I snapped this photo on Nic's iphone and it is one of my favorites. 
Friday, September 28, 2012
Newborn Photo Shoot
On Sunday, August 26th, Jade Brookbank from the Letter B Photography came to our house to do Hudson's newborn photos. We did a couple with the grandparents first, then Hudson's by himself, then some with Nic and I. It was a really long and somewhat stressful day for me so I can only imagine that it was exhausting for Hudson. Looking back, I wish I had scheduled a second photo shoot for photos with the grandparents and Nic and I. It was just way too much to try and squeeze into one day. I love how Hudson's individual pictures turned out, but I didn't really get what I wanted out of mine and Nic's photos and the grandparent photos mainly because we just didn't have enough time. The bummer is that they grow so fast that once I saw the pictures and realized I wanted more he was already big and not "new" anymore. I do love the pictures we have though and I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. I am so in love with this little guy!!
Going Home from the Hospital
We left the hospital around 3ish. Sabrina took a few photos of us before she left and one of the nurses took a couple of photos as well. I put Hudson in his adorable Born in 2012 outfit. The outfit was size 1 month and was really baggy on him. After I dressed him, the nurse showed us how to put him in his car seat. He wasn't overly thrilled and immediately started clawing at his face (*Next time I will bring baby mitts to the hospital). The photos I snapped make me laugh so hard. I feel like Hudson looks terrified that they are letting him go home with us.
It was a bit surreal being wheeled out of the hospital knowing we were going home with our baby. I couldn't help but think back to November 14th, 2011 (a little over 9 months earlier) when I was being wheeled down the very same path after my surgery to help with my fertility problems. I still can't believe how fortunate we were that the surgery was a success and I was able to get pregnant so quickly after. We feel so blessed.
We hopped in the car and began the drive home. Nic and I just kind of looked at each other and smiled in disbelief. Hudson was so good, he slept the entire drive home.
When we pulled up to the house at 4:45 the construction workers were still there! I was so annoyed! I wanted to bring my newborn into a calm, construction free house and didn't want to deal with a bunch of random people. Nic called his parents so they could talk to the workers. The workers promised they would be out of the house in 10 minutes, so we ran an errand to get a few things we needed from Buy Buy Baby. We came back home about 20-30 minutes later and the workers were still there!! Hudson was starting to wake up and he was ready to eat. He had also done that poop that we joked he would do on the drive home so he needed his diaper changed. I was really getting worked up about it. We ended up driving around our neighborhood stalling until they finally left!! Needless to say, it wasn't exactly how I pictured bringing my baby home from the hospital going. By the time they finally left Hudson was upset and so was I. We tried to calm down and make it a joyful, calm experience. We took Hudson up to show him his room. I changed him and we tried to get a few pictures, but he was less than thrilled. It was a bit of a rough day, but we were still all happy to be home and hopefully Hudson gets used to and ends up liking his home.
It was a bit surreal being wheeled out of the hospital knowing we were going home with our baby. I couldn't help but think back to November 14th, 2011 (a little over 9 months earlier) when I was being wheeled down the very same path after my surgery to help with my fertility problems. I still can't believe how fortunate we were that the surgery was a success and I was able to get pregnant so quickly after. We feel so blessed.
We hopped in the car and began the drive home. Nic and I just kind of looked at each other and smiled in disbelief. Hudson was so good, he slept the entire drive home.
When we pulled up to the house at 4:45 the construction workers were still there! I was so annoyed! I wanted to bring my newborn into a calm, construction free house and didn't want to deal with a bunch of random people. Nic called his parents so they could talk to the workers. The workers promised they would be out of the house in 10 minutes, so we ran an errand to get a few things we needed from Buy Buy Baby. We came back home about 20-30 minutes later and the workers were still there!! Hudson was starting to wake up and he was ready to eat. He had also done that poop that we joked he would do on the drive home so he needed his diaper changed. I was really getting worked up about it. We ended up driving around our neighborhood stalling until they finally left!! Needless to say, it wasn't exactly how I pictured bringing my baby home from the hospital going. By the time they finally left Hudson was upset and so was I. We tried to calm down and make it a joyful, calm experience. We took Hudson up to show him his room. I changed him and we tried to get a few pictures, but he was less than thrilled. It was a bit of a rough day, but we were still all happy to be home and hopefully Hudson gets used to and ends up liking his home.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Day 2 in the Hospital
To start off the second day in the hospital, I had the exact same delicious breakfast that I had the day before. It was a very busy and stressful morning. I had fed Hudson around 4am, so I was anxiously waiting for him that morning. When my nurse walked in at 7 without him I asked her where the heck he was. Apparently the pediatrician was there and was performing his circumcision. We nervously waited for him to be brought in and in the meantime we had a visit from my doctor, a visit from a photography company, and a visit from the birth certificate/social security lady. While we were waiting, Nic also surprised me with a gift or "push present." It was a beautiful silver necklace with a pendant with an H on it and Hudson's birthstone, peridot. It was such a sweet and meaningful gift. I seriously have the best husband in the world!!
