{my birth story}

the house is quiet... everyone is sound asleep except for me, so i figured i would try to jot down my birth experience.

on friday, november 12th i had my 37 week appointment. i dropped mason off at school, then headed home to meet my sitter who was staying with hadley. i was up really late on thursday night, was tired and my belly wasn't feeling so great. really nothing new and different, but i didn't want breakfast when i got up, so i stopped at panera on the way to the doctor's to get a drink and an oatmeal raisin cookie. i needed something to settle my belly.

once at my appointment the medical assistant had me do the regular routine - pee in a cup, get weighed, and have my blood pressure checked. she informed me that my bp was 140/100, which was the highest it has ever been during this pregnancy. she told me to wait a minute and the doctor would be right in.

sure enough, a minute later georgia (my doctor) came in and started chatting with me. we listened to the baby's heartbeat and then she asked how i was feeling and checked me. after my internal she told me to go ahead and get dressed, she would be right back to talk with me.

i was informed that due to my high bp she wanted me to head over to the hospital to be monitored. she then said i had progressed to 4cm, and that while i was being monitored they would check me again and if i continued to dilate then that alone may keep me at the hospital. my group b strep test had been positive, and i would need to be on antibiotics before i delivered. since i live an hour away, this is my 4th baby, and i have a history of going fast, she said they may keep me to be cautious... she was sad that she wouldn't be there, but gave me a big hug and assured me that everything would be fine.

i called craig and tell him to meet me at the hospital... called my sitter to let her know what is going on, called my parents and tell them they may want to head down to my house before traffic gets bad, and called a friend to pick up carter from school.

i must have had a feeling something was going on b/c i packed my hospital bag and left it in the car.

after i got checked in at antepartum, craig showed up, they did some lab work and then got hooked up to the nst machine. everything was looking good (so i thought) and then i was told the doctor on from my group wanted to check me. i was shocked to learn i was now at 6 cm... she showed me small contractions the nst picked up that i didn't even feel. at that point, regardless of my lab results, i was admitted and it was going to be the day i met my baby. (turns out my lab results weren't so great so i would have been induced anyway...)

the nurse who came over from l&d was just as shocked as i was that i was 6 cm. without any pain or discomfort. they started an iv for antibiotics, then a little pitocin to see if that kicked things up a notch. i was told i could get an epidural whenever i wanted. i waited a bit since i still wasn't having any pain.

final belly pic - 37 weeks 4 day (and yes i got my pedicure the night before!)


at 7:00 pm the doctor on-call (who i really liked) came in and said i had been on the antibiotics for 4 hours, it was now safe to break my water. so she checked me, and i was still at a 6, but the head was lower. luckily i had decided right before that to go ahead and get my epi since i knew the pain would come and i didn't want to miss my window.

(enjoying my epidural)


around 7:15 i started to get really uncomfortable, and asked the nurse to check me again... yes i know it was only 15 minutes, but i was in so much pain even with the epi. i was bummed when she said i was still a 6. grrrr......

from then on i was in pain and could feel all my contractions. i was offered more pain medicine, but i declined. in my heart i knew the baby was coming soon and i didn't want to be too numb to push. maybe around 7:50 the nurse checked again and i was fully dilated. see, i knew it would be fast!!! she had me do one push, and then said to stop, and called in my doctor and a back up nurse. i remember the doctor coming in, and suiting up fast and then at 8:03 i started to push... the doctor encouraged me go slow so i wouldn't tear, but the pain was intense i just wanted to push. at 8:12pm my baby was out, and craig got to make the call... "it's a boy!"



it is amazing all the emotions i was experiencing at once... i was so in love with this baby. i was still in shock it was actually happening, and i was a bit surprised that it was a boy. i was really thinking girl... but guess what? it didn't matter... i finally got to meet the little person who was growing inside me and who i loved with all my heart. i was so so happy. Graham was the final addition to our family, and he was perfect in every way. i couldn't believe how dark his hair is, and how much he has. my first thought was that he looked so much like mason.

the kids were already in bed by the time we called to tell them they had a new brother... but craig went home so that he could be there in the morning when they woke up. i was so excited for them to meet baby Graham. we also never shared our final decision on names, so that fun to share too. my dad was so happy to hear that Graham's middle name is after his. also for those who were wondering, i had ordered 2 hats from etsy, one with Graham for a boy, and one with Emerson for a girl.

(more photos)






so for now we are adjusting to life as a family of six... graham has been the perfect baby. he only cries every 4 hours to eat... other than that he is sleeping 99% of the time, and looks around for a few minutes before going back to sleep. he loves to cuddle, and i am enjoying every moment.

tomorrow my mom is going home, and graham has his first doctor's appointment. craig's will be home on paternity leave for 2 weeks, which will be such a big help!

(ready to head home and desperate for coffee and a shower)


i am so excited to start the next chapter of our life... we have been blessed with four beautiful and amazing children.