Finally!!

So....after 13 hours of labor and really...literally NO pushing on my part (just my body's) I have my beautiful baby boy. Tristan Matthew Armstrong was born July 13, 2008 @ 10:30pm, weighing in at 7lbs 9.2oz and 20 1/2 in long.







My Labor Story:

Well, I was in pre-labor for quite a LONG time. I went to the doctors Wed. and they told me I was 3cm dilated. I was completely shocked, I was having some contractions, but nothing that bothered me. So, these continued until Saturday night when I started having them regularly and they kinda hurt....and I was losing my mucus plug and having a bloody show. I told Matthew to get ready because I could have this baby here pretty quick. I got things ready and packed my bag for the hospital.
That night I woke up around 1 am and I was having hard contractions every 5 min...so I timed them and I was right. At about 5 am I woke Matthew up and told him I was in labor and that I thought we should go to the hospital. We got ready, got showered, got the kids ready for church and dropped them off at a Sisters house in our church.
We got to the hospital at 8:30 and they started me up on monitors, and an hour later I was 4 cm dilated, so they told me that they were going to admit me.
They gave me an IV (which wasn't as bad experience....they ALWAYS have to poke me a dozen times before they find the vein, they poked me twice).
My contractions were not at all to a 10 on a pain scale, they were always at a 7.
They told me it was going to be a while before they could give me an epidural....so they gave me this other drug which was THE GREATEST THING EVER!!!!!!!!!!!! They told me the instant they give it to me I will be drowsy...and MAN were they right. It took about 1 min for the pain killers to work and I was out of it....It was like I was drunk, I couldn't focus or talk right, and I slept for a while because I didn't feel the contractions :):):)
At about 4 pm they broke my water and then the contractions started coming every 2 min. About an hour later they gave me an epidural (which was great by the way....one of the best I have had :)) I was stuck at 8 cm it seemed like forever, then about 9 pm they checked me while I was having a contraction and they could still feel another sack of water, and when the doctor broke that bag of water I literally could feel the baby drop! it felt like a ton of bricks! From that point on I progressed REALLY fast, I went from a 9cm to 10cm from the time he broke my last bag of water. The bum pressure and hip pressure was beyond any pain that I experienced...I didn't even remember it hurting that bad with my last 2....but the time came (about 5 min after they broke my last bag of water) that it was time to push. I told them...I'm pushing and I can't stop. The nurse told me not to push because the doctor was putting on his gear....I couldn't stop and with in 2 pushes (I never really pushed, it was my body pushing the whole time) he was completely out...one push and the head was out and then the other push the rest of the body came. But man o man....what a BIG relief it is to have that baby out....it was complete euphoria.
They had Matthew cut the cord and then put Tristan right on my chest while they were doing the other birthing process and stitching me up :) I didn't have hemorrhoids during this labor and I didn't go to the bathroom on the table either (which was a huge embarrassment from last time). The nurse told me that if every labor was that easy, every woman would want a baby (uhhh.....hello? you weren't going through all that pain lady).

All in all though...it was a great experience. I was VERY thankful that I didn't have a lot of pain, although it was a long labor, there wasn't a lot of pain involved. And I am sooo thankful to have such a beautiful baby to hold and kiss and love :)

Breastfeeding is still an on going battle, and I think it will be for the rest of my child bearing years. I am, though, doing a LOT better with Tristan then with Gabriel and Brooke. By the end of my hospital stay I gave my other 2 formula because I wasn't supplying enough, but with Tristan I didn't, I've only given him 2 oz thus far of formula, although I think it's going to be a regular thing....breastfeeding as much as I can and then supplementing. I SOOO wish I could just full out breastfeed, but I don't think my body can do it....I thought it was on my part, like my fault, I could have dome something more about it....but having Tristan and seeing that I almost starve him if I don't supplement....there's really nothing I can do but supplement.
Frustrating....but I'll have a happier baby because of it :)

I think labor has finally started....

