Happy Birthday, Elliott! (Birth story and PiP)

I was on this board a little before DS was born, but I never shared by birth story...so here it goes: 

My EDD was 12/23. 6 days later, on 12/29/10, I started having contractions, which became pretty regular by mid afternoon. I was out shopping with my mom, so I made her drive home because the contractions were making me nervous to drive. (I was afraid I?d go into labor while driving down the road! Ha.) By 7pm, the contractions were coming about 7 minutes apart and so DH and I headed to the hospital. The nurse checked me, and told me I was about 3cm dilated. She hooked me up to the fetal monitors for ?observation?, which lasted for about 2 hours. Around 9:30, I was officially admitted to the hospital, and was just about 4cm dilated.  I wasn?t quite in active labor yet, but at 41 weeks, they figured they?d better keep me. My OB told me it?d likely be a long road, and told me if I wanted to eat something, go ahead. I sent DH out for Subway.

The hospital I delivered at is small, and was BUSY, so there weren?t any birthing rooms available (there are only 4), so I was in a recovery room during the begining of my labor. Around 11 pm, I asked to go to the whirlpool. Nobody had been in to check me, but I could tell my contractions were getting a little more powerful and much closer together. I got in the whirlpool tub, and relaxed a little?but the contractions just kept getting more intense. I finally couldn?t take the pain, and asked for some pain meds. The nurse asked me to wait until they got me into the birthing room, which was about 30 minutes later. When she went to check me, I was 10 cm. I had gotten through labor drug-free, ACCIDENTLY!

I got one dose of Stadol (sp?) because I insisted I couldn?t do it drug-free any more. About 45 minutes of pushing later, and Elliott Kade was born at 1:32am on 12/30. He was 6lbs 9oz, and 19inches long.

I suppose after 4 hour labor with baby #1, I should set up shop at the hospital for #2 around 39 weeks?

Here are some pictures of the little guy:

Brand new:

A few weeks old:

11 months

Family Christmas