Chauncey Joel Forster
"Chonchis"
The Short Version
Frequent contractions for three weeks, day and night. Some even kept me up all night a week before he came. I had thought for sure he would come the Monday prior, but by mid-morning, they all went away. Sunday night, the 16th, contractions woke me up again, they hurt so much. But since nothing happened the last time, I didn't think much of it.
About 10:00am I was laying on my bed, my water broke. I called Brandon. He came home, helped us get ready, and we dropped off the kids with friends. I signed in at the hospital at 11:38AM, and Chauncey was born at 12:09pm, 31 minutes later. No epidural or medicine. Just some screaming and lots of squeezing stress balls. Then came the best miracle and bundle of joy!
The Extremely Long Version (with a little before and after)
For about a month or two prior, I had quite a few contractions. About 3 weeks prior, they became very frequent, but inconsistent. They were uncomfortable and really hard, but never extremely painful (except Sunday night, the 9th, when they kept me up all night. I even packed my bag the next morning, it had been so rough). Sunday night, the 16th, the same thing happened. Contractions hurt so bad, they woke me up over and over again. Only this time, I was so exhausted, I kept falling back to sleep between contractions. By morning, they were bad, but still not unmanageable. And they weren't close enough together for me to think much of them.
I was planning a trip to Costco, calling a friend to see if we still wanted to go. Laying on my bed, talking on the phone, I said, "Ow! He just kicked me really hard." We decided not to go to the store, which was just as well. I hung up the phone, stood up, and water came out all over. That kick, if it really was one, broke my water.
I had just talked to Brandon minutes before telling him I was fine. I had to call him 3 times to get him to pick up. Then I called my friend back to tell her it was definitely good we weren't going to Costco, but could she please watch Isabela and Xander. Brandon was home within minutes, and got the kids ready while I cleaned up a little.
We dropped off the kids in New Castle, on the way to the hospital in Glenwood. I had called/texted Kelly, in my ward who is a nurse in labor and delivery. She wasn't working, but was called in. It was wonderful! She arrived just before I did and pampered me the whole time she was there.
I kept telling Brandon I didn't want to go straight to the hospital--I wanted to go to the park and labor by myself! The contractions were really bad, but not close together. He asked if I was hungry. I said, "No, not at all." Thinking of eating made me want to vomit. "Are you hungry?" I asked. "I am starving!" He had just finished with football workouts and was exhausted. We stopped at Taco Bell, just a couple of blocks from the hospital. I kept up the whole "I want to go to the park" thing. Then a contraction would come, and I thought, "I am going to die! I am going to die!" Then it would end, and I would say I wanted to go to the park again. Brandon finished his food in the parking lot while I continued to give him mixed signals as to where he should actually drive to.
Mid contraction in the Taco Bell parking lot, Brandon says, "Steph, Just find something you can focus on." "Shut up!" was my reply. He
knows he is not supposed to talk to me during contractions. And I
did not need his advice at that moment. He turned and chuckled. I think it was one of those "This is that moment where my wife yells at me during labor" moments. Evidently he thought it was funny, even as it happened. (He never had one of those with the other two births.) After all of this, the contraction ended, and he was allowed to speak again. I said, "You are going to feel a lot more comfortable if we just go to the hospital, huh?" "Um. Yes!" he said. So we drove up, checked in, and I had to sign a paper saying I signed in at 11:38am. I am bent over at the counter in so much pain, and Kelly starts joking, "See, she is just faking it!" We all laughed (well, I did
after the contraction ended). Back in the room, I told Brandon I just wanted one picture before I had the baby. As soon as I said that, I dropped into squatting position, in so much pain again. Then I had to pee, so a picture would have to wait. While in the bathroom, contractions got
really, really bad. I was sweating profusely. Needless to say, there was never an "appropriate" moment for a picture to be taken. My midwife came in while I was in the bathroom, and asked if she had time to change into scrubs. I told her yes, but she would have to hurry. I barely made it out to the bed. With both other kids, we were able to take a "modest" video of the baby being born. Again, there was no "appropriate" moment for that to happen this time, either.