Well....for the past few days I've been having contractions that have been pretty regular. Last night they were pretty constant, and then stopped and then were pretty sporadic throughout the day until about an hour ago I've been having them constantly....and I am even losing my mucus plug. I lost a big chunk of it when my contractions started an hour ago and have been losing more every time I go to the bathroom.
So....my predictions.....I'll probably have this baby either tonight or tomorrow....or even Monday, the day before my birthday..ha ha.

Update

Ok...so lately I have been having the same contractions....but still getting no where! It's very frustrating. I haven't lost my mucus plug, nor has this baby dropped all the way. It's like these contractions are playing with my emotions....like a bad relationship.

Well....Matthew has drill this weekend, but thankfully he is staying here in Lawton in stead of going all the way to Oklahoma City. I highly doubt I'll go into labor this weekend, because I've been going through the same thing for over a week and no change, except for my dilation.

well.....I'll definitely keep this updated for those of you who actually read this. I need to figure out how to add friends onto this......

38 weeks 1 day!!

K...so update!

Went to the doctors today and I got checked and I was 3 cm dilated 30% effaced and at -2 station.

I am in shock because with both my other kids I was having pretty bad contractions and this time around I'm not having them as badly....I get them here and there, but nothing out of the normal. I'm just praying this is a sign that I'm going to have an easy labor. Matthew gave me a blessing about a month ago and in the blessing it said that this labor will be the easiest of them all....and I have faith that it will be :) I have to have faith!

Anyway.....updates later :)

38 weeks!!!

Ok, so only 2 more weeks left to go (maybe less). I'm excited, but once I get to the hospital, all the memories of pains and labor will hit and then I won't be as excited, but the end product is always the best part!
I went to the hospital the 4th to get a urinalysis done to see if I had protein in my urine (the doctors thought I had a high blood pressure...which I really didn't have that high of a blood pressure...who wouldn't have a high blood pressure going to a doctors office?) Anyway....they were going to induce me if I did have protein in my urine....and I didn't, so now it's all a waiting game from here on out. I've been having those oh so lovely Braxton Hicks Contractions....and on top of that...going #2 a lot (which is usually a sign that labor is about to start soon).

Well, as you can see from my picture, my baby has dropped and he is so totally locking into place, he's in my hips and boy is there pressure.
We had a great 4th of July. Matt's friend Nic joined us and man....are my kids in love with him or what? All they talk about lately is where is Nic? I also included a pic of Brooke and Nic...he's her new found love :) It's great finding someone my kids love and we can trust with them....Brooke is pretty picky when it comes to people, but she loves Nic.
I will keep this updated from here on out....I'm going to the doc's tomorrow to get checked and see how I'm doing (my luck....NOTHING) but we shall see.

Contractions lead to LABOR!

Well....I went to the Doctors today and I am less then a cm dialated....which is eh...but good at the same time because that means I'm actually getting somewhere!
I had a different doctor today who I really liked and I got to see Aeneas again :) I saw him breathing and his heartbeat and his profile (I think he will look like Matthew). I have to go to the hospital tomorrow because I've been having high blood pressure and they just want to do a pee in the cup routine to check and see if I have protein in my urine. If I do have protein in my urine then I that means I will have to be induced :) I know....being induced sounds so unpleasent, but I'm SO stinkin' excited! I really hope I get induced because that means I get to see my little prince sooner :)


Anyway....that's all that's going on right now, I will update you on what's going on later when I find out.

I hope you all enjoy your 4th of July....I know I will!! I'll definitely take pictures :)

Contractions?

Well today started out pretty well...just a normal morning. About an hour ago I started having really bad cramping on my right side....I was supposed to go shopping (thankfully Matthew is at the store as I speak with Gabriel) Matthew gave me a blessing and since then I've felt somewhat better...I read my scriptures and while reading the pain went away....so it makes me want to read non stop! I've definitely been having contractions though because every so often I get horrible pains and my stomach hardens....OH BOY.....the thought makes me nervous yet excited!
Poor little Aeneas is probably suffering just as much as me...his little home is being condensed down to nothing. Soon when my water breaks he will have no where to go but out!

Anyway....just updating my progress :)