It had been a fairly normal pregnancy with all the appropriate weight and tummy enlargement gains. I had more pelvic pressure earlier than either Brenden or Kyleigh which made it more uncomfortable and painful to walk around. Due to not having regular cycles and having to go 3 rounds of clomid to help me get pregnant, I didn't have an exact date to go on to know Kent's gestational age. Early October, I didn't think he was going to last until the 24th, which was his due date. Kent had been breech early on, but as he grew, he turned himself around. I had been dialated and effaced for several weeks when I took a long walk with the kids to a lake up near Peninsula. I also took primrose oil, raspberry tea and ate pineapples on the 18th. If Kent was ready, I was told that those natural things would help labor progress. I was already at 2cm and 50%.
Trent and I watched a movie, I can't remember which but probably something like Hobbit or Avengers or Greatest Game Ever Played. At 9 I started feeling some contractions. I waited to tell Trent until they grew in length and intensity. Finally I told him when I couldn't completely breathe comfortably through them. Then I started timing them. It was irregular and 20 min then 10 min and when it got to 5 min apart, I texted my mom so she could be on alert. She started looking online for flights out that night or next morning. I told Trent he better get the bag upstairs that I had packed and was sitting in the crib and I texted our neighbors to see if we could bring k and b over to sleep.....and then the contractions started to slow and stopped. I was so sad and disappointed. I let myself think that this could be it and we were about to meet our little son.
I texted Kat and my mom that the contractions stopped and it was false alarm and not a funny joke. I was so sad!! Wanted to cry, but didn't. After awhile, you get so anxious to meet the little guy and desperate to hold him in arms and not inside belly.
We go to bed around midnight, but I have a hard time sleeping...like almost every night the last few months. I wake up around 2 and feel a little pool of water down under, but dismiss it from being amniotic fluid cause I've already thought that 2 times before and gone to the doctor office with it coming back negative. I go to the restroom and go back to bed thinking that if it is amniotic fluid, usually contractions kick in cause hormones send that trigger that labor is progressing further. About an hour later I wake up freezing. And start shivering like I have a fever, except I don't have a headache to accompany the shivers. So I pull on the covers (cause I haven't really needed them while I've been pregnant due to my internal 'heater/incubator'). This doesn't help and I only get worse. The shivers become so strong and uncontrollable that I wake Trent up and tell him that something is wrong and maybe we should go get checked at the hospital. I waited an hour of shivering before waking Trent up to make sure it wasn't something I could just control or fix. At 4 we finally load the car with my bag and call the doctor office to see which hospital the on-call midwife was at. I had seen many different midwives throughout this pregnancy since you don't choose which one to help you deliver the baby-you just get the one that's on call and if she is already at a hospital with another patient, you go to her, but if she's not with a patient, then you can choose which hospital and she will meet you there.
We also called the Mummas down the street since we have to wake someone up and they offered to come over anytime night or day. (They were a huge blessing as this labor took longer than expected and they did some serious entertaining). I forgot to turn my cell off silent and missed the call from doctor office telling me to go to Summa Hospital. I had pre-registered at General so we drove there hoping the midwife was at General. Only once we were checked in and in the triage room did we check the phone and realize the mistake (which we both think was a blessing in disguise because of the quality of care we received from General Hospital with the nurses and the Doctor that delivered Kent).
We leave the door unlocked for the Mummas to walk in and then we take off before they arrive because the shivers are uncontrollable and causing my body to shake. It feels like the transition stage when I was delivering Kyleigh. We drive to Akron General and get checked in. In triage they check if I'm leaking amniotic fluid. I was so they get me into a room. I tested positive for Group B Strep so they begin my penicillin iv. I think that was around 6 and they were hoping that Kent wouldn't arrive before 10 so that the drugs would have the full 2 bags/dosage before he arrived to make sure he didn't catch my group B strep.
