Hayden Aymes DeHoyos

My birthing experience this time around was the complete opposite from when Reese was born. With Reese I went into my regular doctors appt and was told I was a three. They called me into the hospital as soon as they had a room and when I arrived I was a four. I received the epidural before I ever felt any contractions, and when it was time for Reese to come he just slid right out.

With little Hayden I had contractions on and off the entire week before he was born. It didn't help that Reese loved to ride around on my baby bump, squeeze his thighs, and bounce up and down like it was his own personal saddle ;) I didn't want to go to the hospital too early, so I tried waiting them out, but finally at 2am Sat morning they were so intense and frequent that I woke Edward up and told him it was time. Brian (my youngest brother) is still living with us while he attends ASU, and was all too willing to give up his weekend plans to tend Reese for us while we were gone.

By the time we got to the hospital I was a seven and the contractions were getting way beyond uncomfortable. The nurses both exchanged a funny look when they told me who the anesthesiologist was, so I thought "great" (sarcasm) I must be in for a real treat. I felt the epidural a lot more this time around, the anesthesiologist was a nice but bossy Indonesian lady who was kinda rough but quick, and that whole area has felt kinda bruised/ sore since, but still I say the epidural is way worth it! I remembered being super exhausted after Reese was born, so this time as soon as the epidural kicked in Edward and I both took a nap. (And my Doctor said he did too, which is good cuz he looked super tired when I first saw him, poor guy.)

I remember laying there and saying a prayer of gratitude. I was grateful for the joy that being a parent and welcoming a new spirit into the world brings, and I was grateful because that was the most comfortable and at peace I had felt in weeks.

When it was time to push I huffed and puffed and had the hardest time getting him out! The doctor said he was looking up instead of having his chin tucked down, so that slowed things up a bit. I couldn't feel a thing and didn't mind, I was just impatient to meet the little guy!

I have to say I was super impressed with the effort Edward made to be helpful and encouraging this time around (as opposed to hugging the wall). He is such a wonderful husband! He was still too squeamish to cut the umbilical cord, but I think that's a slightly overrated honor anyway. (My Aunt said on their last kid she screamed when my Uncle cut the cord, made him jump and think he'd done something wrong. Isn't that mean!? They are funny.)

Anyway, when little Hayden finally made his appearance he was just so sweet and hardly cried at all! He was born Sat morn at 9:30am, Feb 4th, 2012, weighing 7lbs, and was 19.5 inches long. His head was so tiny, (compared to Reese, whose head always measures in the 100th percentile) so I didn't even have to get very many stitches and am so much more comfortable this time around! Also the stay in the hospital was much more pleasant this time! They didn't wake us if we were sleeping. The food was really good. The nurses were all so nice (no trainees this time ;). It was really very relaxing! (I'm sure the fact that my blood pressure didn't skyrocket like it did after I had Reese, had a lot to do with the difference.) I love being a Mother and love my sweet boys more than anything in the world!