Ethan's birth!

I am finally writing about the day that Ethan came into our lives. It has taken me several weeks to write this post because I've tried writing when both kids are down and that's rare:) It is still crazy to say "my kidS" and it is still sinking in that I am a mother of 2! It is complete madness at times,  but I am loving it. 

At the end of my pregnancy I was huge! Ethan was bigger then Elliana, I had a TON of amniotic fluid, and my belly felt like it was about to burst at the seams. I was so uncomfortable! 

December 7th (my half birthday btw) was the day. After much begging and pleading, they decided to induce me.  It was a week before my due date and it couldn't come soon enough. They were hesitant to induce me because Ethan's head wasn't engaged due to the amount of amniotic fluid.  He was pretty much swimming in there. Because I was planning on going natural, my midwife kept trying to convince me not to be induced. But I told her I had done it before and was prepared to do it again.

It was such a strange feeling. On one hand I was so done being pregnant and could not wait to get this baby out. On the other, I wasn't quite sure I was ready to give up the one-on-one time I had with Elliana. I didn't want her to feel gipped of her time being the only child. At the same time, I could not wait to meet this little boy. I knew he was special. Through the whole pregnancy I felt and knew that this little boy was a very important person. I felt honored that Heavenly Father thought I could handle this and I already felt privileged to be his mother. 

Leisa came and picked Elliana up from the hospital. I told Zack to go get something to eat because I knew it was going to be a while. Then they hooked me up to the pitocin and my contractions began (although I had been contracting off and on for several weeks). Eventually my midwife, Claudia, came in and again tried talking me out of being induced. She said that by 7pm that night if there wasn't a lot of progress that they would probably just send me home. I was so upset and more determined than ever to make sure that I progressed. Every hour or so the nurse would come in and turn up my pitocin until I was at the max dosage. Luckily my contractions were consistent and I was dilating pretty quickly. The only problem was all of the fluid surrounding Ethan. His head wasn't putting any pressure on my cervix and so it wasn't thinning out (tmi? sorry:) When I was dilated to about a 5 Claudia decided to break my water. I swear my stomach shrunk 2 inches. After that his head finally engaged and things started to progress faster. 

Now his labor was totally different from Elliana's. I was up to the max dosage of pitocin and for some reason it did not hurt nearly as bad as it did with Elliana. I don't even quite know how to describe it. Of course it hurt, there isn't anything quite like labor pains, but it didn't hurt that bad this time. I was a lot more focused and knew what to expect. Claudia kept asking me if there was anything she could do, but honestly all I needed was my husband. He seriously is THE BEST labor coach! Anytime a contraction would start, he was there. He would remind me to breath and focus and kept telling me that I could do it. I can't even begin to describe how much I love that man! Without him and his faith in me I don't know if I could have made it through either of my labors. He never left my side, was so involved and (if it was even possible) I fell more in love with him.

When I was 100% efaced and about a 6 or 7, Claudia decided to take me off the pitocin (hallelujah!!) and get me in the tub. Oh the tub!! What a glorious thing!! It was a huge jetted tub and it made all the difference in the world! It took so much pressure away and was so relaxing. I don't quite remember how long I was in the tub but I knew the end was close. I told Claudia that I was feeling a lot of pressure and that I was ready to push. As soon as I laid down on the bed she told me his head was right there.

I pushed and she slowly maneuvered his head and then each shoulder.
Then time stopped.
She told me to reach down and I delivered my son the rest of the way.

Again I'm at a loss for words for that moment when you see your child for the first time. It's a little peek into heaven. There are so many overwhelming emotions. Those moments are seared into my mind forever and my eyes well up with tears just thinking about them. Child birth is a true miracle.

Ethan John Wilson
12/7/12
7 lbs. 12 oz.
20 1/2 in.
born at 10:13 pm
room 107

Elliana's labor was so chaotic and dramatic and his labor was completely opposite. It was so peaceful and calm and I got to deliver my baby. I didn't know that doing it naturally could be that peaceful and easy. Then the best news, after being told that Ethan was healthy and everything was good, was when Claudia said that there wasn't any tearing or anything! With Elliana  I pushed so hard that I burst every blood vessel from my shoulders up. I burst blood vessels in my eyes and my lips were black and blue. I looked like I had been hit by a train. But after Ethan's birth I was ready to do it again! Ok not really, but I felt so accomplished. It was a labor and delivery like I had always hoped I would have. And at the end of it, my perfect little boy!

It's crazy how your heart grows with each child. How there's one more human being that will call me mom and look to me for all of their needs. One more person that I would do anything in the world for. I feel so blessed to have my little family and I find so much joy in being a mother. There really is nothing more rewarding.