This is a day I never want to forget, a day that changed my life for forever.
I hadn't been sleeping well for a few months now so waking up multiple times in the night was nothing new. I was having cramp like feelings the night before and they continued to wake me up a few times during the night. I rolled over to see what time it was, 5:20.. when rolling over I felt like the bed was a little wet. "Eric I think my water just broke" sure enough when I stood up to go to the bathroom more water came out. We called my midwife and she said to take our time (we could shower and eat breakfast) and come to the hospital in a couple hours. I was in denial, I kept telling Eric let's not go to the hospital because they are just going to turn us away. I had heard so many stories of new moms going to the hospital thinking they were going to have their baby and then always getting told to go home because their baby wasn't ready to come yet. And besides, I wasn't ready for a baby yet. We still hadn't finished the nursery, we didn't have a car seat I never had time to pack my hospital bag.. But then Eric reminded me that once your water breaks you have to deliver the baby within 18 hours (He was actually listening in our birthing classes??!) So we got ready, packed a little bag, and headed to IMC.
The drive there seemed like forever. Eric took the back roads, so maybe it really did take forever! I sat on a towel because more water kept coming out. We called our moms and filled them in on what was happening and before we even got the hospital a few of our sisters had texted us haha our moms just couldn't keep it quiet! I remember watching the snow fall on our way to the hospital... still in denial. He can't come today, he isn't due for 3.5 more weeks. How is this happening??
We got to IMC around 7 and they checked us right into a room. They hooked me up and I was having contractions and was dilated to a 3. They suggested walking around the halls while I still could so Eric and I made laps and laps around the halls, stopping each time I had a contraction. My mom showed up around 9 and was with us the whole day. I am so glad she was there. We kept walking until my contractions got to hard and walking wasn't fun anymore. Around noon I got in the bed and didn't get back out. They kept asking if I wanted my epidural and I would say no. But then during each contraction I told Eric I think I want it, but then it would end and I would be fine. Around 2pm When I was at a 6 I decided I was ready for my epidural. This was the scariest part of my day... I was shaking and squeezing Eric's hand. It was the weirdest feeling but definitely worth it because for the rest of the day I was in and out of sleep and lied there watching tv and talking to Eric and my mom. My midwife stopped by a couple times during the day and said I was progressing great and she wasn't going to give me any Pitocin. I ate jello and ice chips all day and was so hungry!
Around 8 I was so ready to get this baby out of me! I wanted to beg for Pitocin if that would speed things up. I was at 8cm around this time and by 9 o'clock I was at a 10. My midwife showed up and I started pushing as soon as she got there. I could definitely feel pressure and felt like I needed to push. My midwife Lindsay Brienholt (who I LOVED so much and hope I get to use her for all my babies!) kept telling me aw look at all that dark hair. My baby was going to have dark hair?? All the babies in my family are blonde so I was very surprised by this. I pushed for 30 minutes and Calvin was born at 9:39 pm. Because Calvin came at 36 weeks they had to have people from the NICU in the room in case of any complications, at 36 weeks babies lungs aren't quite developed, especially in baby boys. Calvin came out screaming (which is a good thing) and he was healthy as can be. Eric didn't want to cut the umbilical cord so my mom did. He weighed 6 lbs and was 20.5 inches. During the day I told Eric we had to pick a middle name, as soon as Eric saw Calvin with all that dark hair he decided his middle name could be Eric, it was so cute, Calvin looked just like a mini Eric.
I remember holding Calvin for the first time and couldn't believe he was mine, this tiny perfect human was my baby! He had been growing inside of me for months and now he was here! He was the cutest little thing I had ever seen. While the nurses cleaned us both up and did whatever it is they do apparently Eric lost it and went out the hall with his mom. I don't know if I was just too drugged up to cry or what but it all seems like a dream, the best dream I have ever had. Joy, Whitney and my dad were all waiting out in the hall and came in right after Calvin was born. They couldn't believe how perfect he looked, no smashed face for this little boy.
We had tons of visitors and little sleep the next day at the hospital. The hospital was very nice and all of my nurses were amazing but I was just itching to get home. Calvin weighed 5.2 lbs when we left the hospital, his newborn clothes were so baggy and he looked way to small for his car seat. My mom and Whitney had cleaned my house and were waiting for us when we got home. Enzo ran right up to me when I walked in with Cal, it took him a minute to realize Calvin was a human. It felt so nice to be home with my little family!
