Bode Kirk

BoDe KirK

Saturday, August 27, 2011

9:49 pm

9 lbs 9 oz

22 inches long

I can't believe our baby will be 2 weeks old tomorrow! I decided as much as I get frustrated with this blogging thing, I better write about his birth before he gets to old!

My due date was August 20...so yes....he was born a week overdue!

After multiple membrane strippings...3 to be exact, and a little more time in the oven, our sweet baby was born on the 27th!

My doctor induced me Friday night, so to celebrate the upcoming arrival we went to Olive Garden with family and friends! This is our last picture as only a couple!!

The hospital called around 1am on Saturday morning to have us come in to start the whole induction process! Last belly shot! Wow....it really pokes out!!

The pitocin was started around 2:30am and then the waiting began!

I responded pretty well to the pit, and by 4am my contractions were getting closer and stronger. I decided I'd felt enough pain and got my epidural at 4!

Since I worked in the OR, I know all of the anesthesiologists and I got super lucky that the one who I wanted to do my epidural was on call that weekend for OB!!

Dr. Lind is seriously the best EVER and everything worked great! No more pain for me!

Greg was the designated texter! We went through A LOT of texts that weekend!

Well....things were moving along....at 9 am Dr. Chalmers came in and broke my water .

At 11ish I was dilated to a 5, and then by 2:15pm I was at an 8!

Around 4 pm I was dilated to a 9/9.5 and I thought for sure I'd be pushing in no time!

Once I was dilated to a 9ish, my contractions started to slow down and things were not progressing as fast as they had earlier in labor....which I didn't know until after Bode was born!

I got to a 10...YAY...around 5ish and they had me 'rest' for a bit to let my uterus continue to contract and help move the baby further down.

By 7pm they decided to have me start pushing. Holy cow pushing is quite a different feeling! I pushed for 2 hours and he was not moving much! They were trying to get him to move under my pubic bone, because if he got there then he would not keep moving up and down.

Near the end of the 2 hours of pushing, I was exhausted. It was hard for me to catch my breath by the 3rd push during a contraction and I definately felt like my pushing was doing no good!

There was a patient who came in to L&D who was pregnant with triplets and only 24 weeks along, so thanks to her I got a little break from pushing while everyone ran to see what her problem was!

After this little break, Dr. Chalmers came in and explained to us how Bode was not moving down under my pubic bone, and because I had already been pushing for 2 hours without much success, I was most likely going to need to have a C-section to get him here.

We had talked about this possibility in his office earlier in the week, mainly because I hadn't been progressing on my own much after he stripped my membranes and also because the Tuesday before Bode was born, I had an ultrasound and the tech measured him to be 9lbs 8oz...so we already knew that we were going to have a big baby!

I was starting to feel the contractions more and more and at this point, I just wanted my baby to be born....so Dr. Lind started giving me stronger medication through my epidural and I was getting prepped for a C-section. Not exactly how Greg and I had envisioned labor, but I'm just grateful that our baby didn't get further under my pubic bone, because he most likely would have gotten stuck and then the c-section would have turned into an emergency.

Greg and I both were incredibly tired after a long induction and pushing, and the news of a c-section threw us both over the edge emotionally. Of course I was crying and nervous and scared, but it was even harder to look over at my husband and see big tears in his eyes as he was so concerned and worried about me and our baby.

I truly grew to love my husband a thousand times more through this whole adventure. He is not a super emotional guy, and I think I've only seen him cry a few times in our marriage. As I looked at him, with tears running down his face, I could feel how strong his love is for me and for our baby who hadn't even come into this world yet.

Greg had given me a great blessing before we came to the hospital, and my he and my Dad were able to give me another one before I went in for the c-section. My Dad gave the blessing and I felt such an overwhelming sense of peace and calm come over me. I knew that everything would be okay and that things happen for a reason.

After the blessing, Greg and my mom were able to suit up in their little jump suits and we were off! My Dad, brothers, and Greg's sisters and brother were all able to come back as well and waited right outside the nursery area window. THey got to see Bode as soon as he was born and getting cleaned up! I'm grateful for the chance that my family all had to be there with us!

Here he is!!!!

I must say, that after pushing for 2 hours and then having a c-section that literally took 20 minutes, I am a fan of the c-section! It was so fast and before we knew it, we were hearing our sweet baby cry.
Seeing my baby for the first time...

Greg is so in love with our little guy.

One proud daddy!

Greg was amazing throughout the whole labor process. He held my leg while I was pushing, counted to 10 and was so encouraging and positive. I love him so much!

We are a happy family!

Can't get enough of my baby! A week late, but totally worth the wait!

We had to feed Bode bottles with formula at first because his blood sugars were a little low.

Greg loves snuggling with his baby.

We had a lot of visitors who had waited along time to meet little Bode!

My momma

His head was 38 cm...the average is 34cm...so after seeing his big ol head I'm thankful that he didn't get further into the birth canal cause he probably would have gotten stuck!

My dad...Grandpa Jeff.

Greg is smitten with his baby boy.

My Dad said that it was so fun and exciting to see Bode right after he was born, but it was even more awesome for him to watch Greg interact and just stare at his new baby.

Aunt Lindsey, Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jaron

A few of Greg's siblings who live in St George!

THis is my BFF Sara and her sweet little Marilyn. Sara has been my lifesaver! She is the bestest friend/neighbor anyone could ever ask for! We love love love Tom and Sara and Marilyn!

When they came to visit, Marilyn walked in the room and said "BABY BODE!" She loves holding him and looking at all of his fingers and toes. The cutest thing she would do is look at his hands, and say "fingernails painted?" Seriously so cute! She has a little baby brother who will be born in January and she's going to be such a cute big sister!

Spencer and Robyn came to visit!

Sweet baby Bode!

Uncle Brandon loving on his first nephew!

Love those chubby cheeks!

Ready to go home!

My doc had said I'd probably be in the hospital until Tuesday, but Monday rolled around and I was ready to be home! It made it easier to want to leave to not have to listen to our neighbors on either side of us having a big fiesta in their rooms!! Their babies would scream and then the multiple family members who would talk loudly to the baby in a different language (yes they were Mexican families speaking LOUD Spanish) was enough to make ya crazy!

Greg's already a pro at the carseat!

Let's get outta here!!

Home Sweet Home

Marilyn and baby Bode!

Precious. I can sit and stare at him all day.

Likes to have his hands out when he's sleeping

We are so madly in love with this baby boy it is crazy to imagine our lives without him.

These past 2 weeks have gone by so fast and things have definately changed in our house, but we're loving every second of it.

Bode is such a content and happy baby. He rarely cries unless his diaper is dirty or he is hungry. He has been such a blessing to Greg and I and we are so grateful he got here safely!