Corbin Sean Stout: The Labor and Delivery

Apirl 27 will forever be a special day in the Stout Residence. Not only is it the day that Sean and I were sealed for time and all eternity, but it also happens to be the day that our little son, Corbin, decided to come into this world (talk about an anniversary present!)

By the time my 36 week appointment came around, I had been having lots of braxton hicks contractions and working was getting harder and harder for me. My doctor checked me and was surprised to find that I was 2cm dilated and 50% effaced. She told me she thought I would be having a baby within the next few days. I went home and, of course, immediately googled 2cm dilated and 50% effaced only to find out that some women are dilated to a 4 for several weeks. I was pretty let down. I wanted to meet this little guy of mine so darn bad and the thought of four more weeks seemed like an eternity!

At 37 weeks I was the same. The whole pregnancy I had a feeling he would be early...but now I was dooming myself to induction. However, my doctor had different plans. She was so sure I was going to start my labor that she had me schedule another appointment for that same week. I came in that Friday, they hooked me up to monitors to see if I was having contractions (I'm not really sure why...I could have told them the answer). No contractions. I was still 2cm and 50% and no signs of labor. I could tell my doctor was disappointed because this was her last weekend on-call for a while and if the baby didn't come, then it would be some random doctor delivering our baby. To be quite frank, I didn't really care who delivered me at this point. So my doctor stripped my membranes, for the second time, and sent me on my way.

I was literally not out the door of the UTMB clinic when the cramping began. I went home, laid down, and figured it was just from having my membranes stripped, since I had cramped the last time as well. That night we decided to celebrate our anniversary, which was in two days, at Red Robin, our most beloved restaurant. We drove the hour and fifteen minutes to Pearland and got seated. Throughout dinner, I was progressively feeling more crappy. I did feel a little better when our waiter brought us free dessert though :) After dinner we decided to walk around the shops a little. After about an hour of walking and having consistent contractions about 5-7 min apart, Sean convinced me that we better head home, just in case. We got home, and tried to sleep. There would be no sleep for us however. All night...contractions and cramps. I just felt awful. The next day, a Saturday, I laid in bed till 1:00pm living in my own self misery. Ok, it wasn't that but bad, but I really didn't feel good. I was exhausted! The contractions were still at a never-ending 5 minutes a part, neither of us had slept, and it was time for bed again. We got into bed at 12am Sunday morning and I woke Sean up at 12:30. The contractions weren't any worse than they had been for the last two days, or any more consistent, I think I was just so tired and didn't want to be alone. So Sean sat up with me and we just talked and he held my hand as more contractions and more hours went by. He tried to convince me that we should go to the hospital, but I said no because I didn't want to be sent home, and I didn't think I was actually in labor. Every one says you'll know when you are in labor, well I didn't. At 3am the contractions were now 3 minutes apart and I was starting to feel nauseous. The contractions were getting pretty strong and I could no longer talk through them very well and finally admitted that maybe we should go to the hospital, just in case.

Sean just before getting out of the car to walk to the hospital. 

 We parked in the Shriners Hospital parking lot because I had a parking pass from work and we didn't know where else to park. Of course, right in the middle of walking across the road I had a contraction. Sean helped me wobble across to the sidewalk and then had to pretty much support all my weight as the contraction finished. I had one more before we reached the hospital.Once in, I was again hooked up to the monitors. But this time...I was definitely in labor! The triage doctor checked me and said I was now 4cm and 75% effaced. I thought he was joking. All that work for two days and only 1cm! Shoot! This was going to be a long labor.

The contractions... 

Not the best picture of myself...but this pretty well describes how I was feeling

They stuck me in a room and told me to try and get some rest. Um hello? I was in labor...nothing about that word says "rest" to me. So Sean pulled up a chair next to the bed and again, we sat holding hands and both contractions and hours passed. I think Sean is the only person in the world who could make me laugh during contractions. I am SO grateful for him! I could not have done it without him :) Sean had finals the next day, so I told him to try and rest, but that wasn't going happen, he was pretty excited. At about 10am they started me on pitocin. At 11am I got an epidural. I was really lucky to have known some anesthesiologists from work who came and checked in on me after the epidural. My right leg was pretty tingly, but I could still move it. My left leg had all feeling. I tried to lay on my left side, and they gave me a bolus to try and help get the medication into that side, but it never really changed. The epidural definitely helped with the contractions, I almost couldn't feel them at all! It was great!

An hour after the epidural I started to feel some...pressure. And by pressure I mean it felt like I had to poop an elephant (sorry for the bluntness.)  I told my nurse and she said it was about time to start pushing. She told me I would begin to feel a lot of pressure when the pushing started. I told her I was already feeling lots of pressure and she just smiled and said, "Ok, but it will get a lot stronger." I thought she must not know what I was feeling because I couldn't really imagine having more pressure. I was wrong. She was right.

The pushing started and I think I maybe went into a little bit of shock. It's kind of a blur in my memory at this point. Our little boys heart rate kept dropping after each contraction and I could tell my doctor (who was actually able to deliver me) was pretty worried. She had two extra nurses in helping, I was on oxygen, and she opened to the vacuum just to have it ready. An hour passed. Still pushing. With every push Sean and the doctor would say, "Oh I see him! He's almost here!" But he wouldn't come! We later found out he was face up and that's why he had such a hard time coming out...he was stuck on my bones. Another hour passed and finally he really was on his way out. Ouch.

I know every women has a different experience with childbirth. I don't think it's easy for anyone, but it is so worth it. I have heard stories where the women are too exhausted from pushing to really want to see and be with their baby, and some women describe the incredible feeling they get when holding their baby for the first time. I am lucky to have had the latter experience. When Corbin came out and they put him on my chest it was like the world suddenly stopped and it was just a bubble with him and I in it. What an incredible, and unforgettable feeling it was to be holding MY child; this little human that had been growing inside me for months was now so real. I was a mom. He was so perfect, cone head and all.

I heard one of the nurses yelling that someone needed to put a diaper on this kid and I realized he was pooping all over me (which was definitely not the last time). They took him away and cleaned him up and put a diaper on him. To be honest, I don't know where Sean was during all this. He told me he cut the umbilical cord, but I don't really have recollection of any of that. After Corbin was all clean, they again put him on my chest and for the next hour, we cuddled, and I bawled.

Corbin Sean Stout. 4.27.14 6lbs 6oz. 19in. born at 1:10pm 38 weeks gestation 

My ANGEL mother flew in just hours after Corbin was born and stayed by my side for the next two weeks. Here she is holding her first grandchild for the first time. 

Family of three. 

Daddy-Son bonding time...

What AMAZING co-workers I had! 

Home for the first time!

A perfect view of his snaggle gums...