Hudson Michael Labrum - Birth Story

We are so happy to have welcomed our little baby boy! We are now officially a family of three!! On Monday, May 14th at 7:52pm, Hudson was born. It was a long 15 hour labor, but worth every minute. On Sunday, May13th, exactly a week before my due date, Todd and I decided to go for a long walk. I had purposely not been trying any tricks to put me into labor because the week before that Todd had finals. I was still working full time and my last Thursday Friday and Saturday at the salon were SO busy. By the time I was off work, I never felt up to doing anything. So Sunday (Mother's Day) was the first day I felt up to a long walk. We walked about 2 miles around a golf course that we live by.  That must have done the trick!

Last picture I have of me pregnant. 38 Weeks. One week before I went into labor!

At 11pm I started having contractions. This wasn't the first time because I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for a few months now. After a few hours they were coming every 5 minutes and felt stronger than my regular BH. Todd called the hospital to ask if we should come in and they told us to wait until they were every 3-4 minutes apart. Around 4am they were coming closer together so we decided to load up the car and head in. By the time we reached the hospital I was having contractions every 2 1/2 minutes and I was thinking, "Great, this is going to go fast!" I was way off.

After a few hours my contractions became pretty strong so I told my nurse I wanted an epidural. They started my IV at 8:45am and I got my epidural an hour later. 15 minutes later, 10am, my doctor came in and told me they were going to break my water. I was amazed at how easy it was and how I couldn't feel anything. I was so happy to not feel my contractions anymore and thought I would get some sleep. Then the back labor started! I had heard women talking about back labor, but I never considered that I would have it. At first it just felt like pressure in my lower back and bottom, but after time it became strong and I felt like I was having contractions all over again! I explained to the nurse what I was feeling and she told me that an epidural doesn't help that kind of pain. Bummer. After that I faithfully squeezed Todd's hand about every 2 minutes until around 7:30pm. He was a trooper too :) Its amazing what your body can tell you. I knew when it was time to push and I told the nurses who then called for the doctor. Unfortunately, because it was my first birth, the doctor thought I would take a while to push and she took her sweet time responding to the call. I had multiple contractions where I was told I would have to wait and I felt like I was going to die! I kept telling Todd, "She better hurry!! I can't keep doing this!" After the doctor arrived I pushed twice and wa la! My baby was here!!

Hudson Michael Labrum was born at 7:52pm on May 14, 2012. He weighed 8lbs 4oz, was 20 3/4 inches long, and perfect. It's amazing how quickly you can fall in love with someone you just met. Unfortunately for Hudson, he had a major cone head. I blame the doctor who made me wait so long to push :) When we took him into the pediatrician a few days later he had lost an inch. I told you he had a bad cone head! 

Todd and I could not be more proud or in love! We feel extremely blessed and continue to thank our Father in Heaven for our beautiful baby boy.