Caleb

Okay, so I know I should be sleeping now ... Caleb's asleep, Joe's running some errands, and Chloe is at school today ... guess I'll do that in a couple of minutes ...

Thanks to my wonderful husband for keeping this blog updated while we were at the hospital for Caleb's birth. I think he actually had fun with the updates!!

So, last Tuesday afternoon I went in to see the doctor to see how I had progressed. I really hadn't progressed much since last week so I opted to induce the following day. I was really dreading it since Chloe's induction had been so difficult. Since I knew he was well over 40 weeks, I was hoping things would go smoother this time around. And thanks to everyone's prayers, things went a lot smoother!!

Anyway, we went into the hospital last Wednesday afternoon at 2 pm so I could get started on the Cervidil. My OB did an awesome job of giving very specific instructions on what I could and could not do once I got to the hospital. I was on a regular diet until midnight (it was all liquid with Chloe from the minute I got there!) and he also allowed me to take a sleeping pill so that I could rest. I felt so much more at peace this time around that I actually asked for the sleeping pill early and Joe and I were both out by 10pm. The nurse started the Pitocin around 4 in the morning, when I was still quite sleepy thanks to the sleeping pill. The Cervidil had done a good job and the Pitocin brought on good regular contractions right away. I dozed some and my OB stopped in just before 7. He asked how I was doing and I asked if I could have my epidural. There was a nurse anesthetist (spelling??) in the next room so she was over within minutes and I actually had my epidural in (first time around this time!!) and working before the contractions became too painful. Once the epidural had fully taken effect, the nurse broke my water and hooked up the internal monitors so I was rested peacefully for the next hour and a half. Around 9, the nurse came in to check me - I was almost completely effaced, 4 cm dilated, and +1 for baby's position. The doctor came back around 45 minutes later and said he wanted to check me. He said I was complete and it was time to have a baby. I thought he was kidding!! The doctor and nurse did the final preparations and then asked me to give a little push right in the middle of a contraction. I barely pushed and the baby crowned! So, he said I was going to push the head out on the next contraction (2 pushes) and then the shoulders on the next one (2 more pushes) and then out came baby Caleb!! So, I guess I pushed for like 3 minutes, which was just awesome!! My recovery is going a lot better this time around too! A couple of the nurses in the mother baby unit said I didn't even look like I'd just had a baby!!

Thank you to God, and to all of you too, for your prayers!!!