Owen's Story

Thursday night I started having contractions around eleven o'clock. They were not really regular so I laid down and tried to go to sleep. I slept for about fifteen to twenty minutes and woke up with more contractions so I decided to go ahead and get up and get some stuff done in case I was actually in labor. I washed some clothes, took a shower and finished getting my bags ready.

Around one o'clock my contractions were getting stronger but were still not completely regular. I still felt like I needed to call my mom and Gabe's mom (I was nervous to call because I knew once I called they would both be on their way and I didn't want this to be a false alarm) and let them know I was having contractions. I told them both not to come yet, knowing they would both be getting ready to walk out the down when I called.

By the time my parents and little brother got here is was after four o'clock. We loaded the car and I gave my dad and brother instructions on Addie Kate when she woke up in the morning. We got to the hospital around five o'clock and had to check-in/register (we were really suppose to do this before I went into labor, but had put it off).

When the nurse checked me around five thirty I was already 8 cm dilated! I was so glad it wasn't false labor. I had the most wonderful nurse who encouraged me to go ahead and go natural so I opted out of the epidural. By the time the doctor got there I was nine cm dilated and she went ahead and broke my water. It moved pretty fast after that, the pain intensified and it wasn't long before I was very ready to push. Unfortunately my doctor was in an emergency c-section and my nurses asked me to wait to start pushing. I held out at long as I could before I really had to push (at that point I wasn't too concerned about the doctor being in there or not). I only pushed for about fifteen to twenty minutes before Owen was born. He arrived at 7:45am!

It was amazing seeing him for the first time! I worried about feeling that again after already having Addie Kate, but it was still just as exciting this time! It is so hard to fathom being able to love this much.