So at my last Dr. appointment I was dilated to a 3, and was like 80% effaced, which was more than I expecting! But when Dr. Huff asked if I wanted to schedule an induction, I, without hesitation said YES! We would go in Monday morning at 5 am, and have our baby! I know that there are differing opinions on being induced, but my induction with Isabel was AMAZING, and I had no problem doing it again with Cam.
Sunday night we spent at my parents, and we left Izzy with them since we would be leaving for the hospital so early the next day. I found it harder than I imagined it being to leave Izzy. I hugged her extra tight, knowing that in 24 hours her world would be completely different - hopefully a good different- but different nonetheless. I cried on the drive home, but knew that she would be okay with my family. Even though I was sad to leave Izzy and demote her from her Single Child status, I was much less anxious and nervous this time around. Before Izzy I was basically sick to my stomach, I barely slept the night before and I needed a blessing from Alex before heading to the hospital. But this time I slept great, and was pretty much just excited to meet my son! Alex woke at 3 am on March 6th, and called the hospital to make sure that there was indeed a room for us, and that we could head down once we were ready. The nurse said that there was a place for us, and so we got up, showered, packed up our last minute things, ate some breakfast, and headed out.
We did all the boring paperwork, and were admitted into our room. Coincidentally it was the exact same room where I delivered Izzy. I took this to be a very good sign! If my labor and delivery could be anything like it was with Iz, then today was going to be a breeze.
The one thing I'm always the most nervous for is meeting my nurses. I just hope to get someone who will bond with me, have my best interest at heart, and advocate for me! Stephanie was amazing, but sadly would only be my nurse for a few hours before her shift ended. But she got my hooked into my IV's, answered all my questions and was just extremely kind. She checked me and I was still at a 3, but was more effaced and she started me on pitocin to help speed things along. Dr. Huff came in around 6:30 and broke my water and said that he would see me soon, and luckily was just down the hall performing surgeries all day to he would be close when the time came to push.
My mother in law showed up around 7:30 and we just chatted and helped the time pass. This time I spoke up for myself a little more, and asked to be able to get up and labor out of bed. It's really not fun to have contractions while not feeling like you can move around or get into a comfortable position. But I was able to walk around and sit on a birthing ball and this helped me for a while. But by about 9:30 I was ready for my epidural. The anesthesiologist was amazing and we got me all hooked up easy peasy. My thoughts on getting an epidural are - if you know you want one, get one ASAP. I don't need to be in pain any longer than necessary. Modern medicine is amazing and here to help, so I am going to take full advantage. I don't need to be a hero, so the minute I start to feel uncomfortable from contractions, I get my epidural ordered! Yeah it's kinda lame to be stuck in bed at that point, but it't worth it to me to be pain free!
*To anyone afraid to get an epidural- it is by far the least painful part of labor in my opinion. Getting my IV put in hurts 1000 times worse*
I immediately started to feel relief, and Alex and I took naps! I woke up a few hours later, maybe around 11:30 and my mom and birth photographer Sally had joined the party. We talked and joked and played cards. MY new nurse Ashley came to check me and I was at a 7. Things were moving along just as quickly as they had with Iz. Dr. Huff came to check in on me and said that he'd be surprised if our little man wasn't here by 2pm!
We passed the time some more by watching some TV, and playing games and then I suddenly began to feel uncomfortable. Even with the epidural I could tell that something was happening, and that my body was getting ready to push. I called in Ashley again, and she lifted my blanket to check me and almost immediately ran back out of the room yelling for Dr. Huff. In an instant my room was filled with nurses and carts and they were warming baby's bed and transforming my bed and I was ready to push! Dr. Huff walked in, slipping his gloves on and had Alex and my mom help hold my legs while I pushed. I had 3 good pushes, no tearing and a tiny episiotomy and Campbell Alan McHardy was born at 1:13pm. Super fast and easy just like his sister, but even better since I had no tearing!
He was so beautiful and I was so filled with love as they placed him on my chest for immediate skin to skin - my favorite! They waiting to do most of his tests, and let us have some time together. Once they went to do his stats I was surprised to find that he was 8 pounds and 10 oz and 21 inches long! Such a big boy! So much bigger than his sister! But he was so healthy and just so content to be held and snuggled.
I could not wait for Izzy to get to the hospital! I knew she would love him so much, and I wasn't wrong! She kept saying "you're so handsome buddy!' over and over. She was a little scared of me, which makes sense since I was all hooked up to IV's and monitors and such, so she didn't really want to sit with me, but I was just happy to have her close. She sat with my mom as she held Cam, and without any prompting from anyone else, started to sing him lullabies and it was just the most magical moment about becoming a mom of two. She sang "Hush little baby don't day a work, Izzy's gonna buy you a mockingbird..." and it was so precious. We were lucky to have lots of loved ones come and visit! My sister was here almost immediately, and my father in law came running in with Jimmy Johns and french fries from Five Guys! My dad came as fast as he could, and it was nice to have everyone there!
I felt a lot more like myself after having Cam, not nearly as emotional, and I just felt more present as everything was happening. I was able to focus on all the little details and soak up all the moments with my new family of 4!
I'm so beyond grateful for my Dr. and the Nurses at Banner Baywood. I'm so glad my mom and mother in law could be there, as well as our amazing photographer Sally. (see more of her work and prices here!) I so wish I could go back and have those raw, candid photos from Izzy's birth. I will seriously cherish Cam's birth photos forever. I'm grateful for my loving, incredible, patient, hardworking husband. He is the best dad, and I feel inadequate to be his partner, but grateful that he chose me, and continues to choose me to be his wife, companion and mother to his children. I have no words to describe my love for my daughter, I don't know how we got so lucky to have such a kind, sweet, smart, talented young lady to raise and love, but I'm grateful she is ours. And I am thrilled that Cam chose our family, and I hope to love him and raise him to be kind and gentle and to love his family and God and be a service to all those around him.
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