Welcome Nolan Jeffrey...

Our little man was born on October 2nd at 2:16 am.  He weighed in at 8 lb 5 oz and 20 inches long.  He's beautiful and such an amazingly good baby.  I went to my 38 week appointment and requested the induction.  I was still scared of a big headed baby and possible c-section.  There really wasn't a great reason to worry and I doubted the need for induction as September 30th came closer.  We arranged for Jeff's parents to watch our girls that evening and next day.  Unfortunately about the time they arrived for their duty I received a phone call saying the hospital was busy with spontaneous labor patients and couldn't fit us in.  They offered to try for 10 pm and would call us at 9 pm to let us know.  We waited and were again told they couldn't do it.  They said they'd move us to 7:30 am and promised not to "bump" us again.  We went to bed and neither Jeff nor I slept very good that night with nerves and excitement.  But 6:30 am came and another phone call saying it just wasn't possible but that we would be the first person they called when it could be done.  We went for a walk around the neighborhood to blow of steam as it was getting old at that point.  Jeff's parents had stayed the night.  We got a call at 10:30 am asking if we could be there by 11:30 am and agreed to this.

We arrived at the labor and delivery unit and were checked in.  Our nurse was great and they had a student/intern following her around who did my IV and catheter (both were fine although I worried a little).  They started me on pitocin and everything was cruising along just fine.  Around 12:30 pm one of Dr B's colleagues was up at the hospital breaking another patients water and Dr B requested he also do mine.  Once this was done the contractions were harder and more uncomfortable. My parents were up to visit and we sat around and small talked.  Jeff would watch the monitor and point out when I was having a contraction (haha as if I couldn't tell from the discomfort/pain).  He would time them out on the monitor and give me estimate for next one and then watch my face for the reaction.  Kind of funny and kind of annoying.  I wanted to put off the epidural and made it until about 4:30 before asking for it.  I was only dilated to a 3 or 4 at that point.  Once again having the epidural placed was the worst part of the whole experience.  I don't think it was placed quite right as they said I should have warm tingle down my leg and I didn't.  So they anesthesiologist pushed or wiggled it around...ouch.  But once it was done I didn't notice the contractions so much.

Around 10 or 10:30 pm they checked and I was dilated to a 9+ but Nolan wasn't dropping very well.  They waited for a "lip" of my cervix to finish dilating and checking his position.  The new nurse wasn't as great as the first and couldn't tell which direction he was facing entirely.  She guessed that he was not face down and that he was facing kind of sideways/diagonal towards my left hip.  She had me do some trial pushes to see if he would move or drop and he didn't.  So we tried some different laying positions to see if maybe he would shift direction on his own.  He didn't.  So around 1:30 am she contacted Dr B with the update and Dr B decided to come in and probably manually turn him and use suction.  At this time my right leg started feeling a little tingly and my feet in general did not feel numb like I thought they should.  The nurse put me off a little when I asked if it was normal.  Then I started having definite feeling of contractions and back pain.  I'm sure they were not anything like they would have been without the epidural but they hurt quite a bit (equal or worse to when I asked for the epidural) and also just made me really nervous it would wear off more and I'd be in full labor/birth without it.  The nurse had me turn on my side and hug the pillow while she went to hopefully find the anesthesiologist again.  I cried and pushed the manual button which would cover or take the edge off of the first contraction but the following one (a couple minutes later) would kill as there was a 5 minute delay on the button.  Luckily they caught him before he went into a c-section and he was able to give me a "booster" that put the epidural back into full effect.  My mom came in to check on progress and I told her Dr B was on his way.  My sister had gone home already just barely so my parents were the only ones still there.  I told my mom she was welcome to be in the room but that it might be a little awkward with my dad there.  Of course he would have understood.

Dr B arrived and I'm guessing manually turned Nolan and placed the suction on his head, although I don't remember this.  My mom was standing up by my head next to Jeff and they were having me push when my dad came in.  He had been separated or locked out so missed connecting with my mom.  I didn't care at that point and just told him he was fine to stay but just to stand by my mom.  It didn't matter to me at the time and now I'm really grateful he was able to be there.  I'm glad both of my parents could share that with us.  They had me push three times with each contraction and I could feel the pressure as Nolan was crowning but not the pain.  It seemed to take a while and the last contraction/pushing did begin to hurt and it felt like we were getting nowhere.  Then he was born and they placed him on my chest with my hospital gown to cover him up.  He was perfect and beautiful and covered in goo.  It was a great moment and tearful.  Then they took him to measure and clean off while I was stitched up.

So he's here and he's wonderful and we are doing great as a family.  The girls were thrilled to come and meet him.  They've both been a little extra whiney lately but hopefully that will lessen with time and a new routine to settle into.  They like to hold him and snuggle up to him.

Nolan at a follow up appointment for jaundice.  The glow might be the lights or the jaundice but it's one of my favorite pictures so far.