Baby Harvey Part 2 (video & story)

Harvey is WAY too quickly approaching his 8th week of life! It's so amazing to me to think that even as little as a year ago we had no idea this incredible blessing would be joining our family. It was definitely a whirl wind of a year!! Finishing the remodel, Scarlet starting her terrible-ly wonderful 2's! Brandon traveling as much as he did, and turning 30! We had so many wonderful high's and, as expected, a few lows. Most for me were pregnancy related, I REALLY don't like being pregnant. But really though, no matter how you spin it, being so sick, sore, and bloated is just not all that fun! Throw in a crazy 2 year old, and it's just recipe for a LONG 9 months. Luckily, we made it through, and this gorgeous perfect little boy has more then made up for it. :)

I've been meaning to write out his birth story while it was still some what fresh on my mind! It was quite the different experience from Scarlet, and I want to have a place to always remember it! For those of you who'd like to skip the gory details, I thought I'd go ahead and share the video now! :)


 **Harvey's Birth Story**
At 38 weeks weeks the doctor did an ultra sound that was showing Harvey was measuring 8 &1/2 pounds! Which really can be off either way up to 1/2 pound and sometimes even a full pound. But that meant the least he would weigh was 7 1/2 pounds, and at 38 weeks that meant he was already a good sized baby. The doc was pretty partial on me inducing because Scarlet was so big, and I had a little bit of a complicated delivery with her, and he was really worried I would have the same tearing issues I had with her. So, that week Brandon and I deliberated. I was really wanting him to come when he was ready! And though it wouldn't prove to be any sort of issue later, I wanted to make sure that he was really big enough. Haha! At that appointment we also found out I was already dilated past a 3! And 70% effaced.
Well, as the week went on Brandon found out he was going to have to leave the country at the end of May, and Monday the 5th, Scarlet and I went for a walk that caused this little guy to shift into the MOST unbelievably painful position! I almost went to the hospital thinking he was coming right then, it. was. awful. And the doctor said that pain would probably come and go as he moved around until that little guy came! So going into my appointment on Wednesday the 7th I was more open minded to the idea of inducing. Even though I still wasn't very excited about it.
At my 39 week appointment I found out I was dilated to a 4! And 80% effaced! He was definitely making his way, and even though I wasn't in active labor, he could come any minute! Since I had Group Strep B, I needed 4 hours of antibiotics before he came to insure he would be safe from catching it! That is really what tipped the scale for me. We had so many little reasons why it would be nice to get him here earlier, but in order to really ensure a safe and happy delivery, it was smart to get the meds. So we set up a time for the following day.
Even though my doctor was going to be leaving out of town on Friday, and I definitely wanted him delivering this little guy, when I woke up Thursday morning (the 8th) I was dragging my feet like CRAZY!! It was nice to be able to pack a nice over night bag for the hospital, and for Scarlet! And we were able to go drop her off and really say our goodbyes without rushing or worry streaked across our faces. AND we were able to sit down with her for a little bit before we even left the house and talk about how baby brother was coming, and she was going to get to meet him soon. So.. that was really a neat experience and nice that we were able to have that planned time together before he came.
When we finally left for the hospital it was just past noon. After we got all checked in and set up in our room we started on the antibiotics and that was just after one. Around 3:30 they checked me and I was dilated to a 5, and they thought with 2 and 1/2 hours of antibiotics in me they'd go ahead and start the pitocin. The doctor didn't want to break my water until the full dose of medicine was in, and for some reason I was really starting to get pretty anxious anyway, so I was good to wait a bit. Around 4:30 they checked me again, and I was at a 6+. The contractions still really weren't a big deal to me at all, and I was feeling pretty comfortable. The doctor came in and said around 5 or 5:30 he'd be ready to break my water. As soon as that happened my labor pains would really start, and since I was progressed so far they would be pretty bad, so if I wanted an epidural it wouldn't be a bad time to get that done.
I had been on the fence my whole pregnancy about the idea of going drug-free. I'd read up on it a ton, practice some of the techniques, talked to friends with success stories. I realized in the hospital though, that I really didn't have much of a drive to actually go drug-free because Scarlet's delivery had been so wonderful! The post.. another story, but for pushing a human out of your body, the delivery was amazing! Brandon and I slept 8 hours in the hospital, before I had to push for 3, I had a 4th degree tear, and I didn't have to endure any terrible labor or tearing pain! I did however completely feel and experience he whole pushing process, I don't know, maybe not as much as if I weren't numb, but then on the other hand, maybe more, because I wasn't in such blinding, distracting pain with the contractions? I also felt the excruciating pain of a second doctor pushing Scarlet out (he starting at my rib cage and pushing down), and I felt the amazing joy of her coming into the world. It, to me, was absolutely perfect! So I really don't think I had that true desire to go drug-free that would help me get through the really painful parts, and so at the hospital I realized that I didn't care about how he got here, just that he got here safe and soundly with everyone happy and healthy! So, again, since that was accomplished with Scarlet, I decided to opt for the epidural again.
The anesthesiologist came in and was SO wonderful! Such a nice guy that was joking back and forth with Brandon, which I LOVED because our last guy with Scarlet had the world's worst bedside manner. Sadly, I soon learned that a good bedside manner and a good epidural don't always go hand-in-hand. :|
The doctor was in the room ready to break my water as soon as the epidural was done, and for some reason, I was just SO overcome with emotion. It didn't hurt even a little bit to have my water broken, but I just started ugly sobbing as soon as it was. It might've had something to do with the fact that all of that is kinda scary the epidural and breaking water business, or that I had gone over 12 hours without eating anything and I was starving!! But I think the biggest reason was the fact that there was no turning back! I was completely attached to the bed now, and whether the baby, or I, or Brandon, or Scarlet were really ready.. that little boy was coming out! It was quite the overwhelming feeling to say the least.
