Learning from past mistakes and writing this down the day after Ace was born. We decided on Ace's first name just a few weeks before he was born, but we didn't regularly use it pre-birth like we did with our other boys, so we are still getting used to it.
This was my hardest pregnancy, and I was on bedrest for two months during the first trimester because I couldn't keep down food. I had migraines and dizziness and couldn't drive myself to weekly Doctor appointments. I had a really bad doctor for the first two months until we switched practices. I lost 18 pounds. I was on medication for nausea and heartburn the entire pregnancy. My immune system was repressed and I got sick with additional illnesses on a monthly basis. Throughout the pregnancy, I prayed every day that Ace would stay healthy and safe and not come earlier than the induction date. I was terrified of miscarrying him or having him be born prematurely.
So it was a tender mercy that Ace was born on May 1, which is the day we scheduled his induction. I had been planning on May 1 for months and months, even though we couldn't "officially" schedule it until I was 36 weeks along. We arranged for my mom to come out 10 days before his due date (May 6) just in case he was as early as his brother Jack. But Ace stayed in my belly just like I prayed. It was so weird going to the hospital without being in labor! We had to arrive by 5am Monday morning, and I barely slept the night before because I was so anxious and excited.
We were able to have everything prepped for our other two kids the night before, and have the car packed just like we were going on a trip. How odd to be able to actually be totally ready the night before a birth! It brought such a great peace of mind. We got to the hospital on time, parked the car, and checked in. After they monitored me and Ace for about a half hour, I was able to get hooked up to pitocin and IV fluids to start labor. I very much wanted an epidural again (I had one with Dash, but Jack came to quick), but we had to wait at least an hour to make sure I was stable and had enough liquid for the injection. Even though I was on the lowest dose of pitocin, within an hour I was having regular, painful contractions. Thankfully our nurse was able to speed up the epidural process and I got one just in time. It had kicked in almost fully (with the exception of one part of my right side) by the time I had to push. The nurse said I was in "active" labor for a little over an hour before Ace was born at 8:53am.
Ace cried for 30 minutes straight after he was born, which was a blessing because I knew that meant he had nice strong lungs and was healthy and well. He had a head full of hair and was perfect. We did skin to skin for almost an hour before they weighed him. Matt was there for the entire time, with the exception of when I got the epidural and they said no visitors were allowed for that part. Matt was supportive in helping me breathe through contractions and through the three rounds of pushing.
After such a hard pregnancy, I got the best birthing experience I could have asked for. It was scheduled, quick, and medicated. We were able to prepare for everything in advance, and I had the peace of mind knowing my other kids were taken care of.
