Ethan Dennis Brandley-Birth Story

Yesterday was a very spiritual day for us.  We welcomed our first son into this world.  Here's the story.

I woke up at 4 in the morning and had a contraction, a few minutes later I had another one!  Sound familiar?  That's how all of my labors have started!  I went up to the bathroom and noticed hmmm, something is trickling out here.  That's never happened to me before.  Is my water leaking?  I was still getting contractions every few minutes, but they weren't very unbearable yet.  I decided to go in and tell Louis what was going on because of how Mary's labor went, who knew how quickly things were going to happen!
I went in and told him and he hopped right out of bed, I could feel his excitement!  While Louis was getting dressed I decided I should probably time a few of the contractions to see about how far apart they were.  They were already 4 minutes apart, but still not very bad.  Louis called his sister Alisha who is watching our girls while we're in the hospital.  I could hear him from upstairs when he said, "It's Hammer time!"  Alisha was confused at first (seeing as it was just after 5 in the morning!) but then hopped out of bed and headed over.
We did not need to speed to the hospital this time, we got there just before 6:00.  We headed in and got situated in a room.  I was frustrated that they were doing things so slowly and didn't check my dilation until we'd been there for half an hour at 6:20.  I was only at 3cm.  At this point the contractions were getting worse, but were still not that bad.  I could talk through them and was able to relax in between contractions really well.  Since I thought my water was leaking they did some kind of test to see if it in fact had.  It came back negative, but I don't really believe they got a true reading on it since it was just trickling and not gushing out.
Over the next 20 minutes things were continuously picking up.  The contractions were getting more painful and closer together.  It was here that I started seriously doubting being able to do this without medication.  At around 6:45 the  contractions were coming one on top of the other and I told Louis I changed my mind, there was no way that I could keep doing this and have the energy I needed.  I most definitely was considering an epidural.  So I asked the nurse Whitney to check me again so I could see if I'd progressed or not and if I wanted to get an epidural.  She checked me and I was now 6cm.  I decided to ask for the epidural because things were just so intense.  Whitney left to call the anesthesiologist shutting the door behind her.
It was at this point that I started feeling some pressure.  I knew what that meant!  Not even thinking about the call button on my bed I started yelling that I needed help and could feel pressure and that the baby was coming!  Yes yelling, those hospital doors are thick and I wanted them to hear me!  A nurse came in, (I never did find out her name, but she held my hand the whole time) and checked me again, I was at 10cm and as she was checking me my water fully broke.  This was at about 6:55, so 10 minutes since I was checked and had been at a 6.
My nurse Whitney came back in as well as a nurse Dawn who was working with Whitney and another 3 or 4 nurses.  They were helping me to breath through the contractions so I wouldn't push while we waited for the on call doctor to come.  With or without me pushing though, baby was coming!  His head came out all on its own and with just one push on my part at 7:00, Ethan was here.  6 pounds 13 ounces and 20 inches long. Whitney is the one that delivered him and Dawn instructed her how to do it.  Very fun fact about this:  Dawn is the nurse that delivered Mary!
Things went so fast that it shocked Ethan a bit and he was pretty purple and not crying.  They moved him to get some oxygen and get cleaned off.  It was a very hectic 5 minutes and I guess I had been hyperventilating (my top lip and hands were numb) so they put me on some oxygen for a few minutes and that helped calm me down.  It was about here when the doctor came in.  He delivered the placenta and left.
A few minutes after the doctor left a nurse brought Ethan over to me.  I was so overwhelmed with love I couldn't hold back the tears.  I snuggled him and snuggled him then he nursed and did a great job.  After I got plenty of cuddles in Louis got his turn to hold his son.  This is always one of the sweetest moments of the day your babies are born.  My favorite moment while Louis was holding Ethan was when he went over to the window and started talking to him about everything we could see outside.
This has so far been the best recovery after a baby!  I feel really great, but am trying to not over do it.  I think the difference is that I didn't tear this time, probably because I didn't have to push the head out, it just came out on its own.  I hope things continue to heal well.
The whole morning was perfect and full of love.  We have so enjoyed the first two days with our little Ethan.  We are so blessed to have him in our family.

Getting cleaned off

He loves his hands by his face, he had a hand by his face when he was born

Getting weighed

Getting to hold Ethan for the first time

My soul had missed his.

Very happy mom and dad with Ethan

Whitney and Dawn with Ethan

Dawn has been a nurse for 16 years and has now delivered 4 babies.

2 of those babies are my babies!

Louis telling Ethan about the world

I let Whitney cuddle with Ethan before we were moved upstairs

This was the first baby she delivered and she said she's sure she'll always remember it!

He had a few very alert moments yesterday

Proud daddy with Ethan

Going home!

If you want to read Mary's birth story, click here
If you want to read Avery's birth story, click here