October 30, 2012: a day I will always remember. It was magical from the beginning. I woke up (actually, was already awake from staring at the ceiling all night in anticipation) at 4:00 to take a shower. I took my time getting ready, trying everything to relax. Mom and Paul woke up with huge smiles on their faces...and Daniel had his "go time" look...wearing his "Prepare to Dominate" shirt (YESSS!!!). The hurricane had subsided and it was just gloomy, rainy and really chilly! Of course, everyone in the house had coffee brewing....which made my stomach pang with hunger and thirst. Fasting is no fun, especially 9 months preggo when I was used to eating at all hours.
5:00 a.m.
We're ready to get the show on the road. Loaded up the car, and snapped one more picture in the nursery.
Paul decided that morning that he wanted to be in the room with me, since I offered. I was by no means uncomfortable with it, and really wanted his support. He was a fantastic videographer!
6:00 a.m.
Check-in at the hospital, get introduced to my delivery nurse, and get a quick monitor of baby. Morgan (our nurse) was amazing. Right away, we had a vibe going. Everything checked out good with baby, so it was time to get started with a fluid IV to rehydrate since I had to fast the night before. No more than fifteen minutes of being hooked up, I had to pee like nobody's business.
Dressed and ready to rock!
Our nurse, Morgan...aka sweetest person in the world!
Explaining I have to go to the restroom....but when you gotta go, you gotta go!
6:35 a.m.
So, I might have thought I had to use the restroom...when in all reality, my water was BREAKING! Literally....all over the bathroom floor, and it just kept coming!! I shouted from the bathroom for Morgan and Daniel...and just kept saying, "ummm ummm...I don't think this was an accident. haha :)" Next thing I knew, I felt this rush come across me, and I was excited and nervous at the same time. This was it, no turning back. The next few minutes were spent talking to Morgan about my options now that the water had broken, since my initial plan was to use the birthing tub first...which you can't do after the membrane bursts.
Then it hit us when my mom reminded us that we only had a few more moments that were just "ours" together, before we would be three.
We ended up deciding on the ball (which was planned to be the third step in my birth plan) since I was by no means comfortable in the bed, and was not able to walk since they needed to monitor the baby for a bit and decide if I needed any more of a push to get the contractions moving. Paul was just thrilled to blow up the ball in a hurry, and ahead of "schedule" haha I think after this experience, both Paul and Daniel don't want to see an exercise ball for awhile.
(holding the baby monitor on my belly so they could make sure he was ok during the contractions)
(Daniel helping me breath through the contractions...which just made me laugh more than anything)
8:00 a.m.
My sisters started to call my mom's phone. I tried to talk to them between the pain...which was more comical than anything, really.
Contractions....SUCK. They started to get really strong, fast. My midwife checked my dilation, and I was still sitting pretty at 5 cm. They decided to give me a small dose of pitocin to help move the process along. Yikes, bring on the pain! I could be talking to everyone one minute, then stop right in my tracks to get through the pain...and just as I thought it was getting better, another one would hit me stronger! One after another, after another. I was so thankful to have Daniel, Mom and Paul in the room with me to get through them and make me laugh. Paul later told me that for him, that was the worst part...to see me in pain and not be able to do anything about it.
Holding my dad's hand (make that squeezing off his fingers) to get through the pain
1:00 p.m.
Then, it was back in the bed to get ready to check the progress. I couldn't believe it...I made it to 9.5 cm dilated!! It was my last chance to get any pain medicine for pushing. After debating with myself and talking it through with my mom, Daniel and my midwife Karen...I decided to get the epidural. At first, it made my whole left leg totally numb (yuck) and then slowly started to wear off to the point that I could move into position. It's funny to watch the video, because at this point I went from swaying in pain to get through each contraction, to singing with Daniel to my belly. I am so happy that I made it as far as I did without any medication to block the pain, because it really wasn't too terrible, and I was reassured none of it would affect baby Cael.
Singing his favorite song "Hallelujah" during contractions!!
2:00 p.m.
Time to push it...push it real good! The whole time we were in labor, I had my playlist going strong. Sometimes, I would ask someone to change the song because it didn't match my mood or the beat was just all wrong to get through a contraction. Then, no sooner that my midwife came in to tell me it was go time....I hear PUSH IT, PUSH IT REAL GOOD! This was it...we were ready.
