He's here!!

 I see that I have not blogged since 31 weeks!  Whoops!  Well, I made it to 38 weeks, and on October 10 at 10:15 pm, Evan Robert Murray was born!  Here is the story!

Evan Robert Murray - 6 lbs 6 oz, 18 inches long, born 10/10/11

Jack's birth started with my water breaking, so I had no idea what to expect with this one.  I had no idea what to do if I had a contraction.   I've never had a Braxton Hicks contraction, so they are very unfamiliar to me, as the only time I've ever had a contraction is during Jack's birth.

I was at a meeting in downtown ferndale for business owners.  They kept asking me when I was due and I kept saying "any day."  Not really thinking today was the day!   At the end of the meeting about 7:00 pm, I felt some pressure, and I tried not to grimace...as I didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable.  I was at a really fancy furniture store sitting on a really expensive chair and I didn't know what I was feeling but all I could think was, "I hope my water doesn't break on this nice chair."  I left, walking to the car, and I felt the pressure again.   I debated going shopping, and thought since I wasn't feeling that good, I probably shouldn't go.   (smart decision). 

I got home and told John I was feeling pressure, and didn't know what it was.   It was coming and going, and then I realized that they were probably contractions.  (duh).   So, I called Celeste (our doula) and she told me to drink some water and see what happens.   I did.  Then I called back and said everything was the same, and I thought they were about 5-7 minutes apart.   She told me to take a shower and see if they calm down.    I called Mary,(our midwife) and she told me to take a bath, for same reason Celeste did.   So, I got in the shower/bath and the water helped them feel better, but they didn't slow down at all.  They were about 3-5 minutes apart at this point. I looked online and it said at 5-10 minutes apart you should go to the hospital.   Really?   holy smokes, I'm way beyond that!   I thought I must be timing them wrong.  I called back Mary and told her that nothing was changing and they were getting more uncomfortable.   she said she'd call the ABC (Alternative Birth Center) and head back there (she was on her way home to sleep after just getting finished with 4 births!)   I called Celeste and told her the same thing and she was on her way as well. 

My mom came over to watch Jack, and she said "you had better get going!" after seeing me.  I told her "I have plenty of time, I just started having contractions!"   Plus I was managing them well.   I had to brace myself for them, but they were manageable.  So, we got the newborn diapers together and got my mom diapers for Jack, and headed out.   The car ride was miserable (thankfully only 10 minutes).   We got there about 9:30ish and parked, and I had to stop just outside of emergency to lean on a pole to get through a contraction.  They were getting very uncomfortable.  John got a wheelchair and they took me up to the ABC. 

I got into the room and fell onto the floor immediately to have a contraction and yelled "I need help!"   One nurse said, "She sounds pushy"  I said "no way, I just started having contractions!"  she wanted to check me and I said there is no way I'm ready to push, let me sit here.   Her and John convinced me to get on the bed and get checked and I was dilated to 9 cm.   "WHAT???"  Then someone said Mary is in the hallway and I heard them say, she's ready to push!   I was like "No, I'm not, I'm not ready yet!!"   (Pushing was so scary to me, as it was the worst part of Jack's birth.  It was only an hour of pushing, but it was so awful)   I really think I was not mentally ready for it yet as I had barely been having contractions.   So Mary got there and they got everything ready and said, "Emily if you feel like pushing, go ahead."   I was in so much pain at this point, the pressure was unbearable but I could not push, it just didn't feel right.  They asked if my water had broken and it hadn't and they decided that was causing me so much trouble.  Mary said she was going to break it if that was ok with me.   I told her to do whatever she needed to do.   She broke my water and it was a huge relief, and took some of the pressure away.  I then started feeling like I could push but it was about 10,0000x worse than the pain of pushing Jack out.   I was panicky and upset and couldn't handle it.   Mary had to tell me to calm down and breathe.  I was pushing and she had to tell me to stop and rest and stop scaring myself.  I was saying I couldn't take anymore and it had to end soon.   (John told me later, he looked at the clock and said to himself that we were in trouble because it had only been 5 minutes.)  At one point, Mary said she could see the head.   I said "is there hair?"  She said she didn't know, and I said "well, then you can't see the head, can you??"  I'm not very nice during labor, I guess. 

Not long after that, she said she could see the head and there was hair.   and then the head was nearly out and I heard her say that the cord was around his neck and I needed to push.  That panicked me that I couldn't push hard enough to help my baby fast enough.   I pushed as hard as I could, and I think she just needed a little one.  Anyway, around then, he was born and the first thing I said was something like Thank God he is out! I saw him and said "it's a boy!!"  John hadn't noticed yet. and then I got to hold my sweet baby.   I guess his hand came out with his head so I'm sure that was a big part of my pain.   I asked what time it was, thinking it had to be the middle of the night.   They said he was born at 10:15 pm.  I couldn't believe it.  I asked how long I pushed and they said "about 15 minutes."  WHAT???  That wasn't 5 hours of hard intense work???   I was in shock.   I barely made it in time!!   I'm in trouble if we have another baby.  

I wish I could have a calm lovely birth like some people, but boy, I just don't.  I'm still trying to figure out if a fast birth is worth the pain it causes!  I never would have thought that 3 hours from that first really minor contraction I would be holding my baby! 

Me, and Mary, my midwife.  Evan is there too, but you can't see him :)

Me and Celeste, our doula

Evan is breastfeeding in this picture.  As most of you know, Jack was unable to latch on for 6 weeks.  It was a rough road for us.   I was so scared of what was going to happen with this baby, and he latched on about 1 hour after he was born and nursed for 2 hours straight!!

Terrible picture, but this is Evan's first diaper!   Only cloth for this boy!

Me and my boys.

Evan ready to go home!

Jack and Evan didn't survive the 10 minute trip home awake.

Relaxing at home.

I have lots more to post....and some from before Evan was born...hopefully I can get to that soon!  You know, with all the extra time I have now :)