The Story of Cooper's Arrival

I just wanted to share my story of Cooper's arrival and show a slide show of the pictures we got. As most of you know I was overdue my due date was August 3rd and Dr. Moffett planned an induction for me on Tuesday, August 5th. I had gone early with my other two children so I had never experienced an induction before. I know now that God knows what He is doing because I have been very emotional about not having anymore children so He let me experience my last pregnancy for as long as possible. We arrived at the hospital at 6:00am on Tuesday morning and the first nurse we met at the front desk said I don't know if we have a bed for you. I was devastated but another nurse quickly found us a room and got me started. All three doctors Dr. Moffett, Dr. Helms, & Dr. Wood came in my room at the same time a little before 7:00am. We chatted as Dr. Helms broke my water. Dr. Moffett scheduled me for the induction but he told me he would not delivery me because he was working in The Villages office all week so I knew it would be Dr. Helms or Dr. Wood who would deliver me. Dr. Helms suggested I go ahead and ask for my epidural because I was 4cm dilated and they thought I would have the baby around lunch time. I told my nurse (Sandy, who was amazing) and she got my blood work going so I could get my epidural. She came back about 8:30am just when I was starting to feel contractions and told me my platelet count was low and they might not be able to give me an epidural because I might bleed too much. Of course that sent shock waves through me and I was scared to death. Quickly after that they talked to the doctors and went ahead and approved my epidural, thank the Lord. I was just finishing up my epidural when Jeanne arrived and Katie arrived shortly after to document this birth on film. We laughed and had a good time throughout the laboring process. I was fully dilated and ready to start pushing around 12:55. I pushed 5 rounds which was about 15 minutes before Cooper came at 1:09pm. We had one little scary moment right before he came - his head came out fine but then his shoulders got stuck. Big shoulders little hole which is called "Shoulder Dystocia". The nurses and Dr. Wood quickly jumped into action and they pushed on my pubic bone to get him out fast. It was probably less than a minute but it felt like an eternity because I knew something was going wrong. They got him out and laid him on my belly for me to see. Because those few minutes were so hectic noone told me if it was a boy or a girl so after they laid him on me Craig leaned down and told me "It's a boy!" Dr. Wood started instructing me to begin rubbing him because he still was not crying or breathing well and he still didn't cry after I rubbed him so they had to rush him over to the warmer and start rubbing him to get him going. He finally cried and got some oxygen going and he was fine. His face was all bruised and still is a little from being stuck like that but he seems okay. Everyone came to see him after he was born and Connor & Caroline just loved watching him. We had some other visitors while we were in the hospital including Robbie. Funny story, the second day in the hospital I had a nurse that just about drove me insane. Robbie came to visit and as nurse Mary was lecturing me about how to correctly breastfeed Robbie starts pretending to reach out and grab her butt. Everyone in the room is trying so hard not to laugh and Craig snaps a picture of it. Thanks Robbie for the laugh! We took Cooper home on Thursday and it was very bittersweet for me. I knew this would be my last time ever being pregnant and delivering a baby so I cried a lot about that. It was such a good experience and I had such good doctors and nurses, with the exception of nurse Mary, that it just broke my heart to leave the hospital and return to reality. Jeanne was watching my kids when we got home and they were happy to see their new little brother. That night the McDonald's brought us dinner and Jake & Josie got to hold little Coop man. We planned to give Connor and Caroline some kind of little gift or toy when Cooper came home just to distract them and make them feel special. Mama & I picked up some rain boots a while back and that was their little present. I put some pictures of the kids in their rain boots in the slide show because they have had a lot fun taking them off and on all day long, Caroline especially. We are happy and Cooper is doing well. I need to go feed the little man now. Thanks to everyone who prayed for us during this pregnancy and birth he truly is a gift from God.