Towards the end of my pregnancy I was very anxious to just not be pregnant anymore since I spent most of my pregnancy pained and not being able to find comfort. (Read about my second pregnancy here.) At the same time, I was very nervous about the labor process, knowing that it will also come with it’s own sets of pain. Okay….I was more like terrified. My first born was 38 hours of induced labor and two and a half hours of “pushing” so you can’t blame me for being such a scaredy-cat. I plan to share my first born’s birth story soon as well, at least the details I still remember.

On October 26, 2015, I went in for my 12pm 41 week appointment. Apparently, I was 5 centimeters dilated and according to my doctor experiencing minor contractions. After about an hour of examining, including an ultrasound to check fluid levels and a non stress test, I was told to go home, eat something and then head to the hospital to get induced.  My fluid levels were a bit low but my doctor said it is to be expected since I am past my due date. We would finally meet our baby boy!

My husband and I scrambled getting a few errands done. Call us crazy but our van needed a wash, I needed to stop at the post office, we needed to find a sitter and the husband needed a haircut! Yup, he needed to look sharp for all the photos I was about to take! Oh and I was hungry…my craving was a tuna sandwich from Subway…a foot long that is!

We arrived at the hospital at about 5pm and waited two hours for an available labor and delivery room. Thank goodness I wasn’t in active labor! As we waited, I began to feel what I thought were braxton hicks contractions about every two minutes. They weren’t strong enough to knock me off my feet but they were there. As soon as a room became available we were called and settled in. We began pitocin and almost immediately the nurse started verbalizing concerns with baby boy’s heart rate and stated he had arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat. She mentioned we would know more once our baby boy was born. Not knowing anything about this, I began to research on my phone and told myself not to worry or stress.

About four hours later, I was only five and a half centimeters dilated but definitely feeling contractions, so I asked for an epidural. Boy oh boy was that a relief! I was finally able to take a nap.  The nurses then continued monitoring my progress and increasing pitocin as needed. After a few hours, my doctor decided it was time to break my water.

At about 11am, October 27, I began feeling extreme discomfort in my back. My husband attempted to massage me and re-arranged my pillows about fifty times. I began turning evil and told my husband there was no way in the world I would go through this again. As far as I’m concerned we are done having babies…no mas!

I am familiar with the urge to need to push, but this back pain felt like something else. This was pain in my back making me curl up in discomfort.  We paged the nurse and increased the dosage of the epidural medicine twice, with no comfort. The nurse then checked me and said I was completely dilated and ready to have a baby!

I began pushing…. oooooh baby baby….baby baby….push it real good….HA (socks were purchased on Etsy.) Ok where was I…I began pushing with my coach husband by my side telling me how great I was doing. At a point, the nurses in the room asked him if he was in the military! He kind of giggled and said no. To understand why the nurse asked him that you need to know that my husband’s verbal support sounds more like a personal trainer’s tough love approach. I’m surprised he didn’t say  things like “You call THAT a push?” and “Tears are for the weak!!” HA! He definitely kept my mind distracted.

After about thirty minutes of pushing we have a baby screaming and daddy cutting the umbilical cord! An eight pound twelve ounce healthy baby boy! We were relieved when the NICU team in the room was not needed. They were called in due to the doctor’s concerns with our baby boy’s arrhythmia but were not needed when baby came out and seemed healthy.

As my baby is being placed on my chest for skin to skin, I look over to my husband and say “Okay, maybe we can have more babies.” The nurse giggles and says “Wow, that was a fast change of heart.” Holding my baby and finally meeting him reminded me of how everything I just went through, in particular these 16 hours of induced labor, were oh so worth it!

We spent the next two days recovering at the hospital and trying to come up with a name for our new bundle of joy. We had many names in mind and I believe that’s what got us very confused. Plenty of times we would pick a name only to change our minds the next day. We had originally wanted to include the name Andres, in memory of my brother, for our baby boy but I found that too difficult for me. Discharge day arrives and we finally decided to call our baby boy Alexander Villa, having the same initials as my brother, Andres Velazquez.

We are now prepared to embark this journey as a family of four. There are plenty of things to learn and plenty adjustments heading our way but we are very happy to keep growing our family and excited to continue showering our babies with love. We thank God for blessing us with our newest little baby bear. Here we go!

 

Alexander Villa born October 27, 2015 at 12:01pm weighing 8 lbs 12 oz  & 21 in. long