INTRODUCING...William Heward Stratton

After what seemed like 9 VERY long months, baby Will was finally born! As many of you know, I was trying many different natural methods to try and hurry up my delivery. I don't know if this is what finally did it, but we did go out for some SPICY THAI food on Friday night. Whenever I woke up in the night to adjust my bulging belly, I would feel a little achy in my back. I began to wonder if that might be a sign my body was doing something different. I finally got up around 530-6 and was having some contractions anywhere from 8-15 min. apart. Nothing too strenuous, but enough that I decided to get my stuff together just in hopes that we would be going to the hospital. By 7 they were strong enough I was feeling like I needed to stop and breathe through them and they were about 8-10 min. apart. I called my friend and let her know that I may be heading to the hospital and by 8 am they were anywhere from 6-10 min. apart. I called my friend again and said we are heading over to drop the kids off. We then headed downtown and parked at the hospital. Not wanting to hang out at the hospital too long, we headed to the Farmer's Market to walk around and see if things would speed up. It was kind of funny because I would need to stop and breathe and I would lean on Ned to do it, and people would look at me kind of funny. We stopped at Wheatberries to get some pastries for breakfast and I couldn't move because of a contraction and the guy was like, do you need something else and I was like no, I just need to stand here for a minute, I am having a contraction. It was funny!! Ned kept making me laugh which made it difficult to breathe and a little painful too.
So, after walking around for awhile we headed to the hospital and checked in about 930. I was dilated to a 6, which I was ecstatic about and they ran the IV for step B and then I got up and we moved around walking and leaning on the birthing ball, etc. By 12 things were getting closer and stronger and they checked me again and I was an 8. I spent the next 2 hours working through some intense contractions. I was able to use my Hypnobirthing relaxation techniques to keep my body relaxed. Often the nurses would come in and Ned would have to tell them that I wasn't sleeping just relaxed. I felt pretty in control until the last hour when I began to feel the pressure and my labor moved to my back. I found it difficult to find a comfortable position, trying many different techniques to breathe through and be comfortable during the contractions. The intensity of it all began to make me feel lightheaded and hot and I often felt faint. Ned was great at holding me up and putting pressure on my back to help me through and he was constantly reminding me to breathe. It wasn't until I began to birth the baby that my water finally broke and I was able to deliver baby Will. It was what I like to call SUPER INTENSE!! I was so exhausted and was not able to hold my legs or arms up when they placed him on me, but it was soo wonderful. Even though they were saying he was a big boy, he seemed sooo little to me. I was soo glad to be done and to have my baby here!! Check out some pics of Baby Will below!