My due date was Saturday, September 27th. I've never naturally gone into labor, and never on my due date or before. This summer, we found out that Adam was scheduled to have some work training my last week of pregnancy that he couldn't get out of. We really didn't think much of it. His last day of training was on the 28th and then I could have the baby anytime after that.
Monday, the 22nd, I had plans with some of my friends to go out to dinner. One last girls night before the baby came. It was fun and relaxing. Always a great time with these friends. After dinner I thought to myself, that girls night was done and that I could have the baby at anytime now. We were all standing outside at The Village and as we were walking away, my friend Brittney told me that I needed to keep her updated and that if anything happened that I needed to let her know. Then all of my other friends said the same thing. Being funny I asked them if they wanted texts even if it was 3 in the morning. They all said yes, even at 3 in the morning. Okay, if thats what they wanted, and so I agreed. It really didn't matter, nothing was going to happen at 3 in the morning. I'll be induced and I'll let them all know ahead of time.
I got home around 11pm and finally drifted off to sleep around midnight. It felt like I had only been asleep for and hour when I heard the small little voice of Addison who had awoken. When I heard her voice, my eyes opened up and at that same moment I felt a trickle down my leg. 'What the heck was that?' was my thought as I now sat up. I put Addison in bed with Adam and I went into the bathroom. My underwear was wet, but not like a gush of water that you so often hear about when referencing "water breaking". I was confused, was this it? I couldn't tell. I wiped, I moved around, and I just kept trickling. I came back into the bedroom and told Adam that I thought my water broke...then I looked at the clock. It was 3:30am. Isn't that crazy. Just a few short hours before, I was joking with friends about texting them at 3 in the morning if anything were to happen.
Adam rolled over, and said, "are you serious?" I told him what had just happened in the bathroom and that it just keeps trickling. I think at this point I was in a state of shock. This had never happened before. I had never been early, and I had never gone into labor on my own. What were the chances? I started to get nervous, and when I say nervous, I mean the antsy, giddy, funny kind of nervous. I had packed the baby's bag but not a bag for me. Even though my girls had asked to help me pack a few nights before, I thought it would be a waste of time. Now, I was throwing together a bag at 3:30am. I thought I better take a shower considering I probably wouldn't have a chance once things got going.
I kept worrying about the girls. We had talked about the chance that I would go into labor at night but a part of me wanted to wake them. Addison was already awake, I guess I was making to much noise. (she never went back up to her bed) I hadn't really made arrangements for them except for a few friends that said they'd have them. My friend Sheila was always on call for me, but even then, I really didn't think I would go into labor on my own, in the middle of the night.
At 4:30am, I sent a text to my friend Sheila. She is an early riser and was hoping she would be up. Nothing really had started as far as contractions go, but wanted her to be ready. We chatted for a little bit and decided for her to come over at 5:30am. I called the hospital and they said that once my water had broken I needed to come in to be monitored. I probably could of stayed home just a little longer but I was nervous at how fast things might progress considering this was my 4th. Sheila came, and we talked for a few minutes about the girls and getting them off to school and made arraignments for after school. Still, no contractions...well, maybe a few here and there but nothing urgent. And off to the hospital we went.
We got to the hospital around 6-6:15am. I was taken to a triage room to make sure my water had really broken. Really, they needed to check. I'm pretty sure I would be able to tell if I was wetting myself or not but the nurse said that ladies make that mistake all the time. The baby was monitored, my blood pressure was monitored, and sure enough, my water had broken. I was in triage until about 7:30 and was then taken to the delivery room and met my nurse. This was it, I was having a baby today.
One of the last pictures taken of me pregnant with our sweet baby boy Hudson.
So, we get settled into out room, and the nurse is explaining everything to us. I could tell contractions were getting stronger but still mild and very manageable. At this point I was still tying up loose ends with the girls and finally by 8:30am they were all squared away. Thank goodness for a very best friend who had her babysitter watch Addison for the morning, and then took the rest of the day off to help with Molly. What a relief!! And at that point I think my mind and body knew that I could "peacefully" have this baby. I had talked to my sister here and there and also called my dad. It really was time to have the baby. I started walking the halls and my contractions were getting stronger and closer together. I still couldn't believe this was happening and that my body was doing exactly what it was suppose to do.
After walking up and down the halls for only about 1/2 an hour, I wanted to go back to our room and lay down. We got back to the room and I started to have some really painful ones. I had to stop and really focus to get through them. This was around 9am. I got onto the bed and managed to get through some more, this time on my hands and knees rocking and pulling at the sheets and blankets. Adam was such a trooper too. I really hadn't ever been in labor like this before. I had always been induced and given an epidural before the pain got to bad. I was nervous this time around, about getting an epidural too soon and possibly slowing down labor. Anyway, I really didn't know what I'd want or how I would react. Turns out, I really don't like to be touched or messed with while having contractions. So really, all Adam could do was sit back and watch and just talk to me.