Finally around 9 or 10am they brought our little man back. He was sound asleep and we were told by the pediatrician he had done extremely well and hadn't even cried during the procedure. I was concerned about him going so long without eating, so I woke him up and tried feeding him right away. He was super sleepy and wouldn't eat, so I called the nurses and asked them about it. They said it was really normal for him to be sleepy after the procedure and said not to worry about him not eating. Since he wasn't eating, he went off for his repeat hearing test. (He had failed the right side the day before). He thankfully passed the test the second time!!
Sabrina came by to visit in the afternoon on her way to the airport. We had been told by my doctor that I was ok to leave and the pediatrician said we could leave that afternoon as well. Even though they said they should monitor Hudson for 48 hours after birth they said he was doing well so we were ok to go. She did mention he was slightly jaundice, but she said it was so minimal it was nothing to worry about. We spent the afternoon hanging out (honestly we were stalling because we knew we didn't want to rush home to a house full of construction).Hudson was pretty sleepy all day, but the nurses kept telling us it was from his procedure and totally normal. By the afternoon they were kind of hinting that it was time for us to go, so we started packing up. We told our contractor we would be home around 4:30 and asked that they be gone by then and he assured us they would be gone well before then.
Before we left we asked the nurses about Hudson not pooping all day (I was still concerned about him not really eating well all day and figured not pooping was a result of that). They said it was normal and he would probably end up pooping in the car ride home. We debated about me trying to feed him early before we left or waiting until we got home and decided on the latter because he still seemed sleepy and we didn't want to hit too much Friday night traffic.
Finally around 9 or 10am they brought our little man back. He was sound asleep and we were told by the pediatrician he had done extremely well and hadn't even cried during the procedure. I was concerned about him going so long without eating, so I woke him up and tried feeding him right away. He was super sleepy and wouldn't eat, so I called the nurses and asked them about it. They said it was really normal for him to be sleepy after the procedure and said not to worry about him not eating. Since he wasn't eating, he went off for his repeat hearing test. (He had failed the right side the day before). He thankfully passed the test the second time!!
Sabrina came by to visit in the afternoon on her way to the airport. We had been told by my doctor that I was ok to leave and the pediatrician said we could leave that afternoon as well. Even though they said they should monitor Hudson for 48 hours after birth they said he was doing well so we were ok to go. She did mention he was slightly jaundice, but she said it was so minimal it was nothing to worry about. We spent the afternoon hanging out (honestly we were stalling because we knew we didn't want to rush home to a house full of construction).Hudson was pretty sleepy all day, but the nurses kept telling us it was from his procedure and totally normal. By the afternoon they were kind of hinting that it was time for us to go, so we started packing up. We told our contractor we would be home around 4:30 and asked that they be gone by then and he assured us they would be gone well before then.
Before we left we asked the nurses about Hudson not pooping all day (I was still concerned about him not really eating well all day and figured not pooping was a result of that). They said it was normal and he would probably end up pooping in the car ride home. We debated about me trying to feed him early before we left or waiting until we got home and decided on the latter because he still seemed sleepy and we didn't want to hit too much Friday night traffic.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Day 1 in the Hospital
The nurses told me I must have had a really easy labor because my pain level afterwards was a 4 and it only got to a 3 during the entire delivery. I decided that they should keep the epidural in for the first 24 hours after you give birth. I am being a bit dramatic, it wasn't that bad, but it was definitely the most painful part of the entire process.
When I first got up to go to the bathroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror I was pretty surprised by the size of my belly. I had read that when you leave the hospital you usually look about six months pregnant, but that first night, I looked exactly like I had when I checked into the hospital.
By the time our visitors left, they gave Hudson his first bath and moved me to our new room, it was so late at night. Nic finally left around midnight to get us food. I just held Hudson and stared at him the entire time Nic was gone. Once Nic got back with some food, Hudson woke up to eat. We had every intention of keeping the little guy in our room over night, but by 1:30am when I still hadn't eaten and realized how exhausted I was, we decided it was better if we sent him to the nursery so I could get something to eat and we could both get some rest. I ate some Taco Bell (the only thing open in the area that late at night) then we had Velvet cupcakes (Rachelle brought them and man were they delicious!) and milk. We both actually got some sleep that night and I must admit that the first time the nurses came in and said, "We have your baby for you" I thought I was dreaming. I have a baby?!!! So crazy.
