Wow! What a whirlwind of a week. Last Thursday Richard and I left Samson with some friends to enjoy a final date before new baby showed up. When we returned home was when it all started. All seemed normal and good and we were relieved he was good for our friends, but then he awoke at 3:30AM, sicker than he had ever been in his life. He couldn’t even remember having thrown up before so he didn’t understand what was happening. At that point I had two days left of work so I was relieved that Richard and I seemed completely fine. We did our best to comfort Samson for his 24 hour bug and we were all tired but knew there was just a little bit of work for me and then we could enjoy some time of relaxation before new baby arrived.
Well, my last day of work went relatively well, but I could tell by the end of the day there was some serious pressure building and I was uncomfortable even just sitting through a haircut. When I got home a little after 4pm, Richard was barely holding it together, he was so sick and desperately trying to help Samson who was still under the weather, but no longer super sick. I didn’t have the heart to tell Richard at that point how bad my contractions were feeling. I heated up some soup leftovers and tried to slurp down some water… and that’s when it all started for me. Fast forward to a few hours later and I’m throwing up in the shower while Richard calls the nurse line. Fast forward another hour and we’re driving back roads to the hospital since Richard isn’t fit to drive on I-35, then throwing his flashers on in the middle of the Congress St Bridge so he can unleash a tsunami of vomit. We get to the hospital and we’re both throwing up and Samson is being generally confused but pleasant and I’m wondering why the labor and delivery area is such a long walk from the front door. I get into triage around 10pm, they take awhile before they can get me any medicine but eventually give me a bunch of medicine for my flu-like symptoms (though I tested negative for the actual flu) and several bags of IV rehydration. The hope is that once I’m rehydrated labor will stop, but my contractions are already close and powerful and baby boy is pressing down hard with his head. They can’t give me an epidural because the idea is for me NOT to have a baby that night. Friends come by to scoop up Samson, which is amazing because Richard can hardly stay upright he is so ill. Around midnight they give me some Fentanyl that takes the edge off for about fifteen minutes before I feel the full power of the contractions again, now happening every 1-4 minutes. Richard is alternating between being as helpful as possible, crumpling into a puddle on the floor and running to the bathroom. Around 1am they make the call: I’m going to have this baby. The next hour and a half is spent watching my nurse stressfully try to get everything ready and try to get me an epidural. Around 2 they are finally getting an epidural in, or trying, as my tech, who Richard and I refer to as Mr. Magoo, talks at a snail’s pace and all the medical professionals are chatting amongst themselves about other patients… no one notices my water breaking, or me saying out loud that my water is breaking. They forget to turn on the medicine that feeds into the epidural until I’m already 9.5 cm and I am telling them, this baby is coming out, like I can physically feel him coming out. The nurse tells me not to push because they aren’t ready yet. Lots of scrambling and Richard insisting they bring the doctor in. Once the doctor is there it’s two contractions (7 pushes total) and baby boy is out with no tearing. They plop him right on my chest and perfect baby boy starts nursing pretty much immediately. I feel better pretty much immediately, too. Welcome to the world baby Gaius Alexander! Born 2:39 am on Sunday 3/3/19, 7lbs 13oz and 20” tall. He is the essence of chill.
We were able to leave the hospital 36 hrs later, and such a blessing to return home. Although what followed a perfect day at home was a jaundice scare, where we needed to take baby Guy to the lab every day to get his levels tested, afraid we would need to be readmitted to the hospital. All while I’m still recovering from giving birth (although I’ll admit I’ve had a relatively easy recovery so far) and the boys are recovering from the stomach bug. Luckily, Samson, even recovering from sickness and facing some strange changes, has been so sweet and such a doting big brother. When Guy cries he runs with a blanket to help him stay cozy, or whatever else he thinks will help, including the gentlest little pats. He loves grabbing his hands and dancing with him, again, very gently.
All in all we are doing great! Stay tuned for some great pictures we had taken while we were in the hospital 🙂
Rachel Lynn Carr 