The Story of Hudson's Arrival

 

Hudson John

11~16~09   9:05pm 

7 lbs 11 oz. 21 1/4 inches 

I think a birth story is kind of a woman thing.  If you have had a baby, are about to have a baby or have even wondered about having a baby - the story is intriguing.  We like to hear them.  And we love to tell them.  It is almost like becoming a part of a "club". I like it and want to tell my story...for me...and for you if you wanna hear it :)

This is a birth story that deserves to be recorded in detail (well, most of them): the fast and furious arrival of our fourth son Hudson John. A boy that has been waited for and anticipated for a long time now. A child that has been loved and cherished and prayed for from the first knowledge of his existence. A baby that completes our family and reminds us of the true miracle of creating and delivering new life. My heart will forever remember the moments of this evening. My mind might somewhat forget the pain of contractions and delivery (yowsers!) But I do know - in my heart and my mind - that I am so humbly thankful that we have this little guy. That he has arrived and that we are holding him. Here is how he came...

Monday, November 16th. When I awoke on this day I was not expecting to actually meet my fourth son. The night before I was relaxing in front of the tv and my belly was in motion - major motion actually. In retrospect I think Hudson was feeling too cramped and was trying to let us know that he was out of room! He must have been preparing himself for the position to escape his cramped quarters and meet the world...because my tummy was in all kinds of strange shapes! Bu I awoke on Monday, feeling a little disappointed that nothing had transpired during the night. I was expecting another normal day and went about the morning as usual. Reece and I followed through with our plans for a date to celebrate him finishing his first chapter book. We left the rest of the family with my Mom and headed off to McDonald's. Reece was beaming with joy and it so quickly confirmed in my heart how important it will be to reserve one on one time with my boys. We ate breakfast and talked about all kinds of things - I loved the time together. Later in the day we all went out for lunch and bi-passed the plan to head too far from home...just in case. The traffic was bad and I had been feeling a little different by midday and didn't think it was worth venturing too far...plus I was rather hungry :) So - we took my Mom for a great hamburger at Chazz's. I have had a harder time reading my body these days - likely because I've been trying so hard to soak up every moment of this pregnancy that I am second guessing a lot of twinges and feelings. I had kind of jumped the gun already in feeling like labor might possibly be beginning so was hesitant to "commit" to the possibility of it this day. Besides, in any of my other labors, I have not been a text book case that labor is beginning. I don't sense contractions early on, etc.. etc.. Anyway - I felt nothing during our entire time at the burger place. On the way home we stopped to pick up a few groceries and I begin to sense that it actually really, possibly, maybe may be happening :) I told Benjy to give me an hour to know for certain but that we might be meeting our son that eve....and so it happened! I gathered the family for our final picture before officially becoming a family of 6 and then began to finalize packing the bag and calling the doc. He asked the typical questions about contractions and I assured him that I was not feeling any but just knew it was happening (I was certain by now - that old familiar feeling down low of pinching and stretching). He suggested I wait at home and I proceeded to tell him that we were leaving for the hospital in about 30 minutes (the quick delivery of Chase coming quickly to mind!)

       Family snapshot before heading to the hospital!

So off we went to the hospital. The pain was intensifying and I told Benjy in the car that we were actually going to meet our boy that night. I didn't know but yet I knew that my labor would be quick again. We had called our doc to meet us there but when we arrived he wasn't yet there yet. The nurses received me and had me change into the dreaded gown. They hooked me up to the fetal monitors and assured me that baby's heartbeat was strong and stable. It was 7:20 pm at this point.

                                          Last pregnant belly picture! 39 weeks and 5 days

                                                   Getting hooked up to the monitors.

