Benjamin Robert Welker

So a short time after my last post, little Benjamin decided he was ready to join our family officially.

*****Read on if you would like some details (please stop reading or skip ahead 3 paragraphs if you're not up for too much information)...this is more for my records than for sharing with the world.****

Wednesday September 26th I went to the doctor for our 38 week check up. Everything was looking good and measuring healthy. The following weekend would be Audrey and Casey's wedding ... we were all SO EXCITED :) Grandma Sue told us how she went into labor with Kurt during her sister's wedding once upon a time. Funny story and food for thought. We decided we'd have the Doc check my progress to make sure the baby wouldn't make his appearance during this wedding. She checked and we were extremely surprised to find that I was already at a 6 and super thin. Labor had sort of started and I didn't feel any different. In fact I had just barely mentioned to the doctor two things (1) that I had been feeling really good the last few days...maybe a little beter than usual. and (2) that when I felt him move I felt like he was REALLY LOW. Well he was in fact really low... ready to make his debut low... but like I said before I felt good and wasnt in pain or even contracting too much. She let me go home but said she wouldn't be surprised to see me again very soon.

I went home and did laundry and cleaned the house and packed the hospital bag. I got to spend some great mommy daughter time with Abby. Then when Rob came home we went for a bike ride to store the bikes over in His parents' garage for the winter. At that point I was finally feeling tighter contractions but still not painful. We went to get frozen yogurt with my Titus family then home to relax. That night we had THE absolute WORST nights sleep EVER! It was this horrible cycle of taking FOREVER to get even remotely comfortable, waking up to pee and being paranoid that my water was going to break, going to the restroom, sitting up wide awake wondering what was going on, finally deciding to try to sleep again, hoisting myself back into bed, hearing rob and abby sleep talk(they were sleeping really uneasily also), and trying FOREVER to get comfortable again (and around and around and around went that cycle). Finally Thursday came. Rob was going into work early to make up for hours he would miss later for his sisters wedding. When he woke up at 5 to get ready i was already up too...what a coincidence...ha! We talked, I told him how I was feeling pretty uncomfortable but not bad enough to wanna wake people so early in the morning to get things going. We also didn't want Rob to get to work then have me go into labor by my self at home. We decided to make the call to my midwife to see what she suggested. She figured that it would be a good idea for us to go into the hospital considering how far along I was the day before without realizing it. We called Deena and she came right away to be with Abby at our house.

 I hardly remember the quick ride to the hospital except that I remember it was a little cold being 6am and I was shaking/shivering. We went up to labor and delivery where they were already ready for us (my doc had called ahead i guess), got changed into a gown, got checked ("guess what you're an 8 and we're keeping you here") They had a zillion questions and paperwork for us then they tried to put an IV in me for normal precautions. It took them 3 bad tries and finally one good one- AGH i hate needles...part of the reason I've labored both my babies without an epidural. They also brought me some warm blankets and said my shivering was because I was in transition...Anyway, Rob and I were still feeling good and pretty happy (it was now about 7am). He was cracking funny little comments and jokes to everyone. My mom was also able to come be with us which was nice :) thanks for the added support!Once we were all settled my doc said I wasn't contracting too much so we could just hang around the hospital room and wait it out, or they could put me on pitocin to move things along, or they could break my water for me to let things progress naturally. I felt WAY nervous for what we were about to go through but since there was no turning back I thought it would be good to jump forward. With Abby's labor I was given pitocin (because my water had broken on its own but i still wasn't contracting) and wanted to try Ben's labor without it. So there it was... no waiting and wasting time, no pitocin... the doc broke my water and things progressed very quickly on their own. I tried sitting on the exercise/birthing ball like I had with Abby but felt too much pressure so I stood up Rob massaged my back, my mom got a cold wash cloth for my face, and two very quick uncontrollable pushes later out came Ben. I was going to get back up on the bed but didn't have time. They handed him to me while I was still standing then I got up on the bed so they could clean things up. SO gross and SO wonderful at the same time...totally weird.

It was a crazy weekend and Rob was great to go back and forth between the wedding festivities and taking car of me and Ben at the hospital. Rob's family took care of Abby even amidst all the craziness. Thanks a million! Ben did great and was nursing well and all was good. Some decent food, some great nurses (a couple of awkward ones), a little bit of sleep, some family visitors, and a lot of missing our sweet Abby. Then it was time to go home.

Once we got home things got a bit crazy for a little while. Ben became jaundiced and stopped nursing. My milk supply suffered despite my desperate attempts keep it going. He was put on the bili blanket and that meant we were sort of under house arrest for a little bit unless we were going to the Doc. Abby did such an amazing job trying to help us with everything and be a good big sister. She even potty trained and has been doing great ever since... yay! Rob was able to take paid vacation/ paternity leave from work so he was my night in shining armor when I needed anything at all including a hug and shoulder to cry on. He was amazing and I am one lucky lady.

A short time later we were feeling more settled in, back to normal (sort of), and grateful for the exciting new chapter ahead of us. (Although the thought of having any more kids after this seemed totally ludicrous.. haha)