At 1:27 AM I woke up feeling some pain in my lower abdomen. I thought I probably just had to go to the bathroom so I got up. When I stood up there was a gush of fluid! I thought "well I bet that was my water breaking!" I headed to the bathroom and a bit more of my fluid came out. I woke up Louis and told him that I thought my water had broken, but I was going to lay down and see what happened. He pretty much just rolled over and snored! At this point in the night we had only been asleep for about 30 minutes so I don't blame him! I laid down and tried to sleep until some contractions started. That only lasted about 15 minutes until the contractions started though. Once I started getting contractions they weren't unbearable, but I knew with my record we should head to the hospital anyway. We put the last minute things into our bag, got our shoes and I went in and told my niece Madison that we were heading to the hospital.
We got in the car and headed out! My favorite thing and something that helps me stay the most calm during labor is watching Louis. He gets so excited! On the drive he was speeding a little bit and I kept telling him we're fine. We're really fine you don't need to speed. I think he was just too excited though! He also was singing a made up song about having Wyatt and going to the hospital. We got to the hospital and stepped into the elevator at 2:15 and got checked in at 2:18. On the way to the room I was very blunt with my nurse. "I have very fast labors. My last two were only 2 and 3 hours long. I have my second 12 minutes after getting to the hospital and my third an hour after getting to the hospital. I have never had an epidural and I want one this time so please check me right away and then call the anesthesiologist." She was so great and told me I deserved to get an epidural this time and she was determined to make that happen!
I got into the room and changed then I was able to get checked. I was dilated to a 5 and she left to call the anesthesiologist while a second nurse got my info put into the computer and a third nurse got my IV started so we'd be all ready when the anesthesiologist came.
At some point after this I was checked again, I'm not sure how long it was after I was checked the first and I was dilated to a 6. Then a nurse named Cazlyn came in and let us know that the anesthesiologist was in the building! I was so excited! I couldn't believe he was here and I was actually going to get an epidural this time around! I'm pretty sure I gave Cazlyn a high five and asked if she was serious and that he was really there. Since the anesthesiologist was in the building they had me sit up on the edge of the bed to get ready for him to come in. I sat up and they were having me scoot over and that is when I think gravity got me from the 6 I was at five minutes before to a 10 and I could feel Wyatt making his way out! I told the nurses what was happening and laid down on my side and asked if he really was coming. Wyatt was indeed coming! The nurses kept telling me just breathe, don't push! Well I ignored them and pushed anyway. I'm sorry the on call doctor wasn't there yet, but Wyatt was coming whether they wanted to be the one to deliver him or not. It was at this time that I started pushing that Dr. Nelson the anesthesiologist came into the room. Louis jokingly said "You're late!" He stayed in the room for the whole 1 or 2 minutes I was pushing.
Wyatt came into this world at 2:50 AM, delivered by the nurse Cazlyn. He was pink and crying and it was wonderful! Mary and Ethan were both not crying when they came out so to have a baby be born and cry right away made my heart swell! Dr. Nelson (the anesthesiologist) came and gave me a hug and said sorry he didn't get there in time and that even if he had gotten there 15 minutes earlier I wouldn't be getting numb until after the baby was here anyway! So it did all end up working out for the best.
Louis was able to cut the cord for the first time since Avery. Wyatt was able to be laid on my chest which also hasn't happened since Avery! It was perfect. The on call doctor, Dr. Olsen, didn't show up for a long time it seemed. I think it was 15 minutes after Wyatt was born. He delivered the placenta and made sure I didn't tear. Then he was out the door!
Start to finish my labor with Wyatt was 1 hour 20 minutes with only 35 minutes in the hospital before he was born. Wyatt was 7 lbs 15 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. He has a decent amount of brown hair and barely has a Brandley chin dimple at all! He has been doing well and we have enjoyed cuddling him!
I was so so excited when it seemed like I was finally going to be getting an epidural, but things turned out the way they were supposed to. For weeks I had been praying and praying that I would be confident in my body and my abilities, that I would be able to handle the things that I would need to, and that I would be able to stay calm. Heavenly Father answered my prayers. Throughout the whole labor I was able to stay calm. With each contraction I would just close my eyes, lean my head back, breathe deeply in through my nose and blow it out through my mouth until the contraction was through.
Later in the day I discovered another blessing from our Heavenly Father. The night before Wyatt was bor my mother-in-law Annette had asked what to pray for, that the baby should come tonight or the next day etc. I just told her I was fine with him coming whenever he came. Later that night though I texted her saying she could pray that I would have confidence in myself and I'd be able to handle what I needed to. Annette had left her phone in her car, but around 1:30 (aka when I was going into labor) she felt like she should go out and get her phone. So she listened to that prompting and saw my text and prayed for me at almost the exact moment that my labor was starting. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father and a wonderful mother-in-law who listens to the promptings of the Spirit.
The delivering nurse
Ethan's birth story, click here
Mary's birth story, click here
Avery's birth story, click here
