Two Years Ago

Two years ago Joe announced the birth of our son. Kayla became a big sister and we became a family of 4.


Looking back I realize I never wrote down Lucas's birth story! Of course I meant to do that - how did so much time pass?!

I labored at home pretty much all day with Kayla. When I called Joe at work to tell him to get home it still took him almost an hour to convince me to get off the floor and out to the car! By the time we arrived at the hospital and checked in I was completely dilated and Kayla was born 45 min later.

So throughout my pregnancy with Lucas we kept reading that second babies usually have a shorter labor and arrive faster...so Joe was determined that I wasn't going to wait as long to go to the hospital this time - he didn't want to deliver at home!

I liked arriving at the hospital being completely dilated and told I could start pushing right away! I didn't want to arrive and have to spend hours and hours there in labor - that was my one fear.

I woke up on the morning of the 22nd with some cramping and had a feeling 'today is finally the day.' Joe went in to work for half a day to take care of some things. When he got home the contractions seemed to have stopped so I told him to just go back to work, but he didn't want to take any chances so he stayed home.

A couple hours later the contractions started up again, some a lot more intense than I was expecting. I was glad he was home to get Kayla off the bus. We started timing them off and on but they weren't too close and not in a very consistent pattern yet.

The friends who were going to watch Kayla were out of town but expected to be back around 8pm; in the meantime, I called another friend to have her on standby in case we were headed to the hospital before then.

I think Joe was getting a little antsy when the contractions started coming together, but I told him if we went to the hospital I didn't want to hear I was only dilated to a 4, or even 6.

Our friends arrived back home at 8 so Joe brought Kayla over there to get her settled and as soon as he got back we took off for the hospital.

We got all checked in to the room, vitals, IVs, stats, etc taken care of and then I was checked. When the nurse said I was a '6' Joe said he could just see my face fall. I was really hoping I was farther along! The nurse asked what my plans were for pain control and I said I really was going to try and get through with nothing. I didn't have a chance to use anything with Kayla and hoped I could do the same this time as well.

I did have really, really bad back pain with Lucas though. It was awful. I asked for some Motrin, as if that could really help! The nurse brought me Motrin and a heating pad.

I tried lying on my side and having Joe rub my back...I wanted him to put a lot of pressure on my lower back hoping it would counteract the pain of the contractions.

Finally, I told the nurse I needed/wanted an epidural. I didn't think I could make it anymore with the back pain. I remember feeling guilty asking for it because I wanted to be able to get through it naturally. I didn't realize an epidural wouldn't happen right away. She said I had to have 2 bags of fluid, they had to get my blood work back first and call the anesthesiologist with the results, and he had up to an hour to respond. I told her to go ahead and start the IV and get the ball rolling.

Then I kept complaining about how very much I just huuuuuuurt! So she asked if I wanted to try Stadol first; I didn't want to go that route either, but finally relented when she said we could try just 1/2 a dose and that it would help take the edge off.

As soon as the Stadol went in I immediately felt very light-headed and drowsy. I thought this was going to be sweet relief and I could just go to sleep for a while and not be bothered by the contractions. But no, the next contraction hit and it was still every bit as painful as before! So now I was drowsy and out of it and still having bad back pain, but couldn't focus on anything.

I don't remember how much time had passed but the monitor for Lucas's heart rate wasn't registering so she was trying to get that adjusted across my belly again. It wasn't working. Another nurse came in...talk about his heart rate...me trying not to freak out because I'm out of it with the Stadol but vaguely aware that something isn't right.

They want me to roll over to my back so they can check internally but after having 2 bags of IV in preparation for the epidural my bladder felt like it was about to burst. All I kept saying was "I have to pee! I can't move! It hurts!"

There were 3 nurses in the room now and I was fighting through the fuzziness in my head and finally rolled over so they could get a monitor internally and finally found his heartbeat. It was a little low so I had to keep adjusting my position and then they gave me oxygen.

I thought the Stadol was wearing off and asked (begged) for more but was told it was too soon for anymore. In the middle of all this, I kept telling Joe to "press harder on my back!"

I complained again that I had to "pee, now!" and was told after they broke my water I could go. (Some of the sequencing might be off...after 2 years I don't quite remember what order everything happened in!) but I remember responding, "You want me to just...go? Lay here and just pee?!" (oh the things you say when in labor and have Stadol in your system!) There is no dignity and privacy in labor!

I think I asked for the epidural again but when the nurse checked me I was at an 8 and she said I really didn't need it now...by the time he could get to the hospital I would be ready to push.

Then I did get that urge to push; a really strong urge to push. The nurse kept telling me "not yet, don't push yet!"

Oh it was so very hard to NOT push. I gripped the handrails and twisted my hands back and forth trying to take my mind off the urge to push. I didn't think there would be any way I could NOT push. It was awful. I kept complaining again about how much it hurt.

Then it was finally time. I could start pushing. Oh man the loud, guttural sounds that came out of my mouth- I had no idea I could make noises like that! ha! It was a little harder to push Lucas out than it was Kayla.

Once his head was out Joe said he could see the cord was wrapped around his neck; the midwife slipped her fingers under the cord and was able to pull it around his head. I felt so exhausted to push anymore but the nurse sounded urgent when she told me to give another push 'because he needs some oxygen!' I remember he did look a little bluish too.

A lot of good the oxygen mask did me! That's how out of it and hectic things got; I guess no one noticed it wasn't even over my nose anymore!


and wires were all over the place!


It felt like we were there for hours, but we arrived at 9 and Lucas was born at 1225. Not too bad...except for that back pain!

Reposting the video of Kayla meeting Lucas for the first time. She was so excited and enamored with him!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

And now Lucas is this 2 years old going on 12 years old! His favorite phrase is "I do it by self!" (Courtesy of listening to his big sister!) He loves following Kayla around and doing everything she does. I can't even count the number of words he knows...he repeats pretty much everything we say. He and Kayla are going to get into a lot of mischief together as they grow up!

Happy 2nd birthday Lucas!! We love you so much.