I love hearing birth stories because all of ours are so different and unique to our own specific family. And it's such a life changing moment for baby and mommy!
I wrote this down a few weeks after Benaiah's birth when it was fresh in my memory. As a reread it, I am amazed at how much I forgot. (Which makes me regret not writing down a lot of Benaiah's milestones... but that's for another blog.)
On May 29, 2013, my son Benaiah Fabian Mandujano was born. He arrived at 4:07 p.m.
He weighed 8 pounds 6.6 ounces and was 21.5 inches long.
On the night before his birth, my husband and I went on our last date as a family of 2. We went to a movie (don't remember which movie) and ate Johnny Carino's for dinner. We ate and then we began to reminisce about our child's future. We talked about the first day he would walk. The first day he would scrap his knee. The first day he would need mommy to hold him until he fell asleep. The first day he would climb on daddy's lap to watch a T.V. show together. The first day he would start school. The first day he would bring his girlfriend home. The first day he would tell us he was getting married. The first day he told us he was going to have his very first child. Going through all of these "firsts" and more, we cried.
We cried together in the restaurant.
I'm pretty sure the waiter thought we were nuts! We were beyond excited to meet our baby boy.
Okay so back to the day of Benaiah's birth...
We arrived at the hospital to be induced at 6:00 a.m. ( I was completely fine with being induced. I was right at 40 weeks. I also had high-blood pressure throughout the third trimester. My blood pressure lowered at 37 weeks. When my Doctor asked what I had been doing differently, I told her I completed my school semester of 19 hours with grades being all A's and B's. Ha!) My nurse, Rashelle, started my Pitocin at 7:30. I was already 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced. I chose no epidural at this time. My mom and my friend Erin arrived at about 11 a.m. I thought I'd enjoy the free movies and cable, but I didn't care. I had the T.V. off the whole time and just talked with my best friend and my mom.
By 11 a.m. though my contractions were getting much stronger. At about noon, I was 6 cm dilated and I was holding on to the rails of the bed trying to breathe as best as I could remember. Fabian was holding my hand. I was squeezing tightly as you could imagine. I began to cry, not loudly. However, it hurt! I truly cannot explain the pain. The pain leaves you exhausted. I looked at Fabian and he looked at me. He asked if I wanted to epidural. I looked at him as tears continued to flow down my face and nodded. I got the epidural almost 15 minutes later.
I AM SO GLAD I GOT AN EPIDURAL!
I felt so much more relaxed throughout the whole entire process. Even my grandparents and father came in to visit me while I was in labor. I got to chat with them for a while and then they left to the waiting room.
I started to push at 2:30 p.m. By this time my epidural was wearing off. I could feel everything right at the peak of labor!! It was awful. The nurse asked if I wanted to get the "epidural lady". (My words not hers. Ha.) I told her "No." and went ahead on pushing. I really think I secretly wanted to do this without drugs.
I AM CRAZY!
I was getting so so so tired. And I have a VERY low pain tolerance. My body felt like a limp noodle (Mulan, I know). I was crying while I was pushing now. The nurse looked at my exhausted face and asked if I wanted to get the epidural again... I looked at Fabian and then at my mother. Both of them were nodding. I told the nurse, "Yes, please." Ha! The baby's heart beat was a little low. The nurse continued to monitor his heart. In the end, he was fine. I got the second dose of the epidural and pushed the baby out 30 minutes later.
His umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and his face was facing down instead of up. However, this was all fixed quickly! At 4:07 p.m, my sweet baby was born healthy and heavy. A total of 8 hours of labor.
Fabian started to cry. He loves his son. I don't think he had ever felt this type of love before. Benaiah was placed on my chest. Afterwards, he was weighed, measured, and cleaned. Quickly thereafter Benaiah was nursed for the first time. The perfect bonding moment.
To be quite honest, I wasn't sure what to think. I knew he was gorgeous. Well, actually he kinda looked like an alien with his long head. I definitely knew I loved my son with everything I had to give. However, I was apprehensive about taking this tiny human being home.
I had to keep him alive.
It's been 16 months later and Benaiah's doing really well. He's alive! I'm still continuing to keep him that way. I feel the older he gets, the more he tries to endanger himself... But, I still love him more than I ever have. Though, I guess a mom's love grows for each of her children everyday.
What's your birth story?!
Share in the comments. :) I'd love to read them!
Do you have a natural birth or epidural?
Vaginal or C-section?
Length of Labor?
What did you think when he/she was born?
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