Instead of blowing up everyone's social media feeds with my new adorable little family, I've decided to start blogging again (yes, again!). This will serve as a journal for me and anyone else that wishes to know the ins and outs of the Party at the Petersen's. There is definitely no better place to start than our sweet baby boy's birth story. Who doesn't love a good birth story? Again, this is primarily a record for me so enjoy all the juicy details!
As much as I tried to listen to moms that kept telling me not to believe the doctors when they said "You could go any day now", "Baby is stationed and ready to make his appearance", I just couldn't. I was convinced my due date was wrong my entire pregnancy and that I was going to deliver early. Hah, wrong. In fact, I continued to tell people I was one week further along than I really was throughout my pregnancy. So weird. I know. I worked up until my due date and even after, but I was in a constant limbo of misery where I hated staying home because the time went by so slowly and too tired and uncomfortable to do anything productive. So I was so excited to hear that my mom had decided to fly out Wednesday night (4 days overdue). David and I picked her up late that night and as we pulled away from the pickup curb at the airport, she shouted "Wait! Don't we know that lady?". My sister, Amber, had surprised me and left her 2 children for the first time ever! I obviously was ecstatic as I opened the door to our moving car in the middle lane to try to run to her (Yes, run at 10 months pregnant. I was that excited!).
The next morning I had a doctors appointment at 9am. On the way there we brainstormed all the reasons they should induce me and I was fully prepared to cry, kick, and scream until I was admitted. However, none of that was necessary since my blood pressure was high. Woohoo! Rob (Doctor Aagard) told me to meet him at the hospital in a few hours and we headed back home. A quick note on my fabulous doctor/friend. We lived in the Aagard's basement apartment the first 3 years of our marriage. I provided speech therapy and performed nanny tasks in exchange for rent. Our two families became very close (I think David still has a pair of Rob's garments that got mixed up in the laundry, hah!). Anyways, we headed home to eat, grab the hospital bag, say goodbye to Axel, etc. I had text a list of the items that needed to be packed the day of weeks prior! Hooray for some measure of preparedness since I had only packed my bag a few days prior (it seemed like a daunting task).
My mom made me so much food, and I kept thinking, "Could I live without this, if I developed some sort of food avoidance from hurling during labor?"
Axel had no idea what was happening, but was excited everyone was home!
We were so excited the day had finally come and couldn't wait to welcome this sweet boy into our family!
I arrived at the hospital around 11:30am and was set up with pitocin and had my water broken around noon. I am so grateful that my sister was able to document the whole day.
I was 3cm dilated and 80 percent effaced for three weeks prior (remember the whole "He could come any day comments that we are never to believe again!"). I had been struggling with coming up with a birth "plan" and was all over the place between epidural, doula, natural, etc. I had no idea! I'd never done this and had no clue how my body would react to labor. I decided to just try to do my best to listen to my body. David and I had attended a birth class that was taught by a doula and I think I was really persuaded to go natural, but now looking back I think the class was taught with only that perspective in mind. Rob had told me that he recommended getting to 4cm before requesting an epidural as your risk of a c-section becomes comparable to going natural. Ah yes, that was the start of my plan. Get to 4, and reassess. I am so quantitatively so the thought of a number and research guiding me was really comforting. In true Ashley fashion, I decided to do some last minute studying of breathing techniques. I hadn't looked at the book after getting frustrated when David fell asleep talking me through a relaxation paragraph (he also thought Braxton Hicks was a new country singer).
I really want to remember how I handled labor pains for future births since it seemed like when I asked moms their strategy they couldn't really remember. My pain was totally self-regulated. I went inside myself breathing and counting. I didn't want anyone to talk to me and sometimes when people would talk to each other it would irritate me. If something was happening during a contraction that I didn't like I just gave them the finger. Not the middle finger. I pointed at them, which was their cue to assess what annoying thing they were doing and stop. Hah, kinda rude but it worked. When the pain started getting worse I asked for David's hand but he has a leg tic and he kept shaking the bed so we both decided it would be better if he cheered from a little bit of distance.
I was getting through each contraction quite well as they upped the pitocin. I was at a 4+ when they came in to up it again around 3pm and the nurse said, "The duration and frequency of the contractions looks good, but we want the intensity slightly higher." From there everything increased and I couldn't mentally prepare for the next contraction since they were coming one after another with higher intensity. I labored like that for an hour until she came back in and turned the pitocin down since the contractions were now too close together. I remember my sister looking at me like I was crazy and saying "Ash, you can stop this pain at anytime! What are you doing?". I guess I was so skeptic of the subjective measuring of my dilation (I mean I have really chubby fingers) that I absolutely wanted to make sure I was well above a 4. The anesthesiologist just happened to be right down the hall, and the thoughts of the lady next door previously screaming during her natural birth were resonating in my head, and the contractions were getting to me that I invited that saint of a man in at 4:30pm! As I got my epidural, I the thought of my friend Hydee came to mind and how her's didn't work. Luckily all was well with mine! I just kept wondering, why would anyone do this natural? This is amazing and was totally present and could even get some rest!
I was checked at 6pm and was a 6. I mentioned to my mom that I thought my nurse put my catheter in wrong because I was feeling major pressure. Welp, they checked me at 7pm and I was complete, thus the pressure. I couldn't believe it. I was definitely expecting a long 20 plus hour labor so I was freaked out a little bit that it was time. I also realized I had no idea how to push, how did I forget to study up on that part. My family laughed and reassured me the nurse would go over it. This is kind of embarrassing, but as we waited for Rob to come I decided to reapply my make up for pictures using the vaginal mirror. Hah! My sister brushed my rats nest out and I was ready to go!
Rob arrived around 7:30pm and discussed how he was going to check me and he would let the contractions help push the baby down while he went and delivered his scheduled c-section. When he checked me, little guy's head was right there ready to make his appearance. So I hurried up and finished the darn paperwork, while he prepped.
We called Stacy, David's brother, to come to watch the birth and she made it just in time. With the team assembled we started! David and my mom both started crying during the first push, which made me start crying, losing my breath. We regrouped and got back at it! Pushing was tough work, but I actually really liked it. There was something so athletic, but spiritual about it at the same time. I had an awesome epidural and could definitely feel when I needed to push. After, 15-20 minutes of pushing I was blessed with the most precious gift, Crew David. Our beautiful baby boy weighed in at 8 pounds 7 ounces, 19.5 inches long and was born at 8:02pm.
We are so completely in love with Crew and couldn't imagine life without him. I am so grateful for the amazing support of my husband, mother, sister, and sister-in-law as we witnessed this miracle together. He is so perfect. My heart is full. This is true love.
I will do a follow up post with all the details following this point.
