Here Comes the Sun - Elijah's Birth Story

Dear Eli,

August 24th started out like any other day; except it was your due date.  I was not-so-secretly hoping you would come that day, but as the hours dwindled away I figured everyone else was right...you were going to be late.

Your Dad and I spent the day walking, making sure everything was packed, and taking "just a few" last belly pictures.  Your dad was a good sport and took some wonderful pictures of you and I one last time (he really doesn't like taking pictures).  We also went to the library and checked out a few movies to keep my mind off things, and went to Target (one of my favorite places) to walk around inside (since it gets pretty buggy outside once the sun starts setting, and they really seem to like me).

I drank a TON of red raspberry leaf tea, walked until I couldn't move, bounced around on the exercise ball, and ate LOTS of pineapple.  All of that was to try and coax you out of my belly and into our arms!  Well, nighttime rolled around, and you seemed pretty determined not to be born on your due date, so your Dad and I started getting ready for bed.  That was around 11:30pm.

Your Dad had just gotten in bed and closed his eyes, and I was in the bathroom doing my nighttime routine when...my water broke!  It was 11:40pm, and though I knew you weren't going to be born on your due date, you were on your way!!  I called to your dad and told him my water broke, at which point he jumped out of bed to come see how he could help.  There wasn't much to do yet!  We both knew it was about to be a long night, but we had no idea what we were in for.

Another thing everyone tells you about your first baby is that your labor won't start with your water breaking, it will be less obvious.  Well, you proved everyone wrong on both fronts!  You were on-time, and very obvious about your impending arrival.  I was so thankful for that!

We waited for only a few minutes before my contractions began.  I had been having false labor for a few weeks before then, so we were prepared with our smartphones and your dad started timing them.  They were between 3 and 7 minutes apart!  We decided to call the midwife practice and let them know.  The midwife on call at the hospital, April, said to wait until they were less than 7 minutes apart for about an hour, and then call back.  I was so excited that she was the one on call that night; she was my favorite midwife at the practice!  Well, we spent the next hour timing them, and my contractions never slowed down, so we called April back to let her know.  We were very surprised when she said we could come to the hospital now if we wanted; it was only 1am!  We thought for sure we were in for a fast labor and you would be here in no time.  Your Dad and I were very excited!

We arrived at Shady Grove Hospital and your Dad parked the car while I took the elevator up to labor and delivery.  Once I got there, I was handed a few forms to fill out before I could have a room; your dad arrived while I was filling them out.  After the forms were done, we sat in the waiting room until a nurse came to take us to our room.

I laughed a little when we got to our room; it was the exact same one we toured just a couple weeks before!  That was the only room we were going to see in L&D.  It was ok though, since that room was nice and big and had a tub (which I actually couldn't use since my water had already broken; but I did use the shower).  Next, we got all hooked up to the fetal monitors for the initial check, and waited to be seen by the midwife.  Here we go!

When April came in (I think it was sometime around 2 or 3), I was about 3cm dilated and my contractions weren't as close together as they had been.  April suggested I get up and try to walk around, now that the initial monitoring was over.  Your dad and I left the room and went to walk around the L&D floor for awhile with our doula, Eva.

At some point after our walk, Eva told us she wasn't feeling well, and was sending her back-up doula to us.  Odile came, and Eva went home to sleep off her sickness.  Our new doula was AWESOME!  I haven't told Dad this yet, but I'm seriously considering asking her to come back for the next baby (whenever that is).  She really helped a lot with getting me to continue to labor naturally, even when things got really difficult.  She and your Dad constantly reminded me that everything I was doing was for you!  I couldn't have done this without either of them by my side.

