It was the roughest end-of-pregnancy I've ever had & labor was different than I've ever had, I don't know if it had something to do with the fact that I was just DONE or knowing its our last or what but I had more pains and uncomfortableness ever in the last month. I've never felt so ready to have the baby!
At my appointment two weeks out I was dilated to a 2.5, nothing new as I'm usually dilating early so I knew he probably wasn't coming too early. In the early morning hours of Tues. June 30th I started having contractions so I thought for sure it was time because in the past I've had my babies within hours of ever feeling contractions. I got ready and wandered the house for about an hour hoping to help the contractions along and not wanting to leave too quickly (or call the neighbor at 3 am to come be with the kids if it was a false alarm). The contractions stayed about 5 min. apart but never got really intense so I finally laid back down and the next thing I knew I woke up and it was morning - I couldn't figure out what the heck was happening as this had never happened before. I felt like I was definitely getting close but obviously he wasn't ready to come yet. I had a doc appointment the morning of Thursday July 2nd where the doctor checked me and I was dilated to a 5 - crazy! I couldn't believe I was that far along with nothing happening. I went the whole day with nothing...
Around 2am on the 3rd I started feeling contractions again, this time they were more intense and increasing - I didn't wan't to wait around at home too long as I knew that I was already at least a 5 so within an hour we were off to the hospital. I hadn't really made any progress when we got there so LeGrand and I walked the halls for awhile, only progressing to a 7 - Contractions would get so bad that I couldn't walk anymore so I'd lay back down and then they would decrease - it was weird. I was antsy to get my doctor there to break my water as I kept thinking if they would just break my water it would move faster and we could get it over with (just antsy to be done!) She was busy helping with a different delivery so I had to wait what seemed like too long - ha ha. She finally came and broke my water and I had one contraction and was only at an 8 then after another contraction I had dilated to a 10 and was able to push and have him out within minutes, yay! Labor is so painful, even after having three without an epidural the 4th wasn't any easier, in fact they were all different in their own way but so glad I could do it!
I don't know if it's just a Pacific Northwest thing but my hospital experience was a bit different here - not bad, just different :) Following the birth they handed the baby right over and had me hold him for over an hour, that's never happened to me before - usually the rush the baby off the bath them or let you hold for just a little bit. Then after I held him and nursed him then they cleaned him up right in the room, the baby never left my sight the entire time we were in the hospital except to go get circumcised.
I stayed only one night in the hospital and was released on the 4th of July around noon - I didn't want to miss all of the July 4th festivities as I had heard they were quite intense in our neighborhood. And I did manage to make it to the neighbors BBQ and to watch some fireworks - it did not disappoint, I've never seen anything like it!
Linq is just perfect! He was 7 lbs 11 oz at birth (my biggest baby) and 20 inches (tying for shortest baby). From day one he has been the best baby sleeping 5-7 hrs a night from the very beginning, I think Heavenly Father knew that by number 4 I really needed an angel to be able to handle it! He's so cuddly and easy - doesn't cry unless he's hungry or sleepy. I nursed about 3 weeks before I weaned because it still isn't my thing :) but he was a great eater from the beginning. He's just the best baby and the perfect addition to our family. I can't get enough of him! I think I spent the whole week and a half that LeGrand was home with us just sitting and holding him - I know how fast it goes by and I know he's my last so I'm just trying to really soak it up!
Leaving the Hospital!
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