Happy Birthday, Bentley!!

What we've all been waiting for...I'll start from the beginning.

On Monday morning, 4/11, I started having some cramping around 9:00 am.  After a call to the doctor, we got an appointment for 1:30 pm, so Cyndel and I carried on with our plans to go do some shopping for Easter decorations.  Throughout the day, my cramping/contractions continued.  Daniel, Cyndel, Coen, and I ate lunch together, finished our shopping, and then Daniel and I were off to the doctor.  I debated on whether to take our suitcase or not, and decided against it, for I feared it would jinx us and we'd have to come home.  (Good thinking!)  Well, Daniel and I made it to the doctor, where I found that I had gained one more pound (up to 12 pounds for the total pregnancy), and I was dilated to at least 4 cm and 70-80% effaced.  The doctor decided to send us over to the hospital to be monitored and see if I progressed any.  So, we walked over to the hospital where our journey really began. 

Once at the hospital, they put me on the monitors and found I was having consistent contractions, and Bentley was doing wonderully.  I wasn't in any pain at this point.  My contractions just felt like cramping, so I was "good to go."  Daniel and I were determined that we weren't going home without a baby, so we then spent about 2 hours walking the halls of the hospital to try and get things moving.  At about 5:15, the nurse checked me and determined I was dilated to somewhere between 5 and 6 cm, and I was still in no real pain.  So, the doctor declared it "Baby Day!"  We were thrilled.  At about 5:30 the doctor came over to check me again and break my water.  (Boy...that was a strange feeling.)  She also started me on pitocin to get labor moving.  The very next contraction after she broke my water, I knew what labor pain was.  As a matter of fact, here's a couple of pictures of me during this time.  The doctor was funny.  I said, "Can we wait a second to take this?  I'm having a contraction."  Her response was, "Oh, just smile through it. (ha ha)."  So, I did!

Dr. Kakani and Me...smiling through a contraction.

Here we are...We LOVE our doctor!!

Here's the last shot of my belly before Bentley made his appearance.

I had lots of pain in my lower belly and in my back.  (Remember...I missed all my childbirth classes due to bedrest, so I was recalling A Baby Story episodes to help get me through the contractions.)  Daniel did really good during all this.  He sat by me and held my hand (as I squeezed his with all I had).  My family was there as well.  My parents, Daniel's parents, and Russ and Cyndel were all there during this portion of labor.  There came a time when the contractions were stronger and I wasn't getting much of a break in between them.  I asked everyone in the room to be quiet so I could focus on what I was doing.  The doctor had mentioned that the rule of thumb for rate of dilation was about a 1 cm/hour.  So, here's where my "birthplan" came into play. 

I have always said that I would like to have a natural birth, but I am not totally opposed to an epidural.  I have never had any surgeries or major injuries, so I had nothing to compare the pain to.  I really felt like I could handle the pain and contractions if I knew the time frame.  When Dr. Kakani mentioned 1 cm/hour, and I had just been checked an hour ago at 6 cm, I was thinking, "Holy Cow!!  This is crazy!"  Well, the nurse asked what I wanted to do, and Daniel reassured me that I could have the epidural if I wanted it, but I decided to wait until 7:30 when they planned to check me again.  I told her I would let her know after I was checked so I could gage how much time we had left.  Well, out of nowhere, the contractions became REALLY intense, and I couldn't get enough of a break in between then, so at about 7:05, I told the nurse I wanted the epidural.  I told Daniel that I didn't think I could handle pain that intense for 3 more hours.  So, the nurse asked my family to leave, and she told me to sit up on the side of the bed.  The anesthesiologist would be there in a few minutes.  (In my mind, a few minutes meant at least 3 contractions...I couldn't hardly bear it at this point.)

Daniel took a quick bathroom break between contractions, and as soon as he got back I had a big one.  All of a sudden, I felt pressure.  I told the nurse, and she decided to check me.  (This was at about 7:10 or 7:15.)  I was dilated to 10 cm and complete...READY FOR BABY!!  You can only imagine what must have been going through my head at this point.  I knew this meant no epidural, and it scared me to death.  Ultimately it's what I wanted, but it all happened so fast that I couldn't process everything fast enough.  Now...for the scary part!  My doctor wasn't there!  We had to wait through at least 3 contractions for her to arrive.  This meant NO pushing.  For those of you that have been in labor, you must remember what it feels like when you need to push, and for someone to say you can't...it was torture.  Dr. Kakani arrived shortly, and IT WAS TIME!  After only two contractions, after the greatest fear I've ever experienced, and after perfect coaching from my wonderful husband...Bentley was here at 7:34 pm!!  He was perfect.  All the fear I felt and all the pain I felt melted away at the sight of my baby boy.  That was the most surreal moment of my life.  I went from pregnant and waiting on my sweet baby to holding, touching, seeing, and LOVING my baby in my arms.  Daniel and I looked at each other in amazement, and tears of joy were inevitable.  Here's some of the first pictures of Baby Bentley after he made his appearance at 36 1/2 weeks.

Here he is...posing!  18 1/2 inches long and 6 lbs. 1 oz.
Although he was 3 1/2 weeks early, Bentley is perfectly healthy.
He scored 9 out of 10 on the Apgar.

Check out those lips...just like his 4D ultrasound.

Here we are...Happy Family!!

Happy Daddy...SOOOO Proud!  He was soooo good during labor.  I never dreamed he would be as wonderful as he was.

Dr. Kakani and Me with Bentley...after all our hard work to get him here safely.

One of my first times holding Bentley...WOW, what a feeling!

I was so happy and still in shock that he was here...I kept saying, "I can't believe he's here!"

Well, the quick labor was a blessing, and I am so happy that it all went the way it did.  God had a way of making the birth of my baby exactly what I wanted.  I still feel an amazing sense of accomplishment.  Making a baby must be better than making anything else in the world.

After Bentley was born, the nurse called my family back into the room.  Let me remind you, they thought I was getting an epidural while they were gone.  Considering they waited about an hour rather than the 20 minutes they were told, they thought something was up.  Perhaps I was having complications with the epidural.  Perhaps I had decided not to have it at all.  Whatever they were thinking...I don't  think they expected to see a baby in my arms when they walked in the room.  Of course everyone was surprised, excited, and extremely happy. 

They quickly moved us to a postpartum room and sent Bentley to the nursery for a check-up.  Daniel was lucky enough to get to help give Bentley his first bath.  He loved it and did a wonderful job.  Here's a couple of pictures.

Here's Daddy waiting to give Bentley his first bath.

Looking at his Sweet Baby Boy.

Rub-a-dub-dub!!

Daddy is getting Bentley all cleaned up for the next time he meets Mommy.

All done!! 

Finally, we got Bentley back in the room at about 11:30 that night.  I still can't believe he's here, but I can't imagine my life without Bentley.  I'll post again soon with more pictures.  We've got some great ones, but it's 10: 55, and I'm ready for bed.  Both my boys are down and it's my turn to sleep for a couple of hours.

Thanks for all your prayers...They worked!  We have a beautiful baby that is so perfect and healthy.  We couldn't ask for anything else.