Being a mom is something that I've always looked so forward to. After growing up being best friends with my mom, I've always dreamed of and had the desire to have the same type of relationship with my children. Well I'm a mom now!!
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| seems crazy that this was a week ago, right before we left the hospital. |
It was a week ago that Chris and I finally got to bring our adorable baby boy home...
only after 54 hours of labor.
At 41 weeks and 3 days, we went to see our midwife for our weekly appointment and they scheduled our induction for 42 weeks. We prayed hard that we wouldn't go that long, but continued to trust that the Lord would bring our baby at the right time. Our midwife stripped my membranes to try to naturally induce labor (this was after trying ALL of the other wives tales... spicy food, clary sage oil, walking, skipping, curb walking, yard work, squats, eggplant parm, nipple stimulation, relaxation, lavender baths, chocolate for endorphins, ginger, making love, chinese food, pineapple, stretching, banana, raspberry leaf tea...). We tried everything to get this baby out!
only after 54 hours of labor.
At 41 weeks and 3 days, we went to see our midwife for our weekly appointment and they scheduled our induction for 42 weeks. We prayed hard that we wouldn't go that long, but continued to trust that the Lord would bring our baby at the right time. Our midwife stripped my membranes to try to naturally induce labor (this was after trying ALL of the other wives tales... spicy food, clary sage oil, walking, skipping, curb walking, yard work, squats, eggplant parm, nipple stimulation, relaxation, lavender baths, chocolate for endorphins, ginger, making love, chinese food, pineapple, stretching, banana, raspberry leaf tea...). We tried everything to get this baby out!
Well... Wednesday afternoon, the contractions started and by Wednesday night, the contractions were about 3 minutes apart. We went to the hospital around 1am on Thursday morning and I was only 3cm dilated. They didn't want to admit me yet, so they let me stay in triage and they had Chris and I walk the empty hospital halls all night long. After 4 LONG hours, I was still at 3cm... but I was having contractions every 1-2 minutes... so... we kept walking. By 9am I was still at 3cm and they sent us home. (my mom and Chris' sister were both there all night supporting us, waiting with us - they are amazing!)
We were completely exhausted, so they gave me an ambient and told us to go home and try to rest. We slept for about 4 hours, having contractions the whole time through. I continued to labor at home with my contractions spreading farther apart until Thursday night when they got so close together and so intense, we decided to go back to the hospital. (at this time, my mom and Chris' sister started the wait again with us - they were amazing and such troopers)
At 3:30am Friday morning, I was 6cm dilated (we were so excited not to hear the number 3 again). They admitted us. After a day full of contractions getting closer and closer, and monitoring of me and the baby, they came back to check me at 4pm to see how dilated I was.... 8cm. The midwife looked at me and asked can you do another 12 hours to go 2cm more. Chris and I looked at each other, both started crying and I without hesitation said 'no'.
My body, my mind... they were exhausted... Chris was exhausted! We hadn't really slept since Tuesday night... it was Friday afternoon. Chris had been standing next to me all day, helping me relax, holding my hand, giving me water, praying over me and the baby, being the best support I could have ever asked for or expected.
The midwife asked if I wanted her to brake my water to speed things up and Chris and I decided this was the best option. She did, and the contractions got more and more intense but weren't getting any closer together. By 7:30pm, the nurses and midwife shift change had taken place, and when the new midwife came to check on me she checked and said I was at 10cm!! By this point, I felt like my body was going to shut down and the contractions were so intense, I had to push. She said okay, and my nurse said I wasn't ready... well after 2 hours of pushing, and needing an oxygen mask due to the baby's heart rate dropping, we could see the little head right there... so close... just not coming out.
I pushed through 10 contractions with this tiny head full of hair poking out, and nothing was happening. I thought I can't push anymore, they have to get this baby out. I prayed and prayed that God would bring this child to us and that he would give me strength. As the baby's heart rate continued to be an issue, they saw that he had a bowel movement in utero and they became concerned about the stool getting in his lungs, and I felt like I was suffocating from the oxygen mask, she asked about an episiotomy and Chris and I decided yes, as soon as she gave me the episiotomy, this precious 7lb 11oz baby slid right out. They rushed our baby away to make sure the stool wasn't in his system and I begged Chris to leave me and go be with our baby and to find out if it was a boy or girl.
