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Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Eli's Birth Story

So here we are. 6 weeks in and I have a fresh new baby.






It's really crazy to believe it's been 6 weeks since this baby exited my uterus. That's what happens when you're sleep deprived and really only oriented x2, maybe 1 sometimes.

So Eli decided to exit the womb at exactly 41 weeks. ONE WEEK LATE, to the OB people of the world, I realize this isn't super late to you, but being the pregnant one it's really late and you really start contemplating if your child is going to just walk out of the womb.

Let me set the scene for you.

40 weeks 6 days

The day before Eli arrived Allie was absolutely all over the place. She was super clingy, wanted nothing to do with me and was all about her daddy. My God-mom Sandal came to help us, which was nothing short of amazing.

Mucus plug was officially lost this day. I thought for sure at the end of today I would give birth. That's the thing about second births, you literally think it's going to be the same and it's 1000% not.

Spoilers: I didn't go into labor this night.

41 weeks.

I woke up this morning and got my bloody show at about 530am. (if you're reading this and get offended by all the details, remember you opened this thing up!) I was having mild contractions so I got up and ate a big breakfast and started bouncing on my labor ball, hey it worked last time.

Then the contractions stopped. I mean went to nothing. Then when I go lay down on the couch, they pick right up again.

My first thought: what the hell is wrong with me?! If I knew that contractions would start by doing nothing, I would have never left my bed.

So I took a nap.

I awoke from the nap and had mild contractions on and off. Literally planned for nothing to happen, Had a conversation with my neighbors, leisurely went to the park with my family and chatted with a friend for a good 20 minutes.

Turns out this was the beginning, I started doing stairs with my Allie cat, she was not forgiving of how slow I was being. We ended up leaving the park and my contractions were in FULL swing.

I sent Matt to go get me something to eat, because if my OB didn't send me home it would be awhile with no food. I ate fast, because these contractions were catching up with me.

I had an OB appointment this afternoon at 2pm, so I decided what the hell I'll go.

WELLLLLL.... I got to the appointment and my OB finally checked me and she said I was at best at 1 Cm dilated, maybe 60% effaced. ***You should have heard all the cussing in my head.*** I told her that the contractions were pretty horrible and that I wanted to go to the hospital, I wanted to have this baby that day! She was really nice about it and sent me to the hospital.

I got to the hospital and they checked me and said I was at 2cm and 70% effaced and that I could stay for a bit and see if I progressed, if not they'd send me home. SEND ME HOME?! IM 41 WEEKS, I DIDN'T WANT TO GO HOME WITHOUT A BABY. At this point friends, I was completely done being pregnant. DONE. I walked the halls. Spoke to a couple nursing students that recognized me from precepting them (weird, but nice they remembered me), and walked the halls some more.

Well for whatever reason it was near shift change and I had a new RN check me in 3 hours. She was an angel, she totally fudged the numbers of how progressed I was (praise Jesus) and my OB came in and said I could stay. THANK GOODNESS, but the OB wasn't convinced i'd have my baby until the next day. She said she would start pitocin at midnight and it was currently 5pm.

I managed to hang out without getting the epidural until 8:30pm at 6.5cm, believe me I had no intention of not getting an epidural (not a hero), but I did want to see what I could handle. The contractions at this point were getting really hard and fast and I was so tired. I was so blessed to have an amazing RN that got the anesthesiologist in there quick and the epidural was fast and easy.

Needless to say, epidurals love to drop your blood pressure, and my goodness it was not even 30 minutes in and of course I sent Matt out to the car to get our stuff and I called in my RN, I was completely symptomatic, nausea, head spinning, and feeling like I was going to pass out. They gave me some stuff to help boost my blood pressure and I was good to go. No rapid response this time, thank goodness.

For the record, I completely blamed Matt for leaving the room and this happening again, it happened just the same last time!

Once I got the epidural about 1 hour later, 9:30pm I was at 8.5cm dilated. OMG. I was going to meet my baby! Matt and I were watching HGTV, and all of a sudden at 10:30pm, I told Matt to help me adjust my legs and he was like "uhhhhh there's a lot of blood down there".

Good thing he's a trooper.

So my water broke and I was at 9.5 cm. At about 11:15pm I was fully dilated and baby was ready to descend! After practicing pushing which what felt like forever, my OB got there in the last 15 minutes and the room was super calm, I knew exactly what to do this time and TA DA!

Eli Andrew Coates was born September 4, 2018 at 11:48pm. 7lbs 12oz and 21 inches long.



He was born kicking and screaming. Those apgars were 9 and 9.

I had a healthy baby, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I cried and couldn't believe all that time I worried and prayed that my baby would be a healthy weight, and he was. God delivered on a prayer this day. I will forever be grateful.

This birth was completely and totally different from the last one. It was easy and fast and my support team was amazing. My RN was fantastic and so was my OB.

After Birth thoughts this time: 

  • Wow, I now have two children and am crying uncontrollably. 
  • I cannot describe the love I have for this baby. 
  • I hope Allie loves this baby as much as I do. 
  • I don't want to be pregnant again for quite awhile. 
  • I hope Matt forgets about all the blood he just saw, and everything else. 
  • This baby has so much hair, and still looks nothing like me. NOTHING LIKE ME. You win again Matt! 


This look on Allie's face cracks me up. She realized that he might be coming home with us, forever.


This little muggle was for sure snuggled.


Proud Daddy and his boy. I love this picture so much.


She wanted to hold the "bebe" immediately. I love her sweet little heart. 





Lastly, a very sleep deprived picture of Mama and Eli. My heart is so full and so are my hands, but these are the days, days that I've dreamed of. When I look back on this crazy part of my life, i'll remember how short the days really are and how much love we have in our home.



Thanks again for listening to all my rambles and following my preggo life. It's an amazing journey and I thank you for all the advice and encouragement.

Love you guys!