7-7-11

Baby Porter

It all started nine months ago back in November.... just kidding, we've been there and done that post. This post starts Tuesday, July 5th when I went to the doctor and told him I was done, past done, overly done, done, done, done, and ready for Porter to come. So without much convincing Dr. Nelson obliged and said Porter could enter this world on 7-7-11, a birthday I happen to like (although originally I wanted 7-11-11).

So Wednesday night rolls around and we had one last family outing. Where better to go then Five Guys?! I know right? Sick. I didn't even eat, but with all my family in town and four little kids, it was a quick, easy, and convenient little meal... and it ended up being not half bad.

(please take note of my brother)

After dinner we went home, finished getting our things together, put Preston down for the night and headed to the hospital. 

I love this little face... Preston had no idea what was going to happen when he woke up the following morning.

Last picture as a family of three!

We headed out to the hospital an hour behind schedule, arriving at 9:30 instead of the planned 8:30 p.m. induction time. Of course I was already stressed and now being an hour late, I was even more anxious and impatient. We walked straight up to the the registration desk and the lady told us they didn't have a room yet and that we had to wait a bit.

Watching the disgusting Casey Anthony case, trying to not go insane while passing time.

About 45 minutes later they called us up and got us all checked in. We have a room! 

My cute friend Brittani owns her own company labor looks, and sells these darling gowns. I loved mine... the Cara, and had every nurse and doctor commenting on it. 

After I got my IV and got all set up and checked, they waited until midnight to start me on pitocin. My very first nurse was named Bailey, we loved her. She was young, fun, and extremely accommodating. She was super fast and responsive to any and all of our needs. My contractions were getting harder and harder and i was unable to get any sleep. Because of my experience with Preston I wanted to wait as long as possible to get my epidural. I was afraid of getting it too soon and having it wear off and slow my labor. 

Around 4:30 Bailey gave me the option of an epidural or continue to hold off and get some medicine in my IV to help me sleep a little and pass some more time. So I went for the IV meds and finally got some rest. I slept until about 6:45 and then got another dose and tried to sleep some more.... still on pitocin, still having hard contractions. 

At 7:30 two new women walked into my room and introduced themselves. Kristia and Crystal. They were every bit as amazing as Baliey. They were young, cute, and really fun to have around while laboring.  At 8:30 in the morning Kristia checked me and said I was only at a 4, however my contractions were 2 minutes apart and things were progressing. The plan was to stay on the max dosage of pitocin for one hour, and then decrease it and start all over again, increasing it every half hour.... starting around 9:30.

I lasted one more hour and then at 10:30 I got my epidural and was in heaven. Thirty minutes later they broke my water. They were shocked at the amount of fluids. Baby Porter was living in an Ocean. At around 1 my epidural had worn off. I was trying not to get emotional and upset, but I couldn't believe this was seriously happening a second time. They topped off my epidural and tried to give me more, but nothing seemed to help. Porter was sitting so low that his head was already down and engaged way before I was dilated. With every contraction I felt like his head was breaking my crotch in half.... it wasn't just pressure it was major pain. 

Chewing on ice telling myself it really wasn't that bad. 

They tried to move my catheter around so it was one less thing causing pain, but again because of the way Porter was sitting there wasn't anything they could do. At 1:15 I was dilated to a 5 and made the call to have my mom and sister in law Alisa come down. At around 1:50 they arrive and I am still in hard active labor with a weak epidural. With every contraction I not only feel pressure, but also pain. I asked Kristia if she would check me again even though it had only been an hour. She checked and said I was at a full 10 and Porter was ready to come.

They call my doctor and told him I was ready, to which he said he couldn't make it to the hospital for 25 minutes. I tried really hard not to push and wait for him, but I couldn't do it. Everyone was standing around talking and I just announced, "Porter is coming, his head is out, I can't help but push". My mom kind of spread my legs apart as if to take a peak and not really believe me, but she turned and started frantically telling everyone "he's coming, he's coming, we're having a baby, his head is already out".

My nurse runs into the room and without even coming all the way over to me she sees Porter's head and yells for a doctor, but I had already pushed sweet baby Porter out. The random doctor ran in and grabbed him with no gloves on and put baby on my chest.

It was amazing. I did it. I gave birth two my second baby boy. There were no lights on, no stirrups, no one holding my legs, no one telling me when to push, or how to breath.... I just sat there quietly on the bed and when I felt the need to push I did, and he came out all on his own.... there was no waiting for any doctor.... (sorry Dr Nelson you took too long!)

At 2:50 in the afternoon on 7-7-11, Porter Hughes was born. He weighed 8'5 lbs, 21.5 inches, and has lots of blonde hair. He laid on my chest and didn't make a sound, I kept asking why he wasn't crying. Because we didn't have an accurate due date we don't know how early he was, but we had an estimate due date from the 15th- 24th. So I think it is safe to say he would have been an even bigger boy had I endured the long hot summer days chasing after a one year old, but like i said, I was done, and wouldn't have changed a thing! 

My little boy is perfect. I never knew I could love like this.... it is true when they say your love multiplies. I am even more in love with Glen, Preston, and Porter. My three boys are amazing. Everything about this delivery was 110% better then the last. Although I had some serious pain, i was much better prepared for it. I loved all of my nurses and even plan on contacting their supervisor to tell them how great they were!

Porter's first picture

Feeling pretty good after just giving birth.

Proud dad!

After Porter and I both got cleaned up and I switched into the ugly hospital gown.

Two of our favorite nurse's.... Kristia and Crystal

More to come on the Preston and Porter uniting and the rest of our hospital stay!