My baby turns one

Yo Yo Yo!  Listen up!  Today is Callum's first birthday!!

If it's even possible, I think this last year went by faster than the first year with Logan.  Is that possible?

At the start of my pregnancy with Callum, everyone talked about how Logan's labor was so intense, and fast, and amazing, that I'd probably have just as fast and intense of a labor with Callum.  I have to admit, I even set my own self up for this expectation.  Why wouldn't I, right?

We were worried that he'd also be breech, so we kept an eye on things to make sure he was head down toward the end of the pregnancy.  But, after that, it was that edge.of.your.seat.endless.waiting that I experienced toward the end of the pregnancy where every little twinge or pain had me thinking, is this it?

Callum has done a phenomenol job at reminding us, day in and day out over the last year, how very different he is from his older brother.  It's been eye opening and sometimes surprising, which is actually kind of silly.  We really should have known, since his entrance into the world couldn't have been more completely different.

How so?

Let me recount my little baby's Labor Story and you tell me.


Monday, 19 April 2010, 1:30am

Jon checked on Logan who woke up in the middle of the night.  He also let Grover out to pee.  I felt a small "gush" of wetness.  Did my waters just break?  Too tired to really check or care.

2:30am
I got up to go to the bathroom and my pantiliner and underwear were wet all the way through (unusual).  It didn't smell or look like pee, just a clear liquid.  I also started feeling verrrrry small contractions.  But, what did I know?  This was not how things happened with Logan so I climbed back into bed to see how things would progress.

3:00am
I decided to start timing my contractions.  They were not consistent at all.  How strange, I thought.

Still, I started getting nervous and excited.  Could this be it?

To add to my suspicions, I pooped and had diarrhea twice (ack!).  I was very tired but I couldn't sleep... I was a bundle of nerves.

4:30am
I noticed some blood when I wiped after a visit to the toilet.  I decided to wake Jon at this point, since I believed my waters had probably broken.  We started getting stuff ready to head to the hospital and called my parents.

5:00am
I decide to take a shower to relax.

5:10am
I poop in the shower (ugh!), but hey that just means I'm not going to poop on the birthing table right?

5:12am
I wonder when the house cleaners will be by next, to make sure the shower is sanitized before we use it again.

5:30am
My parents arrived.  We talk and I'm worried that I can still walk and talk through my contractions.  They just aren't that serious or painful.  Uncomfortable but nothing major.  I'm still tracking them on my app too, and it's just not very consistent.  Why exactly are we rushing to the hospital then??

6:37am
We finally leave but not without my mom snapping a few pics to commemorate the event first.

6:42am
I make Jon stop at Jamba Juice.  This definitely feels slower than Logan's labor and I'm STARVING.

7:10am
We check into the hospital.  They hook me up to everything.  Contractions are coming in every 3-5 minutes (as I had been charting on my handy dandy app all morning long).

8:00am
A nurse finally comes in to check on my progress.  I'm at 3cm - ONLY!!  UGH.

This is looking like a VERY long labor ahead of us.

She also confirmed that my waters had NOT broken (which I had sworn they had).  However, after briefing my OB, she asked me to stay and walk the hospital halls every 30 minutes to help speed up the labor.  My doc told the nurse to check me again in 2 hours - thinking that the labor would probably pick up very soon (especially given my history with Logan).

So, I walked up and down that damn hall countless times.

One of the nurses (a guy, of course) told me that about 17.5 laps would equal 1 mile.

I have no idea how many laps I did do.

10:00am
The nurse comes in like clockwork to check my progress.  I'm at an unbelievable...

4cm.

*sigh*

I do the math.  At two hours for every centimeter.... that means I'm going to have a LOT longer to wait.  I get irritated and frustrated and start thinking, well this is just plain stupid.  It's going way too slow.

So, I'm going home.

Nurse:  You're doing what?

Me:  I'm going to check out and go home.  I'll come back when things get more serious.

Nurse:  You really shouldn't go home.  4cm is far enough along to stay here so we can continue to monitor you.

Me:  Yeah, thanks but no thanks.  I'll be more comfortable at home and I can see and spend more time with Logan.

Nurse:  Well, it's up to you.  But we really REALLY discourage it.

Me:  I understand.  Hey, can you untie this damn gown?

Nurse:  PLEASE come back AS SOON as your contractions get ANY worse.  PLEASE!!

Me:  No problem.  My husband will make sure of it.

So, we check out and head home. 

And I am SO glad we did.  I ate a little lunch, took Grover for a walk and then laid down for a glorious nap (I was really tired).

2:00pm
I woke up from the nap because my contractions were coming on a little stronger.  I could still talk through them but they were definitely stronger and more uncomfortable than before.  We were afraid if we waited any longer at home, it could start getting pretty late into the labor so we decide to head back to the hospital.

4:00pm
We check back in at the hospital (two hours later!).  The staff is confused why there are already records for me in the system. 

Yeaaaaaaah.  We were here earlier in the morning but decided to go back home.  And now we're back!

My contractions were still a bit irregular but not as much as before.  We settle into our (same) room to continue the waiting.

4:30pm
Nurses came in to do an exam.  I'm at a whopping 6cm.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!

So, back to the endless waiting and walking the hospital halls.  How flippin' frustrating.

