Nolan's Birth- The un-cut version...

It is truly amazing how fast your life can change! I know we had about 9 months to prepare for the birth of our first baby but it seems like everything changed in a matter of hours, not months! After our experience my midwife told me to share our story with as many people as possible, naturally I will start with telling you, my loyal followers!

Thanksgiving night we finished our run around visiting all our relatives and eating tons of food! We ate lunch at Eric's Grandmomma's, then mid-day dinner at my parents, then dinner, dinner at Nana's. I have joked the entire time that I was sure to be in labor on Thanksgiving because I love all the Thanksgiving foods so much, but nope, no contractions what-so-ever. We headed home about 7pm and I was eager to put up our Christmas decor that evening. My Daddy and Gail were coming to visit for the weekend so I wanted to have everything ready before they arrived. Eric and I worked pretty diligently until about 10:30 and we went to bed (well Eric finished watching a football game first and thus didn't sleep til 11:30, this is important later in the story...). 11:50 I woke up and HAD to pee, immediately- this was not new since Baby T had dropped into my pelvis the last few weeks, but as I got up I knew my water had broken. No, not all over the bed, but I defiantly had leaked in my PJ's. No worries, I thought, "Baby T will be born today! I love November 25th, that's a great birthday! I will simply labor here at home as long as possible and let Eric sleep as long as possible until I can handle the pain no longer". So I got in the tub, that's what they say to do ya know. Plus I continued to leak water so I didn't want to have clothes on anyway. Plus, I was having contractions, and they hurt. I didn't time them yet, I had plenty of time I knew because this was my first baby and everyone had told me that...well,  I was in the shower/tub about 20 minutes, those contractions were no joke! I got out and woke up Eric. told him what was up and that I needed him to time these things. We were timing them at 2 minutes apart and only lasting 30-45 seconds! That can't be right I told him, they should be lasting longer if they are that close together, and they can't be that close together because I had only been contracting like 30 minutes! Well with the horribleness of the contractions we decided to call the midwife anyway just to see what she thought (I was sure she would tell us to stay at home as long as possible, and sure I was being a baby with these contractions!). She told us we better come on in and get checked if we thought they were 2 minutes apart. So we finished packing up our stuff and headed out, we didn't call anyone at this point because I was certain we had plenty of time to be in labor and notify everyone during daylight hours...

We got to VUMC at about 2am. The ride to the hospital was horrible...I could not sit up straight, had to lay my seat all the way down and opened my window (about 40 degrees outside that night....). Contracting the entire way there. In the parking lot I told Eric there would be no natural birth, I obviously could not do it, my mind was mush, I could not focus on anything but the pain. Although we talked about him being strong when I was weak, he saw my pain and quickly agreed with whatever I wanted...so got to the ER and checked in (p.s. it is very difficult to remain calm during a contraction when they are asking for insurance cards and ID's). The L and D people came for me right away with a wheelchair, I again did not want to sit down but I really didn't want to walk either so I sat and the super sweet care partner stopped the chair during my 3 contractions on the ride to the floor. When we got up there they were planning to admit us in the triage room first but the Charge nurse said they had some open beds in Land D and she felt my belly during a contraction and said she was pretty sure they would keep me so we were admitted straight to L and D (the CN also said my contractions felt moderate I would like to show her moderate in hindsight...). Anyway we got to the room by 0230 and hooked up to the monitor and vital signs and all that business, then the midwife finally got there and checked me! She looked so shocked when she said "umm that baby's head is right there...you are completely dilated and +1 station. When you feel the urge to push go right ahead!" Eric and I were shocked! What about all that first baby business, it will take 12 to 24 hours, ect? Already we are a 10? No way!!! So Eric starts texting and calling family right away. The next contraction I thought "well, I could push" and so I started pushing, while everyone around us were so busy setting up the room and putting on sterile stuff. I told them too I would love something to help with pain, I knew most options were out at this point because we were so far along, but they did offer laughing gas, and I said please. So anesthesia was paged. I continued pushing for a long time...the anesthesia girl came after about an hour of pushing (grrr...), then had issues setting it up, so I am pretty sure I ended up with about 2 puffs of that stuff through the whole thing, which by the way did nothing for my pain but the mask was a good distraction because I thought maybe this will help. This is about the time, Eric starts to feel lightheaded, my husband has never had a weak stomach, but he said the smell of the laughing gas made him feel bad and he looked like a ghost! I ordered him to sit and drink water, which he did for one contraction and was back for the next!

All the while I am pushing I am acutely aware that the babies heartrate keeps dropping with every contraction/push. My ears are trained on that audible heartrate monitor (thanks to all the procedures we do in the unit) and I knew what was going on, the midwife was so calm and let me know everything that was happening, and what would happen if the HR didn't come up between contractions. At about 4 she said she was going to get help from the resident because they may have to use forceps if the baby didn't come out with the next contraction. That was all I needed to hear to put that pushing in overdrive! On the next contraction, at 0403,  Nolan Eric Tinch was born! I was so relieved and happy and still shocked all at the same time! They put him on my belly and we just looked at each other for a long time, he was so wide awake and alert! Eric cut the cord and he cried beautifully, there was no doubt be got a good squeeze on the way out and those lungs were fine! He also had a cone head (from being in that pelvis for weeks....) and his color was a little pale but he was beautiful and healthy per my assessment! They weighed him and checked him out then he spent some time bonding with his Daddy while they finished with me! The whole night was so surreal, and quick, yet intense! They all kept telling me how lucky I was and even though I didn't feel so lucky then, I know I am lucky and the end result was wonderful! A beautiful, healthy baby and a mommy that felt great pretty much right after. Sorry so long, but didn't want to leave anything out! I wish all my pregnant friends quick deliveries and just know not everyone fits in the "first-time mother" box!

