At my 39 week appointment, I ask my dr. when he thought I'd have him. He said he really believed I was going to go past my due date. He told me to come back on Tuesday, which was 6 days away. He was going to check me, and if my cervix was ready he was going to induce me the following day because he was on call. Well, for 6 days I was a total mess. Terrified I'd go into labor without him being there to deliver.
Tuesday, June 25, I make it to my appointment. He checks my cervix. I was 3 centimeters and 70%. He then stripped my membranes(a pain I'll never forget). He ask if I wanted to be induced the next day or if I wanted to wait till Friday, that was his next day being on call. I called Brandon, and Brandon told me to wait till Friday, so he wouldn't miss that much work.
I tell the dr.we decided to wait till Friday, and then proceed to ask him if he thinks I'll make it to Friday or if I'll go Wednesday. Because Thursday, he was off. So, I was thinking I'd go on Thursday while he was off. He said, "I'll probably see you tomorrow" as I was leaving. I go schedule my induction. It was set for Friday, June 28th at 6:30 a.m.
As I was leaving the dr. I was having random contractions and cramping really bad. I call everyone to let them know how it went and stopped at Food City to get some last minute groceries. I took my groceries home and went and picked up the boys I was wanting to spend every last minute with them because I knew these were the last few days when it would be just "them". The normal that they were used to.
I had contractions off and on all night Tuesday. Read everything I could find about stripping membranes and going into labor. About 9p.m. I got up and cleaned. Picked up toys, dishes, swept, and mopped. Went to bed cuddled with my two favorite boys about 11.
I woke up a little bit later moaning. I came to and thought, "am I in pain?" Then I had a contraction. I then got up, looked at the clock and it read 3:01a.m., and I went to the bathroom. I came back and laid down in the bed. I thought to myself, "these aren't real, I'll go back to bed." Well, I couldn't sleep because they were so strong, so I laid there and timed them. 5 minutes apart! 3:45 I decided I better get up and finish packing and shower. I knew I was about to welcome little Marlow boy #3. I got up finished packing, showered, mopped the kitchen, and read "What To Expect When You're Expecting".
I called the dr. at 4:50 a.m. While I waited for the dr. to call me back I decided to wake Brandon. I told him he needed to get up because I thought it was time to go to the hospital that I was just waiting for the dr. to call me back. I expected him to get up and get ready. Nope, he says, "let me know what the dr. says"and rolls over. I then ask him what he wanted me to do with the boys.
The dr. called me back at 4:57 and told me to come one in. I called Katie, she came down and stayed with the boys, and Brandon and I packed up the car. I kissed the boys goodbye and we left.
We arrived at the hospital at 6:15. the entire trip there I had to listen to Brandon ask me and tell me he hoped these wasn't fake that he would be tired for work if I got sent back home. They put me in triage. I got to put on one of those fabulous gowns. They checked me and I was still 3cm. but was 90%. The nurse said, "I'm going to call Dr. Myers to let him know you're here and see if he wants to send you back home or keep you." I said, "you tell him I'm not going anywhere". I meant that too! Just a few minutes later another nurse came in unplugged me and sent me to Room 228.
Once I got into my room there were three nurses came in to try and get an IV in my hand(s), no luck they ended up having to put it in my arm. While they were poking at my hands I was having hard and frequent contractions. I was in pain. Wanting to tear Brandon's head off his shoulders. I even told him I was done, no more kids after this one. He told me it was just the pain talking I'd stop talking like that once I got an epidural.
They called for the epidural. About the time he came in to do that so did my dr. He told me I was doing great and wanted to know what time I had started having contractions. He said I guess I won't be seeing you Friday. He watched the monitors while my epidural was inserted and waited about 15 minutes for it to take effect and then checked my cervix. I was 100% and 7cm! I couldn't believe I had made it that far without an epidural. That was about 8:45 when I was checked.
The nurse checked me at 9:20 and I hadn't changed. She came back at 10:20 and said, "I have a feeling you might be about ready." I told her I thought so too, because I had been feeling pressure in my bottom. She checked me and sure enough I was almost there. I was 9 1/2. She raised the back of my bed up and I felt the biggest gush of water. I told her that probably just pushed me to 10. She said she'd be back in 20 minutes to check me again, and we'd start pushing.
The boys got there and I seen them for about 10 minutes. My nurse came in around 11:05 and checked me. I was ready. 10cm! They broke down the bed, got the babys stuff out, and called my dr. to let him know I was about to start pushing. I began pushing at 11:15. She told me he had a head full of hair after I pushed my first push. I don't remember exactly how many pushes. Probably no more than 5. But I remember thinking, "I'm about to push this baby out, is Dr. Myers going to be here in time to deliver?" So, I ask her if Dr. Myers would make it in time. She said, "yes, it takes him about 4 minutes to walk over here." So to relieve my worry she called him. I stopped pushing until he made. He told me immediately that Maverick had a head full of hair. I pushed about 2 more pushes and he was saying, "look down here Amy at all this hair." I look and Dr. Myers is combing Mavericks hair out with his hands (I hadn't even fulling pushed Maverick out yet, only his head.) After checking out that fabulous hair I began to push again, felt his shoulders come out and Dr. Myers laid him up on my belly. Mom and Brandon said, "he looks like Memphis." He did. He had those chubby cheeks like Memphis did. He was born at 11:29a.m.
We all guessed how much he'd weigh. Dr. Myers 8lbs, Brandon and me 8lbs. 1oz. and my nurse 7lbs. 14oz. My nurse hit it right on. He was 20 1/2in. long! I couldn't believe it. The other two were only 19. Dr. Myers said he would be my basketball player.
Once the dr was finished and the nurses left out we had just the boys to come in. It was so sweet. Brandon and I sat there crying as Bo checked out his baby brother. We video taped it, but I haven't went back to watch it. I've got a pretty bad case of the baby blues, and am crying at the drop of a hat.
I just feel so blessed and I am oh so thankful that God has blessed me with three healthy handsome little boys. So, far Maverick looks a lot like his daddy. He has the Marlow skin and dark hair. Brandon is really hoping it stays like that, so do I.
I'm trying to soak in every little detail and memory because this will be my last one and I just want to remember every little thing about it that I can. I can honestly say I love being pregnant, even though I'm usually sick as a dog, and love giving birth and taking care of a newborn. It just makes me feel great. I feel like I'm fulfilling my life. I know that's crazy, and probably makes no sense, but there is just something about it that I love and I am going to miss. I just cry thinking I'll never get to experience it again.
Memphis did ask me if I thought God would give us two more babies. He wants to know what a sister would look like.
