The Story of Oliver....

Oliver Stanley Porter, 2/23/11, 10:02 am, 7 lbs 8 oz, 20"

Well... some of you may know, and I apologize for not updating this sooner - I have been really bad about it the last few weeks. I went in for my last doctors appointment on February 15th, my due date, and they did an ultrasound (I'll post the HILARIOUS picture later) to get a weight estimate, etc. and make sure he was still okay. My doctor said she was going to schedule me for the following week to be induced and to check back the next day. So, I did. As soon as they opened. They had scheduled me to be at the hospital at 8pm on Tuesday, February 22nd. Woo hoo! Officially scheduled :)

I worked on Monday (half day release) and then got things organized for my sub. Tuesday I took a mental health day to do some fun things for myself. Although, the whole time I was worried that the day would drag by with anticipation. It didn't, luckily! I got a manicure/pedicure (last one for a while, I imagine...), went to lunch with Ben and my father-in-law (Panera) and saw a movie (The King's Speech - amazing!). We did some things around the house, walked Stella, did the elliptical, had dinner (with the Pidgeons and Chris) and it was time to head to the hospital!

I checked in around 8:00, and was in my labor 'suite' shortly thereafter. By about 10:30 (after all sorts of tests and forms and protocol) they gave me some cervidil. Google it if you really want to know what it is. The nurses told me that I was already having contractions, but I couldn't feel them. I guess it wasn't what I was expecting them to feel like - at all! The cervidil made them closer together, and little man did not like that. His heart rate dropped for a few minutes, and the nurses rushed in to remove the cervidil. (Oxygen mask on me and all!) They gave me a little bit of time to recover, and then decided to start me on the pitocin (what they were going to originally give me the next morning if the cervidil didn't do anything). So, around 2am, the pitocin drip began. The SAME thing happened. Little man was not having it, so they cut the IV. My doctor decided to let me sleep overnight (um, like 4 hours), and they would try the pitocin one more time. She also told me "this is your last chance. Well, no. This is HIS last chance to come out on his own." We all knew what that meant.

I wasn't against the idea of a C-section, like I've heard some people are, but I wasn't planning it. After I slept (if you could call it that!), they gave me an epidural - around 9:00 am - in case I began going into labor, or to be used as a spinal tap in case I needed a C-section. wanted to avoid needing an emergency C-section by all means necessary (vertical incision, Ben couldn't have been there, under general anesthesia). As soon as they gave me the epidural, I went to lay back down and baby's heart rate dropped again! My doctor came in and said she was going to prep an operating room.

Not 25 minutes later, but baby entered the world kicking and screaming (as soon as they cut the cord). Ben took a picture of him to show me, because they didn't bring him over to me at first. All I wanted to do was see him and make sure that he was okay after all of the chaos.

It wasn't what I expected (again), and it didn't "hurt" per se.... but there were definitely some uncomfortable moments. I thought my ribs were going to break when my doctor pushed on them (and she's only about 105lbs!), and some of the smells were a bit nauseating. But what mattered was that little man had joined us!

Oliver Stanley Porter.... Oliver just because we love that name, saw a bunch of signs while I was pregnant, and because it's just English enough for Ben. Stanley was my grandfather's middle name as well.

We had a bunch of visitors at the hospital... Ben's dad was in town (he had a show in Boston and popped by to visit), my mom flew in (she's still here - thankfully!) as well as Chris and Brian.

They released us on Friday afternoon and we've been adjusting slowly to life at home, and eventually life without Daddy here 24 hours a day. Speaking of which, my eyes are getting VERY heavy.... I'll update some more on this entry tomorrow. Goodnight!