Henry's Birth Story

Henry’s Big Arrival

I have been trying to write down Henry’s birth story for four weeks now! Between house work, planning Nolan’s 2^nd Birthday and all the responsibilities of being a mommy and wife to three boys…I am finally sitting down and writing this beautiful story before Henry wakes to eat again!

Little Henry had me on my toes weeks before his due date – 8/30! Two to three weeks before his arrival I started having the Braxton Hicks contractions that would last for hours on end and range from 3 to 5 minutes apart. These little guy’s, don’t necessarily feel so little and got the best of me twice. Going in to the doctors office only to be told you are dilated 2 cm and 75% effaced. Go walk around and come back…when you can’t walk or talk through them.

On the 30^th, we woke up as a family of three. The contractions I had been experiencing all week were nowhere to be found. We strolled Nolan over to Paul’s parents, who live two blocks away for breakfast and to let Nolan play in his little pool. Our daily activities that Saturday consisted of getting Nolan’s haircut and our weekend Lowe's run.

We came home and I put Nolan down for his nap around 2. I had stopped napping weeks before, because there is always so much to do, but on this specific day, I decided to just lay down while Paul was working in the yard. Looking back, this was Gods way of telling me to rest up, because I was going to need it. I woke up around 5 with the same ole contractions that I had been experiencing for weeks.  We decided to have a big steak dinner with Nolan with all the fixings: bake potato, salad and broccoli. As Nolan and Paul worked grilling the steaks outside, I worked in the kitchen, noticing that my contractions were starting to get a little more intense each time. As we sat down at around the table at 7:30, the contractions were to the point where I had to hold my breath and anything my hands could grip. I told Paul, this might be the real deal. It wasn’t five minutes later I was telling him to call his mom to come and get Nolan that we needed to go to the hospital.

When Missy arrived and I was in so much pain that I couldn’t talk between contractions. We grabbed our hospital bag and last minute items, threw together Nolan’s overnight bag and out the door we blasted around 8:30pm. The one memory I have during this whirlwind was grabbing Nolan and hugging him tight and telling him how much I love him! I knew the next time I would hold him, he would become my big boy and I was a little sad in that moment.

When we got in the car, my contractions were 3-4 minutes a part lasting well over 45 seconds. Thank goodness, Paul found his inner Mario Andretti and we made it to the hospital in record time. When I walked into the lobby, I almost fainted. There was a line so long for folks waiting to check in and only one person working the desk. Thank goodness she must have spotted me there with my large and in charge baby bump and asked me if I was in labor and if I needed a wheelchair. I laughed and said yes! She moved me to the front of the line and even wheeled us up to labor and delivery floor. I had called the doctor on our way to tell them that we were coming in so they could pre-pare a room. We made it to our room; I got dressed in my lovely hospital gown and crawled into bed. 

My contractions were so painful, as Paul said they were off the charts...meaning the monitor. I would grab the hospital bed rails and hold my breath or do my deep breathing until they passed. Paul offered his hand, but I was honestly afraid that I would hurt him. I asked him to just sit next to me. When we checked in I was dilated 5 cm. After my blood work was approved they finally administered my epidural. For mothers out there who go all natural by choice, more power to you! That shit is not for me.  My doctor came back in once my epidural was complete and broke my water. Early on, she said she would wait until my epidural to break my water, so that my contractions wouldn’t get any worse…so to speak.

10:08 pm 

At this point I had an ache in my lower left back and could still feel my contractions. My nurse called the anesthesiologist to say I needed an extra dose. While we were waiting, my parents arrived and waited with us. They always show up right after my epidural. My nurse came in and I told her the pressure was building. She checked and sure enough I was at a 10. She said his head was right there and paged the doctor and respiratory team. She also told me not to push and that she would make sure the anesthesiologist came back before I had to push! She really was an angel. The anesthesiologist came back and administered a little more medicine! This time it took!

Holding Daddy's Hand for the First Time

I talked Paul into letting my mom stay and my dad left for the waiting room! After hearing his stories of the waiting room, I think he would have rather stayed in the room and pulled a curtain or waited in the bathroom J. His stories were hilarious! 

Finally in my arms at 12:30

We waited shortly for the doctors and nurses to arrive and get setup. Before the medical team arrived my nurse was kind enough to place “the mirror” close so I could see his head crowning. It is such an amazing site! I know some people will think that it’s weird, but watching your self bring another human into this world is the most magical miracle.

My doctor came in and the respiratory team was all go. Henry’s head was crowning and I was told to push! I started pushing around 11:45-50 with the hopes that Henry would be born on his due date. After six pushes he came into this world at 12:02 am. We all laughed and celebrated!

Henry was shortly placed in my arms and snuggled right down and fell asleep.

We are thrilled and so blessed to introduce our friends and family to Henry Thomas O’Donohue, born at 12:02 am on Sunday, August 31, 2014, weighing 7lbs, 15oz.