(Here is the video of Hudson's first bath):
On Thursday morning, I had a surprisingly delicious breakfast of french toast, scrambled eggs, and hot chocolate.
Then I had a busy day of trying to learn how to breastfeed, trying to fit in a sitz bath and shower, and squeezing in a bunch of visits too. Our first visitors were my Oma and Opa. Hudson's great-grandparents. They brought flowers and said how beautiful Hudson is. I could hear them in the hallway before and after visiting with us bragging to all the nurses that they were coming to meet their first great-grandchild. :)
Next Sheri stopped by. Then my mom and sister came and hung out for most of the day. My dad stopped by after work.
Right when they took Hudson away for the nurse shift change, Rachelle, Judy, Uncle Eddie, Aunt Lynette, Brooke and Jeffrey came by to visit. The shift change took forever and Hudson was asleep when they brought him back so they didn't get to spend much time with him.
Nic spent the day racing home to buy all the hardware for our kitchen drawers and cupboards. He ended up having to go to three different stores to get enough. He also had to do a bunch of errands around the house and squeeze in a shower before racing back to the hospital to be with the little man and me. Needless to say, it was a very exhausting day for both of us.
When I first got up to go to the bathroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror I was pretty surprised by the size of my belly. I had read that when you leave the hospital you usually look about six months pregnant, but that first night, I looked exactly like I had when I checked into the hospital.
By the time our visitors left, they gave Hudson his first bath and moved me to our new room, it was so late at night. Nic finally left around midnight to get us food. I just held Hudson and stared at him the entire time Nic was gone. Once Nic got back with some food, Hudson woke up to eat. We had every intention of keeping the little guy in our room over night, but by 1:30am when I still hadn't eaten and realized how exhausted I was, we decided it was better if we sent him to the nursery so I could get something to eat and we could both get some rest. I ate some Taco Bell (the only thing open in the area that late at night) then we had Velvet cupcakes (Rachelle brought them and man were they delicious!) and milk. We both actually got some sleep that night and I must admit that the first time the nurses came in and said, "We have your baby for you" I thought I was dreaming. I have a baby?!!! So crazy.
(Here is the video of Hudson's first bath):
On Thursday morning, I had a surprisingly delicious breakfast of french toast, scrambled eggs, and hot chocolate.
Then I had a busy day of trying to learn how to breastfeed, trying to fit in a sitz bath and shower, and squeezing in a bunch of visits too. Our first visitors were my Oma and Opa. Hudson's great-grandparents. They brought flowers and said how beautiful Hudson is. I could hear them in the hallway before and after visiting with us bragging to all the nurses that they were coming to meet their first great-grandchild. :)
Next Sheri stopped by. Then my mom and sister came and hung out for most of the day. My dad stopped by after work.
Right when they took Hudson away for the nurse shift change, Rachelle, Judy, Uncle Eddie, Aunt Lynette, Brooke and Jeffrey came by to visit. The shift change took forever and Hudson was asleep when they brought him back so they didn't get to spend much time with him.
Nic spent the day racing home to buy all the hardware for our kitchen drawers and cupboards. He ended up having to go to three different stores to get enough. He also had to do a bunch of errands around the house and squeeze in a shower before racing back to the hospital to be with the little man and me. Needless to say, it was a very exhausting day for both of us.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
The Birth Story
We got to the hospital at 8pm and it felt a bit like checking into a hotel. We walked in with our bags and were greeted by a nurse who let us in and showed us to our room. I changed into a gown, gave a urine sample, got my IV hooked up and got me and the baby hooked up to the contraction and heart rate monitors. They started fluids and medicine because I was Strep B positive, and checked how dilated I was. I was really hoping I would be more dilated than at my appointment the day before, but was still only 2cm dilated and 50% effaced. After talking with my doctor, the nurse had me take cytotec at 9:30pm.
We watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall while we waited for something to happen. The nurse informed me that the plan was for me to take the cytotec every 4 hours and then start pitocin at 7am. When the nurse came in at 12:45 she informed me that I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes and that as long as the contractions stayed steady like that they wouldn't give me more cytotec. The cramps only felt like slight period cramps and I had a tiny bit of back pain (although that might have been from the uncomfortable bed). My pain level (which was at a 0 for quite a while) was at 1 at that point (mainly because I figured I had to say at least 1 since I felt something), but I barely felt the contractions. It felt very similar to when I went to the hospital for my pre-term contractions. After we finished Forgetting Sarah Marshall, we decided we should try to get some sleep. Nic had to sleep in a reclining chair so I'm sure he got a pretty bad night of sleep. My hospital bed was a bit uncomfortable, the room was a bit cold and the nurse kept waking me up every so often when she would come in to check on me. Overall though, I slept pretty comfortably considering.