He came back to me leaned over with a huge smile and said 'It's Grayson! It's a boy!'
My heart was so happy! I laid there staring across the room watching my amazing husband love and sing to our precious baby boy and the last 54 hours became a blur. I was overwhelmed thinking about the strength that came from our prayers, how God provided for all of our needs and helped me get through the absolute hardest thing I've ever experienced.
It is truly amazing how much joy and happiness came from something that was SO hard.
My heart melted time and time again as Chris selflessly gave of himself to me and my needs. He gave up sleep, skipped meals, stood on his feet day after day, encouraged me through every contraction. He wept with me when we felt discouraged and exhausted and prayed for the strength to keep going.
Then I see this amazing man that I love so much holding OUR baby... this tiny little human that WE made... we created him and brought him into this world! Wow... I am so blessed!
We were completely exhausted, so they gave me an ambient and told us to go home and try to rest. We slept for about 4 hours, having contractions the whole time through. I continued to labor at home with my contractions spreading farther apart until Thursday night when they got so close together and so intense, we decided to go back to the hospital. (at this time, my mom and Chris' sister started the wait again with us - they were amazing and such troopers)
At 3:30am Friday morning, I was 6cm dilated (we were so excited not to hear the number 3 again). They admitted us. After a day full of contractions getting closer and closer, and monitoring of me and the baby, they came back to check me at 4pm to see how dilated I was.... 8cm. The midwife looked at me and asked can you do another 12 hours to go 2cm more. Chris and I looked at each other, both started crying and I without hesitation said 'no'.
My body, my mind... they were exhausted... Chris was exhausted! We hadn't really slept since Tuesday night... it was Friday afternoon. Chris had been standing next to me all day, helping me relax, holding my hand, giving me water, praying over me and the baby, being the best support I could have ever asked for or expected.
The midwife asked if I wanted her to brake my water to speed things up and Chris and I decided this was the best option. She did, and the contractions got more and more intense but weren't getting any closer together. By 7:30pm, the nurses and midwife shift change had taken place, and when the new midwife came to check on me she checked and said I was at 10cm!! By this point, I felt like my body was going to shut down and the contractions were so intense, I had to push. She said okay, and my nurse said I wasn't ready... well after 2 hours of pushing, and needing an oxygen mask due to the baby's heart rate dropping, we could see the little head right there... so close... just not coming out.
I pushed through 10 contractions with this tiny head full of hair poking out, and nothing was happening. I thought I can't push anymore, they have to get this baby out. I prayed and prayed that God would bring this child to us and that he would give me strength. As the baby's heart rate continued to be an issue, they saw that he had a bowel movement in utero and they became concerned about the stool getting in his lungs, and I felt like I was suffocating from the oxygen mask, she asked about an episiotomy and Chris and I decided yes, as soon as she gave me the episiotomy, this precious 7lb 11oz baby slid right out. They rushed our baby away to make sure the stool wasn't in his system and I begged Chris to leave me and go be with our baby and to find out if it was a boy or girl.
He came back to me leaned over with a huge smile and said 'It's Grayson! It's a boy!'
My heart was so happy! I laid there staring across the room watching my amazing husband love and sing to our precious baby boy and the last 54 hours became a blur. I was overwhelmed thinking about the strength that came from our prayers, how God provided for all of our needs and helped me get through the absolute hardest thing I've ever experienced.
It is truly amazing how much joy and happiness came from something that was SO hard.
My heart melted time and time again as Chris selflessly gave of himself to me and my needs. He gave up sleep, skipped meals, stood on his feet day after day, encouraged me through every contraction. He wept with me when we felt discouraged and exhausted and prayed for the strength to keep going.
Then I see this amazing man that I love so much holding OUR baby... this tiny little human that WE made... we created him and brought him into this world! Wow... I am so blessed!
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| my first time holding Grayson Coy Reese - I love these 2 so much! |
So beautiful! i love that he told you it was a boy by saying, "it's grayson!" Congratulations, what an amazing mama and daddy sweet Grayson has!
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