Stonewall and (Army)Wife Plus One

I'd like you to meet our son, Samuel Patrick, born Saturday, December 27, at 7:50PM, 8 lbs. 10 oz., 20 inches long.



We're home!! So I know I said I was going to send text posts to the blog, but according to my phone the texts weren't going through, so I stopped trying to send them. However, one got through, so everyone knows that things did start out as planned.

We got to the hospital around 8:30 on 12/27 and got checked in and were put into a labor and delivery room. The nurses began prepping me for the induction and told me that they would start me on certain drugs and that this could take up to a couple of days. I was just like, "Oh, OK" because I was hoping for something a bit quicker. Well, it turns out my doc wanted things to go much quicker as well because he came strolling in and said, "Let's get started by breaking your water." The nurses were looked at each other and said, "OK. Forget everything we just said." Earlier the one nurse made the comment that an induction was like a trip from Florida to Maine and I was in Cuba. Now she said, "Looks like you just hopped onto the Concord."

The doc check my cervix and I was dilated to about 1.5 centimeters and he broke my water. It didn't take long before I started having contractions and within about an hour or so they were anywhere from five to ten minutes apart and about a minute long. At this point they weren't very strong so I was feeling optimistic. Stonewall and I did a few laps around the halls until the contractions started getting too strong.



By 15:00, the contractions were getting pretty painful and I was starting to realize I was pretty silly to think I could get through this without serious pain meds. At this point, the doc checked my cervix again and I was at about 2.5-3 centimeters and the Sammy's head was starting to mold, meaning it was starting to look like he might be too big for a vaginal delivery. The doc said he would give it about another hour or so to see if I would make more progress and to determine if in fact Sammy was too big.

It was at this point that I decided to start living in reality and admit that I hate pain and I WANTED an epidural. I was still a bit nervous about getting one, but I spoke with the anesthesiologist and he assured me that I had nothing to worry about because the epidural had a completely different effect than what had happened during my previous surgery and my concerns were unnecessary. So I signed on the dotted line. Within 5 minutes, life was wonderful again. It was a bit weird not being able to move my legs on my own, but when it came to the contractions I couldn't feel a thing.

When the doc came to check me again I was much more pleasant and hoping to hear good news. Unfortunately, good news wasn't forthcoming. I had made no progress and Sammy's head was still molding definitely indicating that there was no way he was fitting through my pelvis. C-section it was.

After a couple more hours of waiting due to an emergency c-section that was taking place, I was wheeled into the operating room and strapped down. Since I already had the epidural, they were able to use that rather than put me to sleep for the surgery. Stonewall was able to stand in the room with me while they performed the c-section. I wanted nothing to do with actually seeing the surgery, but the light above me acted as a mirror, so I saw some of my insides...ick.

Anyway, Stonewall was talking to me and rubbing my head, trying to keep me from looking up and seeing what I really did not want to see when I heard the tiniest little whimper followed by the best cry in the whole world and, "Congratulations! It's a boy!" They called Stonewall over to meet his son and cut the umbilical cord. At this point, they thought Sammy was over 9 pounds, but when Stonewall brought him over to show me, I thought he looked like the tiniest little things I'd ever seen. He was so beautiful with dark blue eyes, a tiny button nose, dirty blonde hair, and smaller version of Stonewall's mouth. He wasn't crying anymore and he just kept staring back and forth between Stonewall and me and puckering his little lips and scrunching up his tiny nose. I was smiling like crazy because he was so perfect and I already loved him so much, my Samuel.



While they finished putting me back together and cleaning me up, Stonewall accompanied Sammy to the nursery. On the way there our families got gather around the bassinet and take photos. Of course, most of them cried.

After they wheeled me into recovery, I was told how big Sammy was and I got to see his footprints. Our families came back to see me and congratulate me. They were all so happy. Unfortunately, visiting hours were over for the evening so, they weren't able to stay. Even though I wanted all of them to be able to hold Sammy, I was kind of glad because I hadn't even had the chance to hold Sammy and really look at him and so I was very grateful for the time that Stonewall and I had alone with him that first time we really got to meet Sammy.

Once I was given some pain meds and wheeled into my maternity room they finally brought Sammy into us and I got to hold him for the first time. I can't even describe what that was like. I was beyond excited and happy, a little nervous and scared, completely and utterly in love and there will never be another moment in my life that compares to that moment.








So, after a few fun nights in the hospital, we are home. Sammy was down to 8lbs 2 oz. when we left the hospital. Him and I are still working on breastfeeding, but we're coming along just fine and my milk is finally coming in, so it shouldn't be long before he flies past his birth weight. Except for the fact that Stonewall's leave ends on Friday, everything is perfect right now. I have my husband and son at home with me and everyone is happy and healthy. Stonewall and I are going to spend the next few days admiring our son and enjoying parenthood, 2AM feedings and all. I hope everyone has a great New Year's and I will be back again in 2009.