Averson's Birth Story

Short Story: (for boys)

Averson Michael was due April 30th, but decided to enter the world on May 1st. It was a quick but hard labor. He was a huge baby, 9 pounds, 9 ounces...but that was expected. He was 21 inches long and was born at 4:44am.

Long Story: (for girls)

I had no idea what to expect even though I have a child already. I was induced 8 days late with Emery, so I didn't know exactly what it would be like to go into labor on my own. I didn't know how difficult it would be, or how fast it would be without the induction. I was semi-comfortable with my pregnancy until about 36 weeks. All of a sudden, I was just done. I kept praying that my water would break, because then I would get to go straight to Labor and Delivery without having to time contractions and all that stuff.

At my 37 week appointment, I was 1 and 30%. At my 38 week, I was 2 and 70%. The contractions started coming more frequently and more uncomfortablly. So I was extremely disappointed when at my 39 week, I was STILL 2 and 70%. At my 40 week appointmentment, on my due date, I was a 3 and 70%. The doctor stripped my membranes. I didn't think it would do anything, since it didn't for my first pregnancy but I went for it anyways. Just a few seconds of being uncomfortable was worth the chance of not being pregnant anymore.

A few hours later, my contractions actually started hurting. I had so many contractions this entire pregnancy, but they didn't hurt until now. Sometimes they were fairly close together. But they were inconsistent, and I could mostly still walk and talk through them. I really thought I was going to go into labor that night (Friday). I was having contractions, but didn't want to sit around hoping, so Christopher and I met Erick and Amelia at Babies R Us. I bought my little Avi a baby book. Here in Folsom it's on a shopping strip, so we walked down the strip into stores like Old Navy and Home Depot. A little bit of stores for the girls, and some for the boys. Then we went to Coldstone.

They have a new flavor. Oreo Creme Filling Ice cream. I got it with a brownie. YUMMMMM. AND, I just remembered I have some left in the freezer. Can you hold on for a second?.....

Great. The moment I open the freezer and pull this sucker out, Emery walks down. Now I have to share. I'm so selfish...but im sharing anyways.

So I thought the walking would put me into active labor, and it didn't. Came home, watched a lot of TV, went to bed at about 11:30. I was still having contractions, but not bad enough to go to the hospital. I figured if it was real, it would wake me up.

It did. 2:37 is the time I first remember from looking at the clock. They were 3 minutes apart, and hurting a lot. I was 95% sure I was in labor. After only 15 minutes I called labor and delivery. The nurse told me to wait another half an hour to make sure they didn't go away. So I hopped in the shower, and it was about a half hour shower. They got worse. As soon as I got out, I told Chris to have Amelia come over. She came right over to watch Emery, since Erick was already home with Mason. While she was coming home, I got dressed and Christopher got stuff ready. We went to the hospital. UC Davis on Stockton Blvd. Not too far, but WAY TOO FAR when in labor. My contractions were very close together and lasted for a while (I wasn't timing) but I only had at most a minute break.

Contractions in the car are not fun. My arm is sore, and I think its from holding on to my seatbelt and that safety bar thing in the car during my contractions. As soon as I got to the hospital (we think it was about 4:00am but we were not looking at the clock), they admitted me to a room and tried to take a urine sample and temperature. My contractions would not allow me to do either of these things. I told them I felt like I was ready to deliver right then. They checked me and I was an 8. So they moved me from triage to a birthing suite.

I was BEGGING for an epidural. I got one with Emery when I was like a 4 or 5, before they broke my water. The nurses told me that if they broke my water, I would be pretty much ready to deliver....OR they could try to find the anesthesiologist to give me an epidural. Even though I was dying of pain, I was ready to be done so I told them to just break my water.

Breaking my water shot me straight to a 9.5. They waited a few contractions for me to be a 10, but it wasn't going. The hardest part was not being able to push, because it was SO hard for me to not push. I was begging them to let me push. So they tried to (and this is why this is the girl's version) push the cervix around while I was pushing. It went, but then went back to a 9.5. But, I was begging so they gave in. And when I started pushing they had to push the cervix around. I have no idea how long I was pushing. It hurt like heck! I had told some of my drill team girls that it's not like the movies where the mothers-to-be are screaming, but I was wrong! I thought that my epidural with Emery didn't do much, but I guess I was wrong about that too.

He was born at 4:44am. I don't know how long I pushed, but I had only been awake for about 2 hours and only at the hospital for about 45 minutes. And no epidural. Which even though was not really by choice, I still think is pretty cool. I'm pretty proud of myself.

His APGAR scores were 8 and 9 for color. He has super dark black hair and his skin is pretty dark too. Doesn't look like my baby, but I know he is. I felt it. He barely cries, it's pretty awesome.

So, he was 9 pounds, 9 ounces, 21 inches long. Thats 1 oz and 1/4" bigger than Emery was when she was born. He doesn't look bigger to me though. Emery had chipmunk cheeks and thick thighs. Avi doesn't really. Emery totally loves her baby. She likes to hold him (for about 15 seconds) and gives him lots of kisses.

It is great to be done with the pregnancy and to have him here with our family. Chris has a week off work to help us adjust, especially with Emery. She loves him, but it's still hard on her.

Any questions? Just ask!