Carson's Debut

Jeff took Eli out on a morning adventure and Carson's taking the nap of his life so I've found myself wanting to take advantage of the moment by writing down Carson's birth story.

After a month of believing I was going to go into labor, I began to be discouraged on Sunday that my due date was hours away and I was having a day free of any signs of labor. The week before, I timed my contractions every night as I was going to bed and they were usually 7-10 minutes apart but on Sunday night I was feeling the best I'd felt all month. I went to bed confident I'd make it to my doctor's appointment the next day to further discuss an induction.

At 3:15 Monday morning I was woken up by a tiny gush of water. While I walked around the house a little bit, my suspicions were confirmed that my water broke the exact same way it did with Eli.

I called my Mom at 3:30 to let her know the good news. I told her she didn't need to hurry because I wasn't really in pain yet. I got a few things packed and ready for my mom and then I went to wake up Jeff.

Jeff drowsily listened to me ramble as I paced around the house waiting for my mom to arrive. Every once in a while I had to stop walking for a contraction, but they weren't too bad. While we were waiting, Jeff and I made predictions of how dilated I'd be when I got to the hospital. When Jeff guessed I'd be a five I was sure he'd be way off. I was hardly feeling a thing, there was no way I was already a five. I laughed at him and told him the most I'd be was a four.

My mom finally showed up at 4:45 showered and ready for her day of babysitting. She snapped a few pictures of us and then sent us on our way.

As we were leaving, my mom said, "You know, Sarah, if I were you I'd stay at home for a few hours before going to the hospital. I always liked laboring at home more than laboring at the hospital." To which I said, "Mom, I can get an epidural as soon as I get to the hospital. I don't want to feel any more contractions than I have to." And off we went.

We got to the hospital around 5:00. We checked in with the front desk and then they wheeled me up to labor and delivery. I got out of the wheelchair and the nurses looked at the chair and said, "Yeah. I'd say it looks like your water broke." I'm pretty sure I left a trail from our car all the way up to labor and delivery.

I was having contractions every 3-5 minutes but they weren't too bad. After I was all settled in my gown and tucked in bed, the nurse came in to check me. The nurse's mood quickly changed from being lighthearted and friendly to serious and slightly frantic. I asked her how dilated I was and she said, "You're about a seven and a half. Were you planning on an epidural?"

Cue hyperventilation.

My whole body began shaking immediately as my worst fears were coming true -- I'd gone to the hospital too late and I'd have to deliver naturally. Another nurse came in the room to let my nurse know the anesthesiologist wasn't at the hospital yet which may have just stopped my breathing all together.

The nurse was trying to give me an IV amid my hyperventilation as I chanted, "I can't have this baby without an epidural!" The nurse politely said, "Well, you may have to. But you'll do just fine. Now if you would just breath, it would really help me get this IV in." I continued to be uncooperative.

I couldn't stop shaking as I tried to think of a possible way she could have misread my dilation measurements. Surely I couldn't really already be a seven and a half. The contractions were only a couple steps above uncomfortable. I've seen A Baby Story. This was not what they portrayed a seven and a half to feel like without pain medicine.

My frantic thoughts were interrupted by the anesthesiologist walking in the door. Hallelujah. My hyperventilation then kicked into overdrive as I prepared to have a gigantic needle shoved in my back. I made a scene and after apologizing for being a nut case afterwards, the doctor implied I was one of the most dramatic patients he's given an epidural to. But hey, you would be, too if you were a seven and on the verge of unexpectedly delivering a baby without pain medicine.

The epidural set in and life was good again. Jeff and I watched an episode of Arrested Development as the nurse wheeled in all the delivery tools. Carson's heart rate started dropping with each contraction, so they were eager to get him out.

I started pushing at 8:20 and Carson was born twenty minutes later with the cord around his neck. We were so relieved to hear Carson cry right away. After Carson was born, my doctor kept talking about how long he was. He didn't look super long to me, but several nurses also commented on his length.

As the nurses got Carson cleaned off and looking especially handsome, I patted myself on the back for a five and a half hour labor. Not too shabby. Then I gave a sigh of relief that we made it to the hospital in time so that our little Carson wasn't literally our son born in a car.

We're so glad Carson has come to our family. It's fun to have a newborn in the house again and we love him already.