It all started Thursday night when I was woken up by contractions. They went all through the night and would go from 20 min apart all the way down to 5 min apart. My family was planning on driving up that next day but was texting me through the night to check up on my status.
As my contractions became closer together they decided to drive through the night just in case I had the baby
that night. They seriously rock. I'm convinced I'm the luckiest daughter and sister in the world.
Unfortunately little man was not coming anytime soon. I continued to have contractions all day Friday and although my family was exhausted from driving through the night, we couldn't sleep because we were all so excited to meet this little one. We had the best day going out to eat, and taking long walks. Although I was in labor the whole day and in a bit of pain, what I remember most that day was how happy I was to have my sweet family with me and how much fun we had together.
They gave me my epidural around 8pm and I flipped out. I don't know why but it made me go into a complete panic. Seeing my legs like that was the worst. I kept saying "im going to die, it's going to my heart!" Haha so dramatic I know but I really believed I was dying. As it started to ware off a bit I could feel my feet more and more and finally calmed down enough to get some sleep. My doc broke my water around 9pm. All I could feel was pressure and tugging.
My sweet in laws came around 11pm and my contractions were off the charts. I was feeling great by that time because I couldn't feel a thing. I slept for a few hours, waking up periodically to watch my poor husband trying to get any sleep he could on two chairs and my sweet mother and sis on the dingiest bed, trying to make the best of things. They were my dream team, never complaining of the little sleep they we're running on. Always making sure I was comfortable and cheering me on.
As the hours went by I became more and more worried that my baby wasn't coming. Finally around 6am they told me I was stuck at a 9 and my baby was posterior. They needed to get him anterior and get me to a 10 so I could start pushing. My epidural started wearing off and I panicked. Not only could I feel contractions, but my body was extremely exhausted from laboring nearly 30 hours. I was giving up and just wanted it to be over. I just wanted to meet my sweet baby boy so badly. The pain was unbearable and all I remember at that point was lots of tears and my mom singing to me trying to do anything she could to help me. I asked josh to give me a blessing. I think Heavenly Father knew I was at my breaking point because right after the blessing I progressed to a 10 and they began preparing me to start pushing. They gave me another dose of the epidural and I began pushing. This part was my all time favorite. It was amazing. Working with my doctor and sweet husband who was cheering me on. Truman was coming fast and mine and Josh's adrenaline was through the roof.
After a short 45 min my sweet angel baby had arrived. Perfect in every way. I can't even describe how happy I was. It's definitely true when they say this is the moment you feel closest to heaven. I held my little boy for a short 30 seconds before he was rushed into the Nicu. Unfortunately because of the long labor I wasn't able to hold him long because he and I both had fevers and he needed some serious medical attention. He developed pneumonia in his tiny little undeveloped lungs. I was crushed.
Through many prayers, fasting and lots of love my sweet boy progressed each day. Somehow Heavenly Father made me the strongest I had ever been in my life because I was still the happiest mama in the world, and somehow josh and I managed to laugh more than we had ever laughed before and became closer than ever. I can't imagine this experience without him. He is the best daddy in the world and the most supportive husband a girl could ask for. The moment we first sat together as a family and picked a name for our little boy was unreal. The spirit was so strong. We knew he was meant to be a little Truman and that no other name would match that sweet little face. I'll never forget how Josh was that day, he was beaming. I was falling in love all over again, and we were so proud of what we had gone through together and the new life we were about to begin.
Thankfully Truman fought hard that week and five days later we took our little family home :)
