Levi's Birth Story!

I want to get this typed up while it is fresh in my mind, and while Tim and Levi are peacefully napping next to me :-)  Don't continue reading if you do not care to read about the specifics of the birth process.  I loved reading other peoples' birth stories while I was pregnant and felt that it helped me to know what to expect, so I want to have this out here for other friends who may be interested.  Don't say I didn't warn you...
In the very early morning hours of Thursday March 10, 2011 I went into labor.  I knew it wasn't a false alarm this time because I woke up to my water breaking at about 1 am.  Having your water break as the first sign of labor is very rare but my doctor had predicted that this would probably be the firsts step of my labor because Levi had been sitting really low for several weeks and I had not been having painful or productive contractions at all.  After my water broke I immediately started having contractions.  I knew that I should get to the hospital soon because having a ruptured water bag increases your risk of infection, but I wanted to wait a little while and maximize our resting time before we headed in.  We only live 10 minutes from the hospital so there wasn't a huge rush.  I was having  what I thought were mildly painful contractions that were about 5 minutes apart so I decided that we still had some time to kill.  I let Tim sleep a couple more hours, but I of course could not get back to sleep.  I moved around and used a heating pad on my stomach to ease the tension.  Finally, when the contractions had been about 3 minutes apart for an hour I knew we had to get on the road.  I woke Tim up and we got our stuff together, gave the dogs some food and a walk, and then got on our way.  We arrived at the hospital around 4:30am.  I am glad that we waited to go in because as soon as we got there they told me I would probably need pitocin.  I had been planning a med-free birth all along and this was not news that I wanted to hear.  They checked me and saw that I had only progressed about a cm since my dr appointment 2 days earlier and were not impressed with that considering that my water had broken almost 4 hours earlier.  The doctors were pretty pushy about the pitocin, but they did say that I had the right to refuse any treatment (after making it clear that they thought that if I did not get pitocin my baby and I would most certainly die of infection)  We held them off for a while and continued to see how labor would progress on it's own.  I was pretty convinced that if I had pitocin I would end up with an epidural.  I even told Tim that I thought I would need one if we decided to go the route of induction.  Luckily Tim and the head resident had a lot of faith in me and the resident told me that I could wait and get the epidural if I felt I needed it later and that I may be able to tolerate the pitocin just fine since I would likely only need a very small amount.  After laboring for a while on my own I was checked again, and found that hardly any progress was being made.  They left us alone to decide how we wanted to proceed and I was pretty discouraged at this point.  I am honestly not sure what time this was, but I think it was somewhere around 9 am.  We decided that the best thing to do at this point would be to get the pitocin and see how it goes.  The resident was very encouraging and promised that they would only give me a very small amount to start with.  Tim stayed very calm the whole time and told me he would support any decisions I made, and reminded me that the goal was to get Levi out safely, and we were gonna make sure that was what happened.  He told me that if I wanted an epidural it would be ok, but that he thought I should try to see how my contractions went once the pitocin was in my system.  I thought this sounded fair, so we went ahead and started the medicine.  Once the pitocin was in my system I had to have a fetal monitor on me for the rest of the labor.  This basically forced me to be laying down in bed which was creating a lot more pressure in my back with each contraction.  They told me that I could stand up next to the bed if I needed to but this was easier said than done. After about 15 minutes on pitocin my contractions became a lot stronger.  I had spent the past several hours walking around and sitting on a birthing ball, but at this point I could not even stand up out of bed.  I kept trying because I felt like that would help Levi to move down further and help me to dilate, but I just ended up sitting on the edge of the bed because I could not stand through contractions.  I laid back down and used a heating pad to relieve some of the pain.  We told the resident that my contractions had increased in intensity and were coming very close together and so she decided to check me again.  I was now at 5 1/2 cm which was 1 1/2 centimeters change from before the pitocin.  She estimated that it would be about 2 more hours until he was born, but also said that it could be less since he was already so low.   Within the next half hour the contractions became increasingly more painful and I began to feel a lot of pressure, like I needed to push.  I was getting more discouraged because the resident had estimated a 2 hour time-frame and I was already in so much pain.  Once Tim heard that I was feeling like I needed to push he called the resident.  She said that she would not be surprised if I was ready to push and when she checked me, I was fully dilated.  She told me that it would take a few minutes for the doctor to get ready to catch the baby, but that if I felt like I needed to push that I should do so with or without them.  All of the sudden there were about 5 more people in the room, and we were ready to go! And so began the most painful part of this whole process.  I only pushed for 45 minutes, which is short for a first time mom,  but it felt like forever.  With every contraction I felt like he had to be out already.  The doctor, who Tim and I were really angry with throughout the whole labor (because of his intervention pushing and seeming mockery of my desire for an epidural free birth), ended up being amazingly encouraging.  He kept the mood light, made some surprisingly appropriate and funny jokes, and helped me to feel like I was doing a great job.  All of the nurses were great as well.  Tim held up like a champ.  I was worried about his reaction to all the blood and gore, but he didn't seem phased.  I'm sure he was but he hid it very well!  After what I felt was an eternity of burning and pressure everyone told me that the head was visible.  With a few more contractions our beautiful Levi was born!  The rest is kind of a blur, but I know that he was given to me immediately for skin to skin, nursing, and cuddling.  He ate like a champ right away, and didn't stop eating for about 2 hours.  Apparently being born was hard work for him too!  I had to have what seemed like an insane amount of stitches, and I remember just wanting to get out of bed because my back hurt really badly.  After a few hours we were moved to a postpartum room and so began our life as a family of three!