I was feeling the labor pretty good and wanted my doctor to check my dialation - I felt like I needed to know, for my own mental toughness, where I was at in this lovely process called labor. I needed to prepare myself for the endurance that lay ahead of me to deliver this child...and when they finally agreed to check me and stated I was at a 7 - 8...I knew I had it in me to make it without help. I explained to the nursing staff that I did not want an epidural and asked for permission to get out of the bed, walk around, and change positions to ease the pain of labor. Thankfully they agreed. It helped so much to be moving around. It was so so hot in the room so Benjy asked for water for me to drink and began to wipe my face down with a cool paper towel. They sent Benjy downstairs at this point to admit me to the hospital and fill out paperwork. I was alone in the room for sometime....just going through labor and trying to ignore the hard and fast contractions that I was now feeling down low. I got up to use the restroom and my water broke (first time that that has ever happened on its own for me). I told the nurses and I knew that we must be getting close by this point. The doctor (mine had still not arrived) came in again to check me and encouraged me by saying I was now at a 9 - that pretty much when I felt the urge to push I should let them know. They asked if there was anything I needed. Ha! "My husband please" (he was still downstairs and I was not interested in him missing the birth of his son because of paperwork!!!) They called him and as I continued to walk around the room he soon arrived. The nurses asked me to lay back in the bed because they needed to give me the IV. The dreaded IV. I didn't understand why I even needed it but all the more didn't understand why they don;t have nursing staff that know how to put one in!! She tried on my left arm - and happened to do so during the most intense contractions that I had yet experienced. They were coming hard and fast and I was having a hard time laying still for her. Needless to say she stuck me, my vein rolled - or something went wrong so she pulled it out and proceeds to the other side of the bed to get my right arm. She understands that I am at the height of pain so patiently waits for a moment when she can stick me again. It takes her some time again but finally gets it and leaves me alone. Benjy and I are alone again - he is being so kind and trying to help me in any way as I tell him to rub my back or stop rubbing my back or to give me a cool cloth, etc.. etc. (I was a bit agitated at this point - ha!) He patiently reminds me to regain control by breathing when I feel that I am about to throw up - so he holds up the trash can for me and catches my several hurls. The man isn't usually too good with gross stuff like this, but is so graceful and took such good care of me, wiping my face and continuing to rub my back. I was now out of the bed gain - trying to distract myself from the hard and fast contractions that did not seem to let up for much time at all. I was walking, squatting, leaning against the wall or the bed (believe me - this really helps!) The hospital staff were all out in the hall - waiting for my indication that I needed to push so that they could move me over to the delivery room to deliver my boy! They were giving us our privacy and thankfully so. Benj peeked his head out and asked them for another glass of water for me...and for some strange reason, we would later find out that it was my doctor (who by now had arrived by the way) went for the water???? As Benjy turned back around I was squatting down by the bed and suddenly felt like I needed to go to the bathroom. Sparing any more details - lol - I suddenly felt that it was the baby's head between my legs. I yelled it again because I don't think Benjy could believe it and he ran to the door, flung it open and yelled "YA LLEGO EL BEBE - ES SU CABEZA" (the baby is here - it's the baby's head) Immediately the room was a buzz with nurses and doctors all around me. Remember: I am NOT in the delivery room - just a normal hospital room. Remember: my doctor is gone, getting me a glass of water! And remember: I am squatted beside my bed and my baby's head is RIGHT THERE! The anasthesiologist on staff comes running in and tells me to lay on the bed - I should say he yells at me to lay on the bed. I feel panicked and a little confused and a little afraid to change position and climb up on the tall hospital bed for fear of hurting my little baby. So I freeze. The doc pushes me/tackles me to the side of the bed and I simply lift my leg and out comes Hudson John - into the arms of the anasthesiologist!!! It was CRAZINESS. In those few moments, they had brought in a few sterile towels to lay him on and the scissors to cut the chord. I see my baby but to me he looks blue and is not crying. My heart is racing as they cut the chord and begin wrap him in a blue towel and rub him. He begins to cry and they assure me over and over again that he is great and that all is well. It was amazing. He is amazing! Although I did not have a chance to hold him in that moment - I did stop them from whisking him away from me so soon and to allow me to snap a few photos (a far shot from my original plan to video and record his entrance...but as you can see that wasn't very realistic!!) They carried him off to a sterile place to measure, weigh and check him out and Benjy and I were left in a state of shock and awe at what had just transpired. Hudson John had a wild and crazy entrance into our world at 9:05 pm on November 16th, 2009!  We are in love!

 

Finally, our first glance at him and his first cries!