Quinn is finally here!

Well, well, well... after the ultrasound and drs appointment on Monday - it must have been getting cramped in there because that is when everything started to happen - it all went down like this...

It had been an emotional weekend and I was a wreck, I basically had a breakdown as I was leaving church on Sunday because 1 too many people made stupid comments about me still be pregnant. When someone that is due in mid-July makes the comment that they'll probably have their baby before I have mine - ignoring them and walking away is the nicest thing I can do (although my husband asked me to be nicer to her next week). So after my mom kept the other kids and my husband took me home to calm me down and convince me that there was nothing wrong with me just because I hadn't given birth yet we agreed to go to the dr the next day just to see what he said.

Monday afternoon we went to the dr and he said I was perfect, the baby sounded great, but we had never had an ultrasound so he wanted to do one to clarify the due date and check on blood flow to the placenta. We headed back into North Platte to the hospital and had the ultrasound done. My mom, Sarah, Chloe and Matt were all there when we found out that it was definitely a boy and so we would have Quinn Joseph Ryan joining our family. Along with that everything looked great and even though Quinn was off the radar of the machine for some of the things they check - it did estimate Quinn to be 9 lbs, 13 oz (give or take 2 lbs).

So after all of that I was just exhausted - emotionally, physically and just all around so I thought I'd get some extra sleep. I kept getting interrupted and about the time Matt came to bed and he fell asleep (midnight) I was still lying awake. Around 2:00 am I turned the light on and started reading and then at 2:20 I heard a loud "POP!" I put my hand on my stomach and kind of laid there like, "Was that my water?" but nothing happened so I relaxed and kept reading. Then a couple minutes later I felt something and said, "Matt, get me a towel, my water just broke." He said, "Okay." and rolled over and went back to sleep. I elbowed him hard and said much louder, "Get me a towel, my water just broke!" Then he jumped out of bed all disoriented and rushing around. He grabbed me a towel and it soon became obvious that it was definitely my water that broke. I started trying to call my mom so they would unlock their door for us to get in (I do homebirths at my parent's home because it is set up so well for it). I finally got ahold of her around 2:30 and said we'd go ahead and come over, but we didn't need to call anyone else just yet.

My biggest concern about my water breaking first is thats what happened with my first two labors and both times the bag of water resealed itself and so nothing happened and then I had to have pitocin and then they would have to break my bag of waters again and then I would go straight into transition labor because of hours of pitocin in my system, blah, blah, blah... Just not real pleasant. So I was most concerned that this labor would get started and sustain itself without needing any outside help.

By 3:00 am I could tell that I was definitely having contractions and things were rolling along just fine. My husband started the whirlpool bath for me and my mom called our 2 friends that were going to be here for the birth.
They both arrived by about 3:30 and I was laboring in the bath tub with Matt helping me breathe and focus. They got the room ready and when I could tell I was getting really close we moved into the bedroom. I basically dropped to my knees at the foot of the bed and made it through about 2 more contractions. One of my friends asked if I wanted a pillow for under my knees - I said yes. They adjusted that just in time for me to start pushing. I believe that I pushed 3 or 4 times and then there he was. His face was a little blue, but he pinked up really quick and the really amazing thing is that he was totally alert from the moment he was born until about 7:00 am when he went to sleep for 3 1/2 hours.

As far as I go - there was no tearing, ripping or episiotomy so healing should be swift. Quinn is catching on to the whole breastfeeding thing, so as soon as the milk comes in we should be set there.

We came back home last night, less than 24 hours after my water broke and it was so nice to sleep in our own bed last night.
One thing that I'm picking up on already with Quinn is that he is alot like his oldest brother Philip. When he sleeps, he sleeps; when he is awake, he is awake and when he eats, he eats. His sleep/awake time is running in 3-4 hour chunks right now which sure beats the whole 15-30 minute thing.

Sarah and Chloe were there when Quinn was born, they were going to be in the room, but it went so quickly that no one had time to get them, so Matt got them right afterwards. The other kids got to see him a few hours later.