Kevin's Birth Story: Part 3

Part 1

Part 2

I was in shocked that I had progressed that quickly. I thought when the nurse checked me maybe I would be a 7cm or something but I did not expect to find out that I went from 5cm to 10cm in an hour.

Another nurse came in to help Stacy transform the hospital bed. The baby's nurse, Laura Lee, also came in and began to set everything up she would need to examine the baby after his birth. In no time my bed was pulled apart, raised up high and the "stirrups" were put in place. I was just laying there enjoying the lack of pain and watching everyone hurry around the room. We were about ready to see our son!

Stacy was talking to another nurse about notifying my doctor that I was complete and to ask the doctor if she wanted me to go ahead and push before she was there. I jumped in the conversation to say that I only pushed a few times with Luke so it'd probably be best if we waited until the doctor was present.

In a few minutes my doctor came in, all smiles as usual and we talked for a little bit. She has an amazing bedside manner and also puts me at ease. She delivered Luke so I was grateful that she would be able to deliver Kevin as well.

Everything was ready to go. I held behind my knees and it was time to push. Here came a contraction and I closed my eyes and pushed as hard as I could. I heard my doctor say "I see light hair!" and I thought no way, I thought I was going to have a dark headed baby like Nathan.

After a few pushes the contraction was over and I relaxed as we waited for another.

We waited.

...and waited...

Hmph.

My contractions, which had been very steady for awhile, suddenly went AWOL. So we all just chatted for a bit about silly things like my blue toenail polish until they showed up again.

After maybe 5-7 minutes another one was coming so it was once again time to push push push! I could tell I was making good progress and we all thought by the next contraction he would be born.

One more contraction and PUUUUSSSHHH. I heard Stacy say "He has red hair!!" and I just couldn't believe I had TWO red heads! PUUUUSSSSHHHH.

His little head was delivered and my doctor said "Amanda, do you want to reach down and pull him out?"

What? That question came out of no where. I had heard of that only once when my friend Katie recently delivered her daughter. When I read about Katie's experience I thought I would like to do that someday but had never mentioned it to my doctor.

I said "yes!" and I reached down and tucked my hands under his arm pits and pulled his little slippery body out and onto my chest.

I savored his sweet newborn cry and just stared at his perfect face.

My third son, Kevin, was here in my arms!

I said "He's so little!" and the nurses said "No, he's not that little!" but I had been carrying around my 2 year old so any baby would seem little compared to him.

He did have some trouble breathing and was trying to work it up. Some fluid remained in his lungs since he was delivered so fast.

After I cuddled him for a few minutes the baby nurse, Laura Lee, took him to weigh him (7lbs 12.6oz 21 inches) and diaper him. She quickly returned him to me and I patted his back to help him expel some of the fluid. His coloring was perfect so I knew he was getting enough oxygen. He was able to cough a lot of the clear fluid up himself but after a few more minutes Laura Lee decided to take him again to help him clear his lungs.

During this time my doctor delivered the placenta and I asked to see it. She began showing me what had sustained my baby for 9 months and I got to see the sac that he formed in. I was just amazed by it all. 

After Laura Lee worked on Kevin for a few minutes (putting a thin tube down his throat to pull out the fluid) he was doing much better and was returned to me. We cuddled skin to skin and I studied every little detail of his face. He began to root and I moved him over to my breast and he immediately latched. I took a deep breath and felt the relief of knowing that he was able breastfeed beautifully from the beginning. After struggling nursing Nathan I will never take that for granted. Kevin nursed for 10 minutes on each side and then dozed on and off.

Laura Lee kept her word and made sure I was able to experience the "Golden Hour."  It was a very intimate time with our precious baby and I will never forget it. I continued to hold Kevin skin to skin for 2 1/2 hours before they moved us to the maternity ward in the hospital.

We had several visitors on the days that Nathan and Luke were born and had asked for no visitors the day Kevin arrived so that I could rest and we could focus on our new son.

He was finally here and like I anticipated I felt my heart and my family grow all at once to welcome this sweet blessing.

Welcome to your new world, Kevin.