Dr. Barney was right, the contractions where craaazy strong as soon as he broke my water. And after 30 good minutes of who knows how many unbelievably awful contractions, it was quite apparent that my epidural didn't take right. I quickly realized I could completely move one leg, but not the other! So the anesthesiologist came back in and adjusted everything and flushed in some more medicine so that the epidural could kick in quickly, and I could get comfortable and ready for this baby to come.
After 10 minutes he came back to check on me, and the right side of my body was still completely un-numb, so he decided to start over and get the epidural in a better spot. Okay.. can I just tell you.. that was just the scariest thing to me ever!! I was so close to just throwing in the towel on the whole deal, and trying again tomorrow! Or.. revisiting the whole going drug-free thing. He was pretty quick in placing the new epidural, and even though it was still just as scary, it was in and ready to be tested again. This time when he flushed my body with the meds, I completely passed out!
Brandon said I was out a good 20 minutes. The anesthesiologist and nurse were going back and forth injecting me with different things and watching my vitals. After about 20 minutes I could hear things, but I wasn't able to really respond, but since I was coherent they decided to get the doctor in and get this baby here as soon as possible. I guess his heartbeat wasn't quite where they wanted it to be, so they just wanted him here.
After about 10-15 minutes of pushing, which felt like FOREVER, I was able to really start responding, and I wish I could say nothing but positivity and optimism was poring out of me, but that really wasn't the case. I was terrified. And the epidural still hadn't really worked, so I felt all the contractions, and pushing was so hard and draining, and I don't know if it was because I hadn't eaten all day, or if it was because of the bloodpressure/fainting incident, but my acid reflex was. awful. I was really really struggling to even breath, because of the burning, and my body kept trying to get all the acid out of me in-between contracts. I was a super huge mess, and I felt it, for sure. So for thankfully, only another 15 minutes or so until he was FINALLY here, I was just struggling. I just wanted it to be over, and to give up, and I made it perfectly clear to Brandon over and over again, that I just "couldn't do this." It was seriously the hardest thing I have ever done.
Luckily, unlike Scarlet though, it WAS only a 30 minute pushing time, instead of 3 hours! And thankfully, he DID, in fact, finally come!
I remember while I was pushing, the doctor was excitedly telling Brandon that his head was coming, and I remember Brandon and the nurses anxiously waiting for his head to finally come out, and when it did, everyone went "WHOA!!" My doctor was like, "WOW! That's a big baby!" Haha!! And I swear one of the nurses even took a step back! After another quick push Harvey was out, and my amazing little boy, who had just gone through so much to get here, was finally in my arms. I did not want to give him up, but I could really tell that the nurses were really excited to get his stats, since he was such a big baby, so I reluctantly handed him over. :)
He was a whopping 10 pounds, and his head measured 39 centimeters! I guess that's the biggest a bunch of the nurses had ever seen. He only measured 20.5 inches there, but I kinda wonder if they added some to his head, and took away some from his body, because at his first appointment his head only measured 37centimeters, and his body was 22.5 inches.. so... who knows, to me, he was absolutely perfect!
I was super anxious for Scarlet to meet him, but it was 9:40pm when he was finally born, and well past 11 when we were finally up to recovery, so she was fast asleep by then, and I was SO drained and exhausted, I figured it was probably better to get a good nights sleep in if we could.
Even though the epidural did a good job making my legs numb, especially the left one, well before we left delivery I was able to walk to the bathroom and move around. So by the time we got up to recovery I was feeling almost 100% numb-free! It was great! I was also already feeling the difference between having a 2nd degree tear vs. a 4th degree. I was able to quickly tell that this recovery was going to be a WHOLE lot easier then Scarlet's recovery. I was easily able to maneuver around and hold my favorite little boy. I was sad that Scarlet didn't get to meet him right away, but it was an absolutely perfect, quite night just the three of us. I can not even explain how amazing of a difference those 2 quick hours made. I went from feeling just so awful and, I don't know how else to describe it other then just all consuming dread. I just felt terrible. To amazing, unexplainable happiness and peace. It kinda makes me feel like a wacko just trying to explain it, let alone realizing, that that's really how I felt that night. But, it just is so amazing to me, Heavenly Father's plan. What an amazing amazing plan. I wasn't able to shake that indescribable feeling of peace and happiness over the next few days. And it just really strengthened my testimony in the power of patience and understanding. I was SUPER struggling, and I am so glad that I didn't have a choice to give up, because if I did, I really probably would've. But what an AMAZING gift and example of what enduring to the end will get you. I just can not even express how much gratitude and humility I have to my Father in Heaven for blessing these two amazingly perfect, wonderful children to me.
Well, the next day was full of wonderful visitors and again, just SO much happiness. Scarlet was so happy to finally meet her little brother. We were a little nervous. But she just loved him! We didn't have anything to be nervous about! We decided to have her come in the room and sit with me, and then Brandon brought him in to meet her. As soon as she saw him she looked at me and back to Brandon and said "baby brother isn't in mommy's tummy anymore!" she was just so amazed. Harvey was a little fussy and it made Scar super nervous so she was more then excited to get down and run to her grandparents anxiously waiting in the hall to tell them all about him. It was the sweetest thing. And everyday we are so shocked with how much love and patience she has for him. We are just so so blessed.