I am so excited to share with you all the birth of our son Cameron Joseph. He was born January 29th at 9:41 pm. Weighing 7 lbs 3 ozs & 20.5 In long. He arrived exactly one week after his due date. Chris and I are so in love with him.
Leading up to my due date I started to read peoples labor and delivery stories as I began to get nervous about the actual labor. What would I feel? How would it happen? I just wanted to understand what it was going to be like. All of the birth stories I read were all so different, so I knew that mine would not be like anyone elses. The week prior to my due date I began to feel stronger contractions which were all inconsistent but I got excited because I thought My boy would come before his due date. I was wrong, my due date came which was Thursday January 22nd and baby boy just wanted to stay inside my belly. I started to become anxious - I went for pedicures every few days thinking a good foot massage would work. I was drinking my pregnancy tea like crazy and bouncing on my birthing ball non stop. I even went to the gym a few times and walked the treadmill and did some squats, any thing to get this baby to come. Not only was I very anxious but I started to feel extremely pregnant and tired, my body was ready. Chris's mom came over the weekend after my due date because we were expecting snow and we wanted to make sure she was able to be with us if I did go into labor. the weekend was coming to an end and my contractions weren't progressing. We had another doctors appointment scheduled for monday but there was also a big snow storm that was hitting the east coast and they were predicting historic snow falls for NYC. We all got really nervous, at this point I was going to be 4 days over my due date and I could go into labor at any point. We decided to play it save and get a hotel in the city monday night just incase The baby decided to make his arrival. We packed our bags and went to the hotel and then went straight to the doctors for my monday appointment. At the doctors we were told I was only dilated to 1cm and she said that she didn't think he would come that night unless I left and my water broke, GREAT! we got a hotel and panicked for no reason... I guess better safe than sorry. We decided to still stay in the hotel, we got board games, ordered pizza and just hung out. That night I began to pass my mucus plug and started to feel really uncomfortable. Tuesday morning we went home and hung out inside as it was still snowing. I was feeling really tired and having contractions but nothing was progressing.. Same thing on wednesday. At this point I was REALLY ANXIOUS. When was baby boy going to come. Wednesday night we went to sleep at about 1am I woke up with my regular contraction pains (stronger period cramps) that I had been feeling all week except these continued all through the night. They would come every 3-5 mins apart than stop and come every 15-20 mins very inconsistent. I decided to get up at about 5 am to take a shower and paint my nails if these contractions were going to start progressing and the last thing I wanted was not to be showered and ready to go. After I showered my contractions stopped. Chris's mom was planning on leaving that day around 2 to baby sit his sisters baby. My appointment was scheduled for 5:40 that afternoon. We would joke about how once she had left the baby would decide to come. I took a nap that morning since I got no sleep and woke up having 1 contraction every 45 mins.. I was feeling so frustrated. At about noon the nurse from my doctors office called and asked if we could come in early. We got really excited because chris's mom could come with me and we could see what the progress was, If any. We got ready and left. typically chris and I would drive to the doctors with our hospital bags just incase but that day we decided to just take a cab and leave our stuff at home since I wasn't feeling inconsistent contractions. When we got to the doctors office they plugged me up to monitor my contractions. It was a little after 2 at this point. 20 mins passed on the machine and I started to have stronger contractions we began paying attention to them and they started to happen every 5 mins apart for the next 30-40 mins on the machine. The doctor came in looked at them and told me that I wasn't having too many of them but she was going to check me next and see if I had dilated anymore. As we were waiting for the doctor to come in to check me I was continuing to have contractions. Chris said at this point its been an hour and I've been having them every 5 mins. I was feeling fine and I was use to the contractions at this point. A wave of worry came over me as Dr. Sassan was checking me with a proplexed face at that point, to everyones surprise (including Dr. Sassan) I was 4cm, I was ready this kid was ready to come out! Mind you, Me who is overly prepared the entire time, had nothing with me, all bags were at home with contents scattered around the entire apartment. Ughhh, just perfect! Luckily chris's brother Mike was a phone call away and dropped what he was doing to go grab stuff. I tried to walk around and grab a bite to eat before walking to the hospital but the contractions began to progress and in that short time period any comfort I may have had dissappeared. So I decided to get things in motion and check myself in. As soon as I was settled into the room the Dr. came in to check me and I told me that I was dilated to almost 6cm at this point. She was shocked, I was progressing fast and she said this baby would be delivered before midnight. WOW! At this point I was comfortable but decided to get this epidural over and done with and I was able to relax for the next two hours. Suddenly I started to get a feeling to push. The doctor came in and we were ready to start pushing! As we began to push I wasn't doing it quiet right and my doctor decided to cut back my epidural and come back in a little to try again. 40 mins later The doctor came back and told us that the babies heart rate was dropping, she said I was having really long contractions and there was no break in between them. She said she really wanted me to get this baby out without a c section especially since it was going so good up to this point. We started to push again but baby was progressing down slowly. She stressed to me that we had to get him out within the hour and that we didn't have the extra hour to push because his heart rate kept dropping and coming back up. She explained to us that she was thinking to use a vaccumm to assist. Through out my whole delivery she made me feel so comfortable and as if nothing would happen to me and the baby and was really giving me the extra push I needed to deliver my baby. I trusted her fully and knew what she decided was the best decision for the both of us. The next 15 mins were go time. Chris and his mom were both by my side helping me push the baby out more doctors came in and they were setting up to use the vaccum. As I was pushing the pain got more and more intense I could feel the so called "ring of fire" He was there I knew I was almost done. The doctor pushed me and told me one more set of pushes. I fought and screamed through the pain and gave it all that I had. She used the vaccum and helped get him out. Cameron Joseph was born at 9:41 pm . 5 hours after the moment that I had checked into the hospital. I collapsed from the pain but I was happy he was finally here and healthy and I had done it. I couldn't believe it. I was in shock. They finally brought him over and I fell in love and continue to fall in love every single day. He is the most beautiful baby I have every seen I can't even imagine my life without him. I love him and I love chris and I just love my little family. Cameron makes me feel like the luckiest mom in the world.
Yesterday was 1 week since Cameron was born and we are doing great!! We went for our first check up on monday and he had gained back his birth weight he`s breastfeeding so well and he`s just such a good baby. My favorite thing about him is the cute little expressions he makes. I swear my heart could burst from all the love I feel for him.
For all of the pregnant mommies out there just a word of advice relax and take each day as it comes your labor and delivery will be beautiful and such an amazing experience and once your baby comes into the world your life will change forever. Get ready for the greatest love in the world.