By 7:20, a new nurse came in and checked me again. She said I was about 1-2cm dilated. I about had a heart attack!! Was I going backwards?! I told her both my doctor and the other nurse had said I was at 2cm and she said it was a generous 2. :( She did say that my cervix was much softer though and she started the pitocin.
At 8:25, Dr. Nelson came in and broke my water. It was so weird! It felt like I had peed all over myself, but with jacuzzi water. Nic said I had such a weird look on my face when it happened. Then water just kept pouring out, especially whenever I would laugh. She also inserted a contraction monitor and did an ultrasound to check baby's position. He was straight up and down with his back facing out and his head down, so he was in the right position. Thank goodness!! Dr. Nelson said I was now closer to 3cm dilated and mentioned that now that my water had been broken the contractions should get quite a bit stronger and more painful. She wanted them to be above 60% each time. So we watched the monitor and every contraction started to go above the mark. I still wasn't in pain and actually thought the contractions were kind of cool. I would tell Nic when I thought I was having one and he would confirm on the monitor. I think during the contractions, I was maybe at a 3 pain wise, but still nothing bad and nothing like I imagined.
Dr. Nelson and the nurse had mentioned that I could get my epidural at any point and the nurse reminded me that if I waited until I absolutely had to have it the anesthesiologist may not be available at that point as she has surgeries, etc. I really wanted to wait as long as possible because I had heard the epidural slows things down, plus I kind of wanted to see what all this labor pain was about since so far it had been so easy. The nurse came by around 10 and mentioned that the anesthesiologist was administering an epidural for someone else and recommended that I get mine afterwards while she was here. I figured I must be dilated to a 4 by that point and figured I might as well just get the epidural now.
At 10:20 the epidural was administered. I thought I would be nervous about it, but I wasn't at all. It felt a bit weird and I was a bit paranoid about moving so I held perfectly still the entire procedure. Even when she was just washing the area, etc. She actually made a few comments about the fact that I had held perfectly still during a few rather large contractions and that she wished all her patients could be like me. (Of course the perfectionist/overachiever in me was so happy to have impressed her). The epidural was so cool. I thought it felt bizarre going in, then the trickle down my back and the ice test were all so interesting too. A few minutes later, the nurse put the catheter in and checked my dilation again. She said I was still only 2-3cm and the baby was still high. I was so disappointed! First, I was getting annoyed at how slow I was progressing and Second, I was a bit bummed that I had gotten the epidural so early on. At that point they decided to up the pitocin to move things along. I continued to marvel at the strange sensation of my legs getting fuzzier and heavier. The nurse would come in about every 20 minutes to help me roll over. The first couple of times, I could help roll over (they seemed surprised, so I'm assuming it took longer to kick in because I'm so tall), then all of a sudden, I went to help with the roll over and my second leg just flopped back down of the bed. It made me laugh so hard as I realized I had absolutely no control over it.
We decided to watch the Hangover to kill some more time. Watching comedies was the best idea ever. We spent most of my labor laughing hysterically.
By 1:20pm, I was 80% effaced, 4cm dilated and baby was still high at -2. At least we were finally making some progress!! At this point, they decided to up the pitocin. Sometime in the afternoon, my mom, Sabrina, Susan, Rob and Rachelle came by. Of course my mom Sabrina and Rachelle were cracking tons of jokes and we spent the next couple of hours laughing hysterically.
At 4pm, I was 100% effaced and 6-7cm dilated and the baby was at -1. Things were finally starting to move along. They decided to keep the pitocin the same (36). At that point everyone left to run some errands and Nic and I finished the Hangover. We asked the nurse about how much longer it would be and she said people usually progress about a centimeter an hour.
At 5:35pm, I mentioned to the nurse that I was feeling some pressure down below. She checked me and I was 9 1/2 centimeters dilated and the baby was at +1. I could slightly feel the contractions and during each one I had a slight urge to push. The nurse said whatever I do, do not push until I'm told to since I wasn't fully dilated yet. This was probably the hardest part of the whole process. I again could tell Nic exactly when I was having a contraction because I was having such a strong urge to push. It didn't hurt, but I had to stop talking and completely focus all my energy on not pushing with each contraction. At this point, everyone came back in and we got some photos. When they left again for the waiting room, I realized we were getting really close and the next time I saw them all I would be a mom.
