William's Birth Story
I feel extremely lucky to have such a wonderful birth story to tell.
Will practically birthed himself and it went so great.
First off let me talk about his name! It's Tyler's name backwards. William was Tyler's grandpa's name and it's Tyler's middle name. We've always liked William and were even set on it for sure when we first got married and discussed baby names we liked. But then years past and we had two H name babies so we wanted to make 100% sure we still liked it. Well practically every other name we tried felt wrong and we liked the idea of calling him Will. So there ya have it :)
As many of you know, my cervix dilates on it's own without warning and without contractions. With all of my births I have been dilated to a 5 or 6 by 38/39 weeks before i'm even in active labor which has my ob inducing me. My pregnancy with Will was looking no different and after going into my 38 week check up on a Wednesday being 5 cm dilated my ob gave me some options:
Be induced that very day by the OB on call or wait until Friday and come into the office at 9 am to get my membranes stripped and then sent down to Labor and delivery to have my baby delivered by her even if i'm not consistently contracting.
It was a no brainer for me! I love my OB so much and would gladly have one more day to prepare my house (and my life) for another baby!
I cannot even explain my (and everyone's) excitement on Friday morning. It was palpable! I woke at 6 am not being able to sleep any longer! My mom got to our house at 8:30 and the girls were jumping for joy to spend two full days with grandma and also getting to meet their baby brother. Not sure which one made them more excited!
((I had been texting my neighbor a play by play so that she could know when to come take pics so I know around the exact times.))
10:00 am: My ob checked me and I was a 6. She stripped my membranes which hurt so bad. I got them stripped with Hayden and I do not remember it feeling like that. I had a big contraction when she was done.
10:30 am: Labor and delivery admits me before this other couple who had been waiting for a scheduled induction because I was a 6 and contracting. I felt bad but also so grateful.
11:45 am: I got my epidural. The epidural was not pleasant but it's a different sensation than what you might think. A cramping intense cold and hot pressure that was nothing compared to the contraction pain. (I then called my neighbor Karyn at that point cause she was waiting on when to come take pics for us. She takes beautifully pictures and it was her first time photographing a birth. She did an amazing job capturing everything!!)
12:50: my ob came to check me and break my water. I was dilated to a 7, completely effaced and at a 0 station for those who know the lingo.
2:00 pm: the nurse checked me and I was a 10 and ready to push. Even with my epidural I could feel some pressure (and the head) between my legs and am very glad to have not been able to feel the full extent of it. I probably could not have waited for my ob to get there.
2:28 pm: William's birth time. When my ob arrived and was all ready I was practically crowning. On my first push his head came out and on my second she had to tell me to stop pushing and let him ease his way out. Miraculously I didn't need stitches which came as a surprise to me because I have needed them with my previous births and William is 2 oz bigger than my girls were. It has made the recovery this time go a lot better although I do notice changes with this recovery like the intense cramping and muscle pains in my pelvic area cause everything is fitting back together again. For the first time we decided to record the birth and I have no issues sharing it with you. It doesn't show anything indecent and is really so beautiful. I feel extremely humbled and blessed to have such a perfect birth story to tell. In the video you can hear her say "well I don't think we're going to make it to fifteen minutes" because with Halli and Hayden that's how long I pushed.
Will practically birthed himself and it went so great.
First off let me talk about his name! It's Tyler's name backwards. William was Tyler's grandpa's name and it's Tyler's middle name. We've always liked William and were even set on it for sure when we first got married and discussed baby names we liked. But then years past and we had two H name babies so we wanted to make 100% sure we still liked it. Well practically every other name we tried felt wrong and we liked the idea of calling him Will. So there ya have it :)
(these amazing pictures brought to you by my good friend and neighbor Karyn Nash Photography)
Be induced that very day by the OB on call or wait until Friday and come into the office at 9 am to get my membranes stripped and then sent down to Labor and delivery to have my baby delivered by her even if i'm not consistently contracting.
It was a no brainer for me! I love my OB so much and would gladly have one more day to prepare my house (and my life) for another baby!
I cannot even explain my (and everyone's) excitement on Friday morning. It was palpable! I woke at 6 am not being able to sleep any longer! My mom got to our house at 8:30 and the girls were jumping for joy to spend two full days with grandma and also getting to meet their baby brother. Not sure which one made them more excited!
((I had been texting my neighbor a play by play so that she could know when to come take pics so I know around the exact times.))
10:00 am: My ob checked me and I was a 6. She stripped my membranes which hurt so bad. I got them stripped with Hayden and I do not remember it feeling like that. I had a big contraction when she was done.
10:30 am: Labor and delivery admits me before this other couple who had been waiting for a scheduled induction because I was a 6 and contracting. I felt bad but also so grateful.
11:45 am: I got my epidural. The epidural was not pleasant but it's a different sensation than what you might think. A cramping intense cold and hot pressure that was nothing compared to the contraction pain. (I then called my neighbor Karyn at that point cause she was waiting on when to come take pics for us. She takes beautifully pictures and it was her first time photographing a birth. She did an amazing job capturing everything!!)
12:50: my ob came to check me and break my water. I was dilated to a 7, completely effaced and at a 0 station for those who know the lingo.
