A Birth Story

Philip's birth story is pretty simple. Simple and absolutely perfect. 

Mick and I weren't planning on getting pregnant until AFTER Kenny turned two but this last summer we both felt like it was time to add to our family. So we started trying and within just a few short weeks we had a positive pregnancy test. After months of severe morning sickness, weight loss and then too much weight gain, new stretch marks, and all sorts of aches and pains I finally made it to full term! Now we just had to wait out the last few weeks until we got to meet our little boy!

I kind of fibbed to my doctor and told him my last period was a few days before it actually was hoping for an  even earlier induction date (Don't judge! My first baby was a hefty 9 pounds 3 ounces). According to Doctor's calculations, he gave me the due date of April 21st and the induction date of April 17th (My actual due date should have been April 24th). 

I started having contractions irregularly Wednesday (April 10th). They eased up Thursday. Then Friday morning they got pretty intense and painful. I called Mick who was at work to make sure he didn't have any important meetings "just in case". I finished up my to-do list and enjoyed some play time out side with my Kenny. I wanted to make sure he had an extra good day because I knew those were the last few days it would be just us. I went to my doctor's appointment and he informed me that I was dilated to a 4 and probably wouldn't make it to my induction date. I called my mom and let her know and she and my dad packed up and began the long drive from Washington state to Utah. I pretty much have the best parents EVER!

We made plans to stay the night with Mick's parents just in case we needed to head to the hospital. We had dinner with them and I was able to rest for about an hour or so before my in-laws made us head to the hospital. My contractions were getting more and more frequent and little more painful. I was pretty skeptical  that it was true labor but to be honest...I had no idea. And looking back I am pretty sure I was in denial at that point. With Kenny I didn't really have any signs of labor. I just went to the hospital and they induced labor for me. This time my body decided to do it all on its own and that actually made me really nervous/scared. The moment Mick and I stepped outside of his parents house to head to the hospital I started crying because it was so different and I didn't really know what was going on. It was like I was having a baby for the first time.

We got to the hospital just after 9:15 p.m. They had to make sure I wasn't having false labor before they admitted me because they were so full and didn't have very many rooms left on the delivery floor. By 10: 30 it was decided that I was progressing and in true labor. They checked into a room and got me all prepped to deliver.

They hooked me up to the I.V. OW! I hate that thing. Then they called in the anesthesiologist to give me the epidural. With Kenny I was pretty desperate to get it so it wasn't so bad. This time it was pretty awful. It felt like some one kicked me in the back really really hard and then sat on my legs. I hated it. They then broke my water. The doctor and nurses were making fun of me because they could actually hear the water gush out...and it kept gushing. Whatever. So I have a lot of amniotic fluid! Haha!

By about midnight contractions were getting worse. My back hurt. My uterus hurt. What was going on?! Apparently when labor progresses fast the epidural doesn't have time to fully set in. By 1 a.m. I was in so much pain that I called my nurse to make sure everything was okay. She had just finished checking me at midnight thirty and I was almost dilated to a nine. When I called her in at 1 a.m. I was fully dilated and effaced so she called the doctor and told me to NOT push. So mean. Doctor got there at about 1: 30 and they got everything ready. He told me to start pushing at about 1:40. I pushed twice before a contraction began. Then at 1:45 I pushed again and at 1:47 a.m. baby Philip climbed out. Mick said his head came out and then his hand/arm which made it look like he was climbing out of my body. HAHAHA! When Doctor saw Philip's head he said "Oh he wont be as big as Kenny". Then he came all the way out and he was like "WHOA, he is chubby!". Um...

We decided to name him Philip John Swenson (after my grandpa Phil and Mick's grandpa John). He was TEN POUNDS AND 10 OUNCES! Sheesh! 21 inches long and absolutely perfect!

So far my favorite thing has been watching Kenny with his baby Philip. We are so pleased and happy and surprised at how much he truly loves this new baby. He often stops to give him kisses and is always saying "Awww! Baby Philip so cute!"

Mick's brother and his wife also had their baby boy the same day. Twin cousins!

This pregnancy and labor was so so different from my first. It was harder. A little scarier. But in the end it was again an absolutely perfect delivery. Its been just over two weeks and the love we all have for baby Philip is overwhelming! He is such a good baby. He sleeps well. He eats well. He poops a lot. He smiles. He coos. He is growing like a weed!