At 6:20, the nurse said I could start pushing. At that moment, this wave of excitement and emotions came over me. After all the waiting and hanging out, it was time for me to actively try and get my baby out. I was a bit nervous! I did terrible the very first push and new it. I could tell exactly what I needed to do and had it down by the second push. It actually felt really good to push. Nic and the nurse were both very encouraging and said they could see the baby making progress with each push, which was exciting to hear. Nic was still cracking jokes constantly. In between pushes he would give me an ice chip and take two for himself and at one point he collapsed onto his recliner and said he was exhausted from all the hard work. All the nurses kind of gasped and waited for me to bite his head off, but when I started cracking up, so did everyone else and I think at that point the nurses realized that it was going to be a lighthearted atmosphere and delivery. Nic also made some other joke with impeccable timing that I for the life of me can't remember, which has been driving me crazy because it was so perfect. My doctor said something about how well everything was going because of the great nurses and how amazing I was pushing and Nic chimed in with something about a loving and supportive husband being the biggest key to how well the labor was going.
Anyways, back to the pushing. At one point, my doctor started putting on all this gear and they placed a big mat on the ground and put my feet in the stirrups. At the point, I realized we must be getting close. I was getting really excited and nervous all at the same time. With every push, I would close my eyes and really focus all my energy into my body and pushing as hard as I could. My doctor kept saying things like "keep going" and "he is so close" and it really inspired me to push as long as I could (sometimes even a few seconds past the 2 sets of 10) and as hard as I could. Nic kept saying that he could see a tiny bit of his head and I could hear all the nurses talking about how he was going to be bald. Apparently Nic could also hear the nurses talking about how his head was never going to fit out of me (luckily I didn't hear that because that probably would have stressed me out). Apparently a part of Hudson's head had caught and was starting to swell. Dr. Nelson and the nurses started talking about what a big cone head he was going to have and we all had a laugh about it. Then (according to Nic) he and Dr. Nelson decided they would give me another push before taking action. Dr. Nelson told me that I wasn't tearing and something about it being too tight down there, so on the next push I ended up with an episiotimy. I again had my eyes closed and was focused on my pushing. All 5 or 6 of the nurses in the room were cheering me on when all of a sudden Dr. Nelson said to stop pushing and one of the nurses told me to look at my baby. (That is the point in the story that chokes me up every time I tell it). I opened my eyes and looked down to see my little boys head! It was the most amazing moment!! It was so strange, but so incredible all at the same time! Then in another second, he kind of just slid out and a few seconds later my little boy was in my arms. Nic and I both had tears in our eyes and just stared in amazement at our son. Hudson Glenn Campbell was born at 7:18pm. He weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces and was 22 inches long. His first apgar score was 8.9 and his second was 9. Dr. Nelson and the nurses kept saying how amazed they were that Hudson's heart rate never dropped once the entire labor. They were especially surprised because of his head getting stuck. We also discovered that he had a big knot in his cord, which made the lack of heart dropping even more surprising.
The next bit of time is all a blur. After Nic cut the cord, they weighed, measured and cleaned Hudson then brought him back to me. Then we tried breastfeeding for the first time, which was super bizarre. Dr. Nelson gave me a hug and told me I had done such a great job, then she admired the little guy and took a photo with us. Before we knew it almost an hour had gone by and we realized no one had gone and told everyone in the waiting room. Nic ran out to deliver the news and tell everyone they could come in to meet the little guy. Nic came back in first and held Hudson for the first time before our families came in. It was pretty amazing and emotional watching my parents, Nic's parents, Sabrina, Rachelle and Judy walk in. Everyone was crying! Hudson got passed around so he could meet everyone. Then we took about a million photos. It was such an amazing night!!
It was a very difficult decision for us, but Nic and I decided that we really wanted the birth of our first child to be shared just between the two of us, but we also really wanted photos of what we knew would be one of the best, most important moment of our lives. So we decided to hire a birth photographer. I know that might seem a bit weird to some people, but we figured there would be a bunch of nurses (strangers) in the room so why not have one more and get pictures of our son's birth. We hired Jade Brookbank, www.theletterbphotography.com, to do our maternity photos, birth photos, newborn photos, 6 month photos, and 1 year photos. She is amazing and we highly recommend her. Hiring her to capture Hudson's birth was the best decision ever! It all happened so fast and seems like a blur already, but every time we look at the photos all the memories and emotions from the day come flooding back. I know we are going to treasure these photos always!!
