Landen's Birth Story.

Wow, a year already. This time last year my husband was deployed & my in laws were staying with me to help out with my two boys, plus our new addition that was soon to be arriving.

March 21, 2013.. two days before my due date I had my 40 week check up. Like every other appointment they checked the baby's heart beat, measured the belly, & asked if I would like to be checked for any progress. I was only 2cm and 50% effaced.. My midwife had asked if I wanted her to strip my membranes.. Now I had heard from other moms that the process was A. Painful and B. Uncomfortable. I asked for her opinion and decided why not.. so, we went ahead and did it. It wasn't as painful as I thought but it was really uncomfortable and instantly I started cramping. The rest of the day I felt sick but my mother in law and I decided to take the boys for a long walk to hopefully get labor started. No luck.

March 22, 2013.. the day before my due date I was "cramping" throughout the whole day. We had pizza that night & decided after dinner to head to the mall to get some walking in. We were in Charlotte Russe when I noticed I had to go to the bathroom so I rushed to the nearest store with a bathroom and that was Burlington. Now they say when labor is approaching your body will "clean" itself out, sure enough it did. I never dealt with any of this before with my other two, at least I don't remember. So, we decided it was time to go and we rushed home to rest. That night I always got a call from Henry (since he was deployed) around 11pm-12am. When he called I had let him know what had happened and I was for sure at that moment I was having contractions. I could barely breathe so I had to cut the conversation short, which I hated. I knew I had to try and get some rest incase the big moment came.

March 23, 2013.. my due date.. early that morning around 2am I woke up with excruciating contractions, I wasn't sure if it was a false alarm or what.. so to help I walked around my room for about a half hour texting my sister and mom to let them know. I finally gave in at around 2:45am and texted my mother in law who was in the next room that I thought it was time. We got ready, grabbed our bags and left. I'm pretty sure she ran every red light, because I thought it was time because that's how bad the pain was. We get to the hospital around 3:15am and they decided to admit me. They hooked me up to the montiors and took down my information. They wanted to record the baby's heart rate for a little before checking me. They checked me about an hour later and I was only 2cm but 75% effaced.. I was SHOCKED.. with my first two I never ever had that much pain at only 2cm, usually this pain to me was about 7 or 8 cm's. So, they had me walk around the room and told me to only sit if I got tired.. a few hours went by and at around 6:30am they checked me again. This time I was 4cm and still 75% effaced. The midwife on call gave me the option to either stay in the hospital and wait it out or go home shower and rest.. I definitely took the second option since I hate hospitals. They discharged me around 7am and told everyone it was a false alarm. I remember begging my mother in law to not hit any pot holes. When we got home, I let my in laws know that I was going to try and get some sleep to hopefully get these contractions under control. I went to sleep around maybe 8am and didn't wake up until 1pm-1:30pm. I took a hot shower & what do you know the dreaded contractions were back! The shower didn't help and by time I got ready it was about 2:30pm. I went down stairs to sit at my table.. shaking my foot and rocking back and forth and nothing was working. My mother in law decided to time my contractions as I was writing them down and we noticed they were getting closer together. By 3:30pm they were about 4-5 minutes apart and with a 15 minute ride to the hospital we knew we had to go. So, once again we grabbed our bags and I gave my boys the biggest hugs and kisses and we went to the hospital. They admitted me again at around 4:15pm-4:30pm and they checked me. This time I was 7cm and 100% effaced! I basically slept through most of my laboring process. Thank god, but the pain started to get unbearable and I was begging my wonderful nurse to please get the anesthesiologist but my luck he was home so they had to call him in.. By the time he got there I was 8cm, almost was unable to get it.. I would of freaked out. I remember hunching over my mother in law crying wishing Henry was there. With the pain and crying I had no idea he even pricked me.. What a relief that was! I received a FB messaged as soon as I laid back down and it was a photographer I was going to have to my birth photos since she was doing them for free or deployed soldiers. But at the time she was booked but luckily the lady backed out and she wanted to do them. It was about 7pm and she was on her way. When she arrived she was maybe only there for about 45 minutes when I felt like I had to poop.. & we know what that means.. PUSHING TIME! My mother in law called the midwife and nurses to let them know. When they checked me she was in shock because I had just became 10cm. The baby wasn't even crowning yet but I felt the urge to push. At 8:11pm I started pushing & 8 minutes later, my beautiful baby boy was born. I cried with all my children but this time I was filled with such emotions because of everything I was dealing with. (those stories to come) We named him Landen Derick. Landen because we both loved that name and Derick for my dad. (my dads name was Frederick). With each pregnancy you worry about not having enough love to go around, but looking at my baby's my heart grew bigger. I don't know where I would be today without my precious baby boys. <3