The Best of What's Around: Chance's Birth Story (Part 2)

I was so nervous on the way to the hospital. I was scared they would tell me to go back home and wait it out. Thankfully, John kept me calm. We took a tour of the hospital about a month earlier so we knew where to go and walked right into the admitting office. The lady looked up my information in the system, I answered some questions, and John and I got our hospital ID bracelets. Then she walked me upstairs to the labor and delivery floor. My contractions were starting to hurt more but weren't getting any closer together. John and I waited for a nurse to take me back and hook me up to a monitor, etc. After what seemed like forever they called me back. The nurse checked my vitals... blood pressure was still pretty high, and got me situated to monitor my contractions and Chance's heart rate. I won't get into detail but I was showing some progression. They called Dr. Mansour to update him and he said it was fine for me to stay. I was so glad!!
So, John and I were moved to a labor and delivery room. I had the sweetest nurse... she had been working in labor and delivery for around 20 years and took such good care of us! Once we got settled we called our parents and siblings. By this time it was around 3:00 (i think!) and they were all ecstatic! We tried to watch a movie but I was getting pretty uncomfortable from the contractions. My nurse suggested I try taking a shower. I took an extremely long, hot shower and this really helped ease the pain of the contractions. After this, I had about all I could take.
John was so good the whole time... he was there to talk me through the rough contractions, hold my hand, pretty much whatever I asked for, he was right there! My nurse got the IVs, etc. ready for my epidural. Around 6:00 a.m. the anesthesiologist (my new best friend!) came and within about 20 minutes I felt so much better!! John and I decided we would try to get some sleep. Did not work! So around 8:00, I knew John had to be getting hungry. I couldn't eat since I had the epidural, so I told him to go to the cafeteria and get some breakfast. The hospital is connected to Children's so one of his co-workers met him to eat.
My doctor came in about 10 minutes later to check on me and asked where my husband was because it was time to push! I could not believe it. Everything I read told me that first labors could be long, so I was prepared to be laid up in the bed with my epidural for many hours. My nurse looked at me and said she thought we would have a baby pretty shortly. I immediately called John (who had barely sat down to eat) and told him to HURRY back to the room! He made it back in about 60 seconds :). Once he was back and everything got started, Chance made his arrival in about 20 minutes.
At 9:03 a.m. I held my precious 7 pound, 18 1/2 inch baby boy and it was the most incredible moment of my life. John was right there by my side and it was absolutely amazing.
I had prayed about the delivery for so long and it could not have gone any better. In the days leading up to it I was so nervous/anxious about the whole process... the pain, would Chance be okay, would the delivery go smoothly... all kinds of things were going through my head. God was definitely watching over us and I couldn't be more thankful. My family and friends were so excited and supportive, I was healthy, and Chance was healthy.
John was absolutely incredible... this was true pretty much my whole pregnancy. He put up with my ill moods, extremely early bedtimes, extra large appetite, crazy pregnancy emotions, etc. I was so thankful for his nursing degree because he was able to reassure me over and over that everything was going to be okay. Little did we know how much we would instantly love this sweet baby boy and how he would change our lives in so many ways.