All pictures taken by my amazing mom!! I couldn't be more grateful for these and for her being there! WARNING: Lots of pictures :)
Alright so I'm finally getting around to posting about Nixon's Birth Story! Here it goes:
August 2, 2016 9:45 pm- Contractions start.
Earlier that day I went in for my weekly appointment and opted in to get my membranes stripped. I was already 3 days past my due date and willing to do ANYTHING now to get my baby to come. I started having some light cramping afterwards, which the Doctor told me would be likely, so I didn't think to much of it. A couple hours after that appt, Tyson and I went off roading by our house in his truck just to reallllyyy try moving things along. Well that night at 9:45 was when those light cramps turned a lot more painful and started becoming consistent at about every 5 minutes. Coincidence? Maybe...I guess we will never know. The adrenaline started pumping for both Tyson and I as he started to ask me if he should get things packed and in the car. I said yes.
11:45 pm- Checked in at the hospital
I waited about 2 hours at home before I couldn't take it anymore and had him drive me to the hospital. I had already dilated to a 3 at my appt that day and was 90% effaced. By the time I got into the room at the hospital, I was still at a 3 and they told me they would come back in an hour to check me again. I thought I was going to die the contractions were so painful. How was I going to survive another hour. My sweet husband was so amazing and every time I had a contraction, he would push on my knees and make me breathe with him to distract me from the pain that caused me to yell and cry every time. An hour went by and I was checked again to be told I was still only at a 3. Instant tears were shed. The nurse told me she would check me one more time in an hour and if I still didn't change, I would have to go home. Little did she know I was not leaving that hospital till my baby is out and coming with me. Another hour of torture went by with the cycle of contraction, sleep, contraction, sleep.....over and over. I prayed and prayed that my body would dilate. The nurse came back, checked me, and said I was "probabbbllyly" at a 4 now and would go call the doctor to admit me. FINALLLYYY!!!!
August 3, 2016 2:00 AM
We switched rooms and within 25 minutes I had my epidural which was the most heavenly thing I have ever felt. It was literally the best I had felt in 9 months. No pain, no pressure. I was finally able to enjoy and celebrate with Tyson that our baby was about to join us! The doctor and nurses came in a few minutes later because Nixon's heart rate dropped to 60. They hurried to put a probe on Nixon's head so they could make sure to have the most accurate readings of what his heart was doing. I was warned that if his heart rate were to drop like this again, I could be having a c-section within 10 minutes. Surprisingly, I felt super calm when he told me that and didn't have one bit of fear. I just knew that everything was going to be ok with my baby. And everything was just fine from there on out.
8:30 AM- Dilated to a 10!!!
I felt like my body dilated pretty quickly and it was already time to push! The doctor came in and got set up and at 9 am I started pushing. After only an 1.5 hours, little baby Nixon came into the world at 10:35 AM. It was the most amazing experience of our life and at that moment, Tyson and I were both changed forever. I wish I could relive that moment over and over again when I held Nixon in my arms for the first time. There are really no words to even describe that feeling or that moment. We love him more than anything!