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Sunday, August 3rd, 2008
Birthday

Thanks Emmy Ann for the Pic!!!

I have no idea how to explain how amazing the last week of my life has been. This is going to be my version of how things happened starting last Wednesday night. I'm sure when Bek tells her version, I'm sure it will be completely different.

It all started on Wednesday afternoon around 3 pm. Bek started feeling light contractions that were tingly and lower than any she had ever felt before. I ran around like a giddy little girl for the rest of the afternoon trying to keep myself busy outside, so I wouldn't ask Bek what her status was every time she moved.

Around 10pm they became more intense and noticeable. I started timing the contractions with contraction master.(Thanks Merritt)

Allison came over around 10:15 and began to help with the timing of the contractions and getting everything ready.

Around 12am the contractions became more intense as the time went by and we decided to call Damaris to warn her. She said to call her back every hour with updates. The best relief Bek could find for the contractions was in the shower so she spent a good amount of time in the shower. I started setting the house up for delivery.

We called Jennifer and told her to start heading this way. She began her trip from Charleston around 12:30am.

Damaris, after receiving a couple of updates, decided to arrive around 3am and then Jennifer arrived shortly afterwards.

While Damaris and I were helping Bek get through some very intense contractions, Allison and Jennifer began preparing the water for the birth pool.

Everything was going according to schedule, other than the pain was more intense than was expected.

Damaris had several techniques and homeopathic remedies to help with the pain. Some of the best relief she had was the massage of her lower back. She said it was like an incredible burning on her lower back.

Damaris' assistant, Rena, arrived around 5 am to offer her help.

She labored in several different spots in and around the house. Damaris had us switch positions often to help the head move down into the birth canal.

When the sun started rising, Bek decided to try to labor in the pool for a bit. She was in the pool periodically throughout the night trying to relieve some of the pain.

It is was hard for me to keep up with Bek, as far as energy goes. Damaris said that Bek had some crazy mommy adrenaline rushing through her body and that was what was keeping her going so strong. She told me I should try to have a power nap. I tried for about 15 minutes, but there was no way I was going to sleep with all this action going, so I just opted for caffeine instead.

After the sun came up, we did a ton of walking and trying to get the head in the proper position. We went from tree to tree in the yard waiting for each contraction which was about 4 minutes apart. Bek got stuck at a 7 centimeter dilation and the pain continued to get worse and worse. Damaris had us try a ton of different things to make the back pain go away, but nothing seemed to be helping. The problem was BM was in the ROP position which can happen in about 25% of births. This caused tremendous back pain because of the way Driggs' head was pushing on Bek's back. She told me to make sure and say that the back labor felt like both hips and her lower back were being blown off with a grenade during each contraction. Wow. She went through almost 10 hours of back labor pains.

After almost 20 hours of labor and around 4 pm on Thursday, Damaris and Bek made the decision that we were going to need to transfer to the hospital. This was not a problem at all other than we didn't have anything packed at all. We all went crazy trying to get things together for the hospital. After we got to the hospital, Damaris told me that she hadn't seen a woman have back labor for that long. Bek and I continued to go through the pain until they were able to administer an Epidural around 5pm after which Bek was able to get some much needed sleep.



Damaris never left our side for 1 minute throughout the entire birth. She was absolutely amazing.


After around 2 hours of sleep, Bek woke up and worked for several hours to get Driggs out. He came into the world at 10:17pm weighing 8 lbs and 14 oz. and 21 inches long.


Piedmont Medical did a great job of admitting us very last minute. Hospital birth plans are very different from Home birth plans. I will save that talk for another blog.



Allison and Jennifer also both never left our sides. I have to thank Allison for doing a great job with the pictures and other help. We have to thank Jennifer for having a major part in getting Driggs out!!! In the delivery room the only thing Bek could hear was Jennifer's high pitched P.E. Teacher voice screaming PUSH PUSH PUSH!!!! We couldn't have had 2 better birth assistants.

The Grandparents were at the hospital until 2 AM. They couldn't wait to hear what BM was going to be. They all said it was worth the wait.

Friday morning, Geraldine and Roy came by to see thier Great- Grandchild. Roy looked happier than he has looked in a long time.

D and Pops came and stayed for a little while.

Dad brought me some Cigars(bubblegum).

We spent all day Friday hanging out in the room with Driggs mostly taking pictures, eating and sleeping.

We can't thank everyone enough for helping us and bing part of this miracle. I am absolutely in love with my new family.

We got home late yesterday(Saturday Night), and we have spent most of the night up staring at each other..... all three of us. We are very happy to be back home.

Everybody is super healthy and super happy!!!

My son and I have already started to get in trouble together..... let the games begin!!