by time we got settled in the room it was around 3PM and i was dilated to a 3-4 and things were really ready to go- i started to feel some pain for real and began asking about an epidural.
the epidural guy wasnt available since he was in another surgery and there was another girl before me in line anyway so they said they would give me a little something for pain but since i was already dilated to a 6 by now they decided to just give me half a dose of whatever it was so the baby wouldnt come out drugged and sleepy. it was just what i needed to take the edge off and do what i needed to do, but it wore off quickly and suddenly i was an 8 and then in transition and before i knew it i had shaken and panted my way through transition and i was a full fledged 10. it was the hardest thing i have ever done. my last labor was induced and that was also the hardest thing i have ever done too. labor is just hard, but amazing.
by this time there was really no point in getting an epidural even though the epidural guy was ready for me. at the advice of my doctor i just decided to go for it and boy was that ever an experience of a lifetime. i had an epidural when i pushed ambrose out and i knew when to push, but doing it without was so natural and.... i cant even think of the right word for it... i guess instinctual... after some intense pushing at about 5:26pm i believe (yes, less than 3 hours after we arrived at the hospital) out came:
ASHER HENRY ROBERTSON (Asher we just liked, and for the record if we have another child we wont feel obligated to name him/her an "a" name... and Henry after my grandpa hawkins) 8lbs. and 15.3 oz. and 22.5 inches long
he is the sweetest baby!! we hardly know what to do with ourselves because he just eats, sleeps and messes his diaper occasionally. we love our ambrose so we hate to compare him... but since he is our only other child we cant help it and this baby is pretty much 100% easier than amby boy was so far. he doesnt cry during diaper changes, he lets out a squak if he needs something, but mostly you can just tell he is hungry by his mouth moving around in a really cute way... he is so much fun!
now we just have to figure out how to be a family of four.
it hasnt been totally smooth, but it hasnt been bad either. ambrose is really starting to figure out that this baby is here to stay and he has been very loving with him.
speaking of ambrose, he is throwing a fit as i type this so i better go. we have a lot to do now and to get adjusted to and so i think i may camp out at home for a long time so i can heal and figure out how to manage two kids...etc. but feel free to come by and meet asher if you live around here. we love to show him off- he is so precious.
47 comments:
YAY! for pictures! Talk about crazy, but man what an experience! You are amazing doing it without an epidural (but I guess you didn't have a whole lot of choice on the matter), but I am curious how the IV drugs were? I had talked to an anesthesiologist a couple weeks before Baylee came because of the problems I've had with epidurals in the past, but he had said they really don't recommend the drugs because of the groggy effect on the baby and mother. I was bummed, but Fortunately the epidural did work for me this time. Enjoy your beautiful angel! So glad he is an easy going baby, similar to Baylee. Yay! He's here, see I told you it would be all over soon. j/k It sucks when you are still pregnant and wondering how much longer, but then when it is over, it is so crazy to think the labor and delivery is really all over now and he/she is really here. Hope recovery goes smooth. Wish we could come over and see him. Love the family picture! You look so pretty even after just having a baby, AWESOME!
Love all the pictures!!! He's amazing! Zach and Justin were looking with me and we all agree that he's a cutie. I hope you love having your two little boys as much as I enjoyed Derek and Justin. It wasn't all rosy, but it was pretty great.
Thanks for posting so many pics! I needed that. :-) You did a great job Steph. He is so cute and definitely is Ambrose's little brother. I got tears in my eyes looking at the last picture of all four of you and Ambrose holding the baby. So sweet!
So happy for your adorable family of four! What an amazing accomplishment for you. I'll be thinking and praying for your family and this new transition.
I'm so glad you had a good labor and delivery. Asher is a very cute little guy. I'm happy he seems pretty mellow. You look stunning in your pictures. Seriously. I too love the last picture of the new family of four. I look forward to reading about your new adventures. Love ya!
Love the name!
Yay! Congrats guys! He is definitely a looker! I love the name as well!
