Welcome to Our New Brother

We planned to induce birth on Monday morning at 7:30 a.m.  As it turned out, my water broke at 2:30 a.m. and so we went in a little earlier than expected.  Brian James Vance was born on November 5th at 6:23 a.m. with a weight of 9 lbs. 10.8 oz and 21 3/4 in. long.  BIG BOY!!

On the way to the hospital.

When he was born he just wanted to sleep.  I kept thinking, "Hey, we just went through this traumatic experience together and all you want to do is sleep?"

The beast.  We didn't know what to name him at first and so we were joking with the nurses that we would name him  Brutimus Maximus, Kronk, Bruce, Thor....

My AMAZING midwife Diana and my good friend Jacqui who was able to be my nurse for part of the morning.  I love these ladies.  They made this experience so much better.

The Fam.

My precious baby and me.  I love him so much!

Just how many wrist bands does one need?

Oh, I just can't get over the cheeks and chin dimple on this kid.  

The proud papa.  He was such an awesome help through the whole process supporting me during labor and then taking care of us and the other kids while I recovered.  I couldn't have done it without him.

Going home.

WARNING!!  The following is the story of Brian's birth and may be a little too much information for some of you.  Proceed with caution!!

One week before Brian's birth I set an induction date and time with my midwife for Monday the 5th of November at 7:30.  It would be one week before my due date, but I couldn't wait because I was so uncomfortable.  Dad kept lamenting the fact that there wouldn't be the excitement of rushing off to the hospital unexpectedly.  Haha.

On Sunday night before my induction we had a family meeting and planned how Monday morning would go and what the kids could expect the next day.  In the middle of the night I felt some contractions and then a feeling like I had wet my pants.  I quickly got up checked things out but wasn't quite sure what had happened so I went back to bed.  Again I had the same feeling of water and so I woke up Dad and told him my water may have broken and that he should get ready just in case.  He was so excited.  As we got ready I realized that my water had definitely broken and so I woke up the two older girls, told Mr. M we were leaving and he was in charge and we left for the hospital at around 3:00a.m.

I was worried on the way to the hospital that the labor would go too fast because with all of my other deliveries it was only 2 hours after my water breaking that I would deliver.  I called the midwife and she said she would meet me at the hospital.  When we got there my contractions weren't too bad.  They admitted me and when the midwife showed up my contractions were getting harder.  I was about 6 cm dilated at that point.  She helped me be more comfortable by turning the lights down, turning on quiet music, putting yummy smelling stuff on my pillow and providing me with a birthing ball.  It was so fun to have her fuss over my comfort, and the mood she set was so relaxing.

By 4:30 I had been laboring for two hours.  I felt discouraged because I had planned on being done in two hours.  I gave myself a goal to make it another hour.  The contractions would come hard and then I would have some mild ones and then another hard one.  It was nice to have a bit of a break but I wanted things to move along faster.  I kept walking around with Dad, leaning on him for support.  I also sat on the birthing ball while Dad massaged my back.  After a while I started feeling a slight urge to push.  The midwife came in and checked me.  She said I was about 8 cm dilated.  She moved my cervix back a little and then the contractions started getting really intense.  I felt a lot stronger urge to push.

The pain was terrible and I tried to relax after each contraction but it was so painful.  Every time I pushed I expected more progress than was actually happening.  I was used to pushing a few times and the baby would come out.  I was discouraged thinking I would be in pain forever because I kept waiting for someone to say they could see the head but they didn't.  My girls said I was screaming bloody murder and decided it was too much so they left the room.  Finally the head crowned and I pushed with all my might.  Two of the nurses were helping me by holding my legs back.  Finally I delivered the head and then it was all done. My midwife said I had just delivered a toddler, he was so big.  She placed the baby on my chest and he was just so sleepy and relaxed.  It was so funny to see that after all we had just been through.  The labor took four hours, double the time it usually would take and the pushing time took two times as long as well.  He was born at 6:23 a.m.

Dad went to get the girls and Little L got to cut the cord.  The midwife delivered the placenta and then told me that all of her massaging during the delivery had kept me from tearing.  I was elated with that news because I have always had to have stitches.  Now my recovery would be so much easier!  From there on out it was all smiles and joking.  After weighing the baby we joked about how he was so big.  We kept coming up with funny names with the nurses like Brutus Maximus, Thor and Kronk because of his size.  I was so happy that my friend Jacqui was able to be my nurse after my delivery.  She was so attentive and fun.

Brian was so relaxed and was such a good baby, hardly crying at all.  I kept him in my room the entire time I was at the hospital.  We bonded, cuddling a lot.  I love my new little son.  I am so happy we decided to have him.  What a blessing he has been already to our family.