For some time I have been wanting to write about Stewart and Lily's birth stories. It is something that I wish I would have done right after they were born so that I could remember every single feeling and detail. But, better late than never...
My original due date for my little guy was June 4, 2011. For one reason or another - most likely my antsiness towards the end of my pregnancies - I was scheduled to go to the hospital at 3:00 p.m. on May 27th to be induced. I would have preferred an earlier time, but my doctor had two other deliveries that day and wouldn't be available until then. I knew that the time from when I woke up that morning until it was finally time to make the drive to the hospital would last a life-time. I am aware of my low-level patience. So I wanted to make sure that I kept busy to fill up the time. I planned on packing my hospital bag that morning and wanted to make one last run to Target with only one child in my arms. This was my plan!
7:00 a.m. on May 27th, I woke up with low abdominal pains. I didn't think too much about it and started my day. Showering, feeding and dressing Lily, doing my hair (I wanted to make sure that I felt as cute as I could rockin' a hospital gown because of the amount of pictures that were bound to be taken). And all this time, I was contracting and probably in the first stages of labor. I decided to start timing them and sure enough, they came on every 5 - 7 minutes. By mid-morning I tried to start packing. I say "tried" because it was so difficult!! My mind was in a fritz, I couldn't think straight. Plus, I had to make a bathroom visit every 2 minutes! All I wanted to do was just lay in bed and watch some mindless t.v. show because that was all my mind was capable of in that moment. But I willed through it and finally got all packed with a small hospital bag for me and the new babe; it only took about 2 hours to do so! After this whole ordeal at home, I still needed to make my Target run. I was determined to get my list of items that I am sure Paul would have been very capable of getting himself. So I packed up Lily and off we went to Target, all the while still contracting every 5 minutes. As I aimlessly walked around, trying so hard to stay focused and surgical in my shopping, I would clutch the shopping cart handles to brace myself each time a contraction would come. I still remember so vividly being in a hunched over position, trying to breath through a contraction when a teenage employee walked by looking frightened at what he was witnessing. As the pain subsided I just laughed to myself, realizing how ridiculous it was that I was basically in labor...shopping at Target with my little two-year old as company.
After feeling so accomplished at Target, I made my way to the Salt's warehouse to sit in on a meeting that Paul was having for the employees. Trying so hard to keep my contractions to myself and not stir up any attention, was impossible. They were getting harder and much more uncomfortable. Finally, it felt like a really long meeting, I told Paul I was in labor. It was around lunch time at this point, to which he explains that he wanted to go to his parents to get some food. That was a huge bummer for me because my doctor had told me not eat anything that day. And that is one of the worst thing you can tell me..."don't eat." So I sat on the Heslop's bar stool, watching Paul enjoy a delish-looking lunch. Joan walked in as I was having a contraction, all bent over and pain-faced. She asked what was going on and I told her I had been contracting all day. To which she quickly replied, "Go to the hospital!" We agreed that it was finally time to go. We got to the hospital around 2:00 p.m. They admitted me and checked me and I was shocked to find out I was dilated to a SEVEN! That was when it finally clicked how crazy I had been to hang around, doing whatever, while in labor. I immediately asked for the epidural, and by this time the contractions were hitting me really hard. The nurse explained to me that they had strategically put me in a room directly across from the Operating Room, just in case. With my doctor's guidance, I had decided to try a VBAC. It can have some complications associated with it, and as my doctor said, "If something goes wrong, it's bad." So not feeling totally at ease about that, I was at least out of pain for the moment with those blessed juices of epiduraliness running through my body.
Soon after, my parents came up. I was really excited to have them here. To be honest, that was really the only reason that I was bummed that Lily was c-section. I wanted both of my parents to be in the room when I gave birth. That may be weird to some people, but when I was about 14, I saw two live births (that is a whole other story). Aside from the initial shock I had as a young girl at what I was seeing, it was the most amazing thing that I had ever witnessed. So because I know what a sacred, special, experience that is, I wanted to share that with my parents.
Lying in the hospital bed, waiting for the doctor to come was actually enjoyable. I got to just hang out with Paul and my parents. It was a little strange when right outside the window was a man washing the windows! I was just hoping he would be gone by the time my legs went into the stir-ups. So as everything was very low-key, all of a sudden the nurse ran over to the computer that was monitoring all of mine and the baby's vitals. She got in a major panic mode. I didn't know what to think because I felt normal and was confused as to what was going on. She didn't explain anything but just said that if you weren't my husband, to get out of the room. My parents were slightly oblivious as to her panic and so I told them they needed to leave. As the nurse was calling for the doctor, I just imagined myself being wheeled right over to the O.R. My doctor then came in, very cool and collected as the nurse was explaining something that was going on (I still don't know to this day what that computer monitor showed her to get her frazzled). But my doctor, being the very laid back guy which I prefer, seemed totally at ease so I didn't worry to much. Then he checked me and I was a 10! "What in the world" I thought, I expected to have a little more time but the doctor started gloving up. The nurse informed me that it was time and she let my parents back into the room. As they were getting all prep'ed, I saw a reflective object on the ceiling and asked if it was a mirror. The nurse answered no, but that if I wanted one they could get me one. I was excited and said "Yes!" This may also be weird to some but I really wanted to watch Lily's c-section but wasn't able, so this was my chance.
After everything was all ready, they told me it was time to start pushing. This is the part I feared! I never had to do this with Lily and so I had no idea what to expect. As I was pushing, I felt as if I was "faking" the whole thing. And I was nervous they were going to call me out on it. The epidural was working beautifully and so I wasn't able to feel anything. I had no idea if I was actually pushing, I just scrunched my face up and mustered up any muscles that I could still control and hoped for the best. They had me do a few series of these "pushes", each one lasting about 10-15 seconds. And then through the mirror I saw the doctor grab a pair of scissors. That wasn't awesome, but I figured whatever got my sweet baby out was fine by me. I pushed a couple more times and all of a sudden I could see his head! I was so surprised that I just relaxed and completely stopped pushing. The doctor reminded me to keep going, I wasn't done yet. So I got one more push out and out he came! I couldn't believe that he was actually here. The entire pushing process was only about 15 minutes, I was expecting it to be a bit longer than that. It was amazing to be able to see my little baby! When I had Lily, I only saw her for about 10 seconds floating above my head before they whisked her away to be bathed while the doctor put me back together.
It was such a beautiful sight to hear my baby boy crying and see his healthy, thick little body as the doctor cleaned him up. It is always a fear in the back of my mind throughout the pregnancy, hoping that everything will be perfect with my baby. And to finally know that he was healthy and perfect, was amazing! Little Stewart Paul was 7 lbs 12 oz and 20 inches long. Perfect!
Lily was on her way up to the hospital with the Heslop's. I had anticipated this moment almost as much as meeting the little guy myself. Lily was absolutely in love with babies and would point them out anywhere that we went. I was so excited for her to have a brand new little baby that she could hold, poke, kiss, and hug. When she came in she was a little timid at first, but especially in the next couple days as she visited us in the hospital, she was in love. And so was I. It was a crazy idea that I had "children" but I felt so much more complete. My little family was everything that I wanted and I felt so blessed.