At about 9:30am the nurse came in to check on me. We talked about my contractions. She also checked me and I was at 4cm. At my last appointment I was at 3cm so to hear that I was only at 4cm was kind of a let down considering all the hard contractions I was having. She said that I could get the epidural at anytime. Again, I was nervous about my labor slowing down and not progressing with an epidural so I told her I'd wait it out a little longer.
Heres where things getting a little hazy for me. BAM...just like that contractions are unbearable and I am dying. I do this for about 15 minutes and then Adam said, "Keely, we are getting you an epidural!" and then he called the nurse.
They started getting me all ready for the epidural. I seriously was having an out of body experience at this point. I was hearing everything that was going on around me but I was in my own painful world of contractions. It took everything I had to get through them. I heard the doc come in and get everything he needed ready. At this point I was shaking...the kind of shaking that happens during transition or when you body is ready to push. I was really nervous. Just remember thinking, 'I hope they don't check me (thinking I was fully dilated) so I can still get this epidural' They then sat me up and I became very nauseous and then I throw up. I seriously thought I was going to have the baby right then and so did my nurse. She called another nurse to come in and get the baby bed ready. I finally get the epidural in and I lay back down.
Working through more contractions, my nurse checked me again and I was at 6cm. I thought for sure I was further along than that. Oh well, I got the epidural. I was waiting for the contractions to die down a little, but my right side was not numbing up...AT ALL. I could still feel the pain in the right side of my body. I kept pushing the epidural button but I wasn't getting any relief. And thats what it was like until I got this really intense feeling that I needed to push. The pressure was unbearable. I never understood why women couldn't keep from pushing...now I do. That was the hardest thing, not pushing. At this point she checked me and I was at 9 1/2 cm. There was just a little lip of cervix left that just wasn't budging. I was still in so much pain, but only on one side, and still the pressure and feeling to push was unbearable. The nurse asked if I wanted to get the epidural redone and i said no because I was already at 91/2 cm and didn't think it would be much longer. I tried everything to move that baby down and get that last 1/2 cm gone. The nursed tried to push it back with contractions and I got on all fours and tried to rock and sway. Nothing was helping.
Finally, the nurse said that she was going to get anesthesiology down to get me some relief. I just laid there moaning, not even talking to anyone. The anesthesiologist got to my room within a few minutes. It was a different doctor than who originally put my epidural in. He did something that numbed me up completely and I was so thankful. I was so relaxed after that that I passed out. I was so tired and relieved that I fell asleep for a little while. I remember that nurse turning down the lights and saying to Adam that I should just rest until this baby comes.
I've lost track of time at this point. I don't know what time I got the epidural boost or how long I'd been sleeping, but now I'm awake and smiling!! Epidurals are amazing!!!
At around 1pm we get a visit from the doctor. He says he's going to check to see where baby was. He checked and then said, "lets have a baby!"
Yay!!! It was time.
It's always so exciting when the room is getting set up, and the doctor is getting ready. Next thing I know, I was pushing. At one point while pushing, the nurse said she thought this was going to be a big baby. She even guessed 10 pounds. I knew better than that. I pushed for 3 contractions.
Welcome to the world Hudson Sprague
6lbs 4oz
1:27pm
It. Was. Amazing.
Pregnancy, labor, delivery...its all amazing!
My SON!!! Im still in shock. He was the most perfect baby I'd ever seen...just like his sisters!
First family picture. Molly called dibs on holding Hudson first since Elley got to hold Addison first. She is our little sentimental girl. She loved to touch and feel my belly. She loved it when Hudson kicked. She always got this excited look and she knew he was excited to meet her. When the girls came to meet him for the first time, I was laying in bed with Hudson on my chest. Everyone smiled and walked in, except Molly. She stopped at the door and just looked at me for a moment. I think she was trying to take it all in. With tears streaming down both our faces, she came and snuggled into me and Hudson. It was the most tender moment in motherhood I'd ever experienced. She knew how precious that one moment was. She knew how special this boy was, straight from Heaven. She could feel the spirit and so could I. I will never forget that moment...ever.
First bath
He is the most perfect baby ever. The whole experience was just beautiful. I will forever miss being pregnant, (even the bad moments) the excitement of labor, and the fulfillment of delivery. He definitely is the icing on the cake.
