I can't believe he is finally here. You wait so long in anticipation, going through phases of excitement, fear, doubt, worry, etc. etc., and then one day your whole life changes. I can't believe I am now a mommy, nor that I made it through the delivery after all that happened..........but we feel SO EXTREMELY BLESSED and our in love with our new little guy!!! Here is Little Cash's story of his entrance into the Brown Family!Saturday night Chip and I had to help chaperone a youth dance about 50 minutes from our house. On the way there I started having contractions....I had them all Saturday night and Sunday throughout the day, but not bad enough to stop me from going to church to fulfill my Primary Pianist calling -- altho sitting on the bench was mighty tough for 2 hours while they were still there. Once church was over I kept getting comments about good luck this week and people setting up appointments for the following day to come by and visit, or help me with this or that, etc......I kept telling them I was going to the hospital that night and Cash was coming on Monday, but not sure if anyone believed me!Sunday night I was talking to my friend/birth coach on the phone telling her we might not be going to the hospital anymore cuz the contractions had died off, and yet she knew I kept pausing and told me to go time the contractions because she thought I was having them pretty regulary just over the phone. From 10:30 pm to 10:50 I timed them and we determined they were between 3-5 minutes apart. We called the Dr. and they told us to come in. So I quickly threw a bag together, grabbed our stuff, and off we went.Upon arriving at the hospital I was only dilated to a 1.5!!! I was so disappointed as I was dilated this much at my apt. the last Wednesday and was worried they would send me home. Instead, they told me to walk around for 1/2 hour and they would check me again. I walked around and at 12:30 they checked me and I was at a 2! The nurse asked the Dr. if I could stay and because the contractions were now coming 2 minutes apart and were strong enough I couldn't talk through them I was admitted! We got into our room and they told me I had to be dilated to a 4 before I could get an epidural, but if I wanted pain meds then I could start my IV earlier! Well, the IV was the thing I was most afraid of so I told them I would hold off! However, the contractions were now getting really bad and I knew I could never make it without an epidural --- what had I been thinking saying I was going to try to tough it out? I was in SO MUCH PAIN at only a 3 -- getting to a 10 -- yeah RIGHT! So instead I was able to get into a jacuzzi bath for 45 minutes and that helped a lot. When I got out I sat on an exercise ball and just concentrated on getting through each contraction until the pain meds were ordered! When the contractions weren't quite so bad -- and I could enjoy sitting on the exercise ball!
The contractions were getting worse at this point, and since I couldn't talk through them I no longer was smiling.....and Chip decided to take advantage of getting use out of my comfy bed!
I received the IV around 4:45 am, and surprisingly to me it really wasn't that bad! Also, the pain meds they put through it took off the edge and helped me calm down before I received the epidural. I received the epidural at around 6 am, and it was actually a little worse than I thought it would be........I had not been scared or worried about it at all, but when the catheter was inserted into my back the Dr. said it might hit some nerves, and hit them it did and it killed....I screamed out in pain for a few seconds, but after that it was actually fine! And GLAD I AM that I received the epidural because noone could have expected what was to come!!! I could have NEVER MADE IT THROUGH THIS ALIVE WITHOUT THE MEDS!!!! Peyton and Wendy - you girls rock and I just have decided you are WAY TOUGHER than I will ever be! I would not think of having another one again and not having the drugs! BRING ON THE DRUGS -- they make it SOOOOOO much better!!!!
Feeling good after the epidural had kicked in and all the needles had been poked! Excited to be on our way to meeting our little man!!!
Well, things didn't go quite so easy after that! All the drugs were great, but due to the full moon on Sunday night 8 other people had gone into labor too, and so it was a full house, and not enough staff or Drs. were available to go around to everyone as fast as we would have liked. Thus, I was told I would have a son by 3 pm, and instead didn't even start pushing til 4:15 pm!
I only pushed from 4:15 pm to 4:55 when Cash arrived, but that period of time was full of lots of scary/traumatic events. When I started pushing the Dr. was not there, and so my friend Yvonne and the nurse were on each side and helping me through it! It was different than anything I had ever experienced. At one point I was more concerned Chip was going to pass out than about me, but once he stopped holding his breath every time I pushed he was just fine, and found the whole thing fascinating and wanted to be right there watching everything happen.
Well, to spare everyone of all the gory details, I will just say that due to my Blood Pressure dropping extremely low, which caused his heart rate to go up to high, and so much blood loss due to me tearing, when the Dr. did arrive she said I had 1 time to push while she used the forceps, and if that didn't work than I had to have a C-section! NO WAY i thought --- I am pushing this little man out!!! So She pulled out the forceps, which I think scared chip more than me, and luckily that one time worked! He came out right after that!
At 4:55 pm, our little son Cash was born, weighing in at 9 lbs. 3 oz. 22 inches long, and just as cute as a little button!!!! Holy smokes tho --- we never thought our first baby would be over 9 lbs. He had an apgar score of 9 & 9 and was doing great!
However, I was not doing so good at this point. As I was getting stitched up I was feeling worse and worse and was later told I also had a placental abruption (where the placenta tears away from the uterus) and that is extremely dangerous, and that I was lucky to be alive after how much blood loss! I was lucky to have the Dr. I had and feel extremely blessed to have come out of this experience alive and with the most perfect little child I could ever ask for. Everyone kept saying how beautiful he was and how he had the greatest complexion etc. etc., and I wanted to enjoy it but was so weak and exhausted and out of it that I had to wait til the next day to even get to hold him.....however, when they did show him to me all bundled up and I saw Chip carrying him around I was overcome with a love I have never experienced and realized what a true miracle it was to have him here, safe and sound, him being 100% healthy, and such a beautiful little baby. He has the prettiest complexion, and is so much fun and it overwhelms me daily how much love I can feel for someone I just barely met! Truly a miracle of life!!!
Cash right after his birth -- check out those big hands and wingspan!!!
Chip getting to help w/ the belly button and other tests!
Little Cash right after he was born and done w/ his apgar tests!
The first image I saw after Cash was taken to be cleaned - holding tight to his daddy's hand! (melted my heart)
Cash Owen Brown - welcome to the world!
Cash loves to suck his fingers - especially just the second finger - so cute!!!
The proud father - he just couldn't stop looking at our little man!!! I love my boys!
Our first family photo - I was too weak to hold him the first night so we put him by my side!!! Excitement and exhaustion are 2 words to describe my feelings here!
The first time I could finally hold Cash - and my favorite position for him to sleep in! I love holding him like this and letting him sleep on me all night!
His favorite position to sleep!!!
Once again sucking those fingers, the mark completely gone from the forceps, and he has the best complexion - his skin is beautiful!
Wednesday afternoon all ready to go home to his new house! He looked so tiny in his carseat!
The lady who helped me through it all!!! The best choice we made about the delivery process was having Yvonne come with us from start to finish! She did anything and everything we needed, helped me through the rough moments, knew just what to ask the Dr., and was the best support for Chip and I! We decided we will fly her wherever we are to help with the next one! She also took all the pictures!!! Thanks Yvonne for everything - we love you!!!
Chip with Yvonne's boys - Zac, Bradley, and husband Mark!!! Thank you family for lending your mom to us all night Sunday and all day Monday....and for all the support - we love you guys!!!
Love this little face --- so cute!!!
Waking up!
Getting his clothes on after peeing on his 8th outfit of the day!!!
Relaxing with Dad on our upper porch!!!
His daddy loves him SO much!! (and Cash loves his daddy too!)
