I need to write down his story so I don't forget the details but I am far from an elegant writer. I envy those who can make anything sound good, so I apologize in advance.
Tuesday Jan. 7, 2014
I had a dr's appt at 7:00 am and already being 4 days past my due date I was so ready to be done. Luckily I wasn't in too much paint or discomfort I was just so ready to meet my little boy. The Dr. checked me and I was still at about 1.5 cm and 60% effaced (the same I had been for the last 3 weeks!). He decided to strip my membranes, which hurt like hell, which forced me to about 2cm dilated. We discussed that he would induce me on Friday. I walked away from my appointment convinced that I was going to have to wait until Friday or Saturday to meet Cooper. As I drove away the tears rolled down my face. They weren't sad tears, more so tired-anxious-can't wait any longer tears. After so desperately wanting to have my baby hearing that I was for sure going to have a baby in a couple of days was a bit frighting.
I got to work (yes, I was still working full time. Best and most exhausting decision of my life.) and noticed that I was a bit crampy. As the next few hours rolled on I began to feel worse and worse. The cramps weren't horrible but I was exhausted and achey and weirdly emotional. Luckily I work with some of the best people ever who convinced me that it was okay to go home. I left work at about 11, stopped by Noodles and Company and grabbed some lunch and headed home. I was able to take a little nap and relax that afternoon. The cramps started to come in waves and I soon realized that they were probably contractions! They were sporadic at best but I was so excited that something was happening.
That night I couldn't sleep. I would have contractions that were strong enough to wake me but weren't super painful. At that point I was having them every 15-30 minutes. Yay! I was finally getting somewhere.
Wednesday Jan. 8, 2014
Kevin decided to stay home from work incase I went into labor. It was nice having him there and just relax just the two of us (for the last time!!). The contractions began to spread farther apart which was so disappointing. Kevin had to go to school but told me that he was going to make me walk the mall that night to get things going. Meanwhile my parents decided they couldn't wait any longer and booked plane tickets - which I thought was premature.
Kevin got home from school and we headed off to the mall. There we walked around for a little while and ate some pretzels. My contractions were 7-12 minutes apart at that point and still fairly milk. I could still carry normal conversation. My parents were coming in that night so we waited around until they got to our house. None of us had eaten dinner so off to Texas Roadhouse we went (my choice by the way. My mom had advised me not to eat heavy but I didn't listen to her - sorry mom!) All through dinner I was having contractions 5-7 minutes apart but again nothing too painful. In fact, no one knew I was having them. Right as we were leaving - as I was getting out of the booth - I had a very strong contraction, one that stopped me in my tracks. I had a couple more of these on the way home but again didn't say anything so no one knew what was really going on.
We got home and I could tell that things were picking up but at this point I was still able to talk through contractions and go about life. From that point things went quickly. My contractions went from 8ish minutes apart to 2-3 minutes apart just like that - no warning. I was trying so hard to relax and breathe through each one but that wasn't happening. My body was NOT happy with what was happening and I just began to shake. My jaw was chattering and my whole body was moving which did not allow me to relax at all. I was trying to be strong and let my body do what it needed to do but I just couldn't relax. Kevin came to check on me and saw what was happening. He quickly noticed how often my contractions were coming and the fact that I had been having like this for almost an hour - so off to the hospital we went.
I was hoping that and praying that I was dilated to at least a 6-7. We got to the hospital and got all checked into a room where they would check me to see where I was at. The nurse checked me (and for the record, that was probably the most painful part of my delivery, it literally made me cry) and sadly I was a 3.5 and 90% effaced. There was progress but nothing like I had hoped. She left to go call my dr to see if he wanted me admitted and at that point I knew I would need an epidural if I was going to stay. Thankfully my dr could see that there was some progress and let me stay!! I quickly asked for an epidural and fought my way through each contraction. This is where my mom's warning came into play....throwing up Texas Roadhouse is NO FUN!! I was finally able to get my epidural and began to finally relax. This whole birth process was not going anything like I had planned but that is life.
Thursday Jan. 9, 2014
The nurse checked me through out the night and I was progressing well. At about 5:00 am I heard the door open, assuming it was just the nurse, but in walked my doctor. I had been at 6-7 cm at 4:00 am and when he checked me I was at a 10! The problem was that the baby was sitting posterior and we needed to get him turned. The doctor wanted my epidural turned down (I was wayyyyy too numb) and let me rest for an hour in hopes that the baby would turn on his own. At about 6:30 the nurse had me start to push after seeing that the baby had turned. I pushed for about a half hour (only every other contraction) when she called my doctor. He was at another hospital delivering another baby :) It took him almost 45 minutes to get there. He quickly got suited up and had me push. After 1 push he quickly realized there was a problem. My placenta had abrupted and was coming out with the baby. Also - he was now coming out transverse (sideways) and there was no way he was going to fit :( The doctor looked up at me and said "You have one push to get this baby out or I am taking him out." The nurse began to prepare the forceps and vacuum. I gave one more push and out came our little boy. They were in a rush to attend to him so Kevin wasn't able to cut the cord and off he went to the NICU nurse in our room.
That would be the longest 30 seconds of my life as I waited to hear my baby cry. I could see the amount off blood he was covered him in as they took him away. I think I said 100 prayers to my Heavenly Father in those 30 seconds and every one of those prayers were answered. I FINALLY heard him cry and knew that he was breathing. The poor thing had aspirated a lot of blood so they had to make sure he was okay. They ended up having to pump his stomach but he didn't even cry!
They quickly began to attend to me and the problem with my placenta. I am so grateful for a doctor who knew what to do and took such good care of both of us. After getting the rest of my placenta out and stitching me up I was finally able to hold my sweet boy. I could hardly see him because the tears were coming but I could tell he was perfect. We sat and stared at each other.
Cooper J Sorensen
Cooper is my maiden name and my dad only had girls so I was so excited to pass on the name. J is Kevin's dads middle name (MIL thinks it comes from Warren's mothers maiden name, Johnson)
January 9, 2014 - 7 lbs 5 oz - 19.25" long - lots of blonde hair - and currently blue eyes
I never imagined the love I could feel for such a little boy. Between Kevin and Cooper my heart is full. I was blessed with 2 perfect boys and I couldn't be happier. We hope that someday there will be more children to join our family but it couldn't have started off better.
