Documenting moments in our life is one of my favorite things, and I love to look back on pictures or notes that I've written, so writing down my kids birth stories while they are still fresh in my mind is important to me. If you are like me and are a sucker for birth stories, you can read about Reagan's here, and Calvin's here, and Lincoln's here.
Little did we know that the joking was true.
I woke up at 4am and wasn't feeling well. I instantly recognized it as the "cleansing" effect going on with my body that I had with all my other boys. About a half hour later I noticed some slight cramping, and that it was following a pattern. I knew I was in labor, but it seemed slow, and after my last lightning fast labor, I didn't know if it would pick up really fast at any moment, or be drawn out.
I laid back down to just listen to my body. I was contracting consistently with strong cramps, so about a half hour later I woke Matt up and filled him in. I told him not to call his mom yet, and that I was going to take a shower first.
My go-to labor symptom is a bloody show. With all of my children, that is always my first symptom that gets the ball rolling and then I know that I am for sure in labor. I hadn't had that yet, so I was still holding off heading to the hospital.
Around 7am I texted my mom to fill her in. She was on her way down to a different hospital for a family emergency. Good timing, Truey.
I woke up Matt again, and said he should probably call his mom so we can get moving, as the contractions were getting stronger. I packed bags, and got ready myself ready, while he showered.
His mom arrived around 8am, and we packed up the car. I hugged and kissed the boys and told the what was going on, and then I used the bathroom one last time before heading out. And BOOM! There was the bleeding that I was waiting for to confirm the labor for me.
I texted my mom on the way and updated her. Nothing had really changed, which kind of discouraged me, because at this point with Lincoln he was already born! But I was thankful that I wasn't going to be having the baby in the car, which was a fear of mine the whole pregnancy.
We got to the hospital, and they did all their normal triage stuff. I was 3-4cm dilated and contracting about every 5 minutes. I was admitted, and we got settled in our room. I couldn't believe how slow everything seemed to be moving.
Matt and I joked, we walked around, watched The Office, and I munched on bubble ice. A few hours later I was 6-7cm, and the contractions had definitely picked up. They asked if I wanted any meds for pain, and I said no. They asked if I wanted my water broke, and I also said no. I knew if they broke it then the contractions would pick up in intensity, and I didn't want that to happen yet since I was only 6-7cm dilated.
About an hour later they checked me again and said I was "maybe 7." This time I was discouraged. I knew there was something wrong with his positioning that was preventing my body from progressing, but I didn't know what, and I didn't know how to fix it.
The contractions started amping up in intensity. They again asked if I wanted meds for pain, and I said no. I knew I didn't like the way an epidural made me feel, or the rough recovery after it wore off, so I really wanted to go unmedicated, like I did with Lincoln's delivery.
They checked me about an hour later, and I was "about an 8." I couldn't believe how long this was taking.
Each contraction was grueling. He was curled up on my right side, and still so high up it felt like he was in my ribs. With each contraction I would bare down and push with my hand against his body, trying to move him down...to what seemed to be no avail. I turned to Matt and said I didn't know how much longer I could do this. He said "oh, I bet this baby will be here in 3 hours." He was trying to be encouraging, but I about died....3 more hours seemed like an eternity.
I couldn't believe how hot and thirsty I was the whole time. This labor was so draining on me. I don't think I have ever sweat so much in my life. I was also constantly asking for drinks in between contractions. I was annoying myself by how often I asked, but I was just.so.thirsty. Matt would give me a drink and then put the cup back on the table for a contraction, and then I'd ask for it again. After doing that for what seemed like the hundredth time, Matt made a funny face when I asked him for a drink again. I said "oh, so sorry to inconvenience you.." ;) That got a good chuckle from everyone in the room. Such a jokester I am when going through transition.
My midwife checked me again during a contraction, and immediately turned to the nurse and calmly, but sternly, said "go get the Ultrasound." She told me something didn't feel right. That was when I started to feel frightened. I was in intense pain, and my fears about something being wrong seemed to be accurate. She asked me if I knew the baby's positioning, and I said he had been breech up until about 35 weeks, but he had flipped. She thought he might have flipped back to breech.
When the nurse arrived with the ultrasound, it was confirmed he was head down, but was sunny side up. An answer to why my labor wasn't progressing! My midwife suggested that she break my water during my next contraction to force him down. That did the trick! The action of breaking my water during a contraction forced him down, and allowed him to rotate, all in one swift motion.
My contractions definitely amped up as soon as that happened. I said over and over again that I couldn't do it. They asked if I wanted pain meds, and I said something along the lines of "seriously, right now?" I knew it was too late, so I bore down, and concentrated on moving baby down with each contraction. And finally, FINALLY he was moving down! And moving down fast! My midwife told me that when he crowned I needed to push gently and slowly. Hahahaha! I was so done! When he crowned I pushed that sucker out as fast as I could!
Another giant Engels baby. 9 pounds, 6 ounces, 22 1/4 inches long. The nurses and midwife couldn't get over how big his hands and feet were. His feet didn't even fit in the little ink area for his records!
That instant relief, the fresh purple baby, the quiet calm squirms, and the newborn smell overcame me. There is nothing quite like that first hour after giving birth, it is a such a sweet calm time. Almost like time stands still. After the euphoria wore off I was in a lot of pain. Just like with Linc's birth I had a lot of pain afterward...a lot of pain in my butt. I need to stop having 9 to 10 pound babies, because they smash and squish everything on their way out, causing a lot of pain for me. But after I got some pain meds in me it was manageable. I tore slightly this time, which I haven't done since Reagan's birth, but the recovery from that hasn't been bad. The first week of nursing cramps were intense. It is absolutely true they get worse with each subsequent pregnancy. I would double over and cringe and try not to throw up each time he would nurse. Thankfully, that only lasted about a week.
My first two days home were also a little rough. This was BY FAR my hardest delivery, and by the 2nd day postpartum, my body showed it. My abs ached, my legs ached, my neck was sore, my back muscles were so weak that I wasn't even able to walk the distance from my bed to the bathroom. My whole body showed that it had worked extremely hard a few days prior. Finally, on the second day, I collapsed in tears on the floor from pain...and from fear that I wouldn't be able to care for my kids. That was a very hard night and morning. As soon as we could on that 3rd day, Matt and I packed our whole little family up and we went to get the pain meds that were originally prescribed to me, that I was sure I wouldn't need. After that, things went much smoother.
The boys have adjusted fine. None of our kids have ever had jealously issues when a new baby has come home, and we are so thankful. They all love to rub his head, and snuggle and kiss him, and Lincoln is CONSTANTLY wanting to hold/crush his hand. It's so sweet. I get so many comments about wishing for a girl, or how I must be sad I'm so outnumbered, but I couldn't be happier. I think having 4 boys is incredible and I love watching them grow up and become each others best buds. I think when they are all teenagers that our house is going to be so much fun!
Truey is an excellent nurser, but is definitely our fussiest baby. He wants to be held, or nursing, almost all of the time. He just got his first adjustment today, and I instantly noticed a difference in how he sat in his carseat, and laid on the floor. The chiro said he felt 2 spots in his neck and 1 spot in his back that were off, so I am hoping this makes him a little more content and happy.
We are sleep deprived. My body is squishy and is leaking all over the place. There is ALWAYS somebody crying in our house, and we spend about 15 hours a day feeding kids and wiping bottoms, but we are smitten once again. There is nothing quite like those squishy newborn cuddles, and they grow so fast. So despite the crazy life, we are trying to soak it all in and enjoy this new life the Lord has granted us the responsibility of loving and nurturing. We are thankful.
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