Pregnancy Journal

My prayers were answered last Monday when I went into labor on my own around 11:45 pm! I was scheduled to go in to the hospital to start the process of inducing labor that Tuesday evening at 7pm, stay the night and then hopefully have the baby on Wednesday. All weekend I was praying and talking to the baby, taking long walks, went swimming, etc. to at least start the process of labor or further it along, since Thursday I wasn't barely dialated.

So my SIL's came over Monday night because I had done some walking with Josh and was feeling some tightness in my lower abdomen that I hadn't felt before. So Andrea and Court headed over at around 9:15 and we walked until about 10:30. It was funny because about every time we got to a certain corner of the road that same tightness would happen. Josh and I went to bed at around 11 and by 11:45 I was having regular contractions that kind of hurt. And they were about 10-15 minutes apart. So we timed them all through the night, by morning they were about 7-10 min apart. I called the doctors office and they told me it would probably be a while since this was my first baby, so don't come in until the contractions are about 3-5 min apart for 1-2 hours! Well by 11:00 the contractions were getting stronger and I was having quite a but of bleeding. I called the doctors office again and the nurse told me to come in for a labor evaluation at 1:00. From 11:30 - 12:30 the contractions got to be about 5 min apart and stronger.

We went in and I was dialated to 4cm and my cervix was almost completely thinned out, so they sent me over to the hospital to check in. We checked in around 1:30 and my water broke at about 2. The contractions got even more intense and closer together. By about 3ish I did get some stadol, which just helps you relax in between contractions, but certainly does not take any of the pain away! At that point I was dialated to 5, so after that it was still so painful that I requested at epidural...but it was too late I got all ready to get one, and they checked me and I was completely dialated to 10, so I was able to begin pushing! And Brenen arrived at 5:23pm! He was 7lbs. 1 ounce and 20 inches long. He was very alert looking around at everything!

We spent two nights in the hospital, and we came home around 5 on Thursday. Things have been going well since then. Brenen has met a lot of his family and friends already! We are all adjusting to the changes of parenthood and loving it! I am so thankful that everything turned out well and we have a happy healthy little boy!!

This past week went fairly well, not much new. I was able to get my classroom set up and met with my long term substitute. I also completed a few layouts of scrapbooking and finished the binding on the quilt! (see pictures of it in the photo album). Still playing the waiting game...but little Ludka seems pretty content staying put for now anyways.

We had our 39th week appointment this week with Dr. McKay. The baby's heart rate was in the 130s and everything is checking out normal. We talked a lot about labor and delivery and how it all works. He checked to see if I was dialated or if my cervix was at all softened, but he said it was not softened and I was only dialated about 1-2 cm. Typically with patients with gestational diabetes doctors don't like them to go over their due date because it increases chances of complications during birth, so we discussed our options if I don't go into labor on my own this week. Next saturday is my due date, so if nothing happens in the next couple days I may need to be induced. Dr. McKay explained the whole process to me, that I would come in at around 7pm and be admitted. They will insert a tampon like thing with cervadil (sp?) to soften the cervix and leave it in all night. Then wake me up at 5am, I can take a shower and then they hook me to an IV with Pitocin to induce contractions. Then the labor should progress from there. I know there are a lot of women out there that are induced all the time, it is just freaking me out a little and making me more anxious. But I have been coming to terms with the idea over the weekend. Although, there still is a chance that he will come on his own between now and then. So anyways, this may be my last week of being pregnant and I will have this little one in my arms by next weekend! We will keep you all posted! Thanks for sharing in this journey with us!