After 10 months of waiting, we finally got to meet the
little person that has been growing inside of me. It was a whirlwind of a labor but the end
result was an absolutely perfect and beautiful…
…little BOY.
So now it is official that I will remain the queen of this
castle and I will be forever surrounded by boys. I guess it is my calling in life to raise 3
little men to be polite, kind, and to treat women right.
But enough of the future…let’s get on with the present! I’m sure you've all been on edge waiting to
hear how little Benny entered this world.
I’ll warn you now…there isn't much to this story (and yet I bet I will still manage to make this a long post). But, I guess that’s just par for the course
when your labor is only 1.5 hrs long.
Benjamin Gabriel McLaughlin joined us at 3:30 am on Monday,
October 14, 2013. Sunday was a
completely normal day. We had beautiful
weather, the boys and I walked to the park.
On our way home, a neighbor passing by commented on how my pumpkin was
(I was wearing an orange shirt that day).
No signs of imminent labor, no signs that McTrois was going to be
budging anytime soon! Sunday night, Max
and I enjoyed a movie, lounged around and went to bed around our normal
time. Again, nothing was amiss or awry,
and certainly no indications that labor (and delivery) were only mere hours
away. Braxton Hicks were regular
occurrences at this point in the pregnancy, but absolutely nothing happened to
me on Sunday or Sunday night that would have hinted to me that this baby was
going to come…
I woke up around 2 am Monday morning to use the bathroom – a common
occurrence for me (and most pregnant ladies). I
am not entirely sure if it was the sensation of needing to use the bathroom or
if it was a contraction that actually woke me up. In any case, I went to the bathroom and felt
a little ‘crampy’ afterwards, but I commonly felt like that after emptying a full bladder
as things settled back into place down there.
I didn't think it was actual labor contractions, so I went back to lay
down in bed. After about a minute or two
of laying there, I had a feeling that they were actually contractions so I went
back to the bathroom with my cell phone to see if I could get a sense for how
quickly they were coming and how long they were lasting. After about 10 mins of trying to time them, I
decided to wake Max up because the contractions appeared to be coming already
2-2.5 mins apart and they were getting more and more intense. Honestly, they were hard to time because they
felt like they were coming one on top of the other (in retrospect they really were)
and the intensity seriously went from a mild crampy feeling to a doubled-over
stop your breathing type of contraction in a matter of 10 minutes.
I honestly don’t know why I insist on being in denial that I am in labor
for every single pregnancy, but AGAIN – despite all that was going on, I still
remember telling Max I was uncertain.
Since my parents were part of the plan (Mom to meet us at
the hospital and Dad to watch the boys), I called my parents to let them know
that things were happening and to get moving.
This was at about 2:26 am. I also managed
somehow, in between contractions, to call my OB office and text my BFF as well as my birth photographer that we
were heading to the hospital. I am still
amazed that my friend and my photographer were woken by my texts.
In fact, the text conversation with my friend Kelly still
has me laughing:
Me – Heading to hospital
Kelly – Aaah! Keep me posted.
Me – OK they are pretty close together already. I think it’s going to be fast.
Kelly – I hope so! XOXOXO good
luck. Wish I could have been with you
but know you will do amazing.
Me – Wait, you’re not coming? OK
Kelly – Not unless I can be home by 6.
Think so? If so I’ll head out…
Me – I can try J
Kelly – OK I’m coming. Text me
room number.
As it turns out, Kelly was home WAY before her curfew of 6 am. So happy I could oblige, Kel. J
We quickly raced around the house throwing my hospital bag
into the car, making a quick list for my dad on the kid’s school schedules and
drop off instructions, etc. I didn't
even have time to pop my head into the boys’ room to sneak one last peek at
them before leaving… No ‘before’
pictures like we did with Sam’s birth…it was definitely more of the feelings we
had with Max’s labor – GET TO THE HOSPITAL, QUICK!
We got into the car (me somewhat reluctantly because the
contractions felt so much worse sitting down) and made our way to the
hospital. My dad was pulling into the
driveway as we were pulling out (perfect timing)! The ride to the hospital is all a blur to
me. I remember one part of the drive where
some guy clearly didn't remember the meaning of the word ‘merge’ (and what are
the chances at 2:45 am that you’d have to merge with someone anyways?? The roads were basically empty!). We got to the hospital and Max asked me if he
should drop me off or if he should park.
I told him to just park that I could make it – HA. Still in denial, LOL. So, I got out and immediately hunched over –
toughing out a contraction. Once I was
able to stand up and walk, I made my way around the car, only to double-over
again on the back bumper! Slowly, we
made our way into the hospital…pausing a few times to get through a few
contractions on our way to the ER doors. Once we got into the
Emergency Room lobby, I pretty much stayed in my hunched over position until
they brought the wheelchair over. I’m
not sure what was worse – laboring in the middle of the lobby, or laboring in a
wheelchair. Seriously, sitting was NOT
comfortable at ALL!
