Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Our love has grown along with our family

**This is kinda a detailed account of my experience giving birth (without too much detail I hope). As I write this I sit here with so many emotions and tears coming from my eyes...I am truly blessed!

A week ago today I updated my post with an update form the doctor. We had been told for weeks that I was getting ready to go into labor any time. After weeks of waiting I had written the doctor off and decided that they baby was just going to come with when I was induced. We went to bed that night leaving the dishes in the sink, the trash can full, and the living room scattered with dog toys and other things. About 4 a.m. I heard a pop in my back and got up to realize that my water had broken. I told Jeremy that I thought he should get up and call labor and delivery. At this point I still was not having contractions. They wanted us to come in and told us to shower and take our time. We arrived at the hospital around 5 and they immediately confirmed that my water had broken and I was there to stay…the baby was coming on his due date, March 3rd! At this point I had started having contractions. About an hour and a half in I sent Jeremy to get my bag while I got some medication for pain. The contractions really went from 0 to 60. I agreed to have an epidural ( I know this is controversial for some, but was definitely the right decision for me and Jeremy said he was the second happiest person that I got an epidural). The epidural didn’t take right away and I had to wait an hour and a half and get an extra dose in order to start to feel less pain. Things progressed pretty quickly (or at least that’s what it felt like). At some point I decided I was starving and asked when I could eat (who really is hungry during labor? …this girl!). They ordered me food for after the baby was here.

At 2:11 p.m. on March 3rd Bentley Ryan Marks was born! Jeremy got to clean the baby off and cut the umbilical cord (which took him two tries due to his “fisher prices scissors”). Jeremy and I were both overcome with emotions. It was really the best moment of my life. We got to keep the baby in the room with us for about 2 hours after delivery. He was very fussy at first and the only thing that could calm him down was the sound of Jeremy’s voice. It was truly a miracle. Both Jeremy’s parents and my parents were able to visit with him during this time. They then took us to our room and the baby to the nursery to get checked out. Jeremy spent his time running from the nursery (which happened to be directly outside of my room) and my room. He was so excited to tell me everything they were doing with the baby in the nursery. Finally, we were able to have him back in our room, to spend time with him. Jeremy and I were both speechless and beaming with pride!

The very first night we had several visitors, and at midnight they nurses needed to run some more test on Bentley. They nursery kept him until 3:30 in the morning when he got hungry. Jeremy and I were able to get a couple hours of sleep, which was necessary since we had been up since 4 in the morning. (The nurses in the nursery made it very clear that they wanted to take care of the baby while we got some rest, that is what they get paid for. I would highly suggest using them when having a baby as it gives the mothers body time to heal). The next day we spent all day loving on the baby and just in absolute awe over how amazing he is.

Everyone says that all babies are cute…and I believe that is true, however, I must admit Bentley is exceptionally cute (okay, I may be a little bias here). He has dark brown hair, which both Jeremy and I had blonde hair when we were younger. He has good skin color and weighed a whopping 8 pounds 9 ½ oz. He was a big boy! He passed all of his test that they do in the nursery with flying colors. The nurses even said they took all the other babies back to their parents before they would bring Bentley to us because he was not fussy and was such a good baby. We are so blessed to have a healthy baby boy!!

I got released with a good bill of health as well. They doctor actually encouraged us to have more babies because she liked having people who had easy labor, delivery, and recovery. I am very blessed to be so healthy.

We came home on Saturday and ever since have had a rotating door of visitors (which is okay by us…we will proudly show him off any chance we get). The first couple nights at home were very difficult. Some nights I only got one to two hours of sleep. We couldn’t get Bentley to sleep anywhere but our arms. It is now Wednesday and we have learned that swaddling him is the best thing ever (he immediately goes to sleep). Bentley has his awake periods after eating, we spend this time enjoying his many faces and teaching him how to hold his head up, stretch his arms, and even enjoy some tummy time. We are constantly in amazement and our hearts warmed as we see him already growing and learning new things.

The dogs have done wonderful with the baby. They are more excited and interested in all the visitors we have been getting. They enjoy cuddling up next to us as we hold and enjoy the baby.

Okay, now I am going to get a little sappy. I am the luckiest girl alive! Not only do I have an AMAZING husband, I now have and AMAZING little son. Jeremy was amazing during the whole experience. He was there holding my hand and encouraging me. The moment our baby was born and I looked him in his teary eyes I could see the love he had for our son and for me. He is an amazing father. He has had to do so much for the baby since I was healing myself. He changed every diaper in the hospital. Jeremy loves to spend time holding our son (I am tearing up as I look over at him on the couch holding our son with the biggest smile on his face). I occasionally catch him sitting on the couch, tears in his eyes as he gazes around the room at our family. I too tear up as I realize that we have created a family of our own. I am so blessed to have Jeremy as my husband, a cute son who is in perfect health, and dogs that love to snuggle. I am having mixed emotions as the time passes because I don’t want to waste one moment with my family, yet I am so excited to see what the future brings!

Wow, what an amazing, and life changing experience!!! I will leave you with my favorite picture from the hospital. Our love has grown along with our family…..

1 comment:

  1. That was beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Congratulations to you all. Dark hair runs in the Gallagher line. Hope you're all doing well but we need more pictures.

    Aunt Sheila

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