Nolan is Here!!!

Nolan Eric Tinch was born November 25th at 403am. He was 6 pounds 14 ounces and 20.5 inches long! 10 fingers and 10 toes and completely healthy! Thus we remained thankful all through Thanksgiving and into Black Friday! Enjoy the pics, more to come! Our birth story was very exciting and unexpected, stay tuned to the blog for an un-cut version!


Immediately after birth

Meeting Daddy

Loves his hands!

Meeting Grandma and Grandpa

Going home!! Didn't love the car seat!

Loves to spread out

Sweet Boy!!

Love him!

Thankful!

It is the day before Thanksgiving and it seems only fitting for me to express just how thankful I am this year for everything in my life! First, I am thankful for my family! All of you, extended, blended, married into, those I see daily, and those I see rarely, I am thankful for each of you! Without you I would not be who I am (for better or worse) and my life would be less full! Second, I am thankful for my wonderful friends and work family. I love you all, and feel so blessed to know each of you and let you know me! I am also thankful for both my health and the health of all those I love! Because of my profession, I know just how lucky I am to have my health and for those around me to also be generally healthy. I am thankful! I am so blessed to have been able to carry sweet Baby Tinch to term without a hint of any problem thus far! The (slightly pessimistic) nurse in me was convinced I would have a variety of troubles along the way but truly this pregnancy has been...dare I say...easy. And I am very thankful for that! I am thankful for soooo much more but really I am most thankful for the above: family, friends and health. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!



Short update on Baby Tinch: our due date is Monday!! Yes, less than a week away! I can't believe it!! I am still feeling much better than I expected to feel at this stage and the baby is "happy" at all of our appointments (the midwives always say this when they listen to his/her heartbeat, I think it is because it fluctuates with stimulation, either way, I love hearing he/she is happy). I have not been "checked", for all I know I am dilated to 8! They told us it really doesn't change anything unless I am in labor and feeling contractions so we are just waiting on Baby T to make his/her arrival, any day now...

Showers!!

Here are some pictures of the 2 showers I wrote about in recent posts! The first was a shower thrown by all of my sweet PCICU friends.



The spread!! Yum!!




Cupcake tower and cute invitations



Flowers and really cute hutch



One of my hostesses-Jessica



PNR group! Katie (Hostess), Ashley
(she came to the shower from California!), Me
with belly, and Alison (Hostess,
the pics are all her cute house)

My preggo, work friend, Stefanie, Baby Landon is due 2 weeks after Baby T



Our last shower was November 5th and hosted by my Mom, Eric's Mom, and Crystal (Eric's sister or Caelum's mom as you may remember).



Really cute, delish cake!

 

Diaper cake


















Sideways belly shot and Kate




Eric's favorite gift, and Mom, my scribe




Look at all this stuff! Baby T is so loved!





37 and 6

Wow! It's been a long time since I last blogged (as many of you have politely reminded me). I have many excuses...I really have been very busy, between work, clinicals, and preparing for Baby T there is not a lot of time to blog (plus, when I am not super busy, I sometimes choose to rest/nap instead of blog, I blame Baby T...). 

Enough with the excuses, here is an update: as of today, I am 37 weeks and 6 days pregnant!! Baby T can come at any time, my goal has been to make it to 38 weeks in case we are having a boy so that his little lungs will be ready for the outside world. It looks like we are going to make that goal! I am still feeling surprisingly good. Not great (sleeping is not as easy these days, note the time of this post...) but good enough to continue to work and do all my regular tasks that I would normally do. Another positive is that Baby T is way down in my pelvis (or has "dropped"), the midwife verified this news but I have known for some time, as I can get pretty sore and pee even more often than before (I didn't know it was possible either...). Baby T continues to be healthy and tolerate being in the womb, though I am ready to have my body back, he/she can take as long as they need in there, we are in no hurry to rush the process! Eric was out of town this past week (have I mentioned he was promoted? He was! So he had some training to do in Minnesota this week,I'm so proud!!) and I was given strict orders to rest as much as possible, eat very bland foods, and do nothing that has ever induced pregnancy before...ever. Now that he is back, Baby T can come anytime AND I can eat some Mexican food!! Yay!

I think we are completely ready to bring him/her home! The nursery is "done". That is the furniture is set up, adorable and in a gray room. I LOVE how the furniture turned out and I love the gray walls with both the dark, espresso furniture and the white trim, it's perfect! We plan to add boy or girl features/accents to the room once Baby T arrives. In the month or so since I last posted, we have also had 2 showers! Baby Tinch is so loved already!! We got everything we needed and many items that we simply wanted (or we think we want...this is all new to us...). Thank you all sweet friends and family! I will post some pictures in another blog post today! Happy Saturday!