I was wheeled up to labor and delivery and when I got up
there, all the forms I had to sign were laid out on the counter. I think it took a few minutes for me to sign
them all – seriously why do hospitals have you sign things in labor? I don’t think I would even recognize my
signature! Max got his visitor’s pass –
the time read 3:07 am. I met my nurse, Rosemary, who showed me to my
room. Rosemary’s name sounded familiar –
I remembered that I had had a nurse with that name for either Max or Sam’s
labor (couldn't remember which) but I thought, no – it couldn't be the same
person… Well it was! Turns out, Rosemary was also present for
Max’s delivery. So, she must think I am
a crazy fast laboring person because she was present for my two fastest labors,
LOL. (Oh and I remembered her name
because I kept thinking ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ – how’s that for morbid?)
We went directly into
a labor and delivery room – to this day, I still don’t know what a triage room
at the hospital looks like – I've always been brought straight into a delivery
room! Once in the room, Rosemary told me
I could stay in my dress if I wanted to, I didn't have to don the typical
hospital gown! I was thrilled! So I just hiked up my dress and got onto the
hospital bed.
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| I love that my Mom is holding my hand in this photos. |
Rosemary checked me, and
lo and behold, I was already dilated to 8 cm!
Holy cow! I was probably
transitioning in the hospital parking lot or lobby, LOL.
They had told me on the way into my room that the OB on call
was about to go into a c-section, so they ran to get him into my room before
going into the operating room. By this
point, I was having some majorly intense contractions, but everything was just
happening so quickly I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that this was
actually happening right now!
 |
| That handrail was my friend! |
The OB
came into the room, checked me, told me I was at a 10 and that they were going
to break my water and that I was going to have to start pushing. I remember asking him (somewhat jokingly,
somewhat seriously) if I could deliver en caul, but with the need for him to
get into the c-section (that was already prepped and he had been about to go into)
the need for me to deliver right now was greater.
(It would have been cool to try this, but in retrospect with everything
going on, it just wasn't in the cards and I am okay with that).
They didn't even turn on the overhead lights, and I hardly
remember them converting the bed to a delivery bed. I don’t remember them breaking my water. All I remember is the OB telling me it was
time to push , and I said “No, I’m not ready.”
He told me I “didn't have a choice.”
LOL
Pushing this time was NOTHING like with Sam. (I'll spare you from pictures of that). There was no mellow/zen/silent birthing
moments happening. I am somewhat
embarrassed to say that I screamed like a banshee. In fact, people may have even thought I was possessed or that there was an exorcism going on...After the first push, I told them I didn't
want to push any more, I needed to take a break. The OB informed me that the baby’s heart-rate
had gone down, so I didn't really have a choice in the matter – I had to push
NOW. So, I reached deep down inside me,
took a deep breath, and let it out in one long and LOUD ear-piercing screech. You think I’m kidding…I’m not. My throat was seriously hoarse
afterwards. The OB told me he could see the head at this point, so I reached down and felt my baby's head! It was the coolest thing ever! It was in my birth plan, and I would've loved to catch my own baby, but
that’s kind of hard to do in a laying down position pushing from a bed. So, while it was on my ‘wish list’ for this
labor, I had to forgo it and do the job I was there to do instead. One more push - 3 pushes total, and baby Ben
joined our family (though he wasn't technically named for almost 12 hours after his birth), 1.5 hours after I first woke to use the
bathroom and 23 minutes after we checked into the hospital.
They immediately put him on my chest – I had asked them to
delay clamping the cord for a few minutes and they respected that wish. Max cut the cord. I was able to snuggle and spend some time
with Ben before they weighed and measured and did all the other things that
they like to do to newborns.
By that time, the OB had finished up his work and started
to leave for his c-section. I thanked
him and informed him that I expected his bill to only be for the 15 mins of his
time I used. He had a nice chuckle over that one.
It was right about this time that my wonderful photographer
came racing into the room – 3 minutes too late J. We knew that it was going to be tricky to
capture photographs of the birth – between anticipating the timing of the labor and the
possibility that I would have a fast labor, we weren't counting on
anything. I’m just amazed that she made
it there as quickly as she did! And,
even if she wasn't able to capture photos of the actual labor and delivery, I’m
hoping she captured some pretty great shots of our first moments with Benjamin.
I’m still in shock that things happened as quickly as they
did. In the past few weeks there have
been stories on the news about people delivering their babies at home, or in
their cars on the way to the hospital because they've had such precipitous
labors. That totally could have been
me! I am thankful that it wasn't, but it’s
just crazy to think that it could have happened. I’ll admit that sometimes I hear those
stories and think that those people just waited too long to head to the
hospital or something…but after experiencing not one, but TWO crazy fast labors…I
can see how it could happen to someone!
Overall I am just completely overjoyed that I have another
beautiful and healthy baby boy to cherish and love. He really is perfect in every way. I am amazingly lucky and blessed.