Seconds later my midwife came in and pressed on my tummy, checking position of the baby a little bit. I kindly told her, "Do not touch me." Then she asked to check me, to see how far dilated I was. I told her no. She said she really needed to. I told her to give me a minute to mentally prepare myself for the extra pain that was going to cause. Finally, I said, "Do it now, but you had better be fast." She said, "I don't know how fast it will be. I want to be really careful. Nobody has ever put me on a time limit before." I told her, "Just get it done!" So the first time I was checked, I was completely dilated and his head was at a 1.5-2 position (whatever that means-probably 2cm crowing or something, because I know he was almost out). Then she asked to have the nurses reposition my feet. Again, I
ever-so-politely said, "Do not touch my feet." They were nice enough to leave me alone.
I motioned to Brandon, squeezing my hand. He got the message, and brought me my stress balls. Oh, how I love those things while in pain! I pushed, and Chauncey's head came out. I didn't wait for contractions. I just kept pushing until he came out. Oh, did I mention the screaming? With Xander, it hurt so much more, but I was so much calmer (I give credit to my doula at the time, Treana). This time, it just felt so good to scream and let it all out. I think Brandon actually enjoyed that part, too. He hates that I am in pain, but I think the sports side of him likes to see the adrenaline coming out.
As soon as it was over, I wanted to hold me baby! I chucked the stress balls across the room.
No epidural. No IV. No shot of pitocin that they always give
after delivery. And just a tiny tear, that still stings even a week after, but is feeling much better. Then I sat in bed for 3 hours holding Chauncey, my tiny bundle of joy. Kelly was so great! They didn't even take him to weigh or measure him or anything. It was only after my stomach was growling and I was starving that I let them take him long enough to get cleaned up and eat a little bit. Then he was right back in my arms for hours. He nursed
really, really well. And hasn't stopped eating since. The other two did ok, nursing. But we have progressively gotten a lot better. Xander latched on better than Isa, but still didn't eat as well as Chauncey. And I can tell my body prepared itself a lot better the 3rd time around.
By evening, I was going crazy sitting in the hospital. My mom drove out, visited us for a few days, and slept with the kids at home the first night, while we were still in the hospital. The next morning, the 18th, as soon as I could, we checked out. I didn't want to go home! I told Brandon, "I have been sitting in that room bored out of my mind. I am going to go home to just sit there! I want to go to the park and hold my baby outside in the shade while the kids play!" I lost that battle. He was exhausted, but he did let me stop and see a couple friends in Glenwood before we went home.
Because we left early from the hospital, the pediatrician wanted us to bring Chauncey in to weigh him the next day, on the 19th. So we drove to Glenwood again. And stopped at Target and the bank. Then Thursday, the 20th, was Brandon's birthday. His parents came out and got to see Chauncey. And we drove to Glenwood, yet again, to go out to eat. I still felt great! and it was so nice to get out of the house. Friday morning, Brandon went to work, and I packed up all three kids to visit Papi and Abuela in the hotel that morning. Isabela got to go home with them to play and swim for a few days. Xander chose to stay with me and Chauncey. He is
so, SO obsessed with "his baby." He let's us know all the time, "My baby!" "My Chauncey!" He hugs him, loves on him with kisses and hugs, asks to hold him "My hold it, Chauncey" all the time. I think it has actually been really good for him to be the "eldest sibling" in the house for a little bit. He is helping a lot, and showing me how "big" he is. So it wasn't until Saturday, the 22nd, 5 days old, when we actually got to sit and rest for the entire day.
Isabela is being spoiled and loving every second of it. I think we miss her way more than she misses us! She talks to us on the phone, but barely pays attention to the conversation, because she is always too busy playing. But she keeps asking, "Does Chauncey miss me?" "Is he talking yet?" "I love my baby brother." In fact, the first thing she said when she came to the hospital is, "Oh, he is
so handsome!" with great inflection in her voice as she said the word 'handsome.' And I agree with her. He is perfect!