*On another note, we had a little contest amongst our families to see who could guess Hudson's arrival date and time, weight and height. Justin won the contest. :)
We watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall while we waited for something to happen. The nurse informed me that the plan was for me to take the cytotec every 4 hours and then start pitocin at 7am. When the nurse came in at 12:45 she informed me that I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes and that as long as the contractions stayed steady like that they wouldn't give me more cytotec. The cramps only felt like slight period cramps and I had a tiny bit of back pain (although that might have been from the uncomfortable bed). My pain level (which was at a 0 for quite a while) was at 1 at that point (mainly because I figured I had to say at least 1 since I felt something), but I barely felt the contractions. It felt very similar to when I went to the hospital for my pre-term contractions. After we finished Forgetting Sarah Marshall, we decided we should try to get some sleep. Nic had to sleep in a reclining chair so I'm sure he got a pretty bad night of sleep. My hospital bed was a bit uncomfortable, the room was a bit cold and the nurse kept waking me up every so often when she would come in to check on me. Overall though, I slept pretty comfortably considering.
By 7:20, a new nurse came in and checked me again. She said I was about 1-2cm dilated. I about had a heart attack!! Was I going backwards?! I told her both my doctor and the other nurse had said I was at 2cm and she said it was a generous 2. :( She did say that my cervix was much softer though and she started the pitocin.
At 8:25, Dr. Nelson came in and broke my water. It was so weird! It felt like I had peed all over myself, but with jacuzzi water. Nic said I had such a weird look on my face when it happened. Then water just kept pouring out, especially whenever I would laugh. She also inserted a contraction monitor and did an ultrasound to check baby's position. He was straight up and down with his back facing out and his head down, so he was in the right position. Thank goodness!! Dr. Nelson said I was now closer to 3cm dilated and mentioned that now that my water had been broken the contractions should get quite a bit stronger and more painful. She wanted them to be above 60% each time. So we watched the monitor and every contraction started to go above the mark. I still wasn't in pain and actually thought the contractions were kind of cool. I would tell Nic when I thought I was having one and he would confirm on the monitor. I think during the contractions, I was maybe at a 3 pain wise, but still nothing bad and nothing like I imagined.
Dr. Nelson and the nurse had mentioned that I could get my epidural at any point and the nurse reminded me that if I waited until I absolutely had to have it the anesthesiologist may not be available at that point as she has surgeries, etc. I really wanted to wait as long as possible because I had heard the epidural slows things down, plus I kind of wanted to see what all this labor pain was about since so far it had been so easy. The nurse came by around 10 and mentioned that the anesthesiologist was administering an epidural for someone else and recommended that I get mine afterwards while she was here. I figured I must be dilated to a 4 by that point and figured I might as well just get the epidural now.
At 10:20 the epidural was administered. I thought I would be nervous about it, but I wasn't at all. It felt a bit weird and I was a bit paranoid about moving so I held perfectly still the entire procedure. Even when she was just washing the area, etc. She actually made a few comments about the fact that I had held perfectly still during a few rather large contractions and that she wished all her patients could be like me. (Of course the perfectionist/overachiever in me was so happy to have impressed her). The epidural was so cool. I thought it felt bizarre going in, then the trickle down my back and the ice test were all so interesting too. A few minutes later, the nurse put the catheter in and checked my dilation again. She said I was still only 2-3cm and the baby was still high. I was so disappointed! First, I was getting annoyed at how slow I was progressing and Second, I was a bit bummed that I had gotten the epidural so early on. At that point they decided to up the pitocin to move things along. I continued to marvel at the strange sensation of my legs getting fuzzier and heavier. The nurse would come in about every 20 minutes to help me roll over. The first couple of times, I could help roll over (they seemed surprised, so I'm assuming it took longer to kick in because I'm so tall), then all of a sudden, I went to help with the roll over and my second leg just flopped back down of the bed. It made me laugh so hard as I realized I had absolutely no control over it.
We decided to watch the Hangover to kill some more time. Watching comedies was the best idea ever. We spent most of my labor laughing hysterically.
By 1:20pm, I was 80% effaced, 4cm dilated and baby was still high at -2. At least we were finally making some progress!! At this point, they decided to up the pitocin. Sometime in the afternoon, my mom, Sabrina, Susan, Rob and Rachelle came by. Of course my mom Sabrina and Rachelle were cracking tons of jokes and we spent the next couple of hours laughing hysterically.
At 4pm, I was 100% effaced and 6-7cm dilated and the baby was at -1. Things were finally starting to move along. They decided to keep the pitocin the same (36). At that point everyone left to run some errands and Nic and I finished the Hangover. We asked the nurse about how much longer it would be and she said people usually progress about a centimeter an hour.