3 Months Old!

You turned 3 months old last week.  In the past month a lot of things have happened.  The most exciting for me is that you have started sleeping through the night. It started out with a 9 hour stretch one night, and then continued each night after that.  You still fight going to sleep, but once you fall asleep you are usually out until morning which makes the time that we spend getting you to go to sleep seem more worthwhile.  The real test came this past weekend when we went to MI and you continued your long sleep stretches in a few different beds (pack n play, peapod tent).  You did really well, even though one night we had you completely off your normal routine, and you did not fall asleep until midnight!  You slept until 11am the next day!
You experienced swimming for the first time this month.  You didn't seem  to have an opinion one way or the other on that, but we had fun swishing you around the pool. You experienced your first EL ride. Again, not much of a reaction from you other than annoyance toward the loud noises.  We have started Elimination Communication in hopes that I can have you out of diapers well before the average age of 3 years old.  You enjoy laying around with only a prefold on, and get really excited now when I use the sign for "potty".  You are also learning the signs for "mommy" and "daddy".  You are starting to respond to "mommy" with a smile, so I think you are starting to get it.
You are still a very happy baby.  People comment constantly on how "good" you are, and how relaxed you seem.  You really do not fuss unless you are hungry or need a new diaper.  I am glad to see that your temperament has stayed the same even as you have become more aware of your surroundings and are more easily distracted.

Weekend with the Miedemas

This past weekend the Miedemas were in town for your dedication.  We had a lot of fun hanging out, going to the zoo, and eating Chicago-style hot dogs!  Here are some pictures!

Dedication at New Life

On Sunday we had you dedicated at New Life.  Pastor Kevin did a great job explaining our commitment to raising you, as well as the church's commitment to help us, and you as you grow up and learn about life.  We are committed to raising you in a Godly home, and model His love to you every day.  It is our prayer that you will grow up to know Him, and choose to follow Him.  We trust our family and friends to hold us accountable to that and to help us be a good example to you as they have been to us so many times.
It was a great day!  We were surrounded by lots of family and friends.  We had the Miedemas in from MI for the whole weekend which is always great fun!  I think we may need to get a bigger house before your first birthday because you have so many people who love you and love to celebrate with you already!  We had people over for lunch after church and the house was jam packed!  We have been so grateful for the community that we have in Irving Park, and all the friends and family that we have around us.  Sunday was another great example of that blessing.  As you grow up I know you will be so happy to have all these people around who love you and your parents, and who will be involved in your life for so many years to come.  I still feel lucky to have that relationship with friends of my parents who have known me since I was born.

Memorial Day

For your first Memorial Day we spent the day downtown on an architectural tour.  It was super hot outside but we had a great time learning about the history of architecture in our city while you slept in the Ergo.  You did not wake up to complain until the tour was over and we were heading to Bennigans to feed you (and ourselves) anyways.  You experienced your first trip on the EL.  You did great, but were slightly annoyed every time the conductor voice would come over the speakers.  I just held my hands over your ears and you were happy after that.  It was a fun, hot, relaxing day.  Everything Memorial Day should be!

                                        Hiding in the shade during a stop on the tour

Waiting for the EL

                             "Dad, may I please have some of that delicious burger???"

A Natural? (Personal Ego Boost Documentation)

Random people keep telling me how I am a natural at being a mom.  They seem surprised that you are my first child, and that I am not freaking out about every little thing.  Even your doctor made a comment to me at your last appointment about how little I have called with concerns about you.  I actually have been surprised at how naturally motherhood came, and how I can understand your needs even though you can't talk and no one else has any clue what you need.  I don't necessarily feel like the most laid-back mom, but I try to remember that I can't control all circumstances that we are in, and that I can't protect you from every germ, chemical, and sickness if we are ever going to have a life.  I have also been lucky to have a good example in your Aunt Jenn.  She is a great mom, and has a very realistic attitude towards motherhood, so I am just copying her :-)
Mainly, I just wanted to have this documented because this is the first "job" that I have had that I love, feel passionate about, and that other people really think I am good at.