Welcome Nicholas James!

Nicholas James was born on February 25, 2009 at 4:17 a.m. He weighed 8 lbs 9 ounces at birth and is 21 inches long.

Here is our birth story (warning - it is a long post):

It is Tuesday morning and I'm feeling a lot of pressure and it is obvious that baby has lowered. I became a little concerned that I was leaking amniotic fluid but only a little as it wasn't anything like when my water broke with the twins. Just to be on the safe side, I went to the OB's office - thankfully, since I was in the vanpool that day, my boss said she would take me.

We get to the OB's office - she offers to wait until Jon gets there but I get called back before he does and I tell her she can go. My blood pressure was o.k. I had gained another 1 1/2 pounds since Friday (most likely water weight based on how my feet looked). The OB on call comes in and checks me out - no amniotic fluid and I had only dilated another .5 cm. Based on this, I thought I had would be one that would slowly dilate and it would be another week before baby #3 arrived. I was wrong.

Jon took me back to work. I was feeling mostly alright - just feeling that pressure. I stayed at work until 4:30 and went home with the vanpool. I wasn't feeling any noticeable contractions at this point. I waited until Jon got to the park 'n ride and we went to go pick up the twins from daycare. It is now about 5:20 or so and still nothing. I just needed to pee really badly, so we stopped by home first before getting the kids.

After we got home, we waited until a couple friends of ours got to our place to help me watch the twins before Jon went off to pick up his mom in Tacoma. She was coming to help us with the twins for whenever #3 decided to arrive. Good timing!

I started feeling a little icky (nauseous) when eating dinner that night. I had ordered a pizza for us and our friends and I don't think my body really liked that. But in any case, I was feeling pressure but I hadn't begun to feel any pain. But then it was like a switch went off and all of a sudden, I was having pain. I thought maybe, as is common for pregnant women, I was in a bit of pain because I was constipated (though I took medicine to help with that). But...the pain was coming in waves I had noticed - at first, maybe 10 minutes apart (I say maybe as I hadn't yet started timing them). This was about 7 or so. I started to time them a little after 8 and at that time, I think they were about 8 minutes apart. I knew then they were definitely contractions. They hurt but I could still talk through them mostly.

I decided to go take a shower in hopes that would relieve the pain I was in, and it did for a bit. But then I got out of the shower and the pain was becoming more intense and I noticed closer together. I tried to leave the bathroom numerous times to go lie down but it wasn't happening - the pain would just cripple me and I went to sit down until it passed. When Jon got there, he helped me to the bedroom to lie down, but that wasn't helping. I told Jon to call the OB. When the OB called back, I told her I wasn't sure if I was just having pain b/c of contractions or b/c of constipation (after all, I had a false alarm with the same OB earlier in the day so; for some reason, I was feeling nervous about looking silly again with her), but the pain was coming every 3-4 minutes at this point. She asked me if I wanted to wait until they became more intense or come in and get checked out to see if I was in labor - I said now (I wanted that epidural as quickly as possible if this was truly labor). Thank goodness we did because things were progressing fast.

When we got there, they eventually got me into a bed in triage and hooked me onto the monitor and checked how dilated I was. This was maybe 10:00-10:30? I thought for sure, the nurse was going to say 1.5 cm as it was earlier. Nope. I was at 3-4 cm. That is when I thought - I am truly in labor and I'm going to have this baby tonight.

After a while, we got the word that I was going to be admitted. This after being in the bed feeling the most intense pain I have ever felt in my life. They transferred me to the Labor & Delivery room where I was again hooked up onto monitors. This was maybe around midnight-maybe a little before? Not sure as the contractions made me feel out of it. I was sweating and just not with it. At some point being in there, I was checked again and in that space of time, went from 3-4 cm to 7 cm. OMG! This was going fast, but I had a thought that I'd probably get stuck at 7 and they'd have to do a c-section anyway. They also gave me an IV around this time and after 4 pokes and 3 different nurses, they finally got one in. My stupid small veins!

