We're Still Alive and Welcome Bennett Aubrey!

This little punkin was born March 15, 2016!

Bennett Aubrey 

8 pounds, 11 ounces

21 and 1/4 inches long

We have just been so busy with various things and I was just trying to keep things afloat while pregnant, that the blog got neglected. But, it's more important to live life than try and stress about blogging. I did want to share her birth story, so I'm carving out a minute (or three hours by the time I'm done) to get this posted!

Bennett's Birth Story

This pregnancy was the first in my 40's. I will be 41 next month. And, this pregnancy was the picture of perfection. Not one little issue. Bennett was perfect, my blood sugar was perfect, my blood pressure was perfect. I didn't even have group B strep this time. As a matter of fact, I went to the eye doctor in December and he said my vision had improved since my last visit three years ago. WELL. How's that for getting older? Take THAT 40!

According to the ultrasound and my calculations, my due date was March 11, but my doctor kept insisting it was March 15. He felt like she was a big baby and suggested we induce on Tuesday, March 15. While inducing is NOT my first choice, I've needed to be induced before (my babies get comfortable and don't want to come out!) and most of my babies do tend to be big. So, I decided to go ahead and go with that plan instead of waiting, having her be ten pounds and still needing to be induced anyway.  I was 2 cm and 80%, but that basically meant nothing. I could have gone on like that for weeks.

That morning we needed to be there at 7:30 and Brittany had decided she wanted to be there for this birth also, and she drove separately.  After checking in, we waiting in the waiting room for what seemed like at least 30 minutes until they got me in a room. The nurses came in and got me all hooked up and started the usual routine of questions and procedures. The nurse was very nice and was also helping another nurse that had just moved back to Tulsa get up to speed.

They started the pitocin at a very small dose and would continue uping it at very small doses. It felt like literally FOREVER to get contractions going. I had decided quite a few babies ago, that when I get pitocin I get the epidural. If I don't, then I plan to go drug free. I've delivered 3 without epidurals, 4 with epidurals at the very last minute (2 of those I needed pitocin), 4 with epidurals and pitocin (from the beginning and without having started contractions on my own) and one c-section. My c-section was my first delivery so I've had 11 VBACS. ELEVEN! My doctor says that may be a record.

The only problem with the epidurals is that they make me nauseous, and to the point of throwing up. And, sometimes they don't take well on one side. Both happened this time. They had me lay on my side and then flipped me over to the other side every 30 minutes while I labored. I was feeling nauseous, so I just laid there and listened to David and Brittany talk while I dozed off. That is a memory I will treasure- just laying there listening to those two talk.

Probably around 4 o'clock or maybe even later, I just started to feel really bad. You know that "I don't want to do this ANY MORE feeling".  And I thought to myself, "Yeah. You probably want to check me. Like, right now."  Just a couple of minutes later the nurse said she would check me and then, "OK! There's a head!" So, of course the next little while was a whirlwind of getting the doctor and getting things set up.

My doctor is very good about keeping the mom involved and I was actually able to reach down and help deliver her after I think three pushes. She was laid immediately on my chest, skin to skin. They allowed her to stay there as long as I wanted. They cleaned her off and waited until I wanted them to do the vitals and clean her up. I was still throwing up and nauseous so I went ahead and let them take her after a while and then let Brittany and David hold her.

The hospital, which is large and has a great children's hospital attached, no longer has an infant nursery. They have babies stay with the moms the entire time. They only have a holding area where they do simple procedures. The only time she left my side was to do her hearing test. I was so surprised at that, since that had changed since just two years ago when I had Trace, but I think it's a great change!

I had great post-partum care, as well. Many times the extra nurses and consultants and what-not will come in to see me- the woman with so many children. I'm a spectacle, I guess! The lactation consultant said I have virtually NO chance of getting breast cancer with nursing so many babies and for so long.  I have spent basically my entire adult life being pregnant or nursing.

Recovery went well, but the stomach cramps were something awful. Bennett has been doing wonderfully. She basically slept through her first two months and has only just started waking up for longer and smiling and cooing.

I've definitely been blessed!