Once I hit week 37-38 of my pregnancy my patience was pretty low. I wasn't super uncomfortable, I was still feeling great, but I was SO ready to meet our boy and I just didn't want to wait anymore! I remember going to the doctor and she scheduled my induction for 41 weeks. I was SO sad that we wouldn't be doing anything before then to get him out if he decided to wait that long.
Thursday, July 2nd I went to the doctor for my 39 week appointment. My doctor wasn't working that week so I saw a different one. He did my exam and then told me to get dressed and he would be back in to talk to me. This had never happened before so I immediately started wondering what was going on. He came back in and sat down, then preceded to tell me that when he sees a patient that is 39 weeks pregnant that hasn't progressed at all (I had been 1.5cm dilated and 50% effaced for 3 weeks) and the baby hasn't dropped down yet, it usually means that they will need a c-section and that I needed to start preparing for that. Now, I had tried to prepare myself for this possibility all pregnancy, because you never do know what might happen, but I quickly learned that I was in no way ready to hear those words. I held it together while we talked for the next 15 minutes about a bunch of things. Now, don't get me wrong, this doctor was very nice. Although he gave me one heck of a day of emotions, I know he was just doing what he thought was best and he did admit that he could be very wrong. So, he told me that when I saw my doctor the following Monday, my actual due date, to ask her to induce me to see if I could dilate and get Seth to drop. He said waiting until 41 weeks would just get him bigger and more possibility of complications. I remember the second that I was outside the water works started. Jeremy was tutoring one of his students so I called my mom. I think I scared her since she knew I was at the doctors and when she answered I couldn't get anything but tears out. She got me to calm down, told me that it wouldn't be the end of the world and that God already had everything planned out for us. Although I was having a hard time convincing myself, I told her that I still thought Seth would come on the 4th and weigh 7lbs 4oz (Ever since I found out we were due on the 6th I wanted him to born on the 4th and how much more 'fun' to weigh 7'4'' on 7/4!). She told me that her, my dad and my sister were all praying for that. Well, my emotions got the best of me the rest of the day. I cried off and on and on again when Jeremy got home. I got a migraine and spent that evening wide awake.
After getting a few hours of sleep, I woke up Friday morning with the realization that this was the last day that Jeremy and I would be alone. Obviously we didn't know what Seth's plans were for arrival, but regardless my mom and sister would be coming into town on Saturday. So we decided we were going to make a day of it! We had a bunch of gift cards saved from different things so after a relaxing morning we went out to lunch. We walked in the door and the hostess asked if it was just the two of us. The waitress standing nearby said, "Well, two and half!" I told her that he could count as a whole one since he only had a couple days left inside! She told me that I should eat their macaroni and cheese since it has the reputation of putting women into labor. Now, I love me some macaroni and cheese - especially when it's made with delicious cheeses and filled with chicken, mushrooms, bacon and peas. So, I got myself that macaroni and cheese! Halfway because it sounded incredible and halfway because I wanted to believe in this macaroni and cheese to bring my boy out! After lunch we were both ready to embrace a food coma so we went back home and did just that. We woke up and decided that we wanted to go get ourselves some dessert so that after dinner we wouldn't have to go back out again. So we headed to a little bakery downtown and picked out two decadent chocolate desserts and brought them back home to be able to enjoy later on. I laid on the couch and Jeremy put 'Friends' on for us to watch until we were ready for dinner. As I laid there, at 6:30pm, I felt a 'pop' inside of me. I remember reading that you could feel a 'pop' when your water broke, but I quickly told myself that it wasn't what I felt and to not get my hopes up. After a few minutes I got up to get some water and as soon as I got in the kitchen I started getting wet. I yelled "UHM?!?!?!" and ran into the bathroom. But then there was nothing. No gush, no puddle. I just sat there. I told Jeremy to get my 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' book and he got on google. Neither one of us could find anything about how much water comes when your water breaks but I did read that urine has a strong ammonia smell and amniotic fluid smells sweet and from what I could tell, my pants smelled sweet. I called my mom and her and my sister agreed that I should call the doctor. I was hesitant because I knew they would make me go to the hospital and I didn't want to go in only to be sent home again, but I called and after asking me a few question the doctor told me she would see me in a few minutes! We went in, I got admitted and at 8:30pm the doctor confirmed that my water had broken and I was 3cm dilated and 90% effaced. The next twelve hours were pretty rough and I won't get into all the details. Labor is nothing that you can prepare yourself for. Sure you read books and you talk to friends, but it was nothing like what I expected. I consider myself to have a pretty high pain threshold having endometriosis, but I was hurting. Nothing was working. I'm pretty sure I was hurting Jeremy, too since MY hand hurt each time I squeezed his. So, after those first 12 hours when I had only progressed 2cm, I knew I needed some help and I am incredibly thankful that I made that decision. After 12 hours of labor I had only dilated 2cm and after having the epidural for 30 minutes I was dilated to 9! My body was relaxed and Seth was well on his way. At 8:50am I started pushing and at 10:08am our little boy made his way into the world! He was a grunter when he first arrived instead of a screamer so the nurse took him over to the warmer to get him checked out. When she told me he weighed 7lbs 4oz I cried even harder than I was. I couldn't believe it. Even writing this now I am at a loss for words. What a wonderful God we serve. He didn't have to come through like that for me. He could of had me go past 41 weeks, deliver a healthy baby via c-section and still have shown me that He was there for me. No, he did exactly what I wanted - which was a silly thing to want! One of these days I will trust Him more. In the meantime, I am thankful for His patience with me and the fact that He still comes through for me even in my doubt.
Seth Kyle Thomas
July 4th, 2015 at 10:08am
7 pounds 4 ounces 19.5 inches long
Our 10 day update?
He is doing awesome. Looking just like his Dada, he is growing and making us fall in love with him more and more each and every day. We are figuring things out together, but he is the most content, easy going, alert and ADORABLE baby I have ever seen - in my completely biased opinion of course : )
We are both smitten. Jeremy is an incredible Dad. He has been incredible since the day that I told him we were expecting. To see him get excited as we drove to the hospital and the rock that he was throughout labor, I certainly couldn't have done any of it without him by my side. He is so supportive and full of encouragement. He comes through just when and how I need him to every single time. Seeing the two of them together...there is truly nothing else like it. I didn't know that I could love him anymore than I already did!
We can't wait for all of our friends and family to meet him! Now, we just need to go back to that restaurant and tell them their macaroni and cheese has another success! : )