Hooray! Congratulations! He's super cute and you look fabulous! Crazy labor story! So fun to go au-naturale...okay "fun" is NOT the word, but brave! And amazing! Good job, Steph!
i love all the pics!! he is so adorable!
we want to come say hi ... just might do that today. if my women ever wake up :)
gwen was/is much easier than addi. i wonder if it's because we as moms are more prepared or if they really are easier. almost everyone i've talked to has said #2 is easier.
oh gosh, he is just so squeezable!!
and NO EPIDURAL!! you are my hero.
congrats (especially on the whole doing it natural part!) I can't wait to hold him. He's cute and I bet Ambrose is a great big brother. Let me know if you need anything like dinner or a babysitter for Ambrose so you can catch up on sleep.
Congrats Steph! he is adorbale and definately belongs to his brother Ambrose! They look so much alike! I am impressed you enjoyed the natural experience!
Hooray! I'm so happy for you. He's so so cute.
And it's funny how a certain letter seems to call to people. People ask us all the time if our next child is going to be a "b"name. I hope not, but it does seem to start the majority of the names we like!
Anyway congrats and I like the name you chose.
Congratulations! He is so cute, he looks just like Ambrose! I too love all the pics, especially the last one of the whole family. I sent you something a few weeks ago and I hope it made the looooong trip!
Oh Steph and family,
Congratulations! What a beautiful family you have. I enjoyed the details of Asher's arrival and think you're super amazing! You just gave Ambrose his best friend. Best of luck with your adjustment. He's so adorable.
Congratulations!!! He is SO adorable! I know what you mean about the pushing- your body pretty much does it without you having a say in the matter!
And holy cow congrats on pushing out such a big baby without an epidural!
Your happiness makes me happy. Asher is a darling name. I guess Henry will do too (hehe). Smell his soft little head for me. Congratulations. He's a lucky boy too.
congrats! i am so glad you posted! what a cute man child, that is rad that he is so mellow, hope that continues! awww, i am just so excited for you i don't even know what to type!
oh, and the girls love your music, it's turned up loud and they are happily dancing and ivy really wants to give asher a kiss. really bad. but who doesn't?
heal up sista, your a freaking stud. hero status for sure.
WAY TO GO!! You are amazing for doing it without the epidural! He is so cute and I love the name! Congratulations to the whole family. Get some rest when you can!
Another beautiful baby from my beautiful friend. So happy for your family. Congratulations Stephanie, Thomas, Ambrose and lucky little Asher!
That up there and right here is Bille, by the way.
I am really, honestly, happy for you guys. Birth and labor are pretty much the most miraculous and wonderful things on the earth. EVER! I'm glad it went fast for you. You also inspired me for a little bit to go naturally next time. -haha, we shall see about that. But I'm happy your are all healthy and well. Congrats! He is precious.
I also really like the name Asher.
Congratulations. He is one very cute little guy. His measurements were very close to Van's (9, 22). I was also scheduled for an induction and went into labor the night before. However, I was not wonder woman like you and was saved by an epidural. Good work! I hope things are blissful.
dear stephanie,
thanks a lot for sharing this with me (and the million other people who obviously loved it too). it is special. it is amazing. i cried (but that is to be expected).
this child is going to be awesome, because his birth shares several characteristics with mine, namely he was the second child and he came too fast for his mama to get drugs.
Congratulations! He is beautiful. You will have a blast with two, it's a bigger challenge with larger rewards. Enjoy your sweet family of 4.
aw, man, i'm the 25th comment. this is the post i have been waiting for!!! sounds like it all went down so smoothly - and no epidural - go steph! oh, and if i have another boy baby, his name will have henry in it, too - doug's dad and grandpa's names. and i am so positive the transition for your family from 3 to 4 will be awesome. you and thomas are such great people/parents. i just might give you all a few more days to enjoy the baby and then me and the kiddos will come drop by to check asher out for ourselves. oh, but i will be sure to call for a heads up for sure.
love you girl!
Congratulations!
