You are here and you finally have a name! You and your brother were born one week ago from today, Monday, July 31, 2017. I was being induced and we were supposed to check into the hospital at 6:00am. We got up a little later than planned, so we ended up checking in closer to 6:40am (after a quick breakfast of a bagel at home and a yogurt parfait from McDonald's (my least favorite fast food place ever) on the way). Being induced is a "hurry up and wait" game. I was also induced with Eleanor so I knew what to expect. In both cases, it took the entire day, mostly because I'm positive for Group B Strep, so I had to have two round of Penicillin, wait four hours, then have another round, before starting Pitocin to induce labor. (This is why I don't mind being induced - I can get the Penicillin in without them having to stop labor to do this step.) Here is a rough timeline of the day:
6:45 am Checked into the hospital and got settled into our room. We had an awesome nurse, Cheryl, and a nurse in training who was shadowing her.
8:00 am Got an IV and started Penicillin (So painful! The Penicillin makes my arm feel like it's on fire and aching the entire time it's being administered, which is hours.)
11:00 am Started Pitocin. I started feeling contractions but not too painful.
12:35 pm I got the epidural. The contractions weren't too painful yet but I knew I was going to get an epidural anyway and the anesthesiologist had an opening at this time, so I got it before the contractions got too painful. The epidural was more uncomfortable than I remembered it being in the past and this one was super strong. I couldn't feel my legs at all, which I didn't like.
1:00 pm Dr. Allen came to check on me on her lunch break. I was at 5 cm, so progressing slowly. (When the nurse checked me, she said she could feel your brother's head.) I was so tired, I literally could not keep my eyes open. It felt like the epidural made me sleepy. Maybe it was just how warm and numb my legs felt. My blood pressure was low so they gave me an oxygen mask for the rest of the day until delivery.
5:15 pm I got my last dose of Penicillin. It wasn't as painful this time. I believe it was around this time (maybe a little later) that Dr. Allen broke Nathan's water.
Around 6:45 pm, your dad was hungry so he went to the cafeteria for some dinner. I told him to keep his phone close because it could be any time. Just after he left, I started feeling pressure. The nurse checked me (a new nurse by this point, Bri, who was also awesome) and I was at 8 cm. It was go time! I called your dad and he came back and put scrubs, a hat and mask on for the Operating Room (I was delivering in there in case they had to go to an emergency c-section quickly). The nurses wheeled my bed into the OR, where Dr. Allen and an anesthesiologist were waiting, with some other assistants. They wheeled my bed next to the OR bed but I couldn't roll over myself because of the strong epidural, so they put a matt with wheels under my back to transfer me over. Then it was time to push! You were born at 7:14 pm. I had a quick break while Dr. Allen broke Zachary's water and then I immediately started pushing again to deliver you. Maybe because I was already tired from delivering you, but it was more difficult to get Zachary out. Dr. Allen said his heart rate was dropping and she would need to vacuum him out to keep him safe. She gave me one more chance to push before vacuuming and that did it. Zachary was born at 7:26 pm, twelve minutes after your brother. He was a little purple when you came out but quickly recovered.
Pictures of Natan _____________
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| I love this picture of your dad holding both of you. |
I didn't get to hold you or Zachary until you were both cleaned up. I was so happy to finally have you both in my arms. It was so surreal to finally meet you both after such a long time. I got tears in my eyes and couldn't stop smiling.
After labor, I was so incredibly hungry (I hadn't eaten since breakfast at 6 am that morning). The nurses brought me a cheese and fruit plate and a veggie / pita / hummus plate. Our friend, Molly Farabee, brought us Cafe Rio as well (bless her heart!!). I was so tired but just wanted to hold you both and spend time with you.
Grandma Utah, Oliver, Joshua and Eleanor wanted to come meet you both that night, but it was past bedtime by the time you were born so they had to wait until the next morning. Grandma and Grandpa Schultz came by for a brief visit that night though.
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| Oliver + Zachary |
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| Joshua meeting you. |
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| Zachary |
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| Josh was so interested in both of you. He spent a long time analyzing your fingers and toes. |
