Our lives around the Campbell house changed dramatically as of ten days ago. I keep getting these impressions that I just need to sit down and write all my thoughts and feelings. My house has actually been extremely quiet the past few days. Dave and the kids are sitting on a house boat in Lake Powell with dear friends having a blast. I on the other hand have been at home with our newest addition.....PARKER. I have to tell you that he has been the most wonderful and sweetest blessing to come into our family. I am completely in love with every part of him. I have honestly forgotten the joy and love that comes with a new baby and how it feels to hold them and marvel at every part of them. I have been so removed from that stage.....granted our baby Ashlynn just turned 6 and Tyler just turned 9......we've been way past all of that for a while now. I pretty much feel like in having Parker I've become a mom for the first time because it's been so long. I find myself being more protective of him and more cautious about things and completely more of a germ freak than I ever was before. Getting him here was quite the journey and literally felt like forever. If I learned anything from this pregnancy it was that you can't make something happen that isn't ready to happen. We learned that this child had his own plan of doing things whether I liked it or not. Hopefully this isn't too graphic for any of you...I'm mainly writing this all down for me to remember. Sooooo here I go........
Both of our other kids came 1-2 wks early. So I obviously assumed that this little guy would follow suit. We were more prepared for this child than we ever were with our others. I was given two baby showers and we were READY!! I ended up having two false alarms.....went to the hospital each time with a packed bag thinking......"This is it....it's time......we're having a baby". Hours later being sent home being told I wasn't really in labor and just dehydrated!! You know how depressing that is being told that not once but twice.....it was also embarrassing for me. I just felt like a crazy person that didn't understand her own body. But really how in the world could I know that the contractions weren't because of labor?? I can't even explain how badly I wanted and needed this baby to come out. My body was so swollen and miserable I couldn't take it anymore. We literally tried everything to get him out.....I mean EVERYTHING.....several times. I bet this little guy was up in heaven just laughing at all our efforts. After all that I got to a point that I couldn't think about it anymore....I gave up and knew I had no control over any of it.....this baby was going to come when he dang well felt like it.
May 28Th was my due date and that came and went.....I couldn't believe it I was over due. I went to see my midwife the morning of the 31st to discuss my options of an induction. I didn't want to go that route but I couldn't wait much longer. We were having family pictures with my family before my sister moved to New York that coming Sunday. Then Dave and the kids were going to Lake Powell a few days later. Bottom line was we needed to have this baby!! I was already at 3cm and 60% effaced. I just needed a little nudge. They scheduled me to go into the hospital 11pm that night.
Walking back into that hospital I held my head a little higher because I knew I wasn't leaving there without a baby in my arms. I got settled into a room and about 11:45pm they inserted this gel to help get things going. It was a 3 step process that took 6 hrs.....if this didn't work then they were going to send me home again. I sat there thinking there is no way in hell that I'm going home! I had to lay there for an hour to let the gel absorb and then I had to walk for an hour. Things started progressing pretty quickly once I started to walk. Two of my sisters came to cheer me on....Lindsey and Adria.....and Linds was also documenting the whole thing with her camera. After that first walk I came back and the nurse checked me and I was at 4 1/2cm and 70% effaced. She said I didn't need anymore gel and that we were staying put and having this baby soon! I could have screamed I was so happy! Then I went back out in the halls and started walking again to keep things moving.
This second time of walking things started progressing really fast. I have my babies really quickly. My contractions were getting harder and much closer together. Dave and my sisters were taking turns walking with me in circles around this big waiting room. I think I could have burnt a hole in the carpet. I got to a point to where I was zoning out and could only focus on my breathing. I had a plan to have this baby natural like I did with Ashlynn. I knew it was going to hurt like crazy and be insane but honestly I didn't remember it fully. My sisters were so great and so supportive and loving. My Dave......my sweet husband was so kind and tender and sweet and everything that I needed him to be at every moment. I couldn't of asked for anything more from him. I got to a point where every contraction I had to hold onto him and I remember just lowering my head into his chest and trying to breath through it all.