At 5:35pm, I mentioned to the nurse that I was feeling some pressure down below. She checked me and I was 9 1/2 centimeters dilated and the baby was at +1. I could slightly feel the contractions and during each one I had a slight urge to push. The nurse said whatever I do, do not push until I'm told to since I wasn't fully dilated yet. This was probably the hardest part of the whole process. I again could tell Nic exactly when I was having a contraction because I was having such a strong urge to push. It didn't hurt, but I had to stop talking and completely focus all my energy on not pushing with each contraction. At this point, everyone came back in and we got some photos. When they left again for the waiting room, I realized we were getting really close and the next time I saw them all I would be a mom.
At 6:20, the nurse said I could start pushing. At that moment, this wave of excitement and emotions came over me. After all the waiting and hanging out, it was time for me to actively try and get my baby out. I was a bit nervous! I did terrible the very first push and new it. I could tell exactly what I needed to do and had it down by the second push. It actually felt really good to push. Nic and the nurse were both very encouraging and said they could see the baby making progress with each push, which was exciting to hear. Nic was still cracking jokes constantly. In between pushes he would give me an ice chip and take two for himself and at one point he collapsed onto his recliner and said he was exhausted from all the hard work. All the nurses kind of gasped and waited for me to bite his head off, but when I started cracking up, so did everyone else and I think at that point the nurses realized that it was going to be a lighthearted atmosphere and delivery. Nic also made some other joke with impeccable timing that I for the life of me can't remember, which has been driving me crazy because it was so perfect. My doctor said something about how well everything was going because of the great nurses and how amazing I was pushing and Nic chimed in with something about a loving and supportive husband being the biggest key to how well the labor was going.
Anyways, back to the pushing. At one point, my doctor started putting on all this gear and they placed a big mat on the ground and put my feet in the stirrups. At the point, I realized we must be getting close. I was getting really excited and nervous all at the same time. With every push, I would close my eyes and really focus all my energy into my body and pushing as hard as I could. My doctor kept saying things like "keep going" and "he is so close" and it really inspired me to push as long as I could (sometimes even a few seconds past the 2 sets of 10) and as hard as I could. Nic kept saying that he could see a tiny bit of his head and I could hear all the nurses talking about how he was going to be bald. Apparently Nic could also hear the nurses talking about how his head was never going to fit out of me (luckily I didn't hear that because that probably would have stressed me out). Apparently a part of Hudson's head had caught and was starting to swell. Dr. Nelson and the nurses started talking about what a big cone head he was going to have and we all had a laugh about it. Then (according to Nic) he and Dr. Nelson decided they would give me another push before taking action. Dr. Nelson told me that I wasn't tearing and something about it being too tight down there, so on the next push I ended up with an episiotimy. I again had my eyes closed and was focused on my pushing. All 5 or 6 of the nurses in the room were cheering me on when all of a sudden Dr. Nelson said to stop pushing and one of the nurses told me to look at my baby. (That is the point in the story that chokes me up every time I tell it). I opened my eyes and looked down to see my little boys head! It was the most amazing moment!! It was so strange, but so incredible all at the same time! Then in another second, he kind of just slid out and a few seconds later my little boy was in my arms. Nic and I both had tears in our eyes and just stared in amazement at our son. Hudson Glenn Campbell was born at 7:18pm. He weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces and was 22 inches long. His first apgar score was 8.9 and his second was 9. Dr. Nelson and the nurses kept saying how amazed they were that Hudson's heart rate never dropped once the entire labor. They were especially surprised because of his head getting stuck. We also discovered that he had a big knot in his cord, which made the lack of heart dropping even more surprising.
The next bit of time is all a blur. After Nic cut the cord, they weighed, measured and cleaned Hudson then brought him back to me. Then we tried breastfeeding for the first time, which was super bizarre. Dr. Nelson gave me a hug and told me I had done such a great job, then she admired the little guy and took a photo with us. Before we knew it almost an hour had gone by and we realized no one had gone and told everyone in the waiting room. Nic ran out to deliver the news and tell everyone they could come in to meet the little guy. Nic came back in first and held Hudson for the first time before our families came in. It was pretty amazing and emotional watching my parents, Nic's parents, Sabrina, Rachelle and Judy walk in. Everyone was crying! Hudson got passed around so he could meet everyone. Then we took about a million photos. It was such an amazing night!!
