The Birth Story of Hunter Colin Ott

Born 09-22-2012 at 4:25pm 7 lbs 5 oz 19 & 3/4 in.

The Onset of Labor: 

For me, labor began on Thursday 9-20-12 at 2pm.  I had just gone in to the hospital for a non-stress test and my contractions began to intensify and come regularly.  Although they were painful, I was absolutely thrilled as I was already 5 days over due and had a scheduled induction for Sunday evening that I really didn't want to keep! 

My plan was to go to the hospital around 8pm as long as the contractions were closer together, but by that time, they were pretty far spaced (10 min or so) and not too intense. I got tired and decided to get some sleep. I remember feeling 4 real contractions before falling asleep, and then slept pretty good the rest of the night, waking up with a contraction here and there.

Friday we woke up and began timing the contractions.  They were still coming regularly, but seemed very manageable to me.  I wanted to be in some serious pain and discomfort before I went to the hospital.  So I labored all day from home and my mom's house before finally checking into the hospital at 8pm.

 Here we are leaving my mom's on Friday night to have a baby!

So we check in around 8pm and find out that my cervix is dilated to a good 3 almost 4 (out of the 10 it needs to be).  The hospital will admit you and consider you in active labor when you hit a 4.  I had to be monitored for a little while first, but then I asked if they would let me walk around for an hour before they admitted me.  So I went walkin'! I did squats and lunges along the way and had some pretty strong feeling contractions.  By 10pm when I checked back in, I was a 5 almost a 6! Wahoo! This baby was coming! maybe even before midnight, I thought. (I was wrong...)

 Here I am in active labor! My stomach has monitors on it, which is why I look so massive. Ready for you Hunter!

So I got into my delivery room and it was all pretty surreal. Wow, I thought, this is where I am going to be having my baby! (Wrong again).  I worked through my active labor contractions well.  They started picking up. By 2am I was beyond exhausted...  Ready for my epidural! It was great. No pain, super relaxed, ready to rest.  I got some very good quality sleep thinking this is going to be great, sleep now, then have the energy to push!! At 7am there was a shift change and I got a new nurse.  I was so ready! I got checked and was still a 6! What?! Still a 6?? That just can't be right... I have been a 6 now for 9 hours! I chose to stay positive. I waited this long so that I could go into labor on my own, now I can wait a few more hours for my boy. 

 Thing took a turn for the worse, but I am staying positive because he is still on the way!

So at about noon, mind you I had been in active labor now for 14 hours, they started talking pitocin.  This was going to get my contractions going so that we could get more pressure on my cervix, which was STILL a 6... Bring it on. I am ready, I said.  They broke my water at about 2pm and that is when things really took a turn for the worse.  As my contractions peaked, babies heart rate was dropping.  There were clear signs of fetal distress. They pulled the pitocin.  By the time 4pm rolls around, I was in labor for a whopping 18 hours and had not progressed passed a 6.  That was when the "C" word was brought up.  The one thing I did NOT want... a C-Section.  Well, the nurses talked to the dr. and it was inevitable.  Baby was not coming down, my cervix was not dilating, I was getting a c-section.  I started crying. A lot. This was not at all what I wanted. But I just had to go forward.

 Matt gearing up for the C-Section in his scrubs!

So, they prepped me for an emergency c-section and wheeled me into the operating room.  This whole time, try as I might, I just could not stop the tears streaming down my face.  Somewhere in the back of my head I knew I would be meeting my son in just minutes, but I felt it was so unfair that it was happening like this! My body was made to birth this child, I had carried him for 9 months with no complications. Why this? Why now? Why me? 

I layed in the operating room and they strapped me down, put up the blue screen and prepped me for the surgery.  It was all becoming very real.  As I stared up at the bright surgical lights my attitude shifted.  I found an unexplainable inner strength to stop crying and greet this baby with love.  

Minutes later, with Matt by my side, holding my hand tight, we heard the first sweet cries from our child! "Wow, look at these long eye lashes!" was the first thing the nurse exclaimed. I knew right away he had Matt's eyes. They brought my little angel over to the heating lamp and cleaned him up.  Every negative thought was lost in the awe from this perfect little miracle sitting there calm and wide eyed.  

It was all so worth it!! And I would go through it all over again if I had to for him!!

Our 7lbs 5oz angel baby.

All cleaned and handsome!

Our first family picture!! :)

Skin to skin

I felt so lucky to have the experience I had.  Even though a C-section wasn't my plan, I was able to see my baby right away while I was being stitched back up.  Then they wheeled me into recovery where I was able to hold my little guy right away skin to skin.  He latched on right away and his first feeding was so surreal, partially having to do with the amount of meds I was on! ;)

Proud Daddy!

He loves his little boy!

Baby Burrito!

I'm not going to lie, recovery from a c-section is hard.  Getting in and out of bed and trying to maneuver around to get in the right position to breast feed were my biggest challenges. But every day got better and even though I had a couple of break downs in the beginning, I have found the recovery to be very manageable. I was probably one of the few people who actually enjoyed my hospital stay. The nurses were all very kind and we were lucky to have our own room.  

Tired daddy and baby

After 3 days we were finally discharged! Time to take the new addition home! :)

Hunter is so lucky to have a loving family!!

2+1=3! :)

New glider and boppy just for Hunter! Watch out! Mommy has an attitude! haha.

Getting his little swing working. He loves it! :)

He loves his little sling! He feels like he is right back in the womb. Also, see the flowers my wonderful husband got me in the background! :)

So that is it! A whirlwind of emotions all ending in the greatest joy a person can feel. I can safely say my life is forever changed... for the best. <3