11.8.11

With Thanksgiving right around the corner Adam and I have so much to be thankful for. I am most thankful for my son, Daxton James Doss who came into this world punching and kicking on November 8.

It all started with Dr. Zakarian saying that I was probably going to have this baby within the week. I had been going in for non-stress tests each week at the hospital and then seeing Dr Zakarian for a biophysical profile each Friday morning since 28 weeks. This Friday was different. I was 37 weeks at this point and Dr Z was doing my routine ultrasound and going over the results of my NST from earlier that morning. I had been having contractions consistently about 3 minutes apart so she decided to check for dilation. You know just for the heck of it. I was dilated to 2 cm and about 80% effaced! You should have seen Adam’s face! His jaw dropped to the floor with shock- Happy birthday Babe :)

So we left the office with a little skip in our step and a little disbelief at the reality of what could come within a few short days. So that weekend we began the preparations to welcome this little boy into our hearts. I FINALLY packed my hospital bag, got the car seat installed and diaper bag assembled with everything he would need to come home…  you know JUST IN CASE.

So I went to work on Monday, had a normal day and felt fine. I could feel contractions all day, but for me that was normal. I had been having them and felt the same way for the last 9 weeks. No big deal. Adam kept checking on me throughout the day and was asking if I felt different or if I thought he was going to come soon. I kept saying no way, I feel fine. I’m not even to the uncomfortable phase of pregnancy yet. I haven’t even developed a waddle! This baby is NOT coming anytime soon.

So that night Adam and I decided to get all our errands done- again JUST IN CASE. We picked up some more sweats, socks and last minute items as well as grabbed a Dominos pizza literally on the go. We sat and ate it in the parking lot for crying out loud! So as we meandered through the stores just enjoying our time I could feel the contractions building more each time. Just enough to make me stop walking and concentrate until they would pass but I wasn’t worried. This baby was not coming tonight; there was just no way.

It’s now 8:30 pm. Got home, pulled in the garage and I grabbed the few bags at my feet and climbed out of the car. I took one step towards the garage door and then BAM! My water broke right then and there on the garage floor. I mean that thing broke! It was like someone poured a gallon of water down my legs. I started yelling, “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” And Adam panicked yelled back what’s wrong? I yelled back, “I think my water just broke.” And my dear sweet husband asked if I wasn’t sure I didn’t just wet my pants. “Oh no,” I said, “I’m sure!” I ran into the bathroom and Adam came in and started giggling because he realized his wife was serious. I looked like a little 2 year old who had wet their pants- they were soaked all the way to the cuffs of my jeans. That was the trigger button for Adam. He started to get really excited and super nervous and anxious at the same time. I called my mom needing expert advice and Adam disappeared. He was running around like a madman trying to get everything in order. And we were off the hospital.

I felt sooo silly! My water just broke and other than having really inconsistent strong contractions I felt fine! The reality of the situation was slowly beginning to settle in. I called Dr Z as she had instructed me to do. She asked all the questions she needed to assess how far into labor I was and she thought she would see sometime around 10:00 am the next morning. So Adam and I were giggling and talking on the way. Neither of us could believe the reality of what was happening; it was game time. We were going to be parents in just a few hours!

9:00 pm. Upon arrival to the hospital I laughed as we parked the car because I looked over and realized that we were parked next to my parents! They had beat us to the hospital. As we were walking up to the entrance to St Alphonsus labor and delivery my cell phone rang. My mother was calling from the waiting room wondering where I was. Oh my goodness, makes you wonder if they are ready to be grandparents?

We all make our way in to L&D and as soon as I walk in I announce to all the nurses at the nurse’s station, “Either I peed my pants or my water broke!” They all got a good kick out of it. I just wanted to put it all out on the table :) The nurse took me into a room and I put on that lovely gown with all the holes in it. They hooked us both up to the monitor and checked us out. I was dilated to a 3 and 100% effaced. Adam asked the nurse if we got to stay. She kinda laughed and politely said, “Oh yeah, you’re staying.” And so we bunkered down and all the family started to arrive. The air was filled with excitement and anxiety. My room was full of people as my contractions started to really build. I got sick as my body was doing its best to cope with the pain and I could not stop shaking. My nerves were going crazy and I was having hot and cold flashes. Everyone started taking the hint that it was time to leave and things weren’t going to be happening anytime soon and so about 11:00 pm they trickled out with promises that they would get a call when it was “go time.”

Adam and I were then left alone to take it all that was happening. I was getting scared at this point because I knew I could progress the labor. I just wasn’t sure if I was ready to. This was so new to me and I was afraid of how much more pain I was going to experience. But as Adam lovingly encouraged me to get out the bed walk, I did, in baby steps. I started pacing around the room and finally made it out to roam the hallways. We walked for about 20 minutes and then headed back to the room so my nurse (Meghan who was totally AMAZING!) could check my progress. She was shocked! I had jumped to a 6 in that 20 minute time span. Meghan got me a nausea medication that helped like crazy. I was not loving that part of the experience. It was then I knew this baby boy was coming sooner than later and I asked for an epidural.

It took a half an hour from start to finish for the anesthesiologist to give me that sweet IV. Too bad my left side missed out- it only worked on my right side. He had put the extra long needle (glad I didn’t see it) in crooked. Were doing everything we could to correct that but to no avail. He said if we didn’t get it fixed that the only alternative was to start the process over. I thought he was crazy. It was so hard to hold still during those contractions! Between turning and rotating and positioning we were having no success on my left side. Meghan checked my progress again and holy smokes in another half hour I was at a 9! She left the room to call Dr Zakarian; it was officially“go time.”

Adam called our families to tell them he would be here soon and my mother came back into the delivery room. I wanted her to be a part of this experience and she was so elated to be there. Dr Z was at the hospital within 10 minutes of that phone call. She did one final check and I was at 10 cm and 100% effaced. “Time to push,” she said with a grin on her face. At that moment I knew there was no going back and as scared as I was if I was going to push I was going to give it everything I had. I did not want to be in labor pushing forever. I became so focused and determined to bring this baby into the world.

So as everyone was hustling and bustling about the room getting it all prepped for my baby I did my best to remain calm and focused despite the pain. I knew I needed a goal. I had been light hearted from the get go and I certainly did not want to change that now. I wanted this to be a sweet memory for all of us. My dr gave me instructions on how to push and with Adam at my side we were ready. I could feel the next contraction coming and when my dr gave me the signal I pushed and gave it everything I had. I tried to disregard how much it hurt and concentrate because my baby was all that mattered. I was doing this for him. And with much encouragement and three pushes later and my sweet boy entered the world at 2:17 am. He came out strong, punching and kicking. It was such a beautiful sound to hear his cry. He was in my arms seconds later and that was the best feeling in the whole wide world and completely indescribable. Time stopped. I was a mom. And in my arms was this perfect little boy who became my whole world. My life changed forever in that moment. I now understood how much love my parents had for me as I held my son for the first time. Life was perfect. There is no other way to describe it. It was so amazing to think that Adam and I would be with him for eternity. Our family was truly beginning and there was nothing sweeter than that.

 

 

Daxton James Doss you were born into a family that loves you more than you can every imagine. 

 

 Weighing in at 5.52 lbs and measuring 19” long.