Saturday, April 2, 2011

Friday Flashbacks - Baby is Born Edition

In honor of my friend Brittany, who I was lucky enough to visit in the hospital last week and spend some time snuggling her sweet newborn boy.

I still remember the wonder of it all - first a little person was growing inside of me, moving around, kicking me, killing my chances for a good night's sleep.  It seemed like each pregnancy would NEVER end, then I blinked my eyes and they next thing I knew, there I was in the hospital, holding this perfect little person that I could NOT believe had been growing inside of me and that was about to kill my chances for a good night's sleep EVER again.  It is such a magical time, it's a shame it goes so fast!
Jennifer
The youngest picture I could find of Geoffrey - with his sister Tami
Sara
I went in for an induction at 7:00am.  It was a little over 2 weeks before my due date, but I had already been the in hospital for a few days for toxemia, and they couldn't wait anymore.  Plus, it was Thanksgiving and I think my OB was avoiding his in laws, because he induced 3 women that day.  That pitocin is nasty stuff.  By the afternoon, I was tired of the contractions every few minutes and discouraged that I wasn't even dilated to a 5 yet (they wouldn't give me an epidural until I got that far).  It took me until 5:00 to get to the magic number 5 and the pain relief!  About 45 minutes later, I kept telling the nurse I felt like I should be pushing.  She assured me I was wrong because I had only been at a 5.  Finally, she decided to check me - whoops!  Time to have a baby!  Delivery was easy.  I was so in love with that sweet girl right from the start and so amazed at the whole process. 
Nixon
It was a few days before my due date.  We were moving to California, we had finished our lease on our duplex in Provo that weekend, our stuff was packed, and we were staying with Geoffrey's parents until we had a baby so we could move.  It was Sunday and a storm was moving in .  I was making dinner for the whole Barber family (pork chops), I sat down for a minute and when I stood up, there was a tiny trickle of water leaking.  No contractions, no gush of water, so I finished dinner and then we decided to head to the hospital around 4:00.  I wasn't in labor, but my water was leaking, so they had to induce labor (more pitocin!).  Lucky for me, progress had been made in the medical community in regards to women and pain and labor.  I was able to get the epidural right away, and I celebrated with a quick nap.  Even better, it was a self administering IV - just click the button when you want more.  Again, it took me a long time to dilate to a 5, but once I did, it was 5 to 10 in under an hour.  Nixon took about an hour to push out (big head!).  He was perfect and I was instantly in love again.
Easton
The doctor took mercy on me one week past my due date.  Easton was pinching a nerve in my back and I was in a lot of pain and couldn't pick up the cute 17 month old I already had at home.  I arrived at the hospital about 8:00 am on a Thursday.  I brought graph paper, as I was working on handmaking a word search for Sara's school class with the names of all the students for Valentines Day.  Pitocin once more for me!  By 2:00, I was at the magic 5 and by 3:30, we had an Easton.  Delivery was easy except for the fact that the epidural was wearing off, and no amount of pleading on my part convinced anyone in the room that there was time to give me more drugs.  Easton was a snuggler from the start and I fell in love again!

1 comment:

Gray Family said...

Man, you couldn't give your babies away. Strong, strong genes and cute, cute faces.