Around 7 we fill the jacuzzi and the doctors tell me to alert them immediately if I begin to feel pressure because they don't want me delivering in the tub. Trent takes a nap on the couch while I call my substitute for my Primary class to let her know I won't be at Church the following day and to cover for me (I had her lined up previously, so she just needed the green light of when to teach). After Trent's nap he finishes a school assignment. I am hoping he can hurry and be done soon because the contractions were starting to get more intense and I would need his help soon. I think around 11am is when Trent finishes his assignment and I decide it's a good time to take a walk and try the exercise ball to manage the contractions better. After our walk, Trent begins pushing on the small of my back each time a contraction starts. He was excellent during the whole thing. His arms would get tired...cause my labor was so long this time around...and after pushing on my back (and later my knees) he would shake his arms because he had to push hard and long during the contractions to counter the pressure for me. The doctors and nurses check me and sadly, I progress rather slowly. About noon I get into the bed and try sitting on my knees and hug the back of the bed. That helps, but the labor still progresses slowly. I keep checking the clock thinking...by this time both Kyleigh and Brenden had been born...neither of them took this long to make their decent out of the birth canal. Come on, Kent! Changing positions and taking a walk was all supposed to help the labor progress...but it was a slow going.
At 2, I am in hard labor pains, but just kept thinking about how great this is going to be to see my little guy and all this pain is worth it. I am trying every breathing technique I read and researched. I am trying the visualization techniques and it does help. But that minute hand is moving at such a slow pace. I text my Mom and find out where she is...I think she's in Chicago and will be here around 8pm. Trent talks to the Mummas to tell them that I am still in the 'fighting chair' and it's probably not too much longer now. At somewhere around 3:30, the resident doctor checks me and says I am at about a 9.5 or more and can push now if I want or wait a little longer......I didn't hesitate a second. Are you kidding me? There's an option? NOW!
So he calls in the team. They grab a large and long table from the adjoining room. It's covered with a sheet so that I don't see all the scary looking instruments. Pull down these very large and very bright group of lights and direct it toward the bed. A nurse comes on each side of me and one of them tells Trent to stand on my right side. The resident and main doctor come in and take their position at the foot of the bed.
We only met the doctor who would deliver Kent that morning but really liked him...so I fully trusted and listened to him and liked his 'coaching' style. He was very encouraging but firm. The nurse said I probably pushed about 3 times and Kent came right out.
The very first thought that came to my mind and out from my lips when he slimed out was..."Finally!!"
I felt slightly bad that it wasn't something more sentimental and sugary sweet, but I was so anxious to meet this little guy and had been anticipating his immediate arrival for 5 hours shy of 24 hours and being exhausted and hungry and anxious....I was finally glad to see him. :)
The doctors clamped the cord and let Trent cut it. Then they placed him on my and wiped him down. I had let them know previously that when he arrived, I wanted to nurse him right away before they took him away for weighing, measuring, bath, and shots. (With Kyleigh-I found that the first hour is their strongest instinct to nurse, so I wanted to capitalize on that since I had so much trouble with Brenden nursing).
Kent proved to be a hungry guy and did well with his natural instincts. They took him away to measure and weigh and bathe and Trent followed. I had taken a picture of him and sent that to my family to let them know that he was safe and sound into his new world. He arrived at 7 lbs 8 oz and 20 inches. Our heaviest baby yet...and supposedly early. Both Brenden and Kyleigh had been born at 40 weeks exactly and weighed in at 6.14 and 5.15 respectively. So, Kent, who was almost a week early, came in quite a bit heavier than his siblings....Trent and I hope that his great appetite continue throughout his life...at least something more substantive than his two older siblings would be nice.
This is my favorite moment....when baby has arrived, I know he is safe and healthy, his tummy is full and the room full of chaos and people milling about have all departed...and it's just us. A new life. A new baby. And a heart very full of gratitude.
Trent and I thought that my Mom was going to arrive at 6, so he rushes home after meeting and kissing Kent. He thanks the Mummas for taking such good care of Brenden and Kyleigh (who had a great time by the way-puzzles, coloring, food and petting dogs and cats all day long) and starts to head over to the airport...until we get word that it was 6 arrival to Chicago and not Akron. So he takes the kids to get dinner at McDonalds. The kids are too excited to see Grandma to sleep so Trent takes them all with him to grab Grandma from the airport...Kyleigh was able to stay awake long enough to see her, give her hugs and then promptly falls asleep. I get to see my Mom and she gets to meet the newest addition to the family before she heads home with Trent to put the kids to bed. We have church at 9 am...and it's going to be 6am her time.