2:00 pm: the nurse checked me and I was a 10 and ready to push. Even with my epidural I could feel some pressure (and the head) between my legs and am very glad to have not been able to feel the full extent of it. I probably could not have waited for my ob to get there.
2:28 pm: William's birth time. When my ob arrived and was all ready I was practically crowning. On my first push his head came out and on my second she had to tell me to stop pushing and let him ease his way out. Miraculously I didn't need stitches which came as a surprise to me because I have needed them with my previous births and William is 2 oz bigger than my girls were. It has made the recovery this time go a lot better although I do notice changes with this recovery like the intense cramping and muscle pains in my pelvic area cause everything is fitting back together again. For the first time we decided to record the birth and I have no issues sharing it with you. It doesn't show anything indecent and is really so beautiful. I feel extremely humbled and blessed to have such a perfect birth story to tell. In the video you can hear her say "well I don't think we're going to make it to fifteen minutes" because with Halli and Hayden that's how long I pushed.
also here are my instagram "stories" from that day
Leaving the hospital was sad for me. Leaving the hospital feels like a chapter closing. It is a weird nostalgic feeling. I savor those moments in the hospital with just me, the baby and Tyler. I am one of the few that loves the hospital and we stay until they kick us out. We are also blessed to have family willing to watch our girls for two and a half days. Here we are soaking up those last moments in the hospital.
Will breastfeeds great except it hurt a lot at first. I don't think he was latching correctly the first day and it made my nipples scab and hurt. Thankfully things got better and continue to get better everyday. He was really spitty and needed his stomach pumped in hopes of getting any amniotic fluid out. But he still has been really spitty and needs to burp and gags a lot. He poops so much and we have all been peed on several times including Halli. She thought it was hilarious.
Halli and Hayden are so sweet but it's also been a bit of a struggle policing them and letting them "help" me. Halli has gotten him out of his mamaroo behind my back as well as plenty of other things she has seen me do. She doesn't understand why she can't do it. Their help creates more work for me but it is so sweet to see them love their brother so much. I am hoping they don't feel any lack of affection or love from me and I've had a few breakdowns wondering how I can still be everything to everyone. Hayden has been a little more emotional and rebelious lately and so I probably need to spend some more one on one time with her.
Tyler has been given a week of paid paternity leave which is and has been so amazing.
The first night home was probably the best first night with a newborn we've ever had. Will slept in 2-3 hour stretches in his dock a tot and Monday morning was the best with new snow fall and watching The Polar Express as a family.
Tuesday was a different story. Will didn't sleep as well on his back Monday night and dealing with the girl's usual emotions, mess, mischief and fights on lack of sleep makes it that much harder now. It was a rough day and I cried a lot. I thought for sure I was going to have some major post partum just like I did with Halli.
But today has been so much better and Tyler helped talk me through my emotions and anxieties which have a lot to do with him going back to work on Friday. I also have a lot of anxiety with keeping everyone healthy and feel like it's a lost cause. Lots of prayers have been said these last few days that's for sure.
Here are the pictures from Karyn that she took! We are so happy with them! I love having these moments captured.
first family picture.
(I could but don't have time to post every picture from the hospital stay)
checking out his feet
My sweet mom who stayed at our house with the girls for 2.5 days.
Leaving the hospital was sad for me. Leaving the hospital feels like a chapter closing. It is a weird nostalgic feeling. I savor those moments in the hospital with just me, the baby and Tyler. I am one of the few that loves the hospital and we stay until they kick us out. We are also blessed to have family willing to watch our girls for two and a half days. Here we are soaking up those last moments in the hospital.
Halli and Hayden are so sweet but it's also been a bit of a struggle policing them and letting them "help" me. Halli has gotten him out of his mamaroo behind my back as well as plenty of other things she has seen me do. She doesn't understand why she can't do it. Their help creates more work for me but it is so sweet to see them love their brother so much. I am hoping they don't feel any lack of affection or love from me and I've had a few breakdowns wondering how I can still be everything to everyone. Hayden has been a little more emotional and rebelious lately and so I probably need to spend some more one on one time with her.
Tyler has been given a week of paid paternity leave which is and has been so amazing.
The first night home was probably the best first night with a newborn we've ever had. Will slept in 2-3 hour stretches in his dock a tot and Monday morning was the best with new snow fall and watching The Polar Express as a family.
Tuesday was a different story. Will didn't sleep as well on his back Monday night and dealing with the girl's usual emotions, mess, mischief and fights on lack of sleep makes it that much harder now. It was a rough day and I cried a lot. I thought for sure I was going to have some major post partum just like I did with Halli.
But today has been so much better and Tyler helped talk me through my emotions and anxieties which have a lot to do with him going back to work on Friday. I also have a lot of anxiety with keeping everyone healthy and feel like it's a lost cause. Lots of prayers have been said these last few days that's for sure.
Here are the pictures from Karyn that she took! We are so happy with them! I love having these moments captured.
this picture cracks me up!
oh annie!!!! I read your birth story when you posted it a while ago, but I just watched the video on my computer... and it is just beautiful!! I got teary! and of course I love dr. cracroft!!!!! ugh! congrats mom! seriously, just beautiful.
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