Carson Fredrick was born on August 8th, 2011 at 10:17pm. He weighs 8lbs 15oz and measures 19.25 inches! The biggest of our little ones at birth!
Here’s the story, with a lot of details because I want to remember them!
August 8th (2 days past due):
I dropped off Kayda and Dillon with Grandma Peggy so I could go into the office to do my ultrasound (to check fluid levels) and the non-stress test (to make sure he was doing ok in there). On the drive down I had the brief thought that maybe I should get all our hospital stuff but dismissed it as wishful thinking (way to go Mommy). At 1pm I got that ultrasound and was told there was “plenty of fluid” then off to my ob to do the rest. Carson was as active as ever and impressed the nurses and doctor for the second time with how much he moves. At 2:45pm the ob (Dr. Hanlon) checked my cervix, I was 3cm so she did a membrane sweep, well that ended up breaking my water (it broke when she was removing her hand so I think it would have happened soon anyway)! I was so paranoid about not knowing when to go to the hospital. Guess I didn’t need to be! So I packed up, called Daddy and headed over. Can’t say I was disappointed in the slightest!
At 4:15pm I still hadn’t started to have contractions so they started an IV of pitocin. At 6:30pm the doctor came in to put in some special monitors since I was doing a VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section). She discovered I was 4 cm dilated, 75% effaced and the baby was at -1 station (not quite fully engaged). She also found that not all of my amniotic sac broke (apparently there are two layers) so she broke the remainder at 6:40pm.
At 8:00pm I finally chickened out and got an epidural, let me just say this epidural was a thousand times better than the one I had with Kayda. I could still move my legs and feel when the contractions were happening just without the pain. After receiving the epidural they checked me again. 6cm, 75% effaced and 0 station so Carson was moving down. Dr. Hanlon was planning to come back in two hours but I was reporting to the nurse that I could feel a lot of pressure so they checked again at 9:45pm: 9cm, 95% effaced, +1 station (first step of 5 on the way out). Once again we made plans, I would be checked again in half an hour. Just before 10pm I called the nurse, I wanted to push and the pressure wasn’t letting up anymore so she came over and got Dr. Hanlon there. We were ready! It took a few minutes to get everything ready, Dr. Hanlon had to go ask another woman (a first time mom) to hold off on pushing (she had been pushing for 45 minutes) while I delivered. Felt kind of bad about that but I got it done as quickly as I could. Started pushing at 10:06pm and sweet Carson was born at 10:17pm! Dr. Hanlon was going to use the vacuum to help because he was facing sideways but the scalp sensor kept it from working. He corrected himself so it really wasn’t needed anyway. The umbilical cord had been wrapped around Carson’s neck but it was not tight so she was able to slip it right off. Daddy got to cut the umbilical cord too! I only needed a couple of stitches this birth so I was excited!
We had a few visitors while I was in labor, most before I started hurting. Grandma H, Grandma G, Kayda, Dillon, and Auntie Kina. Auntie Kina hung out with us up until pushing, though she didn’t get to meet Carson because Kayda and Dillon get to do that first. Later in the evening Grandma and Grandpa H came by (after I got my epidural so I could actually visit). Kayda and Dillon spent the night with Grandma G and were having such a grand time that even though they were still awake when little brother was born they didn’t want to come down! So they’ll be here once they’re up and dressed in the morning.
I didn’t get to sleep much (it’s 6am and I have given up), Carson kept waking up so Daddy is sleeping, that way when we go home I can go sleep in another room while he takes care of Carson between feedings. I can honestly say I am happy to just look at him! Another perfect baby!
