I wanted to write this down so I figured I would share it. Here is the story of the day Cooper was born:
April 21, 2010 (Wednesday)- Jason and I were sitting on the couch watching a movie. The movie was actually Knocked Up, which was not my personal preference but it was all that was on t.v and Jason and I thought it was a little ironic. It was about 10.15 pm and the movie was about to wrap up when I felt...something. I must have made a sound because Jason looked at me and I must have had a strange face too because he asked what was wrong. I said, "Well, I'm not sure. I think my water just broke or I peed my pants." So I stood up to go to the bathroom and at that point I pretty much knew it was my water. I was immediately worried because at my last appointment my midwife said that the baby had not dropped yet and so if my water were to break I need to call right away. I think there were some translation issues because I wasn't sure why I would need to call right away but I did anyway. So after I assured Jason that it was my water he got on the phone to the midwife. She said she would be right over to check on me. By this time we had turned off the movie and we were sitting nervously waiting for the midwife trying to prepare ourselves for what was coming. At that time I was 38 weeks along and I figured I would have a couple more weeks...at least 1! About 20 minutes later the midwife came and checked and sure enough the baby had still not dropped into the birth canal so I would need to go to the hospital right away instead of laboring at home.
Let me rewind a second. Here in Holland when you have a baby you have the option of delivering the baby at home or in the hospital. I know if you are in the States you have the same option but in Holland the most preferable way is to have the baby at home. Jason and I had decided very early on that we didn't feel comfortable with a home birth so the midwives knew we would be going to the hospital to have the baby. However, the plan was to labor at home as long as possible and then go to the hospital, deliver the baby and then be home three hours later.
Since the baby had not descended but my water had broken the midwife decided I need to go to the hospital to be in the care of a doctor. (Apparently if your water breaks and the baby has not dropped there are certain complications that can occur...I'm still not quite clear what those are but I wasn't opposed to going to the hospital early). So while the midwife was giving me instructions Jason Skyped Robby, our designated babysitter for Quincy, and told him it was time and we were going to be headed to the hospital. About three minutes later, while I was still talking to the midwife, Robby buzzed our intercom and Jason buzzed him up. Robby hustled in wearing glasses...I had NEVER seen him in glasses...and looked like he had run over. I just had to laugh. Robby was thinking this baby was going to be here within minutes. We assured him it would probably be awhile before the baby actually came and proceeded to get Quincy ready to go off to Robby's.
We arrived at the hospital at about midnight. At this point I had yet to have a single contraction. The midwife had called ahead so the doctors on call were waiting for us. Since many women in the Netherlands give birth at home the maternity ward was VERY quiet. I think we might have been the only couple there! As soon as we got there and I changed into my gown the doctors came in to check me...that was a bonus to being the only couple in the maternity ward we had multiple doctors in the room with us. Well in the hour that it took to get checked by the midwife and get to the hospital the baby had dropped into the birth canal and removed the threat of the complications that accompanied it. So here I was at the hospital my water had broken and I was not having contractions. The doctors, Jason and I talked about my options and we agreed to wait to see if I would start having contractions naturally. So we waited. Jason, who's team was set to start playoffs that day decided it was a good idea to give his team a heads up. He called his team manager Rob to let him know that we were in the hospital and at some point in 24 hours we would have a baby...30 minutes later in walks Rob. He came in and asked if there was anything he could do or get for us or if there was anything we needed. Jason, thinking we were in it for the long haul decided he needed the book he was reading. Bless Rob because he left and went to our apartment to pick up Jason's book.
After Rob delivered the book and left the doctors came back in the room and started asking questions about Jason's game later in the day...by this time it was about 1:30 or 2:00 am. Jason always the pitch man told the doctors and nurse all about his team and how they were favored to win the the championship, he asked if they had ever been to a game and told them they need to go. Well turns out before Rob left he gave the doctors and nurse tickets for the game that night so they were all actually planning on attending the game later. One of the questions they asked was if Jason was planning on playing in the game. Jason said, well probably not for obvious reasons. I knew I was pretty far from having the baby...I mean I hadn't had one contraction up to this point and we had agreed with the staff that we would wait to see if I went into labor naturally. Well now that the doctors knew about the playoffs they talked about inducing right away and assured us...Jason...that we would have the baby before the game later that night. Jason reassured them that his first priority was me and the baby and we wanted to stick to the original plan of waiting. At that point we turned off the light and tried to get some rest.
April 22, 2010 (Thursday)- Ok hold on to your hats because it goes fast from here! At around 6:30-7:00 the doctors and nurses came in and I let them know I hadn't had any contractions. At that point...9 hours after my water broke...I was getting pretty excited to meet the baby. So we decided after a shower I would receive a low dose of Pitocin to try to get the ball rolling. 7:30 they started the i.v drip and so we waited. Thirty minutes later the nurse came back in and after I let her know that I was still not having hard contractions she bumped up the drip and said she would be back in thirty more minutes. 9:00 am I am feeling them now but still not unmanageable by any stretch of the imagination. So as a reward for high pain tolerance they bumped up the Pitocin again. Thirty minutes later I am in full on hard labor.
Side note: In between every contraction Jason would pick up his book and read. I was to distracted to voice my annoyance to him so he just kept reading. Later I found out that he actually finished the book! I'm glad someone was able to do some enjoyable reading!
9:30-11:20 I am focusing on breathing and getting through the next contraction. I asked the nurse how much worse the contractions were going to get and she said she thought they were at their peek. ( I have no idea how she knew that but she ended up being right) If she had told me they were going to get worse I would have demanded an Epidural on the spot. As it was I though maybe I could manage these ones. I forgot to say that at 9:30 the doctor checked and I was dilated to a three. At around 11 I told the nurse I was feeling a lot of pressure so a midwife came in to check and I was now dilated to a nine. Within about twenty minutes I was ready to push. I told the nurse and she looked like she didn't quite think it was that time but she called in the midwife and sure enough it was time.
11:40 am Cooper Jay Ellis made his way into the world. Jason and I opted to not find out the gender of the baby so when he came out he was a total surprise! We fell instantly in love with this perfect stranger.
One year later Cooper has blended seamlessly into our family. He makes us laugh every day and even Quincy, who at first struggled with sharing the attention, loves when he can make Cooper giggle uncontrollably. We have been blessed with two amazing boys that bring immeasurable joy to our lives. I love living in the present but sometimes I can't help but look forward to the future with this amazing family.
