Liam Howard Has Finally Arrived!

I have been trying to post this forever, but my fussbucket has kept me from editing the post.  So while he screams his cute, little head off, let me tell you some news...Liam Howard was born on Sunday, August 15th at 0550 after 27.5 hours of labor!  He was 7 lbs, 15 oz and 20 inches long.  (So no giant baby as they predicted days earlier in an ultrasound!  It was over a pound off!)  He has brown hair and eyes that are quickly changing to green so a little of both mommy and daddy!  He is adorable and we are totally in love!

On Friday I met with the head doctor at my practice.  He told me he didn't think I'd make it through the weekend.  Sure enough Saturday morning I woke up at 2:30 am with contractions about 10 minutes apart.  I slept on and off between contractions until around 6.  They were getting closer and closer together and he had told me to come in when they were three minutes apart.  I took a shower, took my time getting ready and we finally got everyone ready to leave for the hospital and my contractions were 1.5-2 minutes apart.  Of course, on the way to the hospital labor suddenly stalls.  Contractions spread back out.  So frustrating as I was thinking it was going to be a quick labor the way things had been going.  At the hospital they put me on the monitors and I'm hardly having contractions and I'm only 1 cm.  So home we all go for me to labor at home.  This is around lunchtime.

On the way home, the contractions kick back in again.  They were nasty with back labor.  So every contraction was doubled essentially.  I shut myself in my dark bedroom and rocked and swayed my way through them.  Took a long, hot shower to help as well.  My hubby went and got racquetballs to massage my back with.  It was painful, but manageable.  I'm not even sure when we left for the hospital, except that it was before dinnertime because I don't think any of my support team got to eat dinner.  They were such troopers.  At the hospital contractions are regular and I'm admitted.  Well, I am in labor FOREVER it seems!  I see the doc and get checked and I'm still only at like a 3 so I have a ways to go.  I was 100% effaced though.  As per my birth plan I didn't want pitocin or an epidural so they let me have at it on my own.  My contractions are getting stronger and harder.  I get a shot of something to help with the pain from the back labor. It knocks me out and puts me to sleep which I think really helped me progress.  I would sleep in between contractions.   Baby's heart rate was a little wonky so they ended up attaching an internal monitor to his head which caused my water to break.  At which time things really got moving.  The contractions plus back labor were horrible!  They were one on top of the other.  I started asking for an epidural as the pain from the back labor was so bad.  Due to a bunch of circumstances, but I think mostly my non-committal to it, I never did end up getting one.  I was crying and asking my husband to make it stop.  He was so great and my girlfriends who were there were so supportive and encouraging!  I get checked by the doc and I'm at 9. She says I can still get the epi if I want, but she thinks I can do it on my own.  I'll be pushing before I know it.  My husband is supportive and agrees.  (As I'm ripping up his arm bearing down during contractions.)   Soon enough I say I feel pressure and want to push!  The nurse starts getting things ready for delivery and calls for the doc to check me again.  I'm fully dilated and ready to go.  Baby is still kind of high up in the birth canal so I start pushing.  And an hour later, there he is!  My gorgeous baby boy!

He had the cord around his neck, hence the heartbeat dropping off, but other than that was perfectly healthy.  We didn't get very much bonding time as they whisked him off to the nursery to help/check him, pink him up etc.  I tore a little because he had his hand up by his face, just like in every ultrasound.  Otherwise the doc said I would not have torn.  It was by far the hardest, but most rewarding thing I have ever done.  I still cannot believe that I pushed out a baby without the epi due to the pain, but in the end I'm very glad that I did.  Liam is so adorable, although he doesn't seem to want to sleep at night!  He is a fussy eater.  But did I mention how cute he is?

I think all in all I had a very positive labor experience.  I was blessed with a great doctor and nurse who supported my birth plan and two great girlfriends who stayed all night with me, but most importantly, I was blessed with a great husband!  He deserves kudos for not only being great during labor and deliver, but for attending Bradley classes that helped us prepare and for being fabulous since we got home!  We are tired, but a happy little family!