After suffering through many contractions, the nurse asked if I wanted a drug to help with the intensity before the epidural could be done. I nodded my head yes after she explained what that drug was. Speaking of, they asked some questions about our previous pregnancy and the c-section while I was going through the contractions - did they really think I could answer them? I could barely get through the contractions still breathing, let alone trying to have a conversation. Maybe they were asking Jon.

(oh, it turns out after reading the best ways to get through contractions, that I get through them best by moaning through them and saying "Oh my God, Oh my God"- that's about all I could say or "I can't do this." I told Jon later when I could talk again not that we're planning to have any more, but I don't want to do this ever again.)

Eventually, the anesthesiologist came and after several pokes of that, got it in. That's also fun trying to curl up while sitting up while going through some painful contractions. It's not easy. It was as if I was a brand new person once the epidural started working. I could talk and have a conversation. I could call my parents to let them know what was going on. I could text friends and family to let them know what was going on. Getting through the contractions were a piece of cake once the epidural started working. The epidural was doing its job around 2 a.m.

They told us to try to get some rest. This is when they do labor down or something like that for a couple hours before they check on my progress and pushing may begin. I tried to get some rest, but I was too anxious about the pushing part. Was I going to be able to do it? Was the baby going to be able to come out? Would I have to do a c-section anyway?

Well, around 3:45, I was going to start to find out. It was time to start pushing. I was at 10 cm. When they said it was time to push, I hoped that I was able to do it. After the first couple contractions came and I was pushing, I felt I was making no progress. The nurse had told me that for first time vaginal deliveries, it could be 2-3 hours of pushing so I wasn't getting too discouraged but I was a little. Oh, and there was no pain with pushing at all. Epidurals rock! The only discomfort I felt was some pressure and trying to hold my breath and push at the same time. After a little while, the baby's head was out a little and they asked me if I wanted to feel the head. I was hesitant at first, but I did feel and I just about started balling at that point feeling that head coming out of me. I was going to have another baby! I was going to be successful with VBAC. I would soon find out if it was a boy or a girl!

After a few more pushes, our little baby was out. I asked "what is it?" and although the nurse knew we didn't know, it seemed she laughed at my question. Jon looked down (as we told the nurse and OB that Jon was going to share the news with me) and announced "we have a son" in a voice that sounded as if he was crying.

I only pushed for 1/2 an hour before Nicholas was born. The nurse and OB kept calling me a rock star after the IV poking, the epidural taking more time than usual, then 30 minutes of pushing. The nurse in the postpartum unit said that they were impressed that I had a successful VBAC after having twins. They did have to give me some stitches as I had a 2nd degree tear (and let me tell you, it hurts to go to the bathroom as it stings. I'm hoping that will end soon. Because of that, I don't know which is worse in pain levels -a c-section or the vaginal delivery).

Nicholas is a healthy boy. He latched onto the breast right away. He really doesn't like his baths or getting his diaper changed - he really likes to be kept warm and snuggle (but a lot of babies are like that). The first full night was rough, but the 2nd night was better.

There are pics on my friend's flickr site if you would like to see. I will upload mine soon, I promise!

Benjamin is a little nervous around the new baby, but he has come up to pet his head and he gave him a hug. Ella immediately thought the new baby was a cool doll. She has shown some signs of jealousy though when she wants mommy to hold her and I can't because I'm feeding the baby. To help a little bit with that, I took her to Target with me to get some stuff while Jon hung out with Benjamin. My mother-in-law stayed with Nicholas.

I think that about covers it. Thank you to Kelly for coming to visit and taking some wonderful pictures. Thank you to Paul & Ally for making us dinner tonight and coming to visit yesterday! Thank you to Paul & Ally for being here the other night (the night it turns out I was in labor) and helping me out with the twins! Thank you to my mother-in-law for being her to watch the twins while we were at the hospital! Thank you to everyone who has given me support throughout this pregnancy. I truly appreciate it!