My little Peanut's big debut, 2010

In honor of my big 2 year old,  I thought I'd share my birth story.

Don't worry though, I'll save the gory details for the Hubs, since he's so good at telling random strangers personal things about my delivery ;)

April 23rd, 2010:

I woke up feeling like today was the day. It was Eric's mom's birthday, and I had really wanted to deliver on that day. For one, I wanted the baby out like a week ago, and for two, I thought it would be kinda cool. Harmony passed away in 2006, before the Hubs and I even knew each other so my kids won't have any real recollection of her...although I'm quite sure they were hanging out with her up in heaven and she was telling them stories about how terrible their Dad was...you know, pointers for earth living.

Noonish:

So, Eric and his sisters and I are all getting ready to drive out to Tacoma to visit the gravesite, and then I had my 39 week appointment to get to. As we're getting ready, Eric's sister is telling me her friends theory on getting the baby out. At this point, I had tried pretty much everything I deemed safe, including Castor Oil. I had already had a false alarm that week, and I could tell the baby was really low. He was ready, I was sure. He just needed a little nudge. So the theory goes like this: jump off the toilet. So, I did. Twice for good measure.

3pmish:

I'm going to skip a few details for readers sake, in case you're eating while you read this. The point is, once I got to my appointment, things started changing. Like, fast. My doctor helped me out by scraping my membranes (sorry, gory detail) and then told me NOT to deliver until Monday because she'd be out of town. Umm... okay, I did tell you what was going on below the belt, right?? I had seen the movies where people freaked out that they couldn't get a hold of their doctors. Well, it's a good thing I didn't care who delivered my baby, as long as he got out. Spoiler alert* she didn't deliver Tristan and she also didn't deliver Ryan, even though she was my OB for both. Oh well, it's less awkward this way.

Eric had come to my appointments with me like a dutiful husband-to-be up until this one. I had already made him come home from work once that week, and we didn't want to push it with having him show up late. Of course. I got stuck in traffic on my way home, and started sweating bullets when I realized I was having painful contractions. I started to panic, imagining having to deliver my baby on the side of the road. Thinking awesome ideas irrational thoughts like, all pregnant woman should have sirens on their cars so they can get out of traffic. I finally made it home, and proceeded to flop on my bed and cry. I called Eric crying, telling him I didn't want to do it and I thought I was going to die. He told me to take a bath and call him if I still had contractions. So I took a bath and they stopped. I slept through some painless ones for a few hours, and then decided I could not slack. I had to get walking. We were going to get this baby out now.

8pmish

So I called the one person who wanted this baby out as bad as I did. Kristen. My faithful redheaded friend. She was so excited, she said she'd be there in 10 minutes. (she lived about 25 minutes away). I had her meet me at Target for good luck. Whenever I was wandering in Target, I got contractions. I was still having contractions but I could fully function during them. I picked up a few last minute baby items and then tried to decide whether we should go to the hospital or not. By this point, I had been having pretty painless contractions for a few hours; they were not consistent though- anywhere from 10 to 15 to 7 minutes apart. Finally we sat in the car and timed them for 1/2 hour. They were about 7-10 minutes apart. We decided that it couldn't hurt to go to the hospital. If they admitted me, then we'd call Eric. By the time we reached the hospital they were closer to 5 minutes apart but still not too painful.

1030pmish.

We get to the hospital. Doctors are trying to decide whether or not to admit me. They make us walk for 45 minutes. I got too lazy after 30 and came back. Nothing. They tell me I probably won't see my baby till sometime the next night, and that I should go home and sleep. For some reason, she still decided to ask the other nurse whether they should keep me or not. As they're discussing this, I peed all over their uncomfortable "bed". I've never been so glad to pee my pants. Ok, really this was my water breaking but that's exactly what it felt like. I'm pretty sure Kristen was disgusted but she was excited that this meant we got to stay so I think it was okay. I can remember about 5 minutes from this point clearly, and then things get really hazy. (My water broke at about midnight- I think- and I was dilated to a 2 when that happened).


1amish
Things I remember:

Telling Kristen to call Eric.
Texting Justin that my water broke and that they better get here NOW. (Justin is Eric's best friend who was giving him a ride to the hospital)
Justin asking me if I was sure my water broke or if I peed my pants. Not responding to that text.
Trying to text JayC, but I might have appeared drunk because I don't remember how I gave her directions to the hospital.
Barfing.
Kristen yelling for the nurses that I needed them NOW. (She is normally very polite and patient, so this was awesome.)
Being insistent on getting "drugs". "Where are my drugs"
Needing to take a bath.
Eric doing a wheelchair wheelie. Yelling at Eric.
Realizing that at least he had made it to the hospital.
Realizing I still didn't have an epidural.

3:15amish

All of a sudden, I felt like I was going to die. or poop. either one. I yelled some obscenities at everyone to get out. For some reason, I was dead set on not having anyone in the room except Eric when I delivered. Justin bolted as soon as he heard I needed to push, I think Kristen was scared to leave me with Eric bc he was panicked and thought I said I need to puke, JayC was yelling for the nurses, telling me to wait. At this point, I had not been given the glorious epidural that I so desperately had wanted, nobody had checked me since my water broke and I was not even checked in. The doctor came in slowly, getting ready to check me. As soon as she did, I heard, "Oh there he is" and a sudden rush to get things ready. I was told to wait for a second, and I remember saying, "I can't, I'm going to die". Thankfully the nurse said I could push. I think I pushed twice and then my little boy was born. easy, right? :)

Tristan Daniel Thompson
April 24, 2010
3:25 am
6lbs 15.5 oz
19 inches