Joseph Keefe

The Birth Story:   *It's a long one*

After a couple of very long weeks hoping I would go into labor on my own ( I was induced with the first two and desperately wanted to go on my own this time) I was induced on June 2nd. The weeks following I did find myself in L&D twice with excruciating pain. Ended up being a kidney infection that I was put on antibiotics for - thankfully that was taken care of.

The kids stayed with their Mama and Pops that night and I actually got a good nights sleep. We were told we could get a call as early as 6:30 am so I was all ready to leave at that time the next morning. Waiting around for a simple phone call can seem like forever so I went outside with Aaron to work on a sprinkler head. Finally around 7:15 we got a call to be at the hospital for 7:45. Yes, finally :)

A few days before induction

Aaron made a time stamp of the events on our ipad as the next few hours unfolded, this is exactly how it went:

7.44 Arrive at hospital
8.15 baby monitor hooked up
8.22 Iv connected to Kim - well poking for it
8.35 Iv finally connected
8.37 wristbands given to mum and dad
8.46 dilated to 4
8.48 dr broke water
8.56 started on highest dose of pitocin
9.02 cran raspberry drink
9.08 epidural man enters
9.20 epidural complete - nice guy told funny stories
9.52 catheter in
9.56 dilated to 5
11.09 fully dilated
11.13 waiting for doc - Kim wants to push and only me here...
11.23 really wanting to push no doc yet
11.28 born

All that and our beautiful Joseph Keefe was born weighing 7 lbs 15 oz and 19 inches long. My smallest baby. The experience was a little more intense than the simple list described above but overall a pleasant one.

I was more nervous this time, not sure why. The nurse wasn't all that great and really really hurt me trying to get an iv hooked up. I've had quite a few ivs and many blood draws in my lifetime and nothing ever hurt like this. Seriously I was nearly in tears and my whole arm was later bruised and very sore. She ended up having to get another nurse in to do it and she ended up squirting blood all over the place.

I couldn't believe they were actually letting me drink juices and water as the times before I was only allowed stupid ice chips. I was so excited and drank the cran raspberry juice I love so much. 

I was also encouraged to get the epidural asap as the anesthesiologist was going into 3 c-sections. I didn't want to get stuck without an epidural so I had him come in. It was strange to have it now as I was in no pain at all and quite comfortable (other than my throbbing arm). In the times past the epidural never hurt (probably because the contractions were worse) but this time ooya, it really hurt. He was a really nice guy and did exactly what I asked for, he was experienced for sure (explained later). 

Time continued to pass and I would have a random contraction here and there but nothing else. I started to feel really lightheaded and sick to my stomach at one point and nearly passed out. They continued to pump fluids into me because they said I was severely dehydrated.  I remember looking up at the clock when the first big contraction hit and it was 10:45am. It wasn't real painful but there was a lot of pressure. The epidural was doing just as I had hoped. It took the edge off but I could still feel quite a bit of what was going on. Right after that first one they continued to come less than 3 minutes apart, I contemplated pushing the epidural button...

15 minutes later I feel severe pressure and look at Aaron - he knew something was up. I told him that I needed to push. He wanted to go out and find a nurse but I insisted he wait. A few minutes later he ran out to find one (we hadn't seen one in awhile). A nurse came in and didn't seem to believe me when I told her that I needed to push and the feeling kept getting worse and worse. She decided to check me and sure enough, there was his head.

She ran out to get my regular nurse and once again it was just me and Aaron in the room. It seemed like time passed so slowly as we waited for a nurse to come back in and I was trying so hard not to push at this point. I looked over at Aaron and told him I couldn't hold back anymore and he looked a little freaked out. 10 minutes later the nurse arrived and started to prep, 10 minutes after that the doctor arrived. Literally 5 minutes after the doctor arrived our beautiful son was born. First push and he was out, incredible!

I couldn't believe that this was my third time and it was so similar to my last. Rachael and Joseph were born one minute different. I have to just say how much I love my doctor, he is absolutely incredible and makes the experience so relaxing and memorable.

Joseph had swallowed a lot of blood and wasn't breathing at one point. I watched as they continued to suck blood from him and filled a good size bottle. Eventually he began crying and turned from purple to a normal color and I was holding him close. Unlike my first two I got to hold him in my arms and feed him in the L&D room before they took him to the nursery. He had no oxygen complications and no major jaundice problems. He was so healthy and strong and perfect.

I ended up leaving the hospital the next day. At first I thought I was crazy for leaving early but it felt so good to come home (definitely wouldn't have left if it was my first). I was lucky I even got to be induced that day, all the L&D rooms were full and all 26 recovery rooms on mother baby were full. They ended up cancelling all other inductions the next day. I got put down on the Pediatrics floor for recovery, it was ok but so different being taken care of by the Pediatric doctors. They were sweet but I felt so forgotten and the bed was so uncomfortable.

Overall a great experience and we have been blessed with a beautiful baby boy whom we love and cherish so much!