Eli's Birth Story

Eli Mitchell July 21st, 2012 9:34 am 6 lbs 4 oz 20 1/2 inches And just like that I'm a mama. Yesterday, was my actual due date - but, Eli decided to show up on the scene early(37 1/2 wks)...so I am well into mamahood already! On Friday, July 20th Rob and I took Emily to Red Lobster (her choice) for her birthday dinner. Her birthday is the 21st, but we had her Friday night to Saturday morning as she had plans on her special day! We had the best time. The food was so good (I had a lobster pizza appetizer AND coconut shrimp with mashed potatoes). We were joking a lot about Eli's butt. Talking about how big it must be ... he was moving it a lot during dinner. Looking back on it now, I think Eli wanted to come out early to defend himself :) More often than not when we go out to dinner, Rob and I feel that we're held hostage by the check (this was either a Seinfeld episode...or would have made a great Seinfeld episode). It's like where did the waitress go when we're ready to leave? Did she go home? Is she outside in a car making out with her boyfriend? Seriously, we even ask for the check and they don't come back for the longest time...so annoying. While we were waiting (patiently) for our check to arrive, we were joking about how we should pretend like my water broke and just dine and dash. We would never do that, but it was fun to talk about and it made the time go by as we waited. Rob, Emily and I have talked about this dinner quite a few times since Eli was born. It was like everything led to what happened later that night... Then, we came home from dinner. I had made Emily a heart shaped cake (she loves when I do this). We decided to bring it next door to my parents (it was late, like 8:45pm) so they could help us eat it...plus, more fun for Emily to have more people singing Happy Birthday to her besides her Dad and I. My brother and CJ were there - too. We ate the cake (yum!) and then I heard someone coming thru the front door. For some reason it scared me...I thought some random person was walking into their house. It was Alyssa being dropped off by her Grandpa Jim. Everyone was making fun of me because I got so scared ... they told Alyssa that she was going to scare the Eli out of me!!! Less than 5 mns later, I start picking up the plates off of the table and I feel a gush. I said, "I think my water broke." I started running to the bathroom and it just kept coming...I yelled, "My water broke!". Everyone got up and was running around, all excited. Rob, Emily and Alyssa went next door to get my things. Honestly, it was a perfect situation to be surrounded by family like that. I think they enjoyed it : ) While I was in the bathroom, waiting for Rob to come and get me, I couldn't help but think about how when I go home next it would be with a baby! And, then I was thinking about how I wouldn't see my dogs for a few days and that made me sad. It was such a moment - a little moment - of realizing how life as I knew it would be forever changed. I knew Eli wouldn't be born that night...there was only 3 hrs left to that day and I know babies don't normally come that fast. I told Emily that I was sorry her brother was a birthday thief...he would definitely be born on her birthday! She didn't mind. What are the odds?! Of all days! This is not unusual in my family...I was born on my Dad's birthday and Alyssa was born on my mom's birthday. Got to the hospital and was still only dilated at 2cm. The nurse said if I didn't dilate more by 4am that they were going to induce the labor. At 4am, they did just that. At 5am the contractions started. From 5am-8am I was pretty miserable. At 8am, a nurse came in to do the epidural. This takes awhile and it takes about 30mn to kick in after it's all set. After they did the epidural my contractions got worse. They were surprised that I wasn't feeling the effects of the epidural. I told them that everything got worse since they installed it. The nurse checked me again and I was dilated to a 6. They said it would be awhile longer and they left the room. Right after they left the room, I told Rob that it feels like Eli is ready to come out. I told him that I know my body and my body wants to push the baby out. I made him go get the nurse. She checked me again and was shocked to discover that I was fully dilated and that my body was indeed ready to eject Eli out. Ha! She told me that I was not to push, the Dr. wasn't there yet and she'd get in trouble if I started pushing. She told me to breathe through those contractions. Let me just add how HARD it is to not push when your body really, really wants to push! My Dr. was not on call that weekend. So the Dr. whose weekend it was, came running down the hall yelling, "Don't Push, I'll be right there!). He was Korean and funny and honestly the perfect person to deliver in that moment. The good news about the epidural not kicking in was that I could feel exactly when I needed to push. When thinking about delivering Eli (before I was in that situation) I was always worried about the getting him out part, not the contractions. Actually, it was the opposite for me once I was actually in labor...the contractions were tough, really tough - but, the delivering was not so bad. I got Eli out in two good strong pushes. I couldn't believe it when they told me he was out. I'm all like..."for real, he's out?!" And, "is he ok, are all his parts there?" Silly, silly me! And, then they gave him to me. And, it was all so amazing. I kept thanking the Dr. and the nurses. Thanking them that those darn contractions were over, thanking them that my baby was (finally) safely in my arms. What a journey! What a blessing baby Eli is. We kept him with us that day and through the night. The nurses taught me how to breastfeed. Sunday morning he was circumsised (by same Dr.) and we went home that afternoon! So much to say about being home with Eli, but this post is his birth story - so, we'll leave it at this for now! I'm thinking about starting a new blog. Not because I am over Faith, not because Eli being here has bumped her importance to my life/our life. But, because God gave me a new chapter. Thank you, Lord, for this complete and perfect gift.