Congratulations! I can't believe you did all that without an epidural...you are a champ! He is so big and so cute! I love all the pics, but I especially love the one of you leaning against the side of the bed with Asher in the crib next to you...so sweet. You look great, too, by the way! I can't wait to watch your kids grow over the blog...blogs are great!
oh.
wow.
wow wow wow.
i wasn't going to ask you if you wanted to go natural, cuz i didn't want to make you feel weird, like i thought you should do it that way. but i'm sooooo fascinated with how it all played out. and so fast fast fast, wow, are you okay down there?
i wish we could have been there to bring you treats in a brown paper bag and for a million other reasons.
i love the pregnancy pictures of you, been craving them. asher is perfect, and so incredibly lucky.
the pictures of ambrose with his brother absolutely kill me. like, i'm dead right now.
Im so overwhelmed with happiness and excitement for you guys. He's perfect, i adore him. i adore you! and I am so proud of you, you are a super awesome studly woman!
I'm coming to see you as soon as humanly possible.
love you guys. have fun figuring out this new family of four stuff--you're gonna be great. it seems as if he fits in perfectly, like he was here all along.
yay!!!!
amazing. the detail was appreciated. Welcome Asher, to the world!
Wow...I can't believe I am comment #31 on this post. You are sure loved. :-) And we love that Asher baby...and Amby boy!!! Those photos Thomas took were so cute. You will be a great mamma of 2, and I think you will figure it out sooner than you think. I can't believe you did it without an epidural. I kept wanting to ask you if you had one when I talked to you....but I thought that might be an annoying question. (Having never gone through labor, I think that anyone who has is amazing with or without the epidural. So, I didn't want to annoy by asking...does that make sense?) So, basically I think you are amazing! That's all!! :-)
love you steph
love you tom
love you ambrose
love you asher
addy talked about baby asher for the rest of the day. it was the first thing she told marc when he got home from work.
Wow! Cute little boy you have there! So glad to see that you are doing well and he is being a good little baby for you. P.S. you are superwomen...no epidural is AMAZING!
Yay! Good work Stephanie! You are amazing! Asher is so cute, sweet, handsome, and everything good! I want to hold him so badly! Congrats Stephanie, Thomas and Ambrose!
Congrats- and awesome name! He's a cutie!
He is beautiful! I love the name. What a cute little family you have!
I am dying over your story of no epidural!
CONGRATULATIONS, WE ALL FIGURED SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING ACROSS THE SEA, AS IT HAD BEEN SO MANY DAYS OF QUIET, NO BLOGGING, FROM STEPHANIE. SO ADORABLE, HE LOOKS LIKE HIS BROTHER! CONGRATS A MILLION TIMES OVER - GET SOME SLEEP!!!! GOD BLESS ALL "FOUR" OF YOU!
p.s. my nephew's 8 year old son's name is Asher...Love it!!!!!!
Congratulations Thomas and Stephanie! He's beautiful and so cute. :)
congrats friend! He is so beautiful and what a woman are you! Praying your recovery is speedy and easy and that transition to a family as 4 as well.
And he has an awesome name...especially his middle=)
I am crying right now. He looks like dexter to me. I have to come see them!
Woot Woot! Way to go Steph. You are my hero. You are crazy, but still my hero non the less.
Loving little asher and his perfect middle name.
Good luck on the adjusting.
Beautiful little family you are.
Hooray hooray hooray! Looks like a lot of fun. I must admit that I am still a little bit nervous about having two little boys, so I'm relying on your blog to convince me that this is the best thing ever. So far you are doing a good job.
Also, way to go on the natural birth. Having things go so fast is a big fear of mine. I hope it was awesome and amazing and energizing and not scary so much.
hooray for sure! he is totally a keeper! loves to you guys, big brother ambrose and loveable asher!
glad everything went well. wish i lived near by so that i could meet the little guy... wait i still haven't met amb.
one day...
xoxo mollymalia
Wow! Now I am comment 45? This is insane! Anyway, who made you that adoreable hat!! I love it!
yeah, um, you are seriously loved. 45 comments? popular and loved. awesome.
hey stephanie. congrats on being a mom of 2!! i am in love with the picture of you and baby at the foot of the bed. did your husband have to stand on a ladder to get that shot? ha. hope you are doing well. love the mini van.
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