Harrison's Birth Story

Mother's Day, 9am....While sitting in sacrament meeting I began to notice that my frequent "practice" contractions were starting to change. Just about every 30 min or so. I felt some pulling from my back and they seemed to be stronger. Ben and I went home so I could rest. Even with a nap they did not go away. At 11am I started to time them, 10 min, 7min, 9min, 6min. Pretty irregular but consistent pain and lasting longer.

My brother and his family came over for dinner around 4pm and my contractions were starting to make me pause whatever I was doing until it was over. I continued to track the contractions. (Ben found an app on his I-pod touch to help me out.) Still very irregular in timing but getting a little closer together. Now I was starting to wonder if these were the real deal because I only felt pain down low in the middle of my back nothing in the front. I called the on-call doctor at 8pm and she suggested that I go to Labor and Delivery triage to have them check on me.

Ben and I made our way to the hospital but we didn't take anything with us. The nurse hooked me up to the monitors and asked me my pain level wguch was about an "8-9" and said that I was 80% effaced and 1-2 cm dailated. So yes I was in labor....back labor. It felt like a hot sharp knife in my lower back that took my breath away. With each contraction the pain would come fast and stronger. So the options were:
1. Stay and walk around to see if anything progresses.
2. Go home and labor in the comfort of your home, if the pain gets worse and unbearable you can come back and they would give you iv pain meds until it was time to be admitted.

Well we went home thinking it may take a little while longer. Guess again....we were only home about an hour and a half before I decided that this back labor was too much too handle. Back to triage. The nurses called the doctor, this time I has effaced to 85% and now I was very much 2 cm dialated. The nurse came to tell me that I was now going to be admitted to Labor and Delivery and I could get my epidural! Wahoo! Usually you only get an epidural when you get to 4cm.

Midnight...the nurses are getting me ready, putting the IV in and getting my history and hooking me up to the monitors. Shortly therafter the anesthesiologist came in with his cart and starts putting in the epidural. Its amazing how much you can endure, like a contraction, to hold still while someone is sticking a needle into your spine. Once the medication went in I was in heaven. The back pain was gone and I was free to rest through the night while my body labored on....or so I thought. I could still feel my tummy tightening up but no pain. I also noticed that my left side seemed to be more numb than the right. The nurse said that was normal.

At one point around 4am a bunch of nurses came rushing in and turning me and giving me more fluids. The baby's heart rate had dropped to 70bpm. I told them that I had just felt flushed and sweaty and it seemed that my blood pressure had dropped. I soon discovered that if I was laying on my right side I would get very nauseated and it seemed to correlate with my blood pressure. An effect of the epidural. Since that incident I would keep one ear on the babies heart rate and drift in and out of sleep.

7am...My nurse checks things out and declares that I am going to have a baby around lunch time. I was also elated to find out that my OB doctor was the one on-call. Mom and Dad came to the room by 9am. They brought with them our packed bags we left at home. I remember how nice and calm it was in the room because I had pain control and everyone was just reading and waiting for the moment to start pushing. Just before 10am I noticed that I could feel some cramping on the right side of my abomen and the nurse called the doctor for more epidural medicine. It took effect quickly and I was good to go.

At 11am my wonderful nurse Stacie came in and said that it was time to start pushing. Ben held my left leg and my mom held my right. It was the strangest feeling to hold onto numb legs. It took me 54 min of pushing. Dr. Dean happened to come by the room just in time and as she was getting her stuff and me ready she barely had time to grab Harrison as a contraction just pushed him the rest of the way with no help from me.

It was sureal moment to see a baby knowing just where it came from. That baby was mine! Now what do I do. They placed him on me and the nurse and I started rubbing him down. Then he started to pee, everywhere. They took him away and the doctor fixed me up. He weighed 6lbs 12oz, was 19.5 inches long. And he came out with strong sucking reflexes. His cry was the sweetest thing. We love our Harrison.

39.2 Weeks

Harrison Tillman Schonewald
6 lbs 12oz
19.5 inches long
May 10, 2010 @ 1154am

39 Weeks

Can you believe it! I am nearing the end. For some women the end has already come by this time. But seeing as this is my first and nothing has changed in the last two doctor's visits. I think my baby is in it for the long haul. I have decided to stop working now. I will go back to work about 10 weeks after I have the baby.

I don't have any new pictures of me, they would just look the same as the last one because my belly has not grown any and I have had 2 u/s since then to make sure baby is growing and fluid levels are good....they are. Baby is estimated to be around 7 pounds now. Ben would like the baby to come after Wednesday morning because he will be totally done with school by then. I told him I can't hold back mother nature but I won't help anything until then.

We are very excited to meet this little boy. I love it when people try to warn me about sleep, or the messes they make, or the crying, etc. And I just smile and think to myself "bring it on!" I have waited 4 years for this moment and I welcome all the challenges.

36 Weeks

Only about 4 more weeks to go. I saw the doctor of Friday and she thought that I measured "a little petite" so off to the u/s I go on Monday. It will be a nice treat to see our baby one last time before his birthday. I am not too worried about anything. My sister stopped "growing" near the end of her pregnancies and she had good sized babies.

The babies room is nearly complete. Ben is still working on the dresser but everything else is in place. And my sister helped me gear up the bassisnet and made sure I had everything ready in my hospital bag. We still need to install the car seat base.

32 Weeks

I have made it to that magic number - 32 Weeks. Only two more doctor's visits until I hit the weekly visits. I saw the Nurse Practitioner today and I have gain 22 pounds thus far. The baby's heart rate was in the 140's and my belly is measuring within normal limits. The baby has been active today. I think he is trying to sit on my right hip...sorry to tell you child, but I don't think my womb will stretch that far. I am getting apprehensive about things now and again. I'm that kind of person who would not like to have a lot of time to think about things - just do it.

So far on my list for when I go into labor: 1. put me on the list for an epidural. 2.I don't want the IV in my hand/arm is ok. 3. Make sure they know my skin is sensitive to a certain sterile/cleaning prep. - Well, when you work in the health care field you learn to speak up so you don't get disappointed in your experience and comfort.

Ben has two name combinations picked out and we will reveal them when we meet the little guy. I like the thought of holding him and looking at him before we choose a name. We feel so blessed for this life changing opportunity and new constant in our lives. It really brings joy to our hearts.

29 Weeks

Plus or minus 10 weeks and we will have a baby! Ben is still working on a name. The pregnancy is going well so far. Every week something new happens. Like my tummy now itches. Or the baby likes to ball up real good and push on some nerve or something that makes me feel like I have anxiety and can't breathe. I drink 4 Liters + of water and if I drink less than that I know it. My endocrinologist says my thyroid levels are good and I only have to get one more blood test in 8 weeks and then see him 6 weeks after I deliver. I see the OB next Friday. We are excited to meet this little guy.

26 Weeks

I have seen the doctor a couple of times since last post. Baby's heart rate was 150. And he loves to move around A Lot! So far I have noticed he gets hiccups once or twice a day. Currently my doctor has put me on 6 hour work days. I guess my body seems to be pretty sensitive to a lot of activity. That is not something I would have expected. You see all these other women who run and hike and exercise all through their pregnancy and I have to play it wimpy. But I won't complain because I have waited a couple of years for this baby and I will do what it takes. Ben is still working on a name for this little boy. He calls him Giuseppe. I told Ben that I would like to at least have this baby's name figured out by the time we leave the hospital. He has some ideas in his head. I think he wants to save it for a surprise, I am good with that. Its hard to believe that 3 months from now could be D-day. I see the Doctor in 2 weeks, and so starts the every 2 week visits.