There was not alot of sleep going on that night and it felt so terribly long before I was able to see my Mom again and have the kids meet their new baby brother. But they eventually came and it was so very nice....
We leave the door unlocked for the Mummas to walk in and then we take off before they arrive because the shivers are uncontrollable and causing my body to shake. It feels like the transition stage when I was delivering Kyleigh. We drive to Akron General and get checked in. In triage they check if I'm leaking amniotic fluid. I was so they get me into a room. I tested positive for Group B Strep so they begin my penicillin iv. I think that was around 6 and they were hoping that Kent wouldn't arrive before 10 so that the drugs would have the full 2 bags/dosage before he arrived to make sure he didn't catch my group B strep.
Around 7 we fill the jacuzzi and the doctors tell me to alert them immediately if I begin to feel pressure because they don't want me delivering in the tub. Trent takes a nap on the couch while I call my substitute for my Primary class to let her know I won't be at Church the following day and to cover for me (I had her lined up previously, so she just needed the green light of when to teach). After Trent's nap he finishes a school assignment. I am hoping he can hurry and be done soon because the contractions were starting to get more intense and I would need his help soon. I think around 11am is when Trent finishes his assignment and I decide it's a good time to take a walk and try the exercise ball to manage the contractions better. After our walk, Trent begins pushing on the small of my back each time a contraction starts. He was excellent during the whole thing. His arms would get tired...cause my labor was so long this time around...and after pushing on my back (and later my knees) he would shake his arms because he had to push hard and long during the contractions to counter the pressure for me. The doctors and nurses check me and sadly, I progress rather slowly. About noon I get into the bed and try sitting on my knees and hug the back of the bed. That helps, but the labor still progresses slowly. I keep checking the clock thinking...by this time both Kyleigh and Brenden had been born...neither of them took this long to make their decent out of the birth canal. Come on, Kent! Changing positions and taking a walk was all supposed to help the labor progress...but it was a slow going.
At 2, I am in hard labor pains, but just kept thinking about how great this is going to be to see my little guy and all this pain is worth it. I am trying every breathing technique I read and researched. I am trying the visualization techniques and it does help. But that minute hand is moving at such a slow pace. I text my Mom and find out where she is...I think she's in Chicago and will be here around 8pm. Trent talks to the Mummas to tell them that I am still in the 'fighting chair' and it's probably not too much longer now. At somewhere around 3:30, the resident doctor checks me and says I am at about a 9.5 or more and can push now if I want or wait a little longer......I didn't hesitate a second. Are you kidding me? There's an option? NOW!
So he calls in the team. They grab a large and long table from the adjoining room. It's covered with a sheet so that I don't see all the scary looking instruments. Pull down these very large and very bright group of lights and direct it toward the bed. A nurse comes on each side of me and one of them tells Trent to stand on my right side. The resident and main doctor come in and take their position at the foot of the bed.
We only met the doctor who would deliver Kent that morning but really liked him...so I fully trusted and listened to him and liked his 'coaching' style. He was very encouraging but firm. The nurse said I probably pushed about 3 times and Kent came right out.
The very first thought that came to my mind and out from my lips when he slimed out was..."Finally!!"
I felt slightly bad that it wasn't something more sentimental and sugary sweet, but I was so anxious to meet this little guy and had been anticipating his immediate arrival for 5 hours shy of 24 hours and being exhausted and hungry and anxious....I was finally glad to see him. :)
The doctors clamped the cord and let Trent cut it. Then they placed him on my and wiped him down. I had let them know previously that when he arrived, I wanted to nurse him right away before they took him away for weighing, measuring, bath, and shots. (With Kyleigh-I found that the first hour is their strongest instinct to nurse, so I wanted to capitalize on that since I had so much trouble with Brenden nursing).
