My next few posts will contain entries from a journal I started after Mitchell was born. The journaling didn't last very long as I soon found Blogger.com. But I want to transcribe my journal here "just in case".
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Mitchell,
Today is your 2-month birthday! You are so cute when you smile. Your Daddy and I love to try and make you smile. Your whole face lights up and your eyes are so bright. It makes us happy when we see you so happy.
Even though I know I will never forget the details of your birth day, I still want to write it down for you.
My last day at Harland was Friday, November 14th. I went to the doctor that morning and had the midwife write a note saying I had to work from home. It was a getting very tiring for me to drive in to work because of the commute. So on Monday the 17th, I started working from home. I didn't feel very good that day. I almost felt like I was coming down with the flu. I went to the doctor that afternoon but I hadn't made any more progress. I felt better on Tuesday, but I was having trouble concentrating on my work. On Wednesday, which is when my due date was, I really had trouble working. I got out our digital camera and used the timer to take pictures of myself in your nursery. I had no clue that my water would break later that night. Your Daddy brought home Wendy's for dinner. It tasted so good! We went to bed around 9pm. I woke up at 11:15pm to go to the bathroom. As soon as I turned on the light in the bathroom, my water broke. I was so glad I was in the bathroom and not in our bed!
I opened the bathroom door to wake up your Daddy to tell him it was time to go to the hospital. I had to tell him twice before he really woke up. He got up to shower and pack his bag. I called Julie, the doula. She was already at the hospital with another client who was in labor. I then called the midwife. They told me to come on into the hospital. I called my parents to let them know that we were going to the hospital. I took a quick shower as well and ate some crackers before we left the house.
My contractions started about 10-15 mins after my water broke. On the way to the hospital, I started timing the contractions. They were 2 mins apart.
We got to the hospital and got checked in. We got to our labor and delivery room at 12:30am. I got changed into a hospital gown and got into bed. The nurse started taking my information and filling out the paperwork.
Julie came to check on us and said she was trying to find a back up doula for us. This made us a little bit nervous since we only had met Julie. She knew us and knew what we wanted. Desiree was the midwife on call and she came to check on us as well. My blood pressure was high, so they wanted me to stay in bed. The bed was so uncomfortable though. I remember thinking it was too hard. I just wanted to get out of bed but I couldn't.
Meanwhile, our back up doula, Susan, was on her way to the hospital from Newnan, which is about an hour south of the city. Susan arrived at 2am. By this time, I was 3-4cm dilated and almost 100% effaced. I still had to stay in the bed, but I kept having to get up to go to the bathroom. I was continuing to have regular contractions. I just started breathing through them in a way that just felt natural to me. I couldn't remember how our instructor told us to breathe in our classes! But no one had a problem with how I was breathing, so I just kept doing it that way.
Finally, at 3am, I could get out of bed. I remember Susan and Julie suggesting that I walk the halls. But I really didn't feel like leaving my room. So I sat in the rocking chair for a while. Susan sat at my feet and rubbed my feet and legs. The contractions kept coming and I felt like I couldn't rest in between them. I was able to doze a little bit in the rocking chair. Eventually, the chair became uncomfortable. So I sat on the birthing ball facing the bed with my head on the bed so I could get some rest. I was so tired and just wanted to sleep. This was around 4am and I was really thinking about getting some drugs to help me sleep. But by this time it was time for a 2nd round of antibiotics. This distracted me from wanting pain medicine. However, my IV wasn't in right and I wasn't getting any of the antibiotic. So they redid it at 7am and it was done by 8am. This was when we decided to get me into the bathtub.
The sun was up by now and the curtains were open. We had a corner room with a view of what are called the King and Queen buildings. I remember looking out and thinking what a beautiful day it was. The sky was so blue and it was sunny. We had a wonderful view!
Susan got the bath going for me and it felt so good when I got in. Dave and Susan took turns pouring water after my stomach during my contractions. While I was in the tub, I got the urge to push. It scared me at first because I thought it was too early to push. Alisa, the midwife who came on after Desiree, said it was OK to start pushing. I stayed in the tub for about 2 hours.
I heard more people come into our room. They were bringing instruments that would be needed for you to be born.
I got out of the tub so we could really work on my pushing so you could be born.
We tried so many different ways so that you would come down. Susan even got behind me and tried to straighten you out in my tummy so that you would come down. You were crooked and just didn't want to straighten up. I pushed for 3 hours but we didn't make any progress. Up until that point, I had no pain medication. But we decided to order an epidural. Although I really wanted to go "drug free", I was relieved when they put the epidural in. The doctor who it in had a 3-month-old son. He showed me pictures to keep my mind off of the pain.
We called my parents at 3:30 and asked them to come on down that evening. Mommy was very tired and just wanted to see her parents! We had to wait for the doctor to come to help deliver you. During this time, I looked at some pictures that I brought with me. The pictures I brought had very special meaning for me. I had a picture of Mommy and Daddy on the night we met; a picture of us on our wedding day; a picture of us on our honeymoon in Jamaica; and picture of your namesake -- your Great Granddad Rawls (Mitch) -- at his 50th wedding anniversary reception. Looking at these pictures made me feel so much better.
When the doctor arrived, a lot of people also came into the room to help out when you were born. He had to use forceps because you were still too high up. He tried twice, but couldn't get you to budge. Your Daddy didn't like seeing the doctor use the forceps. So now we had to have a c-section.
We waited a little while for an operating room to become available. Daddy got suited up so he wouldn't bring any germs into the room. Susan was going to be there as well.
I went into the operating room by myself; Daddy and Susan came in with the doctor (Dr. Zane). Daddy and Susan were on one side and anesthesiologist was on the other side. Of course I didn't feel a thing. Susan took lots of great pictures of you being born. When I looked across the room and saw you for the first time, I couldn't believe that you had blond hair -- and so much of it! Everyone in the operating room absolutely loved your hair. Everyone also thought you were a big baby. They all thought you would weigh more than 9 lbs. They were surprised when someone came back and said you were 8 lbs, 6 ounces. Daddy went with you to get weighed, measured and washed off. But before they took you, someone brought you over so that we could meet for the first time. I couldn't do anything but cry because I was so happy.
Susan stayed with me while I got stitched up. I will never forget her saying to me, "You are so strong. You make me want to have another baby." She cried when you were born too. She loved helping bring you into the world.
I saw you again in the recovery room. You got your first bath here. Mommy and Daddy called everyone to give them the good news. Everyone was so excited to hear that you had arrived.
We finally got to our room around 8:30pm. A wonderful nurse named Diane took care of us. She helped me nurse you for the first time. Grandmother and Granddad Rawls arrived about an hour later. They took lots of pictures of you.
I know that for as long as I live, I will never forget that moment when my life changed forever -- 5:16pm on November 20, 2003. I love you so much, Mitchell!
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