Baby Farm Boy's Birth Story - One year ago today

 At 9am I was in complete denial that I was really in labor.  I kept telling my mom (who flew in the night before, thank God), "I am not in labor, stop being so dramatic".  Silly girl....listen to your mommy, she has had four kids...   Ignoring her, we drove to the firehouse to be sure the car seat properly installed. 

I should have known I was in early labor when the only thing I could hear was the sweet lady telling me that "I was going to have that baby soon".  I guess I should have listened to the complete stranger too! 

My mom was thinking ahead, she asked me to go through the drive through to get her a snack (she knew we were headed into "work mode").  After getting her snack, I had to drive with the windows down the rest of the way home because the smell was making me nauseous.  By the time we got home I had to sit on the exercise ball to be comfortable. Mom kept saying "umm are you going to to call Cliff? Are you going to call your Doula?

I said, "No mom... I am fine..I am not really in labor" ...see I was thinking that they should hurt much more and be more obviously spaced apart... being a totally rookie mom, I was in complete denial.

Finally mom convinced me to call both of them.  I told them both "my mom wants me to tell you she thinks I am in labor and that the contractions are about 2 mins apart!".   She had been timing them from the beginning (without telling me).... I still did not believe her.  My husband is hilarious and asked me to go feed the goats in case we would not have time later... so I did.. I got stuck out there breathing through a few contractions.  Our female goat (for the first time) rested her sweet head on mine while I leaned against the fence.  Mama's know!

Cliff rushed home from work (thank goodness I called him when I did because he was headed into a meeting where he was going to turn his phone off!!) and found me laboring in the bath room.

Minutes later our Doula arrive and asked how long I had been like this.  I STILL was saying... I don't know how serious this labor is... I think we have time.  THANK GOODNESS my doula (LOVE HER!) grabbed me by the face, looked me in the eyes and said (with the sweetest but stern voice) " Lisa, we need to go to the hospital, you are going to have this baby, and I think it is going to happen fast, let's go now".  Umm.. OK... I can't really argue with that.

So we drove... I hung my head out of the window like a dog.  The cool air on my face was the only thing to get my mind off the stronger contractions

We arrived at the hospital, made the long trek down the hall, up the elevator to the OB triage area.  There was no way I was sitting in a wheel chair, so they used wheel chair to carry our stuff and pushed it next to me.  I had to stop every couple minutes to breath through a contraction. 

When we arrived upstairs they checked my cervix, I was at a 6 and my contractions were 2 minutes apart and very strong at this point.  They confirmed that my water had broken (it happened at home,but I thought I just peed extra! ha - such a rookie) and they needed to get me a room fast.   I asked them to fill a labor tub for me and could not wait to get in that tub!

Sadly they were filling a HUGE tub with a tiny garden hose from the sink.... so I needed to labor a little longer out side. At this phase I found it easiest to labor on the toilet leaning against my husband.  These contractions kept making me feel like I had to pee! 

As you can tell, at this point my awesome friend (aka best photographer ever  arrived to document his birth.   

Ahh finally they filled the tub enough for me to get in.  There was quite a bit of relief, but I was now in hard labor, transition... there is really no such thing as relief in transition when you are doing a natural child birth.  I had already been having the urge to push at this point and was saying things like "I just can't get comfortable" my doula laughed at me.  She was pouring water on my back as my amazing husband was caressing me and telling me how great I was doing.  I had the best team!

As things started to get more serious (an hour later) my doctor came in to check on things. He asked me to get out of the tub and I said no... "I am not getting out...sorry".  He said (in the most understanding voice) "Lisa, the babies heart rate is dropping with each contraction, we need to get a better monitor on his heart rate and then you can get back in".  

He is a smart man, he knew I would not get out unless it was for my little baby.  He also knew it was getting close to time to push the baby out and he was not allowed (by the hospital) to deliver in the tub.  So I got out (reluctantly) and they attached the regular monitor. 

As they attached the monitor, the nurse says "ummm, she is crowning!".  Contractions stopped for what seemed like the greatest break ever - thank you LORD!  looking back it was only 3 or 4 mins, but it felt like the greatest gift. I felt things changing and then the biggest urge to push.  A few big pushes (I think 3 or 4) and our little man arrived!!

BEST MOMENT EVER! Seeing my little man for the first time, knowing he was safe and sound, and labor (for the most part), was over!!

He was chunky, healthy, and had a full head of hair!

Daddy was so proud, we just looked into our little boys eyes and cried happy tears. 

My heart was bursting at the seams with love.  Seeing my husband, the man I love more than anything, hold our little boy was the most magical moment.  I never knew I could love him THAT much. 

My little Farm Boy

Born 10-11-12 at 12:47pm 8lbs and 21 inches long (just 3.5 hours after his mom did not think she was in labor)

Perfect and full of life.  Ready to teach his mom and dad just how much they can love.

Happy Birthday son, I love you to the moon and back. 

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