The Gillies Family: October 2015

It all started at 9 pm on Tuesday, October 6th. But let's back up about a bit... Although I had been having mild Braxton Hicks contractions since about 26 weeks they pushed into high gear after my second check at my appointment about a week and a half before our baby boy actually joined us. They were so strong I was sure I would have the baby sooner rather than later. After the check I had to go up to Happy Jack and take pictures of my friend and her kids and based on my behavior she told me to go home and get everything ready to go (since I had put off packing the hospital bag and everything) then to go to Walmart grab a jar of pickles and walk around. Why the pickles? Well she said her mom always just said if you are walking in a store close to your due date- grab a jar of pickles if your water breaks you can throw it on the floor and then people aren't so grossed out that it was a jar of pickles not your water breaking haha. I did just that. I went to Walmart with Easton, grabbed my jar of pickles, and proceeded to get everything that we needed last minute. No baby. No baby the next day, or the next.... or for the next 10 days lol! Still had contractions but not consistent enough to make me really believe I would be going into labor. Very frustrating! I made it back for another appointment and due to the shoulder dystocia worries Dr. Klingler scheduled my induction on the 13th at 5:30 am. I was still only 3 cm dialated and 70% effaced. Easton got stuck when I delivered him and there was cause to believe he had shoulder dystocia even though his delivery didn't cause a broken clavicle or anything there was still concern so we were erring on the side of caution. So the 13th it was... one day before my due date but oh well. That didn't stop me from trying to help this sweet baby boy come on his own. My efforts ranged from throwing Easton in the air and squatting down for the lift off to playing tag with him at the park. All of these activities Easton rather enjoyed since I had been semi-careful throughout the 9 months. I even did oil pressure massages on my ankles! I had been running throughout my entire pregnancy just a couple miles everyday but it was something. On the morning of the 6th of October I decided to go for a run with Easton in tow via the stroller. I chose a different route than around the park where I usually ran across the street from our apartment. Change of scenery was nice. However I went a little farther than anticipated and by the time I made the last turn around the block to our apartment my watch read 3.6 miles! Oops.... that was quite a bit farther than I had run at one time during my late pregnancy. I didn't really think anything of it in fact it felt pretty good. During the day I had super inconsistent contractions- nothing too alarming. Later that day we went over to my brother and sister in laws for pizza and to carve pumpkins. While I was at their house I was having a terrible stomach ache and lots of contractions as well as heartburn and I was breaking into sweats. I figured I was just run down for the day. So we went home and got Easton to bed and then we went to bed a little early. At about 9 pm that night I still couldn't fall asleep. I was having way stronger contractions that I had ever experienced. I thought they were fake like they had been for the past week so I tried to ignore them and fall asleep. That proved much more difficult than imagined. I was up all night long! At about 1 am on the 7th of October I gave in a decided to take a bath. The nurses had told me that if I thought I was in labor at any point to take a bath, the warm water would stop any fake contractions, but if I was in true labor they would continue to progress. That they did. I was having contractions about 3-4 minutes apart and they were getting longer and stronger. I called the hospital family care unit not knowing whether to come to the hospital or not. The nurse said the only way to know was to come in. We called Kylie to come to the house with Easton (bless her heart from coming in the middle of the night to sleep on our couch) and we headed out. We got to the hospital at about 3:45 am and they got me all checked in. My nurse hooked me up to the contraction monitors and I was having consistent contractions about 2-3 minutes apart. They called Dr. Klinger who just happened to be on call (even though he had given the nurses special permission to call him if I was in labor before my induction date I was relieved he was there). He said they were to check me and let him know where I was at. They said I was still 3 cm and 70%. I thought they would send me home. Instead they gave me an additional robe and some padded socks and sent us walking. We walked the halls for 2 1/2 hours! All the while having contractions.. I bet I was a sight to see! Next time I will be bringing my running shoes because my feet were extremely sore! After arriving back at our room we were instructed to wait for about an hour until Dr. Klingler came the hospital to check me once again. Longest hour of my life ;) Dr. finally arrived and said that I was easily 5 cm dilated and 80% effaced. Good news! He said we had a few options... I could proceed on my own, they could give me Pitocin, or break my water. He said the best option would be trying to break my water and that should put me right into active labor. And that it did! He broke my water around 8 am and I began having extremely uncomfortable/painful contractions at 8:45! I had never felt contractions like this before. I decided this time I wanted to stave off the epidural (not go without) but make it as long as I could with no pain medication. After hours of not sleeping and being in excruciating pain it was time to throw in the towel. It came to the point of tears and "owe oweeee owe oweee" when my nurse knew it was time for me to get my epidural. At about 10:30 am they called in the anesthesiologist and before I knew it they were helping me into a bent over position coaching me to not move a muscle mind you during a contraction! Minutes passed and I was laying down and the epidural began to work it's magic I was a brand new girl! I was able to sleep and enjoy labor! Dr. Klingler went off call after he broke my water but promised to check in and be there for delivery if at all possible. He had three surgeries that day downstairs. So between each surgery he came running up to check on me. Before his last surgery he said I was almost completely effaced at 90% and 7 cm. I became very sad thinking I would deliver with out my favorite doctor there. He said the surgery would last about an hour and a half so to let our sweet boy labor down while he was doing that and then he would come back up to deliver. Dr. Westbrook was nearby if I needed to deliver before he came back. About and hour went by and I began feeling like I needed to push. I started crying when Dr. Westbrook came into the room because I was so set on having Dr. Klingler and she said he still had 45 min left. She said no harm would be done to the baby if I just let him continue to labor down and wait as long as I could. At this point my epidural began wearing and I started to feel a lot of pressure and pain again. It would have been so easy just to say get this baby here now... Mark urged me to do what felt comfortable because he knew I was in pain and could push at that point. He said it would be ok to have Dr. Westbrook deliver. But I was pretty determined to have Klingler there so I "crossed my legs" (not really I am not even sure where my legs were at that point as I couldn't really feel them) and waited it out. Half hour later Klingler came bounding in huffing and puffing since he had run up the stairs and asked "You ready to have this baby" A great big smile came to my face and I agreed although I was a little worried about his breathing haha! We even had time to joke a little before our little bundle of joy made his appearance. I pushed a total of three times and he was here in all of his cute glory! Nothing beats that first glance you get of a sweet newborn baby! I instantly fell in love with him and teared up holding him for the first time. Such a precious moment when he wrapped his little fingers around mine as if telling me he was mine to keep forever and ever. I am such a lucky momma!

At 3:45 pm on October 7, 2015, a 6 lb. 11 oz, 19 1/2 inch bundle of joy joined our family and snuggled instantly into our hearts. I wasn't sure if I could love another little baby like I love our Easton but somehow God grants you the capacity to instantly fall in love with a second child as easily as I fell for Easton. It is truly amazing how this happens. I am so grateful Heavenly Father has entrusted me with his children and let me be a part of his beautiful plan. What a truly amazing opportunity it is to bring a baby into the world and I can think of no better person than Mark to be there holding my hand in all of this!