It was almost 3am at that point. We started walking back to my room to be checked again. I just knew the time was getting close.....my baby was almost here. I felt like I needed to go potty so I sat down started having another contraction and had to get up because of the pain. Sitting down like that felt so irritating to me. I tried sitting again once it was over and another came. I literally felt something slip down a little bit inside of me one after another. I tried sitting again and then my water broke, it was about 3:15am. I came out of the bathroom and tried to get back into the bed to be checked again. I was hurting so badly I was having a hard time finding a comfortable position.....there just wasn't one at that point. My nurse checked me and I was at a 6 1/2. I was laying on my side and looked up at Dave and flat out said I didn't think I could do this anymore. I was throwing in the towel and wanted the drugs. It was too much. He told me I was almost there and almost done and that my body was going to move very quickly at that point. He was right. My nurse also said it's too late for meds they would be of no help to you now. Then I hear my sisters say...."you can do this Dara, you're almost there, you're doing an amazing job". All I can remember hearing from Dave is him saying..."you're doing so good Dara....soooo good.....you can do this."
The next thing I know I am on my bed on my hands and knees rocking back and forth trying to get through the contractions. They were so painful and the pressure of pushing started to come and the burning ohhhhhhhhh the burning. All I can say is it was an insane amount of pain.....absolutely insane. Why you ask was I willingly doing this to myself?? My recovery is SO much better with no meds and I just feel amazing after. I honestly can't even explain it really to make any sense to anyone. It is honestly an amazing experience and a crazy one at the same time.
I got to a point to where I thought this baby was going to fall out of me if I was on my hands and knees and all I kept saying was I don't want to deliver my baby like this I don't want to. My midwife was pulling into the parking lot and I needed to push so bad and he was right there ready for me to. The nurses started getting everything ready for me to deliver and at one point they thought they were going to have to. I was ready my body was complete and it was time. I remember gripping the sides of the bed with each contraction. Dave said I grabbed onto him a few times and had a death grip on him. I also yelled at him one time to not touch me. You pretty much are out of your mind at that point. Janice walked in the door and I started pushing. She was so amazing! I don't even remember seeing her walk in I just remember her saying really loud...."THANK GOD THANK GOD...yes Dara THANK GOD!!!" She repeated that many times over the next few minutes. My breathing was getting a little out of control from the pain and she helped me with everything. She was going over my whole body telling me to relax and to focus on certain things. Then when it was time to push it was time to push like a mad woman!! Getting his head out was the hardest part. There is always this point when I'm pushing so dang hard and expect it to come out but it doesn't and i get frustrated and push even harder. Just when I thought I had nothing left to give all of a sudden I'm able to dig deeper and push more. I literally was pushing with every fiber of my being and his head finally came out! Then the rest of his body just fell out limb by limb and then that beautiful baby cry. It was incredible.
At 4am on the dot little Parker David was born on June 1st weighing 8lbs. 9oz. and was 20 inches long....also my parents anniversary. He came out and they placed him right on my chest and I literally started weeping. I knew I was going to be emotional but I had no idea how emotional. I have never cried like that in my whole life I couldn't control myself. I was in complete and utter amazement at what had just happened. I couldn't believe that my baby was here. He was beautiful he was perfect he was amazing. Dave was balling my sisters were balling....it was just one big ball fest. It was an unbelievable experience that I can't explain very well or even justify. All I know is I was overcome with joy and love for this new little man.
They let me keep him on my chest for like 20 minutes it seemed....we just snuggled. Dave and I kept looking back and forth at each other then at him and saying how adorable he was. His head was perfectly round and he even came out clean! He wasn't messy at all....literally looked like he just got out of the pool and was wet. He may have been overdue but how nice of him to come out so clean! Ha ha:)
We came home a couple days later and everything has been going really well. He is the sweetest little thing and we all just love him to pieces. The kids are so good with him and extremely attentive and helpful. If he makes the slightest peep they both come running to help. We are all so happy to have him here and a part of our family. I told Dave the other night that we need to have another one after Parker. He looked at me all shocked. I even shocked myself when I said it. Even though this pregnancy was really hard for me and pretty miserable.....every bit of it was worth it to get him here. How could I not be willing to give him a little brother or sister?? All of it was worth it. I feel so incredibly grateful and so blessed to be given this sweet baby. He is a dream come true and we are all so in love with him. What a journey and what a miracle. Welcome to our family my love:)
..............sorry pictures coming soon!!...............
