January 26, 2012

~Catching up~

Starting with the birth of Logan.

I hope I remember this correctly, crazy how fast you can forget things in just three months! Back to the beginning of October. I knew it would be the month my daughter was born (at least so I thought!). I was excited, but for the first time was not ready for the pregnancy to be over. I was enjoying this last month of pregnancy, probably because I knew that it would most likely be the last time I was pregnant and I just wanted it to last. I was feeling great, too. Which was kind of unheard of for the last month of pregnancy. I had my 36 week appointment and everything was great, then a week later came my 37 week appointment. I had noticed I was a bit itchy (NO!) and was hesitant to say anything, but I did mention it and my doctor told me to let her know if it got worse.

Well, that night it got worse. So much worse. I went from feeling so great to feeling awful, in one day. I did not get any sleep that night, seriously, no sleep. I looked like the living dead the next day. I called the clinic and they had me go in for bloodwork, then the phone call and the decision making. If you don't remember, I had cholestasis of pregnancy with Ethan and was induced in my 37th week. My bloodwork came back with high liver counts, indicating I once again had cholestasis of pregnancy. I knew it but still it was not fun hearing the news of this. My doctor gave me some choices, I could try to wait one week to let the baby develop her lungs that much longer. I could go up to Mayo Clinic in Rochester and be induced, or I could stay in Decorah and be induced knowing that if the baby's lungs are not ready she might have to be aired up to Rochester. After stressing out big time all day, going on zero sleep, and just not knowing what is best for the baby, and with the help of family and friends, I made the decision to be induced in Decorah. Instead of going in that day and getting induced, I decided to go in that night so that the baby could be monitored and so that I could just sleep, and then to start the induction the next day.

I drove to the hospital that night, Ted stayed home with the three boys. I slept so much better than the night before, as in I actually got a few solid hours of sleep. I felt so much better the next morning. So, here we are. It is October 5, 2011 and I was at the hospital getting an IV put in. This was really happening, I was finally going to meet this little baby! To my surprise, they wasted no time starting the pitocin. I guess I should add that I was already 4cm dilated and having lots of contractions, just nothing that was putting me into labor. Around 6:30am the pitocin was dripping. Ted was at home getting the boys ready, Landon off to school and Trevor and Ethan to my mom's. I can't exactly remember when Ted arrived at the hospital, but he did bring me breakfast. I remember my doctor coming in and checking me around 8ish and the baby's head was not engaged enough to break my water, so she was going to check back in a few hours. A few hours passed and just before 11am she broke my water, like all of my pregnancies it was like raging river of fluid. So much, and it didn't stop for a good 10 minutes.  I should add that contractions are now in a nice pattern, about 2 to 3 minutes apart but are really just a tightening feeling with no pain at all. I think it was about 15 minutes after Dr. Wymer broke my water, that I started to actually feel a little sting with the contractions. This is also when my aunt, Mari, stopped in. Followed by two more aunts, Chris and Heather, and my sister in law, Ellie. I was also so lucky to have Auny Pole photograph the labor and birth! I think everyone was planning on stopping in and saying hi, and then coming back when things started moving. Well, there was no leaving because by 12:30 the contractions were strong and I was at a 6. I could tell this was it. Time just really didn't mean anything to me at this point, everything was measured in contractions. Get through this and I have a break, contraction after contraction. Telling myself that I can do this.

This is when details and time and all that gets fuzzy do to the huge amount of pain I am trying to live through.  I know around 1 it was getting really really painful, and I was checked and was still at 6cm. It was a very "hard" check, meaning it was very painful but was stretching me to dilate more. I needed something to take the edge off. Around 1:20 I was given an IV drug and just as I started to feel the effects(as in feeling sleepy and loopy, oh the pain was still going stronger than ever my body was just more relaxed to deal with it) I NEEDED to push. As in my body was trying to push this baby out, nothing I could do to stop it. Then everything speed up so fast, my nurse checked me and yes the baby's head was right there. My nurse, Connie, was awesome! I loved her! Anyway, she helped me try to not push while we waited for my doctor to show up. Sarah (Dr. Wymer) got there super fast, a few pushes later and I looked as the baby was getting suctioned to see, just as Sarah announced, "Oh, my gosh you guys, it's a boy." All I can remember is happiness and shouting, "It's a BOY!" He was so perfect, how could I have ever imagined a more perfect baby? We joked while I was in labor that if she comes out a he, he will not have a name. Sure enough, she did come out a he at 1:41pm weighing 7lb 14oz with perfectly healthy lungs, and no name. It took Ted and I about an hour of throwing names back and forth until Logan popped in my head. I remember Ted was on the phone with my dad, announcing the news and I said Logan. Ted just shook his head, yes, and so Logan it was. Ted then said James for the middle name and it was perfect for him. Logan James Kuennen, what a wonderful surprise you were!

Remember how I mentioned Auny Pole was there to capture this amazing day, that will be my next post!
 

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