Introducing.....

Bennett Daniel Boettcher

Birthday: August 14^th, 2013 at 7:58 PM

Weight: 7 lbs 8 oz.

Length: 19 inches

 

39 Weeks/Days leading up to Bennett’s arrival

Like I said in my blog post last week, I would do a chalkboard for 40 weeks IF and WHEN I made it to 40 weeks, luckily, that didn’t happen! Bennett was born at 39 weeks and 5 days, exactly 2 days shy of his due date of August 16^th. The last few days before Bennett was born were exciting and exhausting. I was excited to know at any time he could make his arrival, but the ever constant worry of WHEN labor would start was exhausting. I was listening to everything my body was telling me, and I had restless nights just waiting for that next “pain” to be to start of labor. You don’t realize how in tune with your body until you are waiting for something as big as labor to start at any moment. On the Saturday before he was born my sister came for a visit and we hit up PF Chang’s for dinner, hoping some spicy food would bring on labor. Well Saturday night came and went and nothing. Sunday night, Josh and I went on a mile and half walk and then Monday night we went on another mile-ish walk. I was adamant about capturing some pictures in the days leading up to his birth so I could see and remember exactly how I looked shortly before he was born. Josh was getting tired of documenting EVERYTHING we did, especially considering we aren’t really picture people anyways.

 

 

 

Bennett’s Birth Story

 

 

 

 

Tuesday August 13^th, Josh had a softball game and I planned to have dinner with my friends, Jake and Miranda. Shortly before I left work, I started to feel crampy, but nothing too unusual. While at dinner with Jake and Miranda, I mentioned I might be feeling contractions, but I really had no idea what to expect so I just brushed them off and went on with my night. Once both Josh and I returned home around 8 pm we started timing contractions and still they were not too painful (just crampy) but they were exactly 10 minutes apart for over an hour. Josh thought I was kidding every time we realized it was another exact 10 minutes from the last. Around 9:30 I decided to go to bed, I assumed if these were REAL contractions, they were going to keep me awake or wake me up at some point during the night and be more painful. I was able to fall asleep, and stay asleep most of the night until around 4:30. At that point I woke up to use the restroom and after laying back down I realized the contractions were still going and at that point I couldn’t sleep anymore. I went downstairs to watch tv and start timing them on my own. Again, they were not too painful at this point, but definitely consistent. They were timing around 9-10 minutes apart at this point. I also decided around this time that I probably wouldn’t be going into work that day and I just wanted to relax and try to rest if this was really going to happen soon. At 8 AM I called my clinic to see if we could get in early for our appointment (we previously had a 3:30 PM weekly visit scheduled). I really did not want to wait around all day to see if I was actually contracting, or dilating. They were able to squeeze us into the clinic at 9:45 AM. Josh and I got ready, (I joke that Josh was nesting before his arrival, because he went downstairs and vacuumed before we left!) Around 9 AM is when the pain started getting more serious, and contractions were still timing around 7-10 minutes apart. My biggest fear was to go to the Dr. Office and not have made any progress and for the Dr. to tell me it’s just Braxton Hicks contractions. Once we got into the office, the Dr. checked me and I kid you not, his exact words were: “ohhhh yeah, you are brewing!” I started crying on the spot, just so excited to hear that the pain I was feeling wasn’t fake or Braxton Hicks. He said I was about 4 cm dilated and 80% effaced. At this point we made the decision to head back home and see if the contractions started timing closer together. Throughout the entire pregnancy I had always been told, don’t go into the hospital until contractions are 5 minutes apart or your water breaks, they may just send you back home. Josh and I headed back home to relax and wait……

I had always wanted to try to stay home as long as possible, since I heard the hospitals are not that comfortable, you can’t eat anything once you get there, and it’s just more pleasant to be at home on your own couch. We timed contractions from 10 AM until 3:30 PM. ALL DAY my contractions were 7-10 minutes apart. I thought they were never going to get to 5 minutes apart. I finally texted my sister in law, who is a labor and delivery nurse, to ask if I REALLY had to wait until that point to go into the hospital. I was getting impatient and just wanted to know if we were progressing at all. The pain still wasn’t super unbearable…..but it was definitely getting more intense. After she came over and talked to me she said I could try it out and if they send me home, they send me home. Shortly after she left (around 3:30) we packed our bags, got in the car and drove downtown to the hospital. The contractions were definitely getting more painful at that point and it was tough to breathe through them, but I still was able to compose myself pretty well and laugh in between them. The nurses took us to a triage room to get checked and at that point they told me I was just about 7 cm dilated! I again just broke down and started crying, thank goodness I was making progress! This pain I was feeling wasn’t for nothing. There was a brief BRIEF moment when she told me I was 7 cm dilated that I thought, maybe I could finish this out without an epidural…..The pain throughout the day and up until this point hadn’t been unbearable, definitely uncomfortable, but the fact that they were only 1 minute at a time every 7-10 minutes made it easier. Knowing I could get through 1 minute was my saving grace. Around 5 PM when we got into our labor/delivery room, I told the nurse I definitely wanted the epidural. She said they had been very busy that day and the anesthesiologist was just jumping into surgery, they were going to call one from another floor. I thought for a while that this might not actually happen, I might not get the epidural in time. Just when we thought he wasn’t going to make it, the Anesthesiologist popped in and told me he had 10 minutes, literally. My mom showed up around 6 PM and that is when the drugs started working, they definitely helped me relax, I could still FEEL the tightening but the pain was gone and that made everything much better. At 7 PM Josh turned on Big Brother, thinking we would have a few hours until I started to push so we could watch some tv and relax. He also popped down to the cafeteria to get some food quick before they closed. Around 7:20, our Dr. came in and checked me and just like nothing, nonchalantly said….”ok she’s ready to start pushing.” I honestly couldn’t believe my ears…..I thought this was going to take hours upon hours in the hospital….this had literally taken 2-3 hours from the time we got to the hospital, they also told me I could be pushing for a couple of hours. I thought Bennett would for sure be born around 11 or 12 that night. I remember saying “I think Josh is eating, could someone go find my husband??” Once Josh got back to the room, we started pushing, and 20 minutes later, our beautiful baby boy was in my armsJ

