Garrett- the welcome story!

(((((((((( Blessed is best Update: Garrett- the welcome story! ))))))))))

Garrett Connor Pierce

6-17-06

8.59 lbs, 21 ¾”

What a long week it was waiting for my body to make its move. Regular contrax would start up, then quit several times over the week. I even had my membranes swept 4 times total by the time I went to the hospital. You were just determined to hang out in there for as long as you could before getting evicted!Finally on June 16, my final Dr. check and sweep, Dr. P told me that if I didn’t go in labor on my own by that night, to call up to the hospital the next morning to check room status and could then come on in and we’d get you out. I’d gone from a ‘tight 4 cm & 60% thin’ on Tuesday, to a ‘loose 4 cm & 70% thinned’ Friday. Yay!

On the 16th, your Papa Jim went ahead and came down, just in case you did decide to come that day so he wouldn’t miss the action this time. So he took all of us out for a good dinner at Cracker Barrel. There was me, all your brothers and sister and your Mamaw. We enjoyed the time together with everyone, hoping Friday would be the day, but it wasn’t to be. I had some regular contrax off and on, but nothing compared to before. It was disappointing to me because I was worried about having to be put on Pitocin to move you down. You kept switching from floating to -3 station, and the Dr. wanted you engaged enough for it to be safe to just break my water without complications of a cord prolapse again, as I had with your brother, Hunter.

So, after a very restless sleep… ok, heck mommy hardly slept at all that night! We got up around 7 and made a call to the hospital to see how many rooms were free. The funny thing was when I called, the nurses were expecting me! “Is this Regina?” LOL! It took a while to gather everyone up, and Daddy decided he wanted cinnamon rolls before we left, so mommy fixed those for everyone and had myself a biscuit with jelly. It was all I could get down, I was so nervous! Afterwards, we got our stuff together for our trip to the L&D and our meeting with you!

Once there, it was just a matter of getting our paperwork since I was pre-registered and finding our way upstairs. The nurses were smiling and waiting on me when we came in, saying Dr. P was still on the floor, waiting for me and wouldn’t leave till I delivered. LOL! I think he was scared after those last few fast deliveries I’d had. LOL!

We got in our room at 9:27 am and were quickly put into action. None of this ‘taking an hour to get stuff done’ this time. Nope, I was gowned and in bed with Dr. P there to break my water at about 9:45 am!

No Pitocin needed, the nurse pushed you down to keep you steady on my cervix and out came the water… well, some of it. The rest would come later. After the water break, they tried putting a head scalp monitor on you about 5 different times, but no go. It kept getting put either on the left over waterbag or on the cervix, so they finally gave up and just left the belly monitors on. Fine with me! That means I could get up if I wanted to! Woo hoo! I did get an IV put in, JIC, but I can handle that.

About an hour after the waterbreak, my contrax finally started to show some sort of pattern at 5-7 minutes apart, this is between 10:45-11 am. A cervix check showed I was now at a stretchy 5 cm. Dr. P is not going anywhere except the other two labor rooms and doesn’t trust me to not just be at 10 in an instant! LOL! My contractions are very gentle though and I’m sleeping through most everything since I didn't get much sleep during the night. Our visitors during this time are Daddy (who stayed in there with me except to get some lunch), Mamaw, Papaw, Papa Jim and all the siblings. The grandparents all take turns with the kids to keep them entertained (and out of trouble) by going with them around the hospital and riding the elevators and visiting the water fountain in one of the main lobbies.Throughout lunch, Dr. P delivers the two other babies that are on the floor. We get to hear the lady in the room next to us while she was pushing and her newborn’s cries! So sweet! But I’m still sleeping and laughing about everything and have even gotten up to walk for a while and go potty a couple of times with the Dr.s permission. He wont let me leave the room though, cause like I said, he didn't trust me to not go and deliver in the hallway! LOL!! But its fine, at least I’m able to get up and be in motion. Mamaw and Daddy get tickled at me cause I’m bouncing around the room, hoping to get you to put some pressure on the cervix and open it up some more!

