Belated Mother's Day Gift

Ian William Roy Kolvoord

Born at 3:56pm May 13, 2013

7lbs 2oz, 20 inches

Last week, I was getting pretty anxious for our little one to arrive, especially after I started to get swelling in my feet and ankles and being told to lay low for the next week.  At my last appointment on May 9th, I was only a fingertip dilated and really not effaced.  I was pretty discouraged by the news and really felt that Ian would be born past his due date.  Still, I was hopeful that I might have a Mother's Day baby.

The weekend was pretty dreary.  I spent all day Saturday at Pony Club.  Sunday, Greg and I cleaned up around the house, got groceries, finished some paperwork and dropped off a hanging basket in Verona Island.  It was a pretty lazy day overall.  I didn't feel any different.  I let the staff in my classroom know that I was planning on working Monday to tie up some loose ends and get some paperwork printed and filed.  I went to bed around 9.  By the time Greg came to bed at 9:30, I was feeling very crampy and could not get comfortable.  I moved to the couch around 10:30.  The cramps were dull and consistent and I could not sleep at all.  By 11:30, I was pretty sure that I was in labor.  I was still in consistent discomfort, but the pain intensified every half hour.  By 12:30, it was intensifying every 20 minutes, and by 1:30 about every 15.  I had planned on staying home as long as possible, so I let Greg sleep.  He came downstairs just before 3:30 because he planned on going to the gym before work.  I let him know that I was uncomfortable, but that it wasn't anything serious yet.  A few minutes later, when I got up to go to the bathroom, I felt a rush of fluid.  I must have looked shocked, because Greg immediately asked, "What's wrong".  I told him that my water just broke, but I still didn't want to hurry.  Shortly afterward, the pain intensified and I was incredibly nauseous.  We decided it was probably best to head to the hospital.  I had tested positive for group B strep and needed 2 doses of antibiotics before birth and I had no way of knowing how far along I was.  

Sunrise from delivery room

Flattering picture that Greg took during labor

minutes old

After gathering our things, we headed to the hospital.  I felt water gushing every time I moved.  It was disgusting.  I was embarrassed to check in, telling Greg that everyone would think I peed my pants.  We were taken to a room right away.  When the nurse did the initial check, water gushed so quickly that she had to jump out of the way.  I was only 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced.  The hooked me to the monitors, got the IV ready and administered the first dose of antibiotics.  My midwife, Debbie, checked in around 7am on her way to a meeting.  She advised me to walk the stairs to help get things moving.  She checked back in on her way to the office and then again at lunch time.  At lunch time, I was still only 4cm dilated, but 90% effaced.  I was discouraged and starting to feel more pain.  We continued to walk for 25 minutes, then rest for 25 minutes.  I was beginning to get really tired.  While walking the stairs, I was really nauseous and felt like I really had to concentrate to breathe and alternate feet.  Greg was so supportive!  At 1:00, the nurse called Debbie back to the hospital, telling her that I was really fatigued and questioning getting an epidural.  Debbie came right over and checked me.  I was 7-8cm dilated and 100% effaced.  I remember some of the conversation, but not all of it because I was so tired.  She tried to stall me and the anesthesiologist, hoping that I would quickly be able to push. I was crying, saying, "I don't know what I want to do, I am so tired!"  Debbie reminded me of our conversation in the office.  She had told me, "There is a time and a place for an epidural.  You will not be able to push effectively if you are that tired".  At 2:00, I got the epidural.  It was very mild.  I could still feel everything, just dulled.  I still grimaced and had to breathe through the contractions, but it was much easier.  Debbie was awesome with Greg and more or less forced him to go get lunch, telling him, "The dads that we lose, are the dads that haven't eaten.  I was able to rest from 2:00 to 3:00 when Debbie checked me again.  She got into her scrubs after checking me and I began pushing through contractions.  Greg was amazing!  He held one of my legs while the nurse held the other.  Debbie even had him look at Ian's head coming down at one point and he didn't pass out.  At around 2:45, she decided to do an episiotomy because I was not stretching and Ian was not moving.  She apologized, saying that she rarely does them, but he wasn't making any progress.  I really didn't care at that point.

I pushed through a few more contractions and Ian finally arrived at 3:56pm.  It was the most amazing feeling when his head emerged.  Ian began screaming and flailing right away.  Debbie set him on my stomach (his cord was quite short) and cut the cord after Greg declined.  We both held him right away, before they took him to do his weight and vitals.  He was quite feisty when they took him, screaming, flailing and grabbing the nurses stethoscope.  He received an 8 and 9 for APGAR scores.  The 8 was due to his coloring...he was a little purple.  He nursed right away and seemed very content.

He is just perfect and we are in love!

Daddy and Ian- minutes old
I LOVE this picture

Going home!