My birth story - PIP (2redtulips)

2redtulips · August 2014

Note: Edited to remove name and pics.

Hello, all. Thank you for the good wishes this week about the arrival of Baby Tulips. Labor story below. (Note: I will edit this post in a week or so to take out photos and his name for privacy reasons.)

Short version:

Baby R. was born on Sunday, August 10 at 12:52 p.m. after 14 hours of labor and 2.5 hours of pushing. He was 7 lbs. 13 oz. at birth. He is a sweetheart and we are loving getting to know our little boy. (His middle name is after my late grandfather.) He arrived two days after his due date. My grandmother had predicted that he would arrive on the day of the full moon (a supermoon, no less), and she was right!

Long version:

After dinner Saturday night, I laid down in bed to rest for a little while. Then I joined DH in the TV room around 8 p.m. and told him my back was hurting. I didn't realize at first that my back was actually hurting in regular intervals. About two hours in, the pain was getting much worse and we were able to time it. I never felt pain in the front at all - my contractions were all back labor - and I was taken completely by surprise at that. By about 12:30 a.m., they were about 4 minutes apart and a minute in duration, so we headed to the hospital.

At the hospital, the contractions increased in intensity. Back labor is no joke! I asked for the epidural sooner than I thought I would, and I am so glad I did. It helped immediately, and it allowed me to get some rest. Both DH and I slept for awhile while the contractions did their work, and I was finally ready to push around 10:30 a.m. I pushed for 2.5 hours, and that part was intense. Again the epidural helped a lot, but it was an exertion for sure. (Edited to add: His head was 14 inches and he came out with his hand up by his head, which is part of why pushing was so strenuous.)

When the baby finally came out and they laid him on my chest, I can't even begin to explain the feeling. Pure joy. Seeing his face for the first time after carrying him for so many months was incredible.

His Apgar scores were good (8/9), but he had a little fluid in his lungs, so he spent the first few hours in the NICU. DH went with him and then we were finally able to introduce him to family after that.

I have to say, my DH amazed me! He was so calm and incredibly supportive throughout the whole process. I am getting choked up now thinking about it. He was truly wonderful, and I feel so lucky to be sharing this experience with him. He has also been awesome with the baby so far.

Now that we're home, we're working out a new routine. Baby is eating well and he's already a pro burper.

I am sure he'll appreciate knowing that when he's older.

I also want to thank the PGAL community. You have all been wonderfully supportive, and I will miss posting here. I will be lurking, though, and I look forward to seeing everyone over on PAL when your rainbows arrive as well.

Sorry the photos are upside down. I am too tired to try to fix it right now.