A Birth Story for Ezra

A Birth Story for Ezra

• 5.29.2020

He's here!  Introducing the softest and squishiest bundle of joy who completes our family.

Meet Ezra Glen Nelson born on Friday May 22, 2020 at 4:29 PM weighing 9lbs 1oz and 21.5 inches long.

Ezra is my tiniest baby with by far the smoothest and quickest delivery.  It's true when they say no two deliveries are alike.  I now have four completely different, and yet uniquely beautiful, birth stories to tell and to relive over and over again in my mind and heart.

So let's back this story up to Thursday when I had my doctor appointment.  I was 38 weeks + 6 days pregnant and dilated to a "loose one centimeter" with plans for a 39 week induction because I grow my babies so large.  Doctor Cannon did a quick membrane sweep (WOWSERS! That was a bit painful.) in hope of "stirring the pot" to get things moving before the big delivery day on Friday.

Well, I didn't go into labor, but it worked!  Thursday afternoon I stayed as busy as possible, going on a walk with the boys and cleaning the house.  When Bron and I arrived at the hospital bright and early Friday morning at 6AM, I was already dilated to a "stretchy four".  Woot!  My body was already doing its thing.

The hospital was busy that morning, so my sweet nurse and her trainee weren't able to start my Strep B antibiotics until about 8AM.  Then both Bron and I had to wait four hours for the medicine to work its magic.  It was a long morning being hooked up to various machines.  One was the IV drip, of course, (Hooked to the back of my forearm of all places. It was actually really nice!) the others were a blood pressure cuff and a fetal heart rate monitor.  That heart rate monitor always had to be readjusted because our baby was so active!  Lol.  Little Turkey is already trying to keep up with his big brothers.  Bron passed the time doing some work on his computer while I dozed and watched some tv.  It was very boring.

The nurses asked if we had a name ready.  We said we had a couple in mind but hadn't decided on one just yet.

Finally, it was noon and time to break my bag of water!  The nurses hooked me up to the monitors to watch Baby's heart rate for a half hour before letting me up to walk the halls, sit on the birthing ball, etc.  I walked the halls with Bron (with our Covid masks, of course) as quickly as my big pregnant body would allow.  I acted way too chipper to be in labor.  I felt occasional pressure and an occasional mild contraction, but nothing seemed to be happening.

The nurses hooked me up to the monitors once again and checked my cervix.  I'd dilated one more centimeter.  So my body was laboring after all!  The nurses decided to give my body more time to amp up those contractions and left Bron and me in privacy for a while.  The bet was that once those contractions started to roll, I'd go quick.  Wow, were they right!

I really enjoyed swaying on the giant peanut ball.  It helped open up my hips and used gravity to my advantage all while putting counter pressure under my bum and lady parts.  Bron dozed lightly on the couch behind me as I felt a couple of contractions wash over me.  I watched the clock.  A few minutes later, I felt another.  I closed my eyes and slowly breathed through it.  That was definitely more intense than before.  Another wave.  Longer.  More painful.  Deep breaths.  "Okay," I thought. "I can totally do this for another 15-30 minutes before calling the nurses back in to ask for an epidural."

About ten minutes later, I needed to pee.  I had just barely gotten myself to the bathroom when the nurses walked in to check on me.  And that's when wave upon wave of contractions hit.  Bron came in to find me leaning against the bathroom wall for support.  I was in so much pain.  I didn't want to move!  But you bet I was able to ask for that epidural.

The nurses helped me into the labor bed and started hooking me up to all sorts of things to get ready for the epidural.  They also began setting up the room to welcome Baby!  The one nurse intuitively knew that there just wouldn't be enough time.

I had to wait ten minutes for the anesthesiologist to walk into the room and another twenty to actually get my epidural.  During that time, the contractions only intensified.  I closed my eyes through every contraction and begged Bron to come over so I could at least squeeze his hand.  It scared me how much it hurt!  I knew then that I was not mentally prepared to deliver a baby without an epidural.

I sat with my legs swung over the side of the bed and my arms over a pillow as the anesthetist went to work, explaining to his trainee what was going on.  I honestly didn't comprehend much; I was too busy concentrating on getting through each contraction.

Finally, sweet pain relief!  I thanked the anesthetist as he left.  It was a perfect epidural.  I could not feel any pain but I could feel pressure and even move my legs a little.

In that moment I was feeling a ton of pressure.  The nurse checked me again.  I was dilated to a 9!  A minute later I said I felt the urge to push.  Indeed, I was fully dilated and effaced and ready to go!

The catch was, the doctor wasn't in the room.  We had to wait for her.  The nurse explained that she could deliver a baby and has in the past, but it comes with a ton of paperwork.  So while I now had an epidural, none of us minded waiting a few minutes.

As soon as Dr. Mills walked into the room, it was go time!  The nurse kindly guided me on how to push correctly.  I'd forgotten in the heat of the moment.  I could feel so much pressure as the Baby's head began to emerge.  I held back excited tears.  Three contractions later, Ezra was born into the world!

He was placed on my chest immediately and Bron got to cut the chord.  Baby Boy was covered in a thick layer of greasy vernix, as if he was coated in an inch of butter.  I joked that it was all that Covid quarantine baking.  The surprise upon entering the room also made the baby poop sticky meconium everywhere.  Haha.  I happily watched as a nurse began to work this perfect baby boy over on my chest, sucking out his nose and rubbing the vernix off with a warm towel and making him cry.  I could not believe it.  He was here!  My baby was here and he was absolutely perfect in every way.  I knew he was coming; I felt him growing within me for months, but it still felt so surreal.

Bron followed him to the warming table a few mintues later. Then he turned around and looked at me. "I think he's Ezra Glen," he said. "What do you think?" Yes, I agreed; Ezra Glen is his name.

Now I sit here in utter awe.  How can my heart simultaneously explode and ache with such intense love over someone I just barely met?  I am head over heels in love with Ezra!  He has the biggest, softest, squishiest cheeks that dwarf his little chin, the sweetest eyes, and the most content disposition.  I am overcome by newborn bliss.  Few things compare to the joy of holding a newborn baby on my chest, smelling the top of his head, kissing his soft cheeks, and listening to him breath and squeak.

God's goodness and love for me has never been more evident than in the faces of my children.  Motherhood is a special gift.  I absolutely love being a mother; there is so much joy and purpose in it.  I feel like the luckiest woman in the world to get to do this four times over.  I am a mother to four boys and it just feels right.  Ezra is a little slice of heaven on earth right here in the hospital room.  I just wish I could stop time and make this moment last forever.

And now... a slew of precious hospital pictures from our very slow first 24 hours together.

^^Just my baby and me a couple of hours after delivery when we first made it to the postpartum recovery room.^^

^^Baby's first sunrise.  It was such a gorgeous morning!^^

^^Slowly unwrapping my little burrito to get to all the yummy newborn details.^^

^^Squished little ears.^^

^^Little wrinkly toes in harsh light!^^

^^Dad's turn to hold Ezra.  Bron spent the night with me and it was so nice to have someone there to hold the baby soundly while I caught a few hours of sleep.^^

^^Melt me!  I love newborn yawns.^^

^^One very happy mama.^^