Kent proved to be a hungry guy and did well with his natural instincts. They took him away to measure and weigh and bathe and Trent followed. I had taken a picture of him and sent that to my family to let them know that he was safe and sound into his new world. He arrived at 7 lbs 8 oz and 20 inches. Our heaviest baby yet...and supposedly early. Both Brenden and Kyleigh had been born at 40 weeks exactly and weighed in at 6.14 and 5.15 respectively. So, Kent, who was almost a week early, came in quite a bit heavier than his siblings....Trent and I hope that his great appetite continue throughout his life...at least something more substantive than his two older siblings would be nice.
This is my favorite moment....when baby has arrived, I know he is safe and healthy, his tummy is full and the room full of chaos and people milling about have all departed...and it's just us. A new life. A new baby. And a heart very full of gratitude.
Trent and I thought that my Mom was going to arrive at 6, so he rushes home after meeting and kissing Kent. He thanks the Mummas for taking such good care of Brenden and Kyleigh (who had a great time by the way-puzzles, coloring, food and petting dogs and cats all day long) and starts to head over to the airport...until we get word that it was 6 arrival to Chicago and not Akron. So he takes the kids to get dinner at McDonalds. The kids are too excited to see Grandma to sleep so Trent takes them all with him to grab Grandma from the airport...Kyleigh was able to stay awake long enough to see her, give her hugs and then promptly falls asleep. I get to see my Mom and she gets to meet the newest addition to the family before she heads home with Trent to put the kids to bed. We have church at 9 am...and it's going to be 6am her time.
There was not alot of sleep going on that night and it felt so terribly long before I was able to see my Mom again and have the kids meet their new baby brother. But they eventually came and it was so very nice....
Now for the photos...
Trent was a wee bit tired. This was around 9 am and the poor guy had been up since 3am and was exhausted by this point ;)
Grandma and Kyleigh meeting baby Kent after church the following day...not quite 24 hours old.
(These photos are out of order).
Here's Kent's first picture ever. just minutes into his new world. A chunky, healthy 7 oz 8 lb and 20.5 inches. Trent just informed me that he's scared to cut the umbilical cord cause he's afraid it's going to hurt us...but he does it anyway and has cut all three kids' cords.
Trent said he felt real lucky to have a sweet baby. He felt that the hospital blanket was too rough on the new skin, so Trent grabbed the soft blue blanket that we brought from home and wrapped his little guy in it.
Grandma got us McDonalds after going to the doctor for Kent's 2 day checkup and B and K's flu shots. They (ok-Kyleigh) was tough and she got them a treat. Brenden was gingerly holding his leg the whole way out of the doctor office and into the parking lot while Kyleigh was swinging her lunch box of food we had brought. I took the picture of her ordering food here cause I knew my Dad would enjoy teasing her. :)
Lots of hand washing after school happening these next few days when the kids got home.
Every week was a different color and this day was "Black day" so Grandma helped Kyleigh find the perfect black ensemble.
My favorite clothes for the new guy: easy diaper change-ability and hand coverings to prevent him from scratching himself.
Grandma took us here and got some sweet goodies:
With all her cooking, cleaning and entertaining, she probably didn't get to do this enough:
Grandma took us to the farmer's market Szalay's and this is what Kyleigh picked out. She was incredibly excited to finally be able to chow down on her "treat".
Time soon came....too soon....for Grandma to leave us. We got her to the airport early, so she would be sure to catch her connection and meet Grandpa and Great-Grandma and Aunt Terri in New Orleans for a river cruise.
We missed her terribly, but there was plenty of this still going on...
Kyleigh had to hold him daily. She was confused who the real mother of baby Kent was for awhile...
I sent this picture to my family in a group text cause it looked like he was holding his fist up ready to knock someone's block off....
Milk coma.....
A real good Dad...
And a fun Grandma. We picked out pumpkins here at the farmer's market as well.
Trying to figure out who all these new faces are and if he's in the right place....
We all enjoyed the pumpkins and each picked out our design. Kent's pumpkin was left un-jack-o-lantern-ified since he was unable to wield a pumpkin cutting knife just yet. (Kyleigh's was a cat with the stem acting as a tail; B was a witch i think; mine was Frankenstein and Trent was Sorensen or Superman...I can't remember).
The meals we received after my Mom and Trent's mom left were so nice and appreciated. This one was from Hannah van Bibber.