6:15pm
My parents stop by with Logan for a visit.  It was so very wonderful.  He was a little scared - unsure of things and didn't like seeing me in the hospital bed.  He wouldn't even sit with me in the bed.  He also didn't like seeing the IV in my hand (can't say I blame him!).

Our last family shot before Callum is born!

We tell Logan it's time for him to go home.  :(

Seeing Logan (and my parents) out

8:00pm
While the visit from my parents and Logan was really great, we decided they should probably head home to put him to bed.  I walked out with everyone to say goodbye (which was really rough for me, let me tell you).  Jon left with them so that he could grab some dinner (I had nibbled on the hospital food but he wasn't buying it).  And, I continued walking up and down the hallway, waiting for him to get back.

On my way back to my room (my room was on the very end of a long hallway), I saw my doctor walking toward me.

Doc:  How're you doing?

Me:  Hanging in there.  I'm doing ok, but really tired.  It's been a long day.

Doc:  Yes, it has.  I think it's time to break your waters and help speed things along.

Me:  Sounds good to me.  How long will things take after you break them?  Jon's out grabbing dinner and I want to make sure he's here.

Doc:  How long until he gets back?

Me:  He just went around the corner to grab a bite to eat.  He should be back in about 20 minutes I guess.

Doc:  It'll speed things up but not THAT fast.  We should be good.

8:30pm
I am SO ready.  I waddle back to my room and immediately text Jon to let him know.  He says he's already on his way back to the hospital - which is a relief, I definitely don't want him missing a thing!

8:34pm
My doctor checks my progress.  I'm only at 7 flippin' cm!!  :(  So, we go ahead and break my waters.  It was really uncomfortable (she had to tilt the bed back and up to get a good "grip"), but once she did it I immediately felt the warm gush of liquid.  It was ridiculously fast and then she was gone.

8:38pm
Jon arrives.  The doctor already broke your waters?  What the hell?  You JUST texted me!!

I know.

So, we try walking again.  This time, I barely make it down the hallway and I can feel the contractions intensify immediately.  They've really taken hold!

We go back to my room and I lay down again.

The rest of my labor is a blur.  I had extremely forceful contractions - they were very painful and uncomfortable.  I felt sick and nauseous and could never get comfortable - they were hitting me in tremendous non-stop waves, and never letting up.

My entire body was shaking.

I was also going through these ridiculous hot and cold sweats.  I'd be burning up hot one minute and then freezing the next.  I had a hard time concentrating - all I could do was focus on Jon's face and squeeze his hand.

9:00pm
The nurse comes in to examine me.  We're at 8 cm - yay!

~ 9:30pm
We're at 9 cm - thank GOD!!

~ 9:45pm
It's exhausting and excruciating.  The pressure is unbelievable.  I'm writhing and groaning in pain and starting to feel the pressure come so strong that I HAVE to push.  I can't stand it, so Jon calls the nurses in.  They check me and immediately run out to get my doctor.  I can only assume he was starting to crown.

Me:  Is he coming?!  I HAVE TO PUSH.

Nurse:  Try not to push.

Me:  Yeah right!  I HAVE to push!!

Meanwhile an army of nurses are setting everything up around me.  A lot of commotion and hustle and bustle while I am trying with all my might NOT to push.

10:00pm
Everything is finally ready and I can't wait any longer.  I am literally WAITING for the green light.

Doc: Okay Bree, get ready to push!

With one BIG long push, I manage to get Callum's head out.  Searing, burning pain.  Unbelievable pressure.  Nurses are telling me to breathe and stop screaming.

Yeah right.  Just shut the fuck up please.

Next push, one shoulder comes out.  YES!!  Now the other slides out.  And the rest of Callum's body flops out without any time to lose.

I can't see him yet, but I can hear him.  He's crying almost immediately.  I look over at Jon - he's got tears in his eyes and on his cheeks.

And then suddenly I have this wet slimy slippery baby on my chest.  A BIG boy!  He's heavy, solid, and a squirmy little guy.

I can't believe it.  We're done.

Callum Oliver made sure to take his time but he's finally here.

My doctor calls the time of birth at 10:14pm (Jon thinks it was actually earlier but hey, who's counting!).  She then asks me to give a few more pushes to deliver my placenta.

I give a couple more pushes but can tell they are really weak and feeble.  I have absolutely NO energy left in me to do a damn thing.

I tell my doctor I can't.

Doc:  Yes you can.

Me:  No really, I can't.

I had no strength left in me - I had just given everything I had, literally, to Callum.

She makes me try one more push while she helps to pull on the umbilical cord and POP!  It detaches from the placenta.

Ummmm, pretty sure that's not good.  :(

My doc orders a muscle relaxant to calm my uterus down (and likely calm me down too).  I see the nurses pushing it into my IV and then feel the meds hit me instantly.

At the same time, another nurse has Callum positioned on my chest to begin nursing.  He takes to the boob instantly like a champ.

A few minutes later and my doc delivers my placenta.  It was VERY uncomfortable (she's pressing and pulling on me HARD) and it hurt like hell, but when she's finally done, a wave of relief washes over me.


I look over at Jon.  I'm so full of love, and yet I have no words (or energy) to express it.  He's just as emotional, eyes brimming with tears.  We don't say anything but he kisses and squeezes my hand.

And we stare down at our little Callum Oliver, full of wonder, amazement and joy.

Happy birthday Callum - we love you with all of our hearts.