my doctor decided to leave it at the 4th. Boston was born on April 5, 2015, right in the middle!

April 4, 2015

Here I am, on my due date, looking very pregnant and SO done. I was ready to have this baby. The past few nights, we had stayed at a hotel in Sandy so that I would be closer to the hospital if I were to go in to labor because we lived in Orem, and the hospital we delivered at was in Sandy, way up on the bench. Both nights we were there I started having mild contractions, and just hoped that it would be "time" to go in. But, both times they subtly went away. We came back home Saturday morning and, to be honest, I was a little disappointed that he decided to stay in there. Both nights there was also an hour or two that Boston was just restless. He would kick me up and down my stomach, in my ribs, in my back, all the while I'm wondering if this is what labor feels like or if he's just feeling crammed in there. I don't blame him after all! We went on with our Saturday, listening to General Conference and wondering when our family would finally have our third member.

April 5, 2015

Sunday brought more discomfort, wonder, and words from our dear prophets. After the last session, we went on a walk to the park to relax and get our minds off of everything. I knew I wouldn't be able to walk all the way there and back (even though it was a pretty short distance) so we took a blanket and a card game with us. I guess we didn't consider that wind and card games don't really mix so we didn't stay long. On the way back, I started having some small contractions again, but they were very irregular and I could still walk and talk through them. When we got back home, we skyped with Chandler's parents, all the while I was having small contractions about 3 minutes apart. WOW is right. How did they go from being so irregular to THREE minutes apart? They still weren't very strong, but because we were so far from the hospital, we decided to call and see if we should come in. The nurse suggested that I take a warm bath and see if they diminish or go away. Well, they decided to get stronger! We called them back and told them that we would be coming in. We got there around 7:30 PM and they got us into a room to be checked. My doctor's office hadn't sent my information down to them yet, so besides the pre-registration information I had called in a few months prior, they had nothing. It took them about half an hour to get all my medical information and then the nurse checked me. I can still hear her words in my mind, "Well, you're going to have a baby! You're dilated to a 5. Good thing you decided to come in." A FIVE!? I'd heard horror stories of first-time moms being at a 1 for HOURS and here I was at a 5. This baby was definitely coming! We texted our family this...

It's go time!

 I had lost track of time by now. My best guess is that it was now 8 or 8:30. The nurse left and said that she was helping with another delivery, but that another nurse would be in soon to help through the rest of the night. She asked if I wanted an epidural and if I wanted it now or later. "I might as well just get it now." was my response, and it was a good thing. The anesthesiologist came about half an hour later. The epidural was not AT ALL what I expected it to be. A single shot...no. What felt to be a ribbed tube went down my spine followed by what felt like 2 or 3 ice cold tubes inside of that one. As he was giving me the epidural, I was feeling an intense pressure and couldn't resist pushing. I remembered reading that women who go through a natural birth will have this sort of feeling, so I voiced, rather loudly, what I was feeling. The anesthesiologist was quite surprised and asked what I was dilated to. The nurse said I was at a 5 when I came in and he said he would hurry and finish so she could check me again. She checked me. I was at a.....NINE! She was appalled. She asked me about 3 more times if this was my first baby. She just couldn't believe it. By this time, I think it was around 9:30 or so. She called my doctor and then we started pushing. By now I couldn't feel anything, and even Chandler's hand on my leg felt uncomfortable. The one thing I thought I would like, him rubbing my legs, was the last thing I wanted him to do. I pushed blindly for what seemed like an hour. After a while, the nurse seemed unhappy with my progress. She put in a catheter (uhhh most uncomfortable thing ever!) to empty my bladder. I had been drinking water all day so there was a lot in there.. Once my bladder was empty things started moving a little faster. She put her fingers down there and asked if I could feel them. Ummmm, barely. "Push right where my fingers are." Uhhh ok? As I got more feeling in by bottom, I could feel him descending and my water broke. Nay, it GUSHED! They aren't kidding that it feels like you peed your pants, times ten. This was a major turning point for me. I could feel him, I could feel where to push, and I was so excited to meet him! Who knows how many contractions later, his head was starting to appear. Chandler was a little nervous to look down there, but his excitement is what kept me going. We paused while they called the doctor down and got everything prepped; again more discomfort, and more excitement from Chandler. I can still hear him saying, "He's right there Dev! He's almost here! You're doing so great!" At 11:41 PM Boston was born. They aren't kidding when they say that first cry is music to your ears. I started crying! I was a MOM!!

Boston weighed 8 pounds and 3 ounces, he was 21 inches long, and his head measured 37 cm. I did have to have an episiotomy so that I wouldn't tear, but he was here and we was healthy! By then, my epidural was starting to wear off and I could feel every stitch as my doctor sewed me up. But, once he was done, and they got my bleeding under control (they had to give me pitocen because it wasn't slowing down at first), I was able to get up and walk to the bathroom with their assistance. They moved us to another room and it would be very accurate to say that between the pain, nostalgia, worry, and interruptions by the nurses, I didn't get ANY sleep. After the first feeding right after he was born, Boston decided he didn't want to eat for the next 10 hours. The nurses kept bringing him over to try to nurse, but he just wasn't interested in it, and they wouldn't give him a bath until he had eaten a second time. The next morning, a lactation consultant came in and helped him. After that, it was (mostly) smooth sailing. Danielle and Ryan, and Dustin, Amy, Luke, and Owen came and visited as well as Chandler's grandma, aunt, and cousin. Tuesday morning was busy, busy with a photographer who took some newborn shots of him, a hospital employee helping us get my drugs, and the nurses doing their discharge routine, but we were finally on our way home with our new little guy!

Boston didn't pass his first hearing test (although they didn't "fail" him because he was only about 8 hours old). He still had fluid in his left ear so we had to keep it uncovered for the rest of the day. That is why he looks like a thug in this picture. :)

Some skin to skin time with mommy after his bath. His hair was so fluffy!

You can kind of see his old man hair, mostly bald on the top, with long hair (and very long sideburns) on the side.

Cuddles with daddy while they were giving me a few shots and getting me discharged.

Snug as a bug in his car seat on the ride home.

We are so happy to have Boston in our family. We are having so much fun with him! He has been the calmest, sweetest, happiest baby we could have ever hoped for and he is going to be the best big brother!