B has always been a gracious older brother when others encroach upon his personal space...which is nice cause it's about to get worse...
This meal was from my visiting teacher Janai Tegland.
I just find him so handsome. Such fine features.
Kami Macy brought us homemade sloppy joes and fixings. Yum!
One of, if not the, first photo of the kids together.
Typical scene of these two together.
I told Kyleigh to get me a binky from the drawer upstairs and this is what she brought me. I don't think Trent has seen this picture yet....
Funny girl
A faint smile...
Our baby of the family was just usurped.
Getting acquainted with his surroundings.
This is the very first day Kent came home from the hospital. We were all quite enamored.
Sunday, October 20th. Trent was making breakfast food for dinner when Grandma and I walked in the door from the hospital with our new babe.
It took awhile before we convinced her that baby Kent doesn't need a pillow under his head every time he lays down.
(The following pictures are way out of order. This is the hike in Oak Hill between our house and Peninsula that the kids and I did on the day before Kent was born).
Trent said he felt real lucky to have a sweet baby. He felt that the hospital blanket was too rough on the new skin, so Trent grabbed the soft blue blanket that we brought from home and wrapped his little guy in it.
I also had nice visitors come say hello to the new guy. My friend Erica stopped by:)
Grandma got us McDonalds after going to the doctor for Kent's 2 day checkup and B and K's flu shots. They (ok-Kyleigh) was tough and she got them a treat. Brenden was gingerly holding his leg the whole way out of the doctor office and into the parking lot while Kyleigh was swinging her lunch box of food we had brought. I took the picture of her ordering food here cause I knew my Dad would enjoy teasing her. :)
Lots of hand washing after school happening these next few days when the kids got home.
Every week was a different color and this day was "Black day" so Grandma helped Kyleigh find the perfect black ensemble.
My favorite clothes for the new guy: easy diaper change-ability and hand coverings to prevent him from scratching himself.
Grandma took us here and got some sweet goodies:
With all her cooking, cleaning and entertaining, she probably didn't get to do this enough:
Grandma took us to the farmer's market Szalay's and this is what Kyleigh picked out. She was incredibly excited to finally be able to chow down on her "treat".
Time soon came....too soon....for Grandma to leave us. We got her to the airport early, so she would be sure to catch her connection and meet Grandpa and Great-Grandma and Aunt Terri in New Orleans for a river cruise.
We missed her terribly, but there was plenty of this still going on...
Kyleigh had to hold him daily. She was confused who the real mother of baby Kent was for awhile...
I sent this picture to my family in a group text cause it looked like he was holding his fist up ready to knock someone's block off....
Milk coma.....
A real good Dad...
And a fun Grandma. We picked out pumpkins here at the farmer's market as well.
Trying to figure out who all these new faces are and if he's in the right place....
We all enjoyed the pumpkins and each picked out our design. Kent's pumpkin was left un-jack-o-lantern-ified since he was unable to wield a pumpkin cutting knife just yet. (Kyleigh's was a cat with the stem acting as a tail; B was a witch i think; mine was Frankenstein and Trent was Sorensen or Superman...I can't remember).
The meals we received after my Mom and Trent's mom left were so nice and appreciated. This one was from Hannah van Bibber.
B has always been a gracious older brother when others encroach upon his personal space...which is nice cause it's about to get worse...
This meal was from my visiting teacher Janai Tegland.
Kami Macy brought us homemade sloppy joes and fixings. Yum!
One of, if not the, first photo of the kids together.
Typical scene of these two together.
I told Kyleigh to get me a binky from the drawer upstairs and this is what she brought me. I don't think Trent has seen this picture yet....
Funny girl
A faint smile...
Our baby of the family was just usurped.
Getting acquainted with his surroundings.
This is the very first day Kent came home from the hospital. We were all quite enamored.
Sunday, October 20th. Trent was making breakfast food for dinner when Grandma and I walked in the door from the hospital with our new babe.
It took awhile before we convinced her that baby Kent doesn't need a pillow under his head every time he lays down.
(The following pictures are way out of order. This is the hike in Oak Hill between our house and Peninsula that the kids and I did on the day before Kent was born).
No comments:
Post a Comment