Enough walking! I’m back in bed to sleep again and make a call to Rachael in Florida to let her know what’s going on so she can tell the journal buddies. Around 2:50 the nurse does another cervix check cause my contrax have started to get much closer, 2-3 minutes apart and I’m starting to have to breathe through them to stay comfortable. The nurse says I’m a stretchy 7 finally with a little cervix left. I start getting the shakes in my arms and tell her I can push with the next contraction if she wants me to! LOL! She quickly says NO and to let her finish getting the stuff set up and ready for delivery and to call the dr. over (he wouldn’t even go to the dr’s lounge cause he feared it was too far! LOL)

At this time I tell my mom that I want to turn over on my side. This means business! When I flip to my side that means the action is about to begin!At 3:10 pm the contractions have gotten to about 1 minute apart and I’m breathing hard and heavy through them. Daddy has come to my side and is holding my hand and Mamaw is behind me on the other side. I can feel you at the top of the birth canal now, time to move you out! I still have some cervix left, but I push against the pain and get rid of it, you are ready to come out!!

I can feel your head moving down and am thinking “DANG THAT HURTS!” LOL! And know that the faster I push you out, the faster it’ll stop hurting. Daddy and the Dr tell me to slow down though cause you’re coming down so fast after the first 2 pushes. I’m still on my side, so Daddy, Mamaw and the nurse help turn me to my back and get my legs in the stirrups. You’re already crowning at this point. A few quick deep breaths to help slow you down, but that doesn’t work for long cause when it’s push time, its push time! Two more good teeth-bearing pushes and out comes your head! Dr. P works on your shoulders and with a small push of help from me, you’re born at 3:25 pm and laid on my belly!!

You’re covered in vernix and have a cute little squeaky cry. Mommy is still shaking badly, even in my legs now, so cant keep hold of you well yet, but I enjoy looking at your little head and seeing you wiggle on my tummy.

Our cord cutters were to be Papa Jim and big brother Canaan, but Dr. P said “one cord, one cutter” *pout* so Papa let Canaan cut the cord and he got pics of it all. Canaan was nervous, worried that he’d hurt you, so we had to coax him to get the scissors to the cord and then to cut hard enough to get through it. He was proud of himself for doing such a great job and so were we!

After that you’re taken to be cleaned up in the little room next to me. Daddy and Mamaw go with you to get more pics. Daddy said you kept turning your head to his voice. On the scale you weighed 8.59 lbs (though for some reason, the hospital kept putting 8.55 lbs, but we’ve got it on picture that the first is correct!). Later we found out you weighed 21 ¾” long with a head of 14” (the smallest of all the boys!) and a chest of 13”. You’ve got big feet though so will have to grow into those and your hands. Daddy and Mamaw got your footprints on buttons for everyone to wear.

During this time, Mommy is getting cleaned up by the Dr. and delivering the placenta. Dr. P tells me I’ve got no rips or tears and everything looks good and will heal quickly. The placenta delivers easily with a little push and its all in tact. The Dr. then starts me on a low dose of Pitocin (which I actually never felt at the lowest dose), to make sure my uterus contracts as it should. (He’s a bit worried that it may get a bit lazy since I’ve had so many babies and he wants to make sure it does its job and goes back down to normal size).

Soon after Mamaw and Daddy come to tell me you look like your brother Hunter! When you are placed back in my arms, I get tickled cause you are peeking around at everything with one eye, the way your brother Gavin did after birth. LOL!

I see you have a lot of dark hair, just like Mommy guessed and told one of her friends, Naomi, before having you! All that hair is like your sister Katlyn and for good measure, those big feet are like your brother Canaan. LOL!

While in recovery, the family gets to come back and visit. When your brother Gavin comes back, his eyes are SO big and he’s so excited to see the “baby is out of mommy’s belly!” Everyone is happy to meet you and make over you and get tickled over your squeaks and grunts. You are loved!

Mommy won the record of your guesses too! While driving down, I asked Daddy how much he thought you’d weigh and how long you’d be. He said you’d be 8.5 lbs and 22 1/2 “ . During the labor, since it was taking its time, Daddy said you’d not pop out til 5:30! I was determined to beat that one! My guesses for you were 8.5 lbs, 22” and born at 3:30. HA! Way to go mom! Hehe!!