Before I give you the "story of Blaine" I'm going to back up a bit and share part of Ryan's and Colin's story as well. You'll also have to forgive the length of this post.
Ryan was born in 2006. We were at my regular check-up, two days past my due date, when my doctor suggested I be induced. She didn't want me running past the 41 week mark. At that time Tim and I didn't want an induction and we wanted to give Ryan as much time as possible to come on his own as the doctor would allow. So we agreed to schedule an induction but we wanted it for the end of the week, as to give Ryan a few more days to decide to come on his own. It all sounded good until they phoned L&D to find out that the only opening left that week was for the following morning. We took the slot. We were supposed to be at the hospital at 6 AM. About 3 AM (if I remember correctly) my water broke. I wasn't having any contractions yet so I called the hospital hoping to postpone the induction and let the rest come "naturally". But...that didn't work. Since my water broke they told me to come in anyway and I guess since I was already scheduled to be induced they started me on pitocin as well. A few hours later Ryan was born. So if you count from the time my water broke, it was an 8 hour labor. If you go from the time I got to the hospital and contractions started, 5 hour labor.
Jump forward to 2008 when Colin was born. I went to my normal 39 week check-up on Friday and the doctor assured me I wouldn't be pregnant past the weekend. This is what they'd been telling me for the last month, so I said 'see you next week' and headed home. I really had no expectations of having him prior to my due date. On Saturday we spent a majority of the day helping a friend, whose husband was in Iraq, move. I didn't do any heavy lifting that day, just a lot of up and down, and general movement. We went to bed about 9:30 that night and I woke up at 11:30 PM with strong contractions. 2 1/2 hours later, Colin was born. He ended up being 5 days early.
Although my quick labors aren't record breaking (which is completely fine with me!), they're still quick enough to make you a little nervous. I knew I had to be prepared with the third. I know they say all pregnancies/labors are different, but in general each labor is also known to be quicker than the last. ACK!!! If you cut my 2 1/2 hour labor in half, that meant there would be a good chance I could deliver in 1 hour 15 minutes! My number one prayer was that I would just make it to the hospital. I did not want to deliver in some odd place..or my bedroom.
Being "prepared" got a little complicated knowing Tim would be deployed. Although he was trying to get his R&R around the time of my due date, we just didn't know if Tim's R&R and the arrival of Blaine would coincide. So back in May I asked one of my friends, Sarah, to help me out and be there for Blaine's birth. Even if Tim was able to make it home in time he didn't want to be in the delivery room this time. (Which was completely fine with me.) I was very relieved when Tim told me he'd be home around October 17th. My biggest concern was still just making to the hospital in time. All of the friends I've made live one town over..about a 30 minute drive from my house. Having Tim home meant I wouldn't have to wait on someone to come get me to go to the hospital.
Tim made it home in time, and his R&R was going well. The one thing Tim planned while he was home was to make a two day trip to see his Mee-Maw a few hours away. I didn't mind him going at all, I was just a little nervous about the whole "getting to the hospital" thing if I happened to go into labor while he was gone. For a few days I felt kind-of skeptical/fearful of this trip, but I didn't want my fear to keep him from going, so I didn't say anything. Also, Sarah and I had come up with a back-up plan just in case I went into early labor, before Tim made it home on R&R, so we were prepared in that way. In my prayers I just started asking God to take away my fear and of course to post-pone labor till late Tuesday night at least.
Monday morning Tim woke up early to leave for Mee-Maw's. I had gotten up to close the garage behind him. After that, I went to the restroom and noticed some pre-labor signs. I knew that these signs didn't mean labor would come immediately. I knew that it was possible labor was still a few days away (my prayer of course!). I still called Tim right away. Tim was on his bike though and his phone was in his backpack so he wasn't able to hear it. So then I called Sarah. It was about 7:30 AM at this point. I wanted her opinion on whether or not I should tell Tim to turn around and come home or not, if he did call me back. She told me the same thing I already thought..so no need to make him come back home. The first half of the morning I felt crampy and had a few minor contractions here and there. I tried my best to do a whole bunch of nothing, hoping to NOT move things along. (This is SO completely opposite of what most 39 week pregnant women probably do.) By mid-morning I was feeling better, but I still called my other friend, Jenny, to put her on stand-by to come get the boys if needed. Tim called me right about 11:45 AM letting me know he made it and I told him about the mornings "events". Since I was feeling better we were both hoping it was just some pre-labor.