In between pushes, I kept asking Daniel to give me a kiss. I surprised myself that I didn't scream, I didn't cry...really, I just asked Karen if I was doing it correctly, and looked to either side of me for reassurance from my mom and Daniel. It was amazing to have such a great support system.
3:13 p.m.
He's here. He's beautiful. We are already so in love.
Cael Thomas Rambo Gilbert
9 lb 2 oz
22 1/2 inches
You captured our hearts from the moment our eyes met, and you are already wrapped around our fingers.
There is no way in the world I could have done such a thing without the amazing "Team Rambo" by my side.
3:30 p.m. (no...literally!!)
I had to EAT! It is amazing what child birth does to your body...and afterwards, I was STARVING! Paul quickly handed me the menu and ordered my breakfast (which my mom said looked disgusting, but of course she didn't say anything at the time when I was shoving my face full as fast as I could!)
5:00 p.m.
They had to move me and the babe to the post-partum wing because too many more babies were on the way so they needed the delivery room stat. We wheeled our way over and made calls to our friends and family that he had arrived. It was only about an hour later before his first visitors starting making their way to hold him.
9:00 p.m.
Cael left our room to get his first bath. Daddy was able to observe and I rested. The little stinker decided it was the perfect time to tinkle all over the nurse..and the wall...and the warming incubator next to his with a baby inside. He has fantastic aim. haha :)
(See that red outlet...he peed on it...could have been dangerous!)
(The nurse apparently just kept laying towels everywhere she could see pee. The incubator was covered...and had another baby inside! yikes!)
(All clean...and the nurse gave him his first mohawk, AWESOME!)
November 1st
After two days, we were released into the wild to go home. It was nice to have Cael in our room with us, but we had the nurses help often. He had swallowed a lot of amniotic fluid in delivery, so he choked a lot the first few hours. Anytime the nurse could hear him from the hall doing it, they ran in to take care of it. They helped us with everything. So to be going home "on our own" was a little bittersweet and intimidating. We were ready though...and my parents were waiting to help! He did so good in the car, and our kitties were anxious to meet their little brother.
November 2nd
First doctor appointment. He passed with flying colors. He was almost back up to his birth weight, and very healthy. He was on the verge of jaundice when we left the hospital, but tested fine, just was advised to nap or feed in the sunlight when possible. Our pediatrician is seriously amazing!! We love her spirit, advice and down-to-earth practice.
("Do I really have to go to the doctor today?")
(Sports wrap from the heel prick matches his outfit!)
(napping in the sun...doctor's orders)
After his appointment, Michelle and Harper were able to come over to meet Cael. The cousins will for sure be friends...as soon as Cael realizes it is NOT ok to hit that sweet girl in the face ;) Seeing these sweet babies together makes my heart smile. Being pregnant at the same time as Michelle was such a blessing, and now the babes will be best friends like their parents.
The next week was sad and exciting. Paul had to get back to Ohio so he could go back to work, and the same day, Emily, Waylon and Aunt Kathy made the trip to meet the boy and help the momma. It was so neat to see my nephew with my son. Waylon's favorite word (when he wasn't being jealous of the new babe) quickly became "baby" :) So sweet!
Having so much help was such a blessing. They made me more relaxed, and coddled me when I hit the inevitable "wall" that everyone warns you about. We stayed busy when Daddy had to go back to work before his leave started. We even went to the mall....and boy have our sessions in the fitting room changed! haha No more fashion shows with new clothes....instead it's nursing and changing!
The thing that surprised me most about becoming a mother, labor and delivery is that through the whole process, YOU are a patient trying to take care of a precious little thing. It is so true when they say a mother's love can conquer anything. No matter what amount of pain I was in, or the fact that I couldn't even stand to walk, get out of bed, or even go to the bathroom on my own days after delivery...somehow I found the strength from deep within and did it with a smile (most of the time). Cael has changed my life in more ways than I can ever explain. I knew I loved him from the moment he was in my belly....but nothing could ever prepare me for the emotion felt when his eyes caught mine for the first time, and every time since. I have found a new purpose in life, and his name is Cael Thomas Rambo Gilbert....my little big guido meatball. :)
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