Walker’s Birth Day.

Let’s go back to February 29th — yep, the leap day!

It was decided I would be induced on February 29th. I wished for that not to happen the entire pregnancy… but ultimately just accepted a leap day birth! So in the morning, I went to my 38 week appointment for a non-stress test. The original plan was that I would go to my appointment, and then wait for the hospital to call me once they had a room for me. But the non-stress test showed I was already in labor! So… they didn’t let me leave. I was admitted right away and stayed in triage for about two hours before I was moved to a labor and delivery room.

Since I was “in labor” they decided not to intervene. I kept saying that I wasn’t sure their plan would work, since I had been feeling the same type of contractions for weeks… without any progress and I have never just spontaneously gone into labor. But they were certain. 🙂 So the day went on… and there was no change, at all.

I don’t even consider those hours to be hours I was “in labor” because I felt nothing. I tried to move, to walk, to stay positive. By nighttime, they gave me a little medicine to try to induce labor. But it didn’t work. And by 6AM, I had a mini meltdown (I blame stress, lack of sleep and hunger), and begged them to just break my water so we could get this going. They, obviously, couldn’t do that because… big surprise, I wasn’t far enough along to have my water broken! But they said I could have some pitocin and an epidural and they promised they’d break my water “in a few hours”.

The problem with having an epidural before you’re in a lot of pain is that the epidural isn’t a relief — it’s just torture. It wasn’t nearly as painful as my epidural with Eva — but it wasn’t fun. 🙂 I also mistakingly had the epidural placed… and then realized I should have eaten breakfast first. That was a mistake because they didn’t let me eat for the entire day.

I knew, from my previous experiences, that once my water was broken, delivery would happen quickly. But hours kept passing. They’d check me and nothing! Around 3PM, the team came in looking very nervous because they thought the baby might have turned and that’s why I wasn’t progressing. They had pretty serious faces and explained that if the baby turned, that meant an emergency c-section. Luckily, the ultrasound showed baby was perfectly where they were supposed to be and around 4:30, they decided it was time to… break my water.

Only then, did it really feel like I was “in labor”. That’s when the contractions picked up in frequency and strength. Since I had given birth before, they sort of just said “let us know when it’s time” and left me alone. I don’t really remember this final hour, but I do know that eventually I told the nurse “okay, I’m ready” — very different from Javi’s birth when I, at one point, said “yah, but I don’t want to be doing this right now.” 🙂

After a handful of pushes, he was here. I remember the doctors asking Sean to announce the gender (since it was a surprise to us all!) Sean said the cord was wrapped around his neck pretty tightly but the doctors worked their magic very quickly. He was put on my chest all wet, and squirmy. He was so small and warm and cried immediately and then calmed once I spoke. I just remember saying “oh my god, you’re a little human!”

I held him during the whole placenta delivery and while they stitched me up. After a few minutes, they took him to clean him up and do his little tests and he scored 9’s (apparently, the highest number the doctors give) and then he was given back to us. Sean held him for a bit, too. Even though he felt small, he ended up being our largest baby! He was so big, in fact, that his blood sugars had to be tracked for the first 24 hours because he was over the 90th percentile for his height and weight.

Somewhere in the first two hours, we got Chipotle delivered (I hadn’t eaten since Thursday and it was now Friday at 6PM!) and we just stared at him. Those few hours they let you “recover” until they make you move to a recovery room, are the strangest. You’re kind of just hanging out but with a new little stranger that you’ve known forever… but not really. But he was just so perfect. All wrapped up in our arms. And I just kept saying “I was waiting for you!”

There was one problem… we didn’t have a name! He remained nameless until Saturday morning. We just called him little guy. 🙂 But by the time everyone came to visit him on Saturday afternoon we knew his name would be: Walker Phoenix Duffy.

We stayed for two more nights before leaving on Sunday. He did so well in the hospital, loved his first bath with the nurses, did great with all the tests and whatever procedures they say are standard. We did allow him to hang out with the nurses overnight so we could sleep a bit (what a treat)!

And then… it was time to take him home to the rest of the family and that’s when the real adventure began!