After lunch I put Colin down for a nap then Ryan and I went to lay down for a nap in my bed. I don't think it had been very long when I sensed what felt like two punches inside me, and I thought "oh crap"...then a huge gush of water, then a second gush. 1:20 PM. (This had been another prayer of mine the last few days. I had prayed that if I did go into labor while Tim was gone that there would be a very clear sign. Water breaking definitely qualifies!) I called Tim first then I called Sarah and Jenny. I wasn't having contractions of any kind yet, so I was hoping it meant things would go a little slower than last time. I put a movie in for Ryan and I stripped my bed to try and start the wash, but before I could even do that the contractions started. Around this time also I had to give Ryan instructions on where the garage door opener was so people had a way to get in because he can't get the front screen door unlocked. About 15 minutes after that the contractions were really starting to come on strong and they seemed pretty close. I timed three of them and they seemed to be about 3 minutes apart so I called Sarah again to see where she was at.
1:50 PM. She was on her way, but still about 15/20 minutes out. While on the phone with her she timed my contractions and said I had about 3 in a 5/6 minute period. This is where she made the decision for me to call 911. This was part of our back-up plan..but it was definitely at the end of the list! There was a good chance she would have made it in time to get me, but Jenny was still about 15 minutes behind her, so we didn't have anyone to get the boys. The fire department/paramedics are about two miles from my house, so this was always somewhat of a comfort to me.
2:00 PM. I called 911. The paramedics probably got to my house by about 2:10. About 5 minutes after they got there Sarah made it. One of the first things Sarah asked was how far I was dilated. The paramedic responded with, "I don't check 'em I just deliver them. We might have to deliver her here." With which I responded, "Nooooooo!!!" Sarah assured me it would be ok but I was pleased when I heard the word stretcher! At this point Jenny still wasn't there so it looked like Sarah was going to have to stay behind with the boys. As they were loading me up a fire truck pulled up and they offered to stay with the boys till Jenny got there so Sarah could follow right away. Praise God!
During the ride there I sensed the urge to push and let the paramedics know. It didn't seem quite as "forceful" as I remember with Colin, but maybe that was just me fighting against it. I'm guessing we got the hospital around 2:30 PM. I was greeted by a woman (not sure who she was) telling me not to push. I remember a lot of voices and opened my eyes long enough to notice 5 or 6 different bodies. We stopped in some room in the ER and some doctor checked me, but then they continued to roll me up to L&D. We were waiting outside the elevator when Sarah caught up with us. (She was a little lost since she came in a different door that what I had given her directions for; but heard me screaming from down the hallway and found her way. haha.) When we got up to L&D we went straight into a delivery room and as soon as they transferred me onto the bed they said I could start pushing. (If only I was better at that part.) The doctor, midwives, nurses, and Sarah were all wonderful being patient with me and coaching me through it. I don't think I could have asked for better. After what seemed an eternity, Blaine was born! 3:34 PM. 8lbs 11 oz and 21 in!
Phoning Tim to let him know Blaine was here and healthy.
We are SO thankful for this new blessing! We also feel overwhelmed and blessed to have Sarah, Jenny, and others be a part of this special day with us! And my mom said it best, although Tim missed the birth, the important part is that he will be there for Fatherhood. I am completely ovewhelmed with thankfulness that I have a husband who is going to be there during the most critical part...raising him!
This is Sarah, her husband, Matt, and one of their kiddos, Cameron. They came to visit us a few days after we got home.
