Miles' Birth Story

I realized last week that I don't have Miles' birth story written down on this blog. Since this blog is for me to remember things by I need to write it down! I am 22 months late!

The Birth Story of Miles Nash

The weeks leading up to his birthday were long and stressful. We were dealing with Mike losing his job, subleasing our apartment, moving in with friends, organizing a move back to Minnesota, Mike trying to get a job back in Minneapolis, and oh yeah, a little girl.

The timing of everything was rough. When Mike lost his job I was only 6 weeks from my due date and too far along to move to Minnesota at that point. However, we wanted to move as quickly as possible after the baby came. Mike had told Jamba Juice, who had an opening in Minneapolis, that we'd be back March 1st. Nothing like telling a baby when to show up!

My official due date was February 20th, but I had been consistently measuring 2 weeks ahead the entire pregnancy. At my 34.5 week appointment (somehow I got off schedule and was going on half weeks), I was 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced. They sent me in for an ultrasound that day because "I would probably go into labor very soon." I was so excited! I didn't want to be induced, but knew that we might have to go that route if he didn't come on his own. Our plane tickets had been purchased, and we were flying to Minneapolis on February 24th.

At 37.5 weeks I was 2-3 cm and 80% effaced. She stripped my membranes to try to get something going but nothing resulted from that.

I went back at 38.5 weeks and was 3-4 cm and 90% effaced. She "aggressively" stripped my membranes and I had contractions the rest of the day about 5-7 minutes apart. They were mild though, and stopped when I went to bed. A total bummer. I knew that 39 weeks was looming and that is when they'll induce you. I also knew that we were flying Alaskan Air and they require babies to be 7 days old to fly. I discussed induction for February 16th with my doctor and we decided that we'd go with that date if he didn't come on his own before then.

On the morning of February 13th the hospital called me and asked if I wanted to come in that day. I was 39 weeks exactly. I wasn't tickled by the thought of being induced an entire week early, but I also knew it would be in his best interest to be as old as possible when we got on the plane. Also, the friends that were going to take care of Lacey were going out of town the 14th and the 15th, so if I went into labor one of those days either Lacey would be in the delivery room, or Mike would not be in the delivery room. I called Mike to get his thoughts. He said go for it. That was all the encouragement I needed, so I called the hospital back and said I'd be in as soon as I could.

It took us a while to get Lacey all set up with the sitters. We left for the hospital and parked and walked in right around 12:30 pm. It is the weirdest thing walking into the hospital knowing that in a few short hours you'll have a baby. It's such a strange feeling knowing that you are about to deliver a human life. It's pretty fantastic.

By the time I got to my room and changed it was about 1:00 pm. They broke my water and checked me. I was 5 cm and 100% effaced. I seriously couldn't believe I wasn't in labor at that point! I figured half the work was done and I was so excited about it! They started me on pitocin, and I told my labor nurse that I would want the epidural. Next thing I know, literally, the anesthesiologist is in my room. I haven't even felt a contraction yet! I guess that's what happens when you are 5 cm, they give you the epidural right away! So he placed the epidural while I was just sitting there. It was so strange, because with Lacey I was so focused on not moving through my death contractions that this was just plain odd. I got it placed, it didn't hurt at all, and then I sat up and chatted with the nurses.

Mike was on a phone interview with the District Manager in Minneapolis.

About 45 minutes after the epidural was in the nurse asked if I was feeling any pressure. In fact I was, so she checked me and I was 9 cm. We did some practice pushes off and on over the next 30 minutes. Then I heard her say, "Okay Stop! No more pushing!" She called the doctor because this boy was coming! Right there was the most difficult part of labor, the pressure to push was overwhelming! I just wanted to push that baby OUT! It took her maybe 5 minutes to leave her patient and run across the street. When she got there I was ready to go! When you are pushing, they have you push for 10 seconds 3 times per contraction. So I did my first 2 counts to 10, and he was out on the 3rd round! A beautiful, healthy, perfect, baby boy!

7lbs. 3.5 oz
20 3/4 inches
3:42 pm

I had the world's best epidural and was up, walking around within 30 minutes of his birth. The hospital I delivered at did not have a baby nursery so it was just me and Miles that first night. We slept together in the hospital bed, mostly because that was the only way he would sleep. He was perfect and never cried. The hospital also only kept you for 24 hours, so when I woke up I was already going through discharge procedures and we left at 4:00 the afternoon of the 14th.

Crazy how you can walk in one day, have a baby, and walk out the next. Truly blessed.

(get this, I didn't even have to take Tylenol for the pain after giving birth. I had zero pain. It was all the EPO I took).

We named him Miles mostly because it was a name we both loved. It means soldier. It was our "boy name" if Lacey had been a boy, so we were happy to be able to use it. His middle name is Nash. We chose it because it means "adventurous." We loved that.

So 22 months later and I finally got that out. He continues to charm us every day! He is truly a blessing in our lives!