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!

I know its been a long time since I blogged, but I was really getting tired of being pregnant and talking about being pregnant! I want to document the birth of our first baby so I never forget and hopefully you'll enjoy some of the details. If not, skip the writings and stare at the pictures of our cute babe!

My due date was October 1st, and that day came and went without any signs of labor. I know it isn't common for a first-time mother to give birth early or on the actual estimated due date, but I was hopeful...really hopeful! After a few ultrasounds and fetal non-stress tests my doctor decided that my amniotic fluid levels were getting too low and I would be induced on Friday, October 5th, 2012. Friday morning we woke up early at 4 am- showered and got ready and drove to the hospital to be there at 5:00 am. Turns out they had a lot of mothers come in and the floor was busy so we just waited in our delivery room for about two hours before they started my I.V. The nurse checked me and said I was only 1.5 cm dilated but about 85% effaced. Pitocin began at 7:00 am and we both napped and read and watched every early morning talk show. you know- real important things! 

Brice has a I.T. Lab on Fridays that he really couldn't miss. So he left to go to campus at about 10:30 and would be back at 1:00. We were pretty sure nothing too exciting would happen in that time. Well about 11:00 contractions started and I realized quickly I was miserable. Laying in bed alone wasn't going to work. I figured out standing up was more comfortable and during a contraction I would take deep long Pilates breaths and push my arms against the cupboards containing all the monitors. I also realized contractions were coming a lot more frequent than I expected- only about 2 minutes apart. I thought this was way too frequent this early- but they lasted like that the entire labor. One o'clock came and went and still no Brice. I was really wanting help there and was so grateful when he got to my room about two. I figured that the lab went late or something and didn't hold it against him. He realized quickly I was in real pain and jumped right in to help me. The nurse checked me again and I was about 4 cm dilated and totally soft. Brice helped me breathe through contractions, he used counter-pressure on my knees, he rubbed my back, and told me how great I was doing and kept reminding me we were going to get to see our baby girl! Of course he had a football game on to glance up on though :)

I was wanting to go without medicine as long as I could so we kept trudging away. At about 5:30 my contractions were lasting so long and becoming so intense I started to lose it. I remember finally yelling "OWWWWWW.. and I don't want to do this anymore. I remember saying I'm done- I'm done with all of this!" We said a prayer real quick and Brice asked Heavenly Father that I could find the strength to continue and receive the relief that I needed. Two more contractions came and went and I decided the pain relief I had prayed for would come from an epidural and there was absolutely nothing wrong with that. The anesthesiologist was quick to come and the nurse checked me one more time. I was 8 cm dilated. I knew I was so close but couldn't find the words to say I want to keep laboring. The epidural was placed, instantly I felt numb and relief and got the shakes. The nurse checked me again and reported that I was complete and the baby's head was so low she could actually see it. I was so excited to be almost done, but a little said that I was so close, but had gotten the epidural. 

A few minutes later my sister showed up with dinner for Brice and a smile and encouragement for me. After I saw her I was so thankful for the epidural and the chance to talk with her and call my parents. I know they were sad to be msising out on this experience and it really helped me to see the end was in sight. We ended up waiting over an hour for the doctor to arrive from another delivery and again thanked Brice for helping me and reminding me that getting pain relief was totally okay! We really enjoyed those last minutes of our family only consisting of the two of us. After a few practice pushes with the nurse, Dr. Judd came in. He gave me a pep talk and we got to work. I pushed for about 20 minutes before our little babe came out, cone-headed and squealing. She was born at 8:12 pm. Weighed 7 pounds and 14 ounces (big enough to surprise us all) and was 20 inches long.

Immediately I felt the Holy Ghost so strong as I realized we had just been given a gift so precious. I looked at Brice who looked a little shocked but mostly fascinated and I broke down in tears. The rest of delivery happened, jokes were told, my sister was devastated and has sworn off children for a while longer. After a few minutes they gave Brice the baby and he looked at me with tears in his eyes and I just lost it. I cried so hard and when I held her for the first time I just felt a warmth all over my body. She latched on quickly and ate well and we enjoyed every minute together until they gave her a bath. She hated it and she screamed and it made me so sad.

We enjoyed the rest of our evening thanks to company, pain medication, and a dinner from Chipotle. I couldn't fall asleep until almost two in the morning but it was a wonderful night the three of us. We came home Saturday night and have enjoyed Hazel in our home and the love she brings to both of us. I love seeing Brice be a dad. I feel so grateful for life, for our baby, and for the trust given to us by a loving Heavenly Father. 

Hazel has been asleep in her crib for the last two hours and I keep checking on her hoping she'll be awake so I can snuggle her, but instead she is sleeping well- a perfect baby really!