The Birth Story :)

We are just sitting in the hospital waiting for them to do the newborn screening and then we are going home! I have a bit of time and Patrick is bringing stuff to the car and baby is sleeping so I thought I would write this out while it's still fresh :)

On Friday the 13th I went in for an appointment at 2 days past due. Baby was moving tons and my fluid looked good so we decided to wait on a NST and see what happens. I was almost 3 cm. dilated and 80% effaced. We scheduled another appointment for 41 weeks and if baby hadn't come by then and there was no progress we would talk induction.

On Sunday we went to the discovery museum with the triplets and then to my parents house for an Early St. Patricks day dinner. That night I had a few BHs but just went to bed not thinking anything of it. I woke up around 3 am with contractions around 7-8 minutes apart. They were not very painful and I wasn't sold it was real yet. I laid around for over an hour and they held steady so I woke Patrick up around 4:30am saying that I was pretty sure labor had started. At this point I needed to get up and keep busy so went downstairs and told him to go back to sleep and I would get him if I needed anything. I did some laundry, took a shower, and cooked breakfast. He came down around 5:30 and the contractions started to pick up a bit. I was fine between them but had to stop for the actual contraction. For the next hour before the triplets woke up we just tried to stay busy and he massaged my back. 

Around 7 am the triplets woke up, I managed to nurse them, and then Patrick fed them breakfast. We told them what was going on but they were so confused. At 7:30 we called his parents because they were going to watch them. By this point my contractions were stronger and closer together at 5 minutes apart so we called my doctor. He knew we wanted to stay home for a while though so it was just to keep him updated. 

Around 8 am his parents showed up and I got in the bath. The bath helped a lot and I stayed in it for almost 30 minutes. When I got out, we started timing the contractions again and they were closer to 3 minutes apart. Patrick wanted to go to the hospital now but I told him it was still gonna be a while and I didn't feel ready yet. So we got his parents set up with the triplets and went for a walk around the neighborhood. During the walk the contractions got stronger. The walk really helped but I started to be uncomfortable between them too so we went home. This was around 9:15 or 9:30. When we got back to the house I told Patrick to start packing the car slowly, that we weren't in a rush yet. I called my doctor again and updated him and told him we would probably head in within the hour. His mom sat with me in the living room and I used my birth ball. I was having to breathe through the contractions and between so I knew it was getting close. 

I could feel the baby moving down and was feeling slight pressure which I was pretty sure was my water, so at 10 we decided to leave for the hospital. Patrick said we walked through the doors at 10:13 am. My mom and sister met us there. My contractions were about 2-3 minutes apart. Once we got into the room and went through all the protocol procedures (monitors, IV, urine sample etc.), the nurse checked me around 10:35 and I was 8 cm and 100% effaced. That was such a relief (but also crazy!) to hear because it hadn't been very long and I was hoping I was really progressed so I didn't have to labor in the hospital too much longer. My bag of water was also bulging so she broke that and called my doctor. He came in about 15 minutes later just before 11 am and I was 9 cm dilated and baby was now at +1 station. They started getting the room ready for delivery.

I started to feel pressure and the urge to push at 11:10, was checked and was 10 cm! So on the next contraction I started pushing. After the first push baby's head was visible and my doctor slowed me a couple times because he didn't want me to tear and for the risk of shoulder dystocia. Let me tell you having the doctor tell you to stop pushing or push "easy" is one of the hardest things ever!! But I breathed and moaned through it and baby was delivered at 11:27 am! Patrick leaned over and immediately shouted IT'S A BOY!!! And we both started crying. Patrick cut the cord, baby boy's throat was cleared and he let out a big cry and was placed on my chest. We both looked at him, looked at each other and knew his name. He was Cormac Niall. They quickly got him cleaned up and weighed and measured. He weighed 9 pounds 13 oz, was 22 inches long, his head measured 14.5 inches and he scored 9/9 on the apgar. Everyone exclaimed how big he was and I didn't tear!! So that pain of having to wait to push and hold back was so worth it!

After he was all cleaned up, I did skin-to-skin and he breastfed for the first time. He latched right away and has done great ever since! My mom and sister left to go get us all lunch and so we could have some time just the three of us.

We texted or called all of our family and close friends and called Patricks parents. The triplets had gone down for a nap and they would bring them right after. My parents and sister came back with lunch and they hung out until the triplets came They arrived around 3 pm and were a bit shy at first. I had Patrick hold Cormac and gave them all some cuddles and them they were interested. They all got to hold him and they all kissed him! They stayed until about 4:30 and were starting to get crazy so my parents took them back home. Patrick hung out for a bit longer and then went home around 6 to have dinner with the triplets and put them to bed. I told him to just stay with them but he didn't want to miss the night with me so after they were asleep he left them with my parents and brought me dinner around 8:30 :) We enjoyed the night together and Cormac did really well! He woke up several times to eat but slept well in between. But we'll see how tonight goes! Patrick went back in the morning before the triplets woke up, had breakfast with them and then came back here around 9. He is so amazing. We should be home in about an hour and them the real crazy begins! We are parents to 4 kids under 2 and couldn't be more thrilled :)