We continued to try and get my contractions closer together; they were nice and strong but too far apart to really bring you into the world.  So we kept walking, and I took a hot shower, which was so nice.  The nurses were able to get me a portable monitor so they could keep an eye on you but I wouldn't be stuck in bed; it was great!  Each time we tried something new (a new position, the exercise ball, more walking) my contractions would get closer, but the second I would sit down and try to relax they would space out again.  It was pretty frustrating and exhausting!  With each passing hour I was getting more and more exhausted; the nurses gave me a saline drip to keep me hydrated, and April came a once more to check me.  I was making progress, but it was slow.  After 19 hours without any interventions; April and Odile thought it might be time to reevaluate.

After talking with my mother-in-law (your Nona) (who has had eight children naturally), I decided to go with the suggested Pitocin and Epidural, even though the idea of an Epidural scared me a lot!  Thankfully, God blessed us with amazing nurses, one in particular who was so kind and compassionate, and explained each step as the epidural was being given so I wouldn't panic.  I was so thankful she was there!

After about a half hour the Epidural began to set in, but it only seemed to be working on one side.  This was particularly awful because they had also started the Pitocin at this point, and my contractions with much closer and much more painful.  Once we realized what was happening, I spent the next 20 minutes on my side, trying to get the medication to spread to the other side of my body.  Unfortunately, that didn't work, so they had to call the doctor back in to fix it.

While this was going on, you decided that you didn't really care for the Pitocin, and started showing signs of distress, so they turned off the medication.  Almost immediately after they turned off the Pitocin, my contractions spread out again!  So they turned the medication back on after giving me oxygen for awhile and had the Pitocin on until you started being unhappy again, then they would turn it off and wait for you to recover.  It was quite frustrating and a little scary, but it was the only way my contractions got anywhere close together enough to bring you into the world!

The anesthesiologist arrived and worked his magic; 20 minutes after that the epidural was working well on both sides, and life was good.  I felt so much better, and was finally able to rest.  I think this was around 8:30pm.

Around 9 o'clock, April came in and asked if I was feeling any need to push,  At first I said no, but then said I wasn't sure.  She said she was going to wait to check me again until around 10, but since I wasn't sure, she would just do a quick check now.  Well, I was 10cm and fully ready!  It was time to push, and within 5 minutes a lot more nurses came into our room.  I was exhausted, but so excited.  You were almost here!!

You were already very low down, and everyone was worried that you would show up before the supervising doctor would have a chance to get there. It was a crazy few minutes, but the doctor made it just in time.  At some point, someone asked me if I'd like a mirror to see, and I actually said yes.  I never thought I would want one, but since I had the epidural I wanted to make sure I was actually making progress.  It ended up being a great decision, and I'm glad I did it!

You arrived into this world at 9:54pm on August 25th, 2013 after 21 hours of labor and just under an hour of pushing; your Dad got to help deliver you and cut the chord!  I remember saying that you looked just like your Dad the second I saw you.  It was awesome!  He was such a proud Dad (and also very nervous about helping out, but he did great).  They placed you on my chest right away and we snuggled while they cleaned you off.

Next, they took you just a few feet away to the warming bed to weigh you and get your stats.  You were 8 pounds, 15 ounces, and "21" (it was really 22, they measured wrong the first time) inches long. What a big boy!!  I just knew you were going to be tall when you would kick me in the ribs and head butt me in the bladder at the same time.  :)  I was right!

Once they were done with their assessment, they brought you back to me for more snuggles, and your Dad and I got to have time with you as a new family of 3.  We sang "You are My Sunshine" to you; you even sang along testing out your lungs.  It was a wonderful moment!

We named you Elijah, which means the Lord is My God, and gave you the middle name Tucker, after your Grandpa Tucker who passed away exactly two months to the day of when we found out you were going to join us.  He would have loved to meet you!

It was a wild ride, and the real fun is only just beginning.  We are so happy you're here, and so very humbled and honored to be your parents.  You are a true example of God's love for us, and we love you more than we ever thought possible.

Welcome to the world, Elijah Tucker!  Welcome to our family, little man. :)

So Much Love,

Mom