The Gory Details

Ok folks, if you don't want to know the whole labor/delivery story you can skip this entry. But if you are like me, you want the details. So...Thursday 1/10 I had contractions pretty much all afternoon but none that were strong enough to call the doctor about. My parents and sister came into town that afternoon because the next day I was to be induced at 7 in the morning. The plan was that Evan, my mom and my sister were going to be there for the delivery. My dad was going to stay at home with Sulli.

We went to bed saying our prayers that all would go well with the induction the next day. I still was not feeling 100% great about the induction but was needing to just be done with the pregnancy due to such discomfort. Our last prayer of the night was that if it was God's will, that Benson still come on his own.

At around midnight that evening, my contractions started getting to the point where I was actually having to breathe through them. I waited to wake Evan until about 1:30. I told him that I thought we needed to go to the hospital early. We got ready and headed out for the hospital. We arrived at around 2:30 and I was checked in the triage room at 2:45am and immediately asked for an epidural. At that time I was dilated to 7cm. They instantly wheeled me into a delivery room and began to get everything ready.

I continued to ask for the epidural constantly and had to wait until my IV was started and my platelet count was obtained from the lab. I was told by the nurse that there wasn't going to be time for me to receive the epidural which sent me into a complete panic and I bawled. I admit it, I did not have the composure to receive that news. The anesthesiologist was in the room on standby. They checked me again and I was between 8-9 cm. At that moment they arrived with my platelet count which ok'ed me to have the epidural. It was too late for that though. But I did get an intrathecal which is just placed in a different area of the spinal column. It numbs but does not deaden.

While I was getting the intrathecal I was contracting and this contraction came with pushing...I had to push. It was crazy having that feeling that I just had to push. Anyways, one more contraction went by during which the doctor broke my water and found meconium. She called in the NICU team and they arrived right away. She explained that I would not get to hold the baby right away and that she would be cutting the cord.

The next contraction that came she told me to push. I pushed twice and then was told to stop and....out he came. I was in shock. Complete shock. I pushed TWICE! Are you kidding me? I pushed for 2 1/2 hours with Sullivan! Two times...WHAT? It was just unbelievable. The doctor got him to the NICU nurses and they took great care of him. No problems...apgar of 9.9.

As for me, I hardly tore and really did great. It was an amazing experience all over again but so completely different than last time. It was just Evan and I and the team around us. My mom and sister missed it because it happened so fast. Checked at 2:45...baby arrived at 3:34am. Unreal.

We are home, doing great. My mom has been here all week which has been an amazing blessing. She has been taking turns with me at night. Evan has been on Sulli duty because the night that Ben came home, Sulli decided that he didn't want to be in his crib any more. His exact words were "I no like my trib". So the crib came down and his is on a blow up matress on the floor. Evan has been sleeping with him.

Well, baby calls and the boobs just swell right up...sorry for the graphic details there. Gotta run! I will get more pictures soon. Thanks for your calls, prayers and overall support. We love you all.