He's here and oh so wonderful :)

He came, he came, he FINALLY came!  We are very happy to announce the arrival of Carlos Anthony Sullivan, born on April 21, 2010 at 1:43 am.  He weighed 7 lbs 7oz and was 19 in long!  I had Luke keep track of my labor and delivery experience so that I could share it with you all.  So here it goes!

I started having contractions on Tuesday morning at around 3:45 am and they had been between 5-10 min apart up to 9:30 am and then they started being 3-4 min apart until we went to the hospital at around 12:30 pm!!  Man do those things HURT!!  I was NOT a happy camper to say the least and things got worse before they got better.  When we got to the hospital they checked me and I was only at 3 cm, 75% effaced, -2 station.  They gave me the option to either stay in the triage and tough out the contractions in a bed until I was at a 4, go back home and wait it out or walk around the hospital for a couple hrs and then come back.  Being that it was about 2:30/3pm when they said this there was NO WAY we would go all the way home in traffic just to drive all the way back.  So walking it was.  We covered a little over a mile of ground walking around outside (up and down lots of hills) and got some lunch at the Subway there.  A couple hrs later we went back and when they checked me they told me I was still at a 3 so I sat there and waited out the contractions.  About an hour later they checked me again and I was finally at 4 cm, 90% effaced and -2 station.  This meant that I was admitted to Labor and Delivery at 5:30pm.  By then I had lost my mucous plug, but my water was still intact.  Once in the room I got an epidural (I had been laboring for about 16hrs by then and couldn't take the pain anymore).  Once it kicked in I was in heaven!  I'm really glad I got it.  I had a little issue with it though since it really numbed up my right side, but my left side didn't get quite as numb so they had to give me a couple extra doses to make it work.  Anyway, the doctor then broke my water at 6 pm and it was filled with meconium.  That meant that my little guy was under some stress so they hooked me up to some monitors and kept me on oxygen until I delivered him.  The next time they checked me was at 8:45pm and I was at 7cm with 90% effacement and at 0 station.  At about 10:55pm they checked me again and told me that I was at a 10 and 2 station.  Doctor said that I could start pushing soon and that he would be here shortly!!! :)

So from 11pm until 1:43am I pushed.  The first hour I pushed with every contraction, but that was causing the baby's heart rate to drop and have some trouble recovering so then the next hour or so they had me push with every other contraction (Thank the Lord for epidurals!!!).  At about 1:15 or so I was told I could push with every contraction and then at 1:43 he was here!!!  He had a good cry right when he came out and then they whisked him away to wipe him down and weigh him before giving him to me to start breastfeeding.  Oh the relief of having him here safe and sound!  To hear him cry and see him was amazing.  And that first time I held him was the BEST feeling in the WHOLE WORLD!  All the pain I went through was soooo worth it!  We still hadn't decided on a name (wouldn't until about 7 or 8 am the next day).  The nurse that was there for pretty much the whole time gave him his shots and a bath shortly after I nursed him.  She also got his footprints for us (he has his Daddy's feet!  they are so cute!!).  Her name was Deshka.  She was also helpful in getting me to get Carlos to latch on.  He did great on the first try!

 at the hospital

He is a very happy baby (when he's not starving that is).  That whole day he did alot of sleeping and eating as is normal for newborns to do.  He started playing favorites with which side he liked to feed on though the stinker.  That night was a rough one for me because he decided to cluster feed the whole night so I didn't get any sleep between 9 pm till around 6 am.  (That was only the beginning of my sleepless nights.  I get maybe about 4 hrs (give or take a couple) of sleep each day.)  Anyway, we were discharged from the hospital at about 2 pm on Thursday and have been doing pretty well.

on our way home from the hospital and snuggling his Poppa at home :)

 cuddle time with Daddy

 all clean after his first bath at home :)

We had a couple follow-ups with a lactation consultant and she said we were doing well.  The only problem I have now was something I didn't notice until later in the day on Saturday (after we got home from the appointment) that I have a small lump on the side of my breast that is red and very very sore.  It's gone down in pain though since I started pumping to help reduce my swelling.  I've been trying to have him eat on that side more too.  Saturday night really didn't help at all...it was the worst night so far...he would not be comforted for anything!  It took me running the sink water to calm him down enough to get him to latch and even then he was still pretty fussy.  Poor guy was having trouble from about 12 am until about 3 or 4 am and I was exhausted!  All I could do was cry because I felt like I was being a horrible mother for not being able to comfort my baby.  We finally got some sleep around 5 or 6 am though for at least one hour before he needed to be fed again (and was still pretty fussy).  So I pretty much got about 2 hrs of sleep.  He has been doing really well the last couple days though!  Eating and sleeping much better than he has in the last couple days that is for sure.  I actually got a 2 hr nap yesterday and about a 4 hr one today!!  I'm hoping this continues, but I know that there are probably more rough nights ahead as he gets older.

passed out after being fed :)

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that we are doing well considering a few bumps on the road :)  I love being his mom and wouldn't change it for the world.

~Nicole