Tuesday, March 20, 2012

3/12/12


Kellen Daniel
Born at 11:33 on March 12, 2012
Weighing 8 lbs, 4 oz

My sweet baby boy is finally here, and he's already a week old! Time is already flying, and I'm not sure I like it. I want him to be my teeny little guy for a bit longer than he probably will be.

Last Monday Shaun and I went in to Deaconess at 7:30 a.m., where they induced labor. I originally decided against being induced, but my doctor would be taking a few days off and wanted to be sure she was there for the birth, so I agreed to it. Thank God I did! Turns out Kellen was bigger than anticipated (the doctor guessed 6 to 7 lbs), so any longer and I might've ended up getting a C-section or an episiotomy at the very least (yuck). I've been praising God that my doctor needed vacation time to move into her new house!

During the first few hours of labor, which lasted about 15.5 hours, the nurses and doctor monitored my contractions, asking me how much they hurt on a scale of 1 to 10. When I repeatedly said 1 or 2 they kept calling me a trooper. :) Apparently I was talking and relaxing through contractions that leave other women breathless. Then in the afternoon they broke my water and all that changed. I was still able to talk through most of the contractions, but I've been told my face turned some interesting colors. I'd already settled on having an epidural, but I didn't realize that the contractions would triple in pain right after my water broke. I wanted my epidural NOW!

The hilarious anesthesiologist made a point of telling me repeatedly that I had the perfect back for an epidural and that he was used to working with the "great white American buffalo." All the silly banter made the process pretty painless! After that it was smooth sailing, and while many women swear by the beauty of a natural birth, I couldn't be happier with my decision to have an epidural. I remained calm and clear-headed while I pushed and I was able to thoroughly enjoy my first glimpses and touches of Kellen much more than if I'd been in unnecessary pain.

Future mommies, I highly suggest Dr. Alward and the team at Deaconess for labor and delivery. Their birth center is unparalleled in the OKC area. All the doctors and nurses are as sweet and helpful as can be, and the lactation consultant works wonders. Add in the really nice rooms and calming atmosphere and you've got a winner!

Well folks, that's the story of the day Kellen arrived. I'll have more blogs on Kellen and some of our special moments for you soon! I'd appreciate everyone's prayers as the three of us are embarking on this journey as a family. Everything from Kellen's continued good health to finances to just learning to be godly parents has been on my mind lately. It's a lot to take in!

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