Quinn Alexandar

Quinn above is just about 24 hours old.
Quinn in an Anne Geddes position that he put himself in at day 4.

My son, Quinn Alexandar was 12 days late and weighing in at 7.11 and 20 inches long. He was born on November 25th at 7:18am. APGAR score of 8/9 only due to the fentanyl I received. He was a bit sleepy, but alert when coerced, good color and excellent reflexes. All is perfect with this little boy!

Labor was LONG! I was in labor for 36 hours and in active labor from seven pm until his birth at 7:18am.

Here is my labor story:

I was due to have an appointment on Monday the 23rd for an amniotic fluid check and fetal check. At that time, they were going to make one more final attempt to sweep my membranes with the hopes of throwing me into labor that night. I chose to allow them to induce me that day so I would be pregnancy free and baby in my arms within 24 hours. That day, they gave me mesoproxil? which is a cervical dilator. I had contractions through the entire day that lasted from a minute to 1.5 minutes. That night, they gave me fentanyl and morphine to allow me to sleep b/c they were under the assumption that I would be delivering the following day. I did not need the additional cervidil b/c my contractions were 2 minutes apart at 9pm when they checked me before bed.

Tuesday morning, I was told that because I was induced, I could NOT labor in water. This was awful and shattered my plans of hypnobirthing, even though the previous day I got through the contractions with the hypnobirthing techniques. Hypnobirthing and water birthing go hand in hand, but some woman can use it without water. I guess I just had these grand plans and was not intending of going off base from them. What a let down. Needless to say, I made the decision to get an epidural. I felt so defeated:( My birth plan was basically shattered at that point b/c I was against the epidural completely until I realized my labor was going to be very long and I was running out of fuel. They also started pitocin and fluid resuscitation. Talk about FLUID OVERLOAD! OMG, I came out of birth looking like the pillsbury dough girl!! And, I'm still diuresing to this moment!

Anyhow,

I was given the epidural and only the left side was working. The right side was not and even though the on call anesthesiologist came in to try and fix it, it did not work. The good thing about this was I could feel the entire birth and was able to feel my water bag break at 715 pm on Tuesday evening. They turned the epidural off completely because they were also giving me fentanyl for break through contraction pain. That stuff threw me out of the loop. STRONG STUFF! Around 3:30am, my nurse came in and asked me the last time I was checked and of course, I couldn't remember b/c I was so "out of it". She then checked me and said, "oh my darling, you are fully dilated to 10 and your babies head it right there, we are going to start pushing in an hour.

"An hour!!" I thought! WThell. There was an emergency c-section going down, so b/c I'm low risk, I have to wait. Ahhh, I guess it gave me a moment to take everything in and prepare myself for the pain I was about to endure!

At 4:15am, I began pushing and pushing and pushing for the next three hours. The last thing I remember, the MD came in and said "Ok Kat, your babies heart rate has dropped to 71, you need to push him out right now, ok?"

I just remember saying a quick prayer to God to help me through because I was soooo beyond tired and I pushed him out in 2 tries!

AMAZING and triumphant all around. I did it, I gave birth to my first child even though my birth plan didn't play out as I wanted. He was a healthy baby boy and is the light of my life!! I'm smitten and damn I feel blessed and lucky that I was given this gift!

Today, I'm still recovering from the agony and traumatic stress of child birth. Everyday gets better and everyday I'm figuring it all out and am able to walk better and actually clean my place up a little. My mom is here to help me with everything and has been amazing. Thanks mom. She cooks me things and gets things for me since it's so difficult to move as fast as I normally do. She's been great and sadly, is leaving on Tuesday!

But in the end, she was the one who caught Quinn and cut his umbilical cord which I know she will remember forever!

It's an "official" feeling!

I am going to be pregnant forever! I don't understand this process. I've been healthy throughout my entire pregnancy, I made a birth plan and now it could be squashed in a matter of days if I do not start labor within 4 days. I will be laboring the entire time in the hospital, hooked up to an iv with pitocin running though my veins, waiting to birth my baby! Not exactly how I planned this first birth with my first child. There goes all of the natural techniques I have lined up. Perhaps I'm jumping the gun and should remain with that sliver of hope to get me through? It's hard and I'm becoming more and more discouraged because everyone texts me and calls me asking if I'm in labor or if baby is here.

I'm frustrated. I've tried so many things to get things moving. Evening primrose oil, orgasms, pineapple, walking all over, my membranes were swept, I ate prego pizza and even spicy food. I even have an appointment for acupuncture tomorrow, along with getting my membranes swept again.

Hmm..

My little one is so comfy inside and I cannot blame him really. Living inside a warm space where you're being fed, there are no loud noises and not much stress. Comfort, pure comfort.

Dear son:

I love you and I want to meet you, please help mommy accomplish this. It would be lovely if you make the decision to come out to play today or tonight. So many people are anxious to meet you and I am anxious to stare into your eyes in complete awe. I will try to be patient and allow nature to take it's course. But just know that we're running out of time and they may have to induce me here in 4 days. I love you.

Love mom...

Prego Pizza

So today I've decided upon recommendation from a stranger at the dog park, to go and try an "infamous" pizza that has been known to throw overdue women into labor. I am not even sure what to expect out of it, but at this point I am willing to at least try it and see if it will work. It's a lot easier to put down than castor oil, this is for certain.

I'm two days overdue now and have been walking and trying other "natural" ways to get things moving, but nothing's working.

So we figure, "what the heck, let's go have us some "Prego Pizza".....

Next blog will hopefully be the start of my labor blog:) Wish me luck tonight!!

Out of the loop

I've been neglecting my blog that I really wanted to do good with. I've been busy with work, packing and moving, then unpacking and nesting. Baby was due yesterday and is still incubating. Apparently he is happy inside the womb. I have had minor stomach aches and constant Braxton Hicks contractions, but no loss of the infamous "mucus plug" or any sign of my membranes rupturing. I'm more tired than normal, but I think when you're carrying around a 7+ lb baby inside you, I guess that is grounds for added fatigue. My mom arrived on the 9th and I was soooo worried that she was going to miss his birth. lol..not even close!

In the meantime, I've been walking a lot and I've had a few glasses of wine to relax my anxiety; neither which have worked. I don't plan on drinking castor oil or any herbs. He will come when he is ready to come and I will patiently wait it out.

Dear son,

I'm getting excited by the minute. My phone continues to ring off the hook with everyone wanting to know when you're making your grand entrance into this world. It's nerve wracking knowing that you are coming soon, but not so soon. I happen to think you're going to wait out the weekend and that is kind of a bummer.

We're ready for you though. Gran gran knit you a beautiful hat and mittens for the cold weather you are going to endure when you are born; it's just that time of year.

The diaper service has started, all of your clothes are washed and waiting to be used and there are plenty of people with ants in their pants to come and meet you:)

How am I doing you ask? Well, I'm still sleeping pretty well and moving around, although sometimes it is really difficult if you know what I mean!

Oh and Sherlock? He is aware you're on your way out, he is all over me and always wanting to be held or pet. He's just layin' around the house waiting for his dog walker to pick him up b/c he knows what that means!

Anyhow, we're all very excited to meet you, hold you and welcome you to this world with all the love we have to offer. Here's to meeting you soon and I definitely mean soon please:) xxo

Love mommie!