It was a very difficult decision for us, but Nic and I decided that we really wanted the birth of our first child to be shared just between the two of us, but we also really wanted photos of what we knew would be one of the best, most important moment of our lives. So we decided to hire a birth photographer. I know that might seem a bit weird to some people, but we figured there would be a bunch of nurses (strangers) in the room so why not have one more and get pictures of our son's birth. We hired Jade Brookbank, www.theletterbphotography.com, to do our maternity photos, birth photos, newborn photos, 6 month photos, and 1 year photos. She is amazing and we highly recommend her. Hiring her to capture Hudson's birth was the best decision ever! It all happened so fast and seems like a blur already, but every time we look at the photos all the memories and emotions from the day come flooding back. I know we are going to treasure these photos always!!
*On another note, we had a little contest amongst our families to see who could guess Hudson's arrival date and time, weight and height. Justin won the contest. :)
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Off to the Hospital
So because of the estimated large size of Hudson's head and large weight, our doctor, Nic and I decided that it would be best to induce. She asked us if we had any date preference and although I did, I thought it would be weird to pick Hudson's birthday, so I just said the earliest date possible. She scheduled us in for Tuesday, August 21st at 8pm. My due date. That day went by so fast as Nic and I rushed around trying to get everything ready. It was a bit surreal leaving the house that night and I got super emotional as we pulled out of the driveway. I kept thinking we were leaving just the two of us and coming home with a baby. It was overwhelming finally realizing how much our lives were about to change. Overwhelming in the best way possible!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
40 Weeks
Baby’s Milestones: Baby is officially full-term. A baby born this week will weigh in the neighborhood of 7 1/2 pounds and measure anywhere from 19 to 22 inches. But many babies are smaller or bigger and are perfectly healthy.
My Weight: 177 (I'm up 3 pounds since last week! Hopefully it is just water weight from the swelling, not baby weight!) Total weight gain: 27 pounds
Symptoms: I am still having some contractions and I've been having more cramping . I still have heart burn occasionally and my rib pain is back. I have groin pain and get really stiff when I get up from sitting. I still get the back/nerve pain from time to time. I'm still getting hot flashes quite frequently and sweat a lot. I have stretch marks on my butt and thighs, but made it through the entire pregnancy with no stretch marks on my belly....until this week! Can you believe that?!! I think that is just mean! They are pretty subtle and I only have a few, but still! To make it this far and get stretch marks right at the end kind of sucks! My left ankle also swelled up a bit in the last few days after having no swelling the entire pregnancy either. Hopefully this little boy comes out before I really start to fall apart. lol.
I had a doctor appointment yesterday (08/20). My doctor did a cervix check again and said I've made progress since last week, hooray! She said I am about 2cm dilated and 50-60% effaced.
I had a doctor appointment yesterday (08/20). My doctor did a cervix check again and said I've made progress since last week, hooray! She said I am about 2cm dilated and 50-60% effaced.
Cravings: Oreos. I want these all the time! I have been on a bit of a pasta kick the last few days too.
TP: 11
Measurements: Waist: 40 Below Belly Button: 40½
Emotions: I'm nervous about labor, but for the most part, I am really excited. The entire pregnancy I have been terrified of giving birth, so I am quite surprised to find that I am more excited to meet my little boy at this point than nervous about pushing him out or ending up with a c-section. Nic on the other hand, says he is more nervous than he expected to be.
Feeling the Baby: I still feel Hudson quite a bit. He still does his huge stretches that cause a foot to stick out of my side pretty far. He feel his hands down near my hip bones and I get feet in my ribs still quite a bit, but his movements have seemed to slow just a bit in the last couple of days. Hopefully he is gearing up for the big delivery. (One can hope, right?)
Lunch with Nic's Parents
Before my doctor appointment on August 20th, we did a few laps around the Americana in Glendale. We figured Nic's parents could do some shopping while we were at our appointment. After the appointment, we went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch. Nic and I haven't been there in forever! It was so good! It was such a beautiful day and it was great to spend some time with Nic's parents.
Nic's Birthday
Nic turned 29 on the 19th of August. We didn't do much to celebrate. We just went to Olive Garden to have the endless pasta bowl for dinner (which was a big disappointment compared to last year, FYI). It was really fun though and everyone else enjoyed their food and Nic and I enjoyed the bread sticks, soup and salad. After dinner, we came home and had our favorite salted caramel cupcakes from Velvet cupcakes. As we were going to bed that night, I apologized for not doing much for Nic's birthday this year and promised that I would make it up to him next year on his 30th. Then it hit us. Next year, I will be planning Hudson's very important 1st birthday. Nic realized his 30th might be taking a backseat. Then we realized that Hudson's 21st will be Nic's 50th. I guess it's a good thing Hudson and Nic aren't sharing the exact same birthday after all. Poor Nic!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)