I cannot describe how happy and lucky we are to have him. I honestly couldn’t believe I was able to labor for so long at home without actually realizing we were IN labor. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to be able to make it 7 cm’s without any pain meds, and what’s more I never would have guessed I would have progressed so quickly and pushed so quickly before he arrived. I was so blessed to have an easy labor and apparently a much higher pain tolerance than I give myself credit for. To be completely honest, the recovery week has been much worse than the actual labor itself (granted I had the epidural, but only for 2 hours) I know that after the Dr. broke my water, my contractions got more intense, but I am so proud that I was able to endure the pain up until 7 cm on my own, at home with Josh by my side.

The first week home has been so exciting, definitely a learning process. I will blog more about it once I have more time. I am hoping to continue my blog so we can remember all the little moments as Bennett grows.

It definitely is not easy to find time to do this latelyJ This little man sleeps a lot but every time I tried to sit down to write this….it seemed like he woke up, was hungry, needed a diaper change, the computer wasn’t working, the internet was out, etc. God just wanted me to spend some much needed time with our little man before jumping back into everyday life.

We are looking forward to his 1 week check up tomorrow at 1:45 PM. But now, I have a little man I need to bathe and he is starting to stir out of his baby sleep again!

38 Week Update

 

 

 

 

I have been wanting to put together a collage of my chalkboard pictures!! I love looking at the progression. I apologize for not having a chalkboard picture for week 38 (and most likely week 39). To be honest, they are REALLY hard to do anymore. I have to lay down on my side, or tummy, and write on it, which has gotten much harder the larger I get........I promise IF and WHEN I make it to 40 weeks, I will do one last one......but until then, you get the selfie below:)

 

 

 

How Far Along? 38 weeks-actually 39 weeks tomorrow Friday!

Total weight gain/loss: +41 lbs

Maternity clothes? Bought a couple of NON MATERNITY items today at Old Navy!!! It was exciting to know that in a few weeks I can actually go back to wearing non maternity items:) I know, it will take some time to take off the weight, but the things I bought were comfy/baggy items that I should be able to wear again sooner rather than later, it seems unreal to me!!!

Stretch marks? Still clear!

Sleep: Getting up to use the restroom much more often this week-2-3 times a night at least, every 2-3 hours. Must be because baby is lower and pushing down into my bladder more, which is fine with me!
 
Best moment this week: Our ultrasound at our dr. appointment on Wednesday. We found out Bennett is approx. 7 lbs 10 oz. and he has lots of hair on his head:) We cannot wait to see all that beautiful dark hair!!

Miss Anything? I know I complain about actually being pregnant, but I really will miss PARTS of being pregnant. Right now, I am the only person who understands how my baby moves, and I will miss having that one and only bond with him. But I am so ready to share him too!

Movement: He is moving down, which is great news. Dr. said he is situated low in my pelvis and the pain I am feeling in my hips and the pressure I feel are both good signs.

Food cravings: Fruit, cereal, ice cream-the usuals

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing at all

Have you started to show yet: Yep

Gender prediction:  Boy

Belly Button in or out? Flat

Wedding rings on or off? On and off still depending on the swelling

Happy or Moody most of the time: Very happy, but very uncomfortable at the same time. I am SO ready to be done being pregnant. I cannot wait to meet him, see what he looks like, watch Josh hold him for the first time, wake up with him in the middle of the night, rock him, take him for walks, everything!!! I was a little sad after our dr. appointment this week-for some reason I thought I would walk in and he would say, yep let's go have a baby today! But I know he will come when he is ready, and god has a plan for him and he will come when he is healthy and ready.

Looking forward to: Getting this next week over with:) Our dr. thinks we will be back at our appointment on Wednesday the 14th so it doesn't sound like we will be having a baby in the next 5-7 days, but you never know!

Labor Signs? Tightening all over, pushing down (down there.....), hip pain (dr. said from the pushing down, he is widening them) I am currently 1.5ish cm dialated (he said he would be generous and just give me 2....thanks doc) and 80% effaced. So we are making progress!

Anything Else???? I am trying to document everything we do in these last couple of weeks. I want to be able to look back on pictures and know that that was the biggest and last picture of me taken! We went to the farmers market on Saturday to attempt to walk him out, I have taken a few other walks throughout the week also. Picture below is of Josh and I at the farmers market. This weekend I am getting a final pre-natal massage (cannot wait!!!)