A Birth Story

When sitting down to write out the full story, I realized it was ending up a very long winded play by play. Believe it or not, this is the consolidated version of our birth story.

While I was more than ready to have Luke join us, I was not a fan of forcing him to come before he was ready. And this child was not ready. The closer we got, the more concerned I was about being induced. We ended up agreeing to when our doctor began using words like Big, Whopper and C Section. The date was set for July 28th, one day past my due date. I knew that being induced meant that I'd end up getting an epidural despite not wanting one because Pitocin makes contractions stronger and worse than they already are. I know the pain of labor without drugs and I survived ... twice. I was more afraid of the drugs than of the pain of natural childbirth. Heath was my rock during this whole process ... he held me steady, encouraged me and praised my progress at each step of the way. What was scary and intimidating, this unknown territory was made possible because of my husband by my side.

July 28th

6pm - Check in at the hospital

7pm - Cervadil in place and we wait. Heath spent some time on Facebook, I even updated my status a few times while we watched the Bachelorette - After the Rose.

Overnight - Contractions began getting stronger, nurses came in to readjust monitors, check my vitals and ask me repeatedly if I want the sleeping pill. I opted out deciding if labor would be brought on by the Cervadil like I had heard could happen, I wanted to be alert. Hindsight is 20/20 - I should have taken the sleeping pill so I could have had some rest.

July 29th

7am - Cervadil was removed. Contractions were difficult (6 or 7 on the pain scale they keep asking me about). Progress checked and I had not dilated any more ... still at barely a 1cm.

I showered, cried, brushed my teeth and donned yet another attractive hospital gown.

7:30am - Pitocin started, Epidural given

Within minutes of the epi being in place, I started to feel nauseous, tired, and heavy. The nurses who had just left the room all rushed back in because my blood pressure dropped to 85/35. (one of the possible side effects on the forms I signed) They gave me some meds to bring my bp back up and I started to feel better. Within just a few minutes, it happened again. Heath's face said it all ... it was just as scary for him as it was for it to be happening to me. Two hours passed quickly, but not smoothly.

9am - BP stabilized and I could no longer feel the contractions.

11am - Cervix checked. Still only 1cm, stretched to 2cm to make it possible to break my water (Dr's Orders).

12pm - Finally to 3cm. To "get things going", the pitocin was turned up drastically over the next few hours. I was feeling contractions through the epidural depsite pushing my button. One contraction lasted 40 minutes - only validated by Heath watching the monitors.

3pm - Checked again. 8cm.

4pm - I asked to be checked again ... fully dilated to 10cm.

4:20 pm - Started pushing and continued for the next hour and a half. At the hour mark, there was talk of a vaccuum and hints of a c section if pushing didn't begin to progress faster. Our nurse, Anne, was our advocate with the doctor and other nurses. She told them how great we were doing and encouraged me to keep pushing harder to avoid a section.

5:41 pm

Luke Brandon Chapman is born

He weighed 9lbs 0.5oz and was 21.5 inches long

Our first family of five portrait

This picture says it all ...

The excitement and joy of that moment,

After the blood, sweat and tears

it took to bring this sweet boy into our lives

One proud new Daddy

&

One super excited big sister

These girls could not have been more thrilled

to meet their new baby brother.

Mommy, Daddy & Baby Luke