Noah's Birth Story

My due date for #3 was April 18.  Starting at 36 weeks, my doctor started to do weekly checks.  At the first check I was dilated 1 cm and each week it increased by a cm.  So at my 40-week appointment I was 4 cm with a 'bulge-y" bag.  That was April 17.  Dr. Lee decided that at that point that an induction was a good option since I had already had a successful VBAC with Max, I was progressing well on my own, the fact that Max's labor was so fast (about 2 hours) and since she would be at the hospital on-call.  So it was decided that I would meet her at the hospital the following morning at 9am - my due date. Once this was all decided I was full of mixed emotions - excited, nervous - it was all bittersweet.  Excited to meet the little man who had been keeping me company for nine months, nervous due to the risks involved with an induction and going for another VBAC and sad that my final pregnancy was coming to an end.  While this was my 'hardest' pregnancy, and the quotes because it really was not hard, just the most uncomfortable of the three, I still loved being pregnant.

Last Family Photos as a Family of Four!

The rest of the day was uneventful - still kind of hoping that labor would start on its own.  Went to bed and really thought something was happening, but after an hour of contractions, they stopped and I was finally able to get some sleep.  Woke up to a routine morning.  Got Leah and Max up and dressed for the day, made their chocolate milk (a must-have in the Naylor household) and took Leah to school. 

Mom came down to help care for Leah and Max!

40 weeks - to the day!

Pat and I checked into the hospital right at 9am and we were escorted to our labor and delivery room.  We met Bethany, who would be my nurse for the day.  We went through about 45-minutes of questions and paperwork and finally I was hooked up to an IV for fluids.  Dr. Lee came in to check in and discovered that I had dilated to 5 cm and #3 had moved!  The little booger!  Instead of being completely head down he had shifted slightly, but enough to where Dr. Lee was going to send me home!  His head was now located at my right hip bone.  Through ultrasound and some pushing and prodding, we were able to get #3 completely head down and Dr. Lee broke my water at 10am.  She then started a low dose of pitocin.  And it didn't take much.  Instantly I was feeling contractions and each one was stronger than the last.  Pat tried to be helpful - watching the contraction monitor and saying 'this is going to be a big one.'  Thanks Pat, I couldn't tell on my own :)  The nurse quickly suggested he not comment - thanks Bethany!  I finally reached a point where I wanted a little pain relief and at the same time wanted to push - the nurses didn't believe me.  But after a quick check I had progressed to 9cm and then 10cm!  I was given an epidural, but it never took effect.  Dr. Lee was quickly called in and Pat actually had to help her get into her delivery attire!  And before we knew it #3 born in just a few pushes at 11:20 am - the quickest induction the nurses and Dr. Lee had seen!  Pat cut the cord and #3 was named Noah Thomas, weighed in at 8 pounds, 12 ounces and was 21 inches long - a perfectly healthy baby boy!

The Amazing Dr. Lee!

Big Sister for the Second Time!

Memaw!

Middle of the First Night with Daddy

 The day after Noah was born, the on-call pediatrician was a bit concerned with the amount of weight Noah was losing, and he was not nursing well.  She really wanted us to stay another day.  But she agreed we could go home that day as long as we waited 8 hours and there was no more weight loss, Noah would need to have a good feeding, and Noah needed to pee (since he had a circumcision).  It was starting to get late, and Noah had met his weight and feed goals, but he wouldn't pee!  The night nurse came in, stripped the poor boy down, did a little wave and a fountain appeared!  The nurse had already had all of my discharge paperwork ready to go, so as soon as Noah peed we were out of there in 15 minutes!

Going Home!