Running in Circles

Henry Brice Johnson was born January 23rd, 2015 at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.
 7 pounds 12 ounces
 19.75 inches
 He has the longest fingers and toes

I was scheduled to be induced at 6 am, but after spending the day at the zoo on Wednesday I could feel early contractions starting. I was hopeful something would get going and it did! I woke up Friday morning at 3:00 confident that I was having regular contractions. They were 5-6 minutes apart and I had to get out of bed and walk or sway to make them more comfortable. When Brice woke up to the alarm at 5:00 I greeted him saying "Good morning- I think this is the real thing!" We got ourselves to the hospital and I told Brice- I hope I'm at least 3 cm dilated now. They checked me and I was already 5 cm and contractions were 4-5 minutes apart. 

My plan all along was to go through labor without any pain medication. I decided that if I was induced with Pitocin again that I'd just go ahead and get the epidural from the beginning though. Contractions hurt but they were so much more tolerable than Hazel's labor. We started Serial on my phone ( we only listened for about 30 minutes) and a few family members called to wish us good luck but I could tell I was progressing quickly and needed to focus. Within a half hour period I went from just pacing and doing squats inbetween contractions to hurled over the side of the bed with a pillow under my body breathing through contractions. I asked the nurse to check me again and happily I was 7 cm. Immediately after that contractions intensified, still 3-4 minutes apart though but I could tell I was hitting the transition period. Tears started coming to my eyes and i started saying things like "I want to be done" and "He needs to be out within an hour"... I was having a hard time.

Brice rubbed my back, pressed my hips together, told me I was doing great, and really gave me all the words of encouragement that I needed. I really could not have done it without his support!
Contractions got closer together and I started to feel the bearing down sensation. At 9:40 the nurse checked me again and I was 8 cm. I told her I needed to get him out, like soon!
She suggested I get in bed on my left side with this lopsided exercise ball in between my knees. It worked like a charm. I hated being in bed during contractions but it helped me progress and by 10:00 am I was yelling things at her. "Call my Doctor"..."I'm pushing and I'm not going to stop" and finally..." I don't care who delivers this baby, but I'm pushing him out now!
At 10:05 am I felt that famous "ring of fire" and I lost it. All of a sudden I realized I had to push this baby out and it was already hurting so bad. My delivery room looked straight out of a movie!
 Doctor Plank came running in the door, yelled for more nurses and Henry was crowning. I was pushing and screaming and crying and threatening to quit during every contraction. Pushing a baby out is hard- feeling it is both painful and mentally exhausting. After 15 minutes of seriously dramatic moments on my part he was born.
Feeling a baby come out is the coolest feeling in the world. I remember it so distinctly with Hazel. One minute they're in there and the next they're out! And I'm lucky because my stomach gets much flatter instantly and it is just all so real!

Henry had the cord wrapped around his neck pretty tightly and it took a few long seconds of coaxing to get him to breath, cry, and finally pink up. He was actually very purple when he came out. Then he was weighed, cleaned up, evaluated, and Brice was with him during all of that. I on the other hand was traumatized. Those 20 minutes of pain and pushing really shook me up. I didn't want to be touched anymore, I was shaking violently, and still contracting. It took me about an hour to come around and be happy for what just happened, an then I was so so happy how everything had happened.
Henry was here safe and sound. My body had done exactly what I spent months and months hoping and preparing for. Brice was emotional and grateful and it was perfect.

Labor was hard, but pushing was so much harder! Really though, labor really was 7 hours or so and we did it! Recovery has already been so much easier and he is nursing like a champ!  We are so grateful he's a part of our family!