Charles' Birth Story

 (me the whole entire time)

 Forced smile after Dayna said, "Lauren, you're having your baby! Look happy!"

 Just a little much needed counter-pressure

 seesters

 more counter-pressure, oh and a barf bag that I did use a few times.

 huggies

delivery time!

 Charlie!

 Proud Daddy

 Proud Mommy

 Loving parents

The Guinn Family!

So it was it all started on Tuesday, March 19^th. I started the morning going to a doctor's visit for my 39 week appointment. She told me I was 2 cm dilated and 90 effaced. She even talked to me about getting induced if I go over my due date. The thought of delivering my baby later that night never even crossed my mind.

Later that day, around 3:30 pm, Chris and I were babysitting my niece, Savannah, for a couple of hours so my sister, Crystal, could get some sleep. She just had her baby, Emory. We were at the park by our apartment when I started feeling achy pains in my lower abdomen. Kind of like the feeling when you are about to start your period. (I’ve never had a baby before, so I don’t know what contractions feel like). They were not coming and going, like contractions normally are, it was just constant, achy, pain. So we left the park early and I had Chris drop Savannah off at Crystal’s since I was in too much pain to walk over there. I lied on the couch until Chris came home. That’s when the pains started to hurt more and started to come and go.

I was texting my sister, Dayna, at the time, planning on visiting her in the hospital that day to see her and her new baby, Franklin, (who she delivered 2 days earlier) but I told her I was in too much pain to go. She asked if I was in labor, and I said “I don’t know, they might just be Braxton hicks, they may stop”. I then called my Mom, who was in Salt Lake City at the time, and told her how I was feeling. She believed I was in labor, so she drove down immediately. I then called my sister, Crystal, who I wanted to be my duola, and told her that Mom thinks I’m in labor and to come over and help me out. She got a babysitter for Savannah and came over. She assured me that I was in labor, and by then I was freaking out. My baby was coming almost a week early and I did not expect it! I tried some of Crystal’s hypnobirthing techniques with the breathing and the ball and sitting in the tub, but the pains just hurt way too bad, I could not relax, and my contractions were already 2 minutes apart from the get-go.

My Mom finally got to my apartment and we immediately left for the hospital. It was either 6 pm or 8 pm. I don’t remember. I had Chris get me a wheelchair when we got there because I could not stand through my contractions. Like I felt I would faint or collapse or something. We got the front desk and she had us sit in the waiting room. Seriously? There is a waiting room for women in labor? I did not expect that. We were there for maybe 15 minutes and there was another woman in labor there too. I felt really uncomfortable moaning, going through each contraction, on my ball, in the waiting room, in the hospital. They finally got me into a room and checked me. I was 3 cm and 90 effaced. They talked about sending me home and having me come back later. I’m like, you’re joking right? I need that epidural asap! Then a nurse came in and said, “Let’s have your baby today, shall we?” I’m all, “Yea!” So they moved me to the delivery room. They checked me again and I was at 4 cm. Progress! And I asked for an epidural.

The nurses had to put in an IV first before I could get an epidural. They literally stabbed me 6 times. I had bruises for over a week after my delivery. They had to bring in another doctor to do the IV and he did it in one try. Like seriously nurses? You have one job! Just kidding. Then the anesthesiologist finally came after an hour it felt like. I told him that I had scoliosis and he did not calm my nerves that the epidural might not work. All he kept saying was “ohhh”. Like what does that mean? Thankfully, the epidural worked great! It was not fun though having to set completely still for over 5 minutes through a few very painful contractions. Gosh, contractions are no fun! No fun at all! Even if it does mean your baby is coming! Should be exciting right? No.

Then my doctor came and was all, “Ready to break your water?” I’m all, “Whaaaa? Do we have too?” It got kinda awkward after that. I just did not see a need for breaking my water. Why? So you can go to bed at a reasonable hour? I’m sorry, but this is my baby we are talking about. She asked me why I did not want my water broken. I was like, well aren’t there risks? She then went on about how most woman’s first labors go really slow and don’t progress and it may harm the baby, so breaking the water will move things along faster. She left so we could talk it through. Dayna, Crystal, my Mom, and Chris were there. I/we decided to wait and see if I don’t progress or not. So Chris left and told my doctor outside and then all was good. I was able to sleep.

Then I started to feel pain on my lower right abdomen. Like a lot of pain. I could feel everything. It was horrible! I told Chris to push my blue button, and he was, but just the WRONG button. Dang you hubby! I had no idea he was pushing the wrong button until after I delivered. Anyways, I asked the nurse to get the anesthesiologist back in here to give me more drugs. It took him like an hour though. An hour of ruthless pain that Chris made me go through! Haha! Still love you babe. The nurse checked me again and I was at a 7. Progress! However, after an hour later, I was still a 7 with my bag bulging and she was freaking out about the baby’s heartbeat, she gave me a choice to either break my water, or get a C-section. Obviously I chose to break my water. Gosh, my nurse was a bit coercive, and very dramatic.

So they broke my water, and next thing I knew I was at a 10 and ready to push. I was freaking out about how fast my labor went and that I was actually ready to push this baby out! Woo hoo! My doctor came in and then the coaching started. The nurse, my doctor, Chris, my Mom, and my sisters were all yelling at me to PUSH! I couldn’t feel a thing down there though, so I had no idea if I was actually using those muscles or not though. But I “pushed” anyways. My nurse kept saying, “Come on Lauren! You can do this! Push! Push harder!” Then my doctor and nurse kept saying how the baby’s heartbeat was not recovering and we had to get him out asap. That motivated me to push harder and get this baby out so that they would not resort to a C-section. My doctor also brought out the vacuum, which isn’t anything like vacuum, but more like a suction cup. Gosh, my baby sure had a large cone head after that.

After what felt like 5 minutes of pushing, he was out! They put him on my chest and started rubbing his body everywhere. Either cleaning him, or trying to make him cry. Not sure which. I remember wondering if I was allowed to touch him yet. Like do I have permission to touch my baby? It was my first delivery experience and it was 3:36 in the morning, so you can’t blame me. Thankfully I wasn’t the only one thinking that. Chris actually asked the nurses if he was allowed to touch him. They were like yea! Of course! So we touched our baby! Woo! And he was so little and wrinkly and cute and tiny and adorable. Then they took him away to check him while I sat on the bed and everyone else got to look at him in the corner and watch and take pictures. I was pretty jealous of them for those few minutes. Like give him back to me! Haha.

They finally brought him back to me for skin-to-skin. When he was placed on my chest, my little man lifted his little head up so high, just to look at me with his big eyes. It was the cutest thing ever! Then his head just plopped back down on my chest. I felt like he was so excited to see me, just as I was to see him. I’ll never forget that moment.

It's been a few weeks now since then, and Charlie has just been the best baby ever! He started sleeping through the night after 5 days. Is that a record? But then the week after his 8+ hour sleeping streak changed to 6 hours. So now I do have to get up once in the night to feed, but it's better than every 2 or 3 hours! Woo! Chas is an absolute angel and I love spending every waking (notice how I said waking) minute with him! He is the cutest! We sure love you Charlie!