Gunner's Birth

WARNING: SOME OF THESE PICS MAY BE CONSIDERED GRAPHIC.
(not like graphic graphic, but don't say I didn't warn you!)

Do some women look back at childbirth and remember it horribly and feel like it's something they never want to do again? That's what I was expecting, but I had such a different experience! I haven't ever shared Gunner's birth story publicly, probably because it's nothing extraordinary (except to me!)

Gunner was due Feb 18th, 2013! My mom came to stay for almost the entire month! It was such a dream! She stayed in a house two doors down from me, so we spent many a day laying on her back porch in the sun, whale watching! I did, however, try to do a lot of walking and eating of spicy food to get labor started, but my body had no interest! 

My sister, two of her kids, and brother arrived on the 15th and on the 16th I found out my doctor was worried about Gunner's size and would induce me on my due date! Over that weekend I just tried to soak up this precious time with so much of my family FINALLY visiting the island!

February 18th
6:00 am

We went in early Monday morning to start the induction. I had read the Hypnobirthing book and felt like I wanted to go as natural as possible, but I really trusted my doctor and just wanted to see how things went! When I arrived I was not even dialated a little. Like not at all! So I was given cervadil to soften my cervix! I walked and walked and walked and walked!

7:30 pm

After 12 hours with the cervadil I was dialated to a 1! 12 HOURS people. I was sure this was going to take weeks! So we started another round of cervadil and I started walking again! I felt my contractions kick up a notch but they were still nothing like I had expected! When we realized this baby wasn't coming anytime soon, my mom decided to drive back to her place to rest for the night and she'd be back in the AM! 

10:00 pm
The nurse came in to check my vitals or something and I told her I had peed the bed! She told me to go to the bathroom and change into a dry gown! When I stood up I couldn't stop peeing! Then I realized it wasn't pee! My water had broken! Holy S!@?!!!! Things got real really fast! We called my mom who had literally JUST pulled into her driveway and she immediately turned around and started the hour drive back to the hospital! 

Once my water broke I needed to deliver within 24 hours because risk of infection! I was still only dialated to a 2 so my doctor told me she'd like to put me on pitocin! I knew my body wasn't progressing on its own and I needed the help! After about 2 hours on pitocin I was absolutely dying!!! I couldn't relax, I couldn't sleep, I wasn't allowed to eat! It was a rough minute! So I called in my nurse and told her I wanted to talk pain relief! 

After hearing the options, I felt really good about an epidural! The anesthesiologist came in and was sort of a jerk. She told me she didn't think I looked like I was in enough pain for an epidural! HOW DARE SHE?!? I was SO mad! How did she know how much pain I was in?! But she was right. Because I was only a 2, there was a good chance the epidural would slow my labor and possibly become less effective by pushing time! So I went with some IV meds and was finally able to sleep! 

5:00

After a few hours of sleep the nurse came to check me and I was a 4!! Yay! My body was finally progressing! we called the anesthesiologist back in and hooked me up with an epidural! I was SO scared to get an epidural! At least I WAS until that moment and the only thing scarier than getting one was NOT getting one! She placed it easy peasy NO problem and I started to feel better immediately! 

7:00

My doctor came by to check in and see how I was feeling! I just kept saying, "I feel like a million bucks!" She checked me and I was dilated to an 8! Woohoo! Almost there!!

We called my sister and brother and told them to head over once they were up and ready!

8:00

I started to feel a lot of pressure! I told my nurse I either needed to go to the bathroom or it was time to push! Sure enough it was time! I was so overwhelmingly excited!! I didn't have an ounce of fear or doubt in my body! I had never felt so strong and powerful! I don't know exactly how long I pushed for, but it didn't feel like much! My sister walked through the door as I was taking my final push and......

9:00
Gunner Heath Dupaix was born at 9:00 AM on February 19th, 2013 in Kailua, HI!

Gunner didn't cry right away which really freaked me out and no one said anything like "10 fingers!" Or "It's a definitely a boy!" So I was worried something was wrong!! But everyone was just too busy being mesmerized by him.

The second they placed him in my arms, I remembered him!

In the weeks leading up to his birth I had often said and thought, "I can't wait to see him for the first time! I can't wait to finally meet him!" But, when they placed him in my arms and I looked into his eyes for the first time, it didn't feel like the first time at all! I knew him! I had always known him! It was like, Yeah! That's him! He has always been a part of me; he has always been mine! It didn't feel like I was just meeting him, but like I was being reunited with him!

As soon as the delivery was all said and done, I looked at Zack and said, "let's do it again!" I was immediately ready to get pregnant again and do this whole childbirth thing all over again! He just laughed (hoping I was joking!) Now that I have an almost 1 year old who is a lot more demanding than his fetal or newborn self, I'm really glad Zack didn't agree to Irish twins! Childbirth was one of the most exciting, joyous, and empowering experiences of my life! I literally cannot wait to do it again! Wherever we end up next I hope my family will make the trek out again! It was like the funnest party and I got a baby out of it!