Tomorrow is my sweet baby's FIRST BIRTHDAY. I cannot believe it. Will's first year went by quickly, but Brooks' has absolutely flown by. I guess because we're doubly busy these days.
One year ago today, I was having mild and inconsistent contractions and was a week overdue! Three days prior, I had worked my last day of work (I think my boss was tired of hearing my complaining!) and gone to my weekly check up. My lovely Venezuelan doctor (I really do love her) had told me that I was 3 cm dilated and progressing nicely. I remember being very concerned about the baby's size because with Will I had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes and I was not diagnosed this way with Brooks, so I was afraid that he would be huge. Don't get me wrong, I was very glad not to have the diabetes, but I was super skeptical. Most women that have it once, have it throughout each of their pregnancies. After I passed the diabetes test, they never mentioned it again and were not watching for a "big" baby. So because of my fear, I ask my doctor what she thought about his current size. She estimated 7 - 8 pounds. She knew that I didn't believe her so she agreed to induce if I had not had the baby in the next three days. But she was sure I would have a baby within the next 48 hours.
Three days later (one year ago tomorrow!) Brandon and I checked in to the hospital for an induction. We had to be at the hospital by 6:00 AM and we had let big brother Will stay at his grandparent's house the night before, to hopefully avoid running late. I remember being so torn and sad to let his last night as our only child be spent away from us, but I did what I felt would be best for him. By 7 AM, I was in a hospital bed, and they were starting the pitocin (a drug commonly used to induce labor). I was 4 cm dilated. Our families started to trickle in for the long-anticipated wait. Somewhere around 10 AM, I was starting to have pretty regular, but light contractions (not painful at all). I was still 4 cm dilated. My doctor decided that breaking my water would help me progress. I was fine with this, but insisted that I have the epidural first. I learned by my 45 minute labor with Will, that once my water breaks, it is GAME ON! She reluctantly agreed and they ordered the epidural. At 10:45, the anesthesiologist came to administer the epi. I hit a rough patch and my blood pressure dropped to 70/30. I passed out. They quickly worked their magic and I was sitting up and eating ice chips in no time. Because I had passed out, they started with a low dosage of anesthesia and told me to let them know when they needed to turn it up. They broke my water and our families came back in to chat. At 11:45, my contractions were becoming painful and about 1 min apart. I'm still sitting in bed chatting with my mother-in-law, but every time a contraction hit, I would look at the ceiling and breath harder. She suggested calling my nurse and having her turn up the epi. So we did. My nurse came in around 11:50 to turn up my epi, but said "let's go ahead and check for progression before we do that." Her next words were "No wonder you're hurting! You're at a 10. His head is crowning. You're having a baby." She yelled out to the nurse's station and to my husband who was standing in the hall. Several nurses, my mother, sister-in-law and Brandon came rushing in.
Brooks Connor Rutledge was born at 11:59 AM at 21.5 inches long and weighing 9 lbs 12.6 ounces.
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