Birth Story and 4 Weeks Old

Well Ollie is 4 weeks today, I can't believe it.  So I guess I should finally post the birth story, not that it is that exciting, but I want to remember it.  

So we went in Wednesday night as instructed.  The hospital is very small and cozy, I loved it.  There are 6 labor and delivery rooms and 8 recovery rooms.  It was me and one other lady there that night, so I had plenty of attention.  They inserted Cervidil around 9:30pm.  Usually they leave it on for 12 hours to let it soften and "ripen" the cervix, then they start you on pitocin.  Well mine began working right away and I contracted all night long.  Not really hard contractions, but noticeable enough that I pretty much didn't sleep a wink (which is even more depressing when your husband sleeps like a rock in a bed next to you)!  They checked on me the next morning, before 9:30, and decided I was contracting enough so they removed the cervidil and left me to see if I would continue to contract without needing the pitocin.  After a few hours my contractions began slowing down, so they put me on the minimum dose of pitocin.  Things picked up a little, but not too much.

Around 1:15pm my Dr came and broke my water.  That was pretty much the weirdest feeling EVER!!  Right away my contractions were harder and closer together.  I don't remember what I was dilated to at this point.  I suffered through those contractions for about an hour and a half and then decided to get my epidural.  I was doing ok (in fact Jason kept asking me if I was sure I needed it yet cause I was breathing through the contractions so well, I guess he expected screaming) but I knew I wanted an epidural so I figured why suffer anymore.  And I am so glad I did.  I honestly don't think I could have had a vaginal (sorry for the terminology) birth without the epidural, more on that later.  After that I was in heaven.  It was like I had to look at the monitor to see if I was having a contraction.  My family was in with me and we were hanging out and having a great time.  It was such a good experience, one I don't think I would have had otherwise. 

Finally around 8pm I was dilated to a 10.  My Dr came in and I started pushing...and pushing and pushing and pushing.  I pushed for an hour and forty minutes.  I was EXHAUSTED!!!  That is why I think I wouldn't have been able to do it without the epidural, if I had been contracting hard that whole time, I would have been too tired to push.  I was barely able to do it with the epidural.  His heart rate kept going up and so my Dr prepared me for that fact that she may need to use a vacuum to get him out.  Luckily she was so patient and I eventually was able to get him out on my own, no tearing, no episiotomy.  My Dr was awesome, so patient and calm and she explained everything so well, I knew I was in good hands.  And all who were in the room with me (Jason, Mom, Jan and Chrissy) were very impressed with her also.  Overall it was a great experience,  I think I will do it again someday :)

Now we have had our sweet little boy for 4 weeks.  I can't believe it, time has flown by.  I wanted to jot down some things about Oliver before I forget them.

-He loves to hold onto your shirt (or chest hair in Jason's case) while you hold him, it is so cute!

-When he makes one of his mad faces he has a dimple in his right cheek

-His left nipple is inverted (I'm sure someday he will really appreciate me telling everyone that)

-He still kicks his legs straight out all the time

- He can lift his head up, and has been since he was like a week old

-He is really good at self soothing, he will just lay in his crib wide awake and not cry

-He loves his binkie

-I think he is starting to recognize our voices

-He has lots of faces that he makes where he looks very concerned about things, they are so funny

-His little smiles make my day

-There isn't a day that goes by where I don't cry at least once just looking at the special little boy we have been blessed with, I love him so much!

And what is a post without pictures?  The theme today is sleeping, since that is what Ollie and I do a lot of during the day.