Peter's Birth Story

Peter's due date was 11-9-11.  I went to see my midwife on the 10th and was not dilated at all.  Her words, "Well, no baby today".  I was settling in for at least another week of joyous pregnancy.  However uncomfortable and exhausting it was, I was really excited to experience going into labor on my own.  I didn't really know what to expect.  I was questioning myself constantly...was that a real contraction, or just braxton hicks??  Well, the 11th came, and I was a little sad that we would miss this most perfect day for him to be born.  After Ruby went down for a nap I made a batch of  cookies - and I ate a ton of them - even the batter, I mean a ton!  I went to lie down to rest until the Rube-ster woke up, and after a few minutes...something started happening.  I got up quickly and got to the bathroom in time.  My water broke!  Wha!?!  Serious?!? It was a little before 4.  I called Dan using our pre-arranged "it's time" signal to answer the phone or call me back immediately.  It was funny, his friend was in the background hollering, there is still time to get 11-11-11!  I called my mom to come pick up Ruby, she had been on call for a few days, so of course she was ready!...have I told you before how I have the most best parents?  Well I do.  

Our last photo as a family of three, as you can tell Ruby was not thrilled.

When Dan got home I jumped in the shower, because I have heard that is what you are supposed to do, so I did it.  Since I really wanted a natural delivery our plan was to labor at home as long as I could.  We live SUPER close to the hospital, so we weren't worried about delivering the baby in the car or at home.  It was going really well laboring at home,  in hind sight I would have stayed there longer, but as the contractions were getting 2 minutes apart we headed out.  It was 7:00 pm at that point.  When we got all checked in, which seemed to take forever, the nurse checked me and I was dilated to a 4-5.  So here we go.  She left us alone for the most part, which was nice...although she was a great nurse!  I did not want to labor in the bed, so she would listen to the baby for 10 minutes and then let me get back up for the next hour.  I really think that is the worst thing to have to labor while being hooked up to the fetal monitor and trying to keep a stupid heart rate monitor on your own finger.  Dan was a great support the whole time.  I would say I did a pretty good job throughout the majority of the labor, but toward the end - which didn't seem toward the end at the time, I went a little nuts. "I can't do this anymore, I want an epidural!" I said that more than once, more like screamed instead of said.  Dan reassured me that I in fact could do it and that I was already doing it. Thank goodness for his calming presence.  I'm not sure why I even asked for an epidural when it was obviously WAAAY to late for one.  Around 9:45 the nurse checked me again and I was fully dilated, however Peter was not moving down the birth canal.  (He was posterior)  The nurse wanted me to "work" through a few contractions to see if he would come down.  I thought, lady you must be crazy!  I'm not gonna sit here at 10 centimeters dilated and wait for him to decide to come down, can't I push him down??  It was funny, she looked at me like, huh, yeah we could try that.  It worked.  He had come down far enough to call the doctor in at 10:30.  Pushed a few times with the doc and out he came.  Sweet relief!!!  Nothing feels so good as that moment of having the baby out of my body!!!  He was 7 lbs 13 oz, 20.5 inches long, born at 11:09 pm.  I got to hold him for a long time, he was healthy-what a blessing.  Such a different experience from Ruby being whisked away to the NICU.  The nurse commented over and over what a great team Dan and I were.  I literally hung on him during each contraction for a good two hours.  The next day he woke up really sore - I think it surprised him, I said honey you were holding up a 200 pound woman (there I said it) for hours!  Of course you are sore...but I am more sore :)  My sister asked me soon after the delivery if I would go natural again.  It was a really good question at the time.  I couldn't give her an answer-being that it was SO painful.  But looking back, yes I would/hopefully will do it again.  I didn't have some spiritual awakening about the natural birthing process, how powerful I felt or how beautiful it was, sorry. Only that I think our bodies are designed to do it, we can handle it, and so I wanted to give it a go.  I love and am very grateful for modern medicine, hello I had a baby in the NICU for 12 days!  However I do think sometimes they complicate things that were not meant to be complicated.

First good photo of our handsome boy

 Anyway, that was it!  Now we have two kids, how crazy is that.  I have had a few quiet moments to think about that over the last month.  And although when they are both crying at the same time, or one is hungry and the other wants me to play and the house is a mess and the doorbell rings and I realize I haven't put on a bra yet and yes it is 2:00 pm and I am still in my pjs and WHY did you ring the doorbell when my 20 month old is napping - I think, whose life is this??, I'm so happy that it is mine.

First father/son photo after the son was fully dressed.

I love LOVE this picture of him, so sweet and handsome!

My mom came out to see us late that night to meet her grandson.

Great Grandma with Peter Nolan.  Nolan is my grandpa - her husband's name.

Cooking with Grandma! While we were at the hospital.

During Ruby's first meeting with her baby brother.  Notice we don't have any pictures of them together, there is a reason for that!

So sweet, I love this picture too!

There is no place like home!

Dan is already newborn multi-tasking.

Here is the first photo of Peter and Ruby...Notice my mom is holding Peter at a safe distance.  Ruby is so fast you really have to be on your toes!