The Hodgepodges: Logan's Birth story

Logan Charles Hodges
June 22, 2017 at 12:17am
7lbs 14oz, 20in long and 14in head

So I never blogged about the pregnancy, or even finding out we were expecting another little boy. Or even our story of how we came up with his name... yikes. And I keep thinking someday I'll get caught up and get those things blogged about. But one thing I definitely want to get jotted down was Logan's birth story. I have each of the kids stories on this blog and I want to be sure he has his too. Poor fourth baby! Thankfully it's mostly documented on Instagram and thanks to Chatbooks also printed out into little books. ;)

Starting with my Doctor's appointment on Thursday the 15th. I was 37 weeks 3 days. Id been having a few strong contractions here and there so I was anxious for this appointment. He checked me and said I was already 3 cm dilated an 50% effaced. And he was head down!! My first not breech/version needing baby! Which meant Logan was going to be making his appearance sooner than later. The original plan was that my mom wasn't going to leave Colorado until the following weekend (23rd). So knowing that I was already that much dilated, we decided she should head out right away. She could have waited until Friday and got here Saturday, but she wanted to leave that afternoon. So I took it easy the next couple of days to keep contractions at bay. We had a great weekend for Father's day. Saturday we had swim class, then we went to lunch at Blaze as a family. I took the kids to get hair cuts (the girls wanted to go short) and Charlie went home to mow. After that it was movie time for Charlie and Quinton (Cars 3) and I took the girls to piggy pottery. Then it was Debra's birthday dinner at Steph's house. Sunday was Father's day and we made Charlie breakfast in bed. We then went Swimming at Grandpa Steve's subdivision pool. All weekend I was having lots of contractions, but nothing steady. Monday was Natalia's 8 year well check (with the new pediatricain- a whole other very long story) and the entire time was I was contracting and having hot flashes. They thought I was in labor right then, ha I knew better. Tuesday was Cheryl's bday and I really wanted to have him that day. I had an appointment to get my lash extensions filled (I specifically got them done for the hospital just to feel like I was wearing make up without wearing make up ha ha ha) More contractions, but again nothing steady.

Then comes Wednesday, I had a hair appointment. Both appointments I started to worry I wasn't going to make it to, but had made them way earlier thinking he wasn't going to come until the following week. ha ha ha. Again, contractions and hot flashes ugh. I went and got the kids from my grandma's and took them home to make dinner. I had a couple of super strong contractions but didn't think much of it. I even posted to Instagram saying that he was welcome to get that show on the road ha ha ha, little did I know that just 30 minutes later he would! Charlie called about 5:50pm to apologize for leaving work late and was on his way home. He got home about 6:15 and all the sudden I got a couple more strong contractions. Charlie questioned me if it was happening, and at first I really didn't think it was. Then they started to come consistently... about every 8 minutes or so. So I quickly ate some dinner thinking if it was time I needed to eat because who knew when Id eat again. ha ha. My mom came and got the kids to take them for snow cones, so Charlie and I decided to go for a walk around the big park by our house. I couldn't time the contractions while walking, but they were coming closer together and strong. I was still in a little bit of denial that it was really happening. Once home it was time to start timing them so we turned on Parks and Rec (the show we'd been watching together) and I sat on my exercise ball. Right away they were 5 minutes apart. I could breath through them so it wasn't too bad. Then they jumped to 4 min apart pretty quickly. I didn't want to wait the full hour of 4 minutes apart that they like to tell you at the doc office, so I told Charlie it was time to go. I went to use the restroom and TMI- found a lot of bloody discharge and almost panicked- told Charlie that if we hadn't already decided to go then it was for sure time to go! (this was about 9pm) I called my mom and let her know that she needed to have my grandma meet her at home so that grandma could sleep with the kiddos and my mom could meet us at the hospital. We texted Debra to leave work so that she could meet us too. We grab our things and head out. Again, I still felt like it was a little surreal and not really happening. I don't know why I kept having that feeling, maybe because it was moving quickly I don't know. At the hospital they checked us in and they took us to triage. I got checked again and I was at 5cm dilated and my contractions were steadily coming at 4 min apart. They monitored us for a bit and then said they were admitting me! So I called the birth photographer we'd hired and told her we were being admitted and she said she would come down. they got us moved to our birth room and I got changed into my gown. My nurse was named Brenda and she was awesome. She made it seem like if I was going to get an epidural I should do it sooner than later because we were moving quickly. So she ordered it and we got prepped. I had wanted to hold off a bit, but was worried it would get too late... ugh. Sarah the photographer shows up and so does Debra (mom is still stuck at home trying to get Quinton to sleep for Grandma). With the epidural in place I was able to relax for a bit. Got checked again and was a 7cm. The doc was ready to break my water, but we decided to hold off until my mom came just in case I moved fast. *Brenda thought Id have him by midnight, but since we held off I think it ruined her estimate. Dr. Pittard thought for sure after midnight ha ha* Finally I called my mom and said to just leave Quinton with Grandma and he'd fall asleep eventually. She got there just after 11, and the doc came in and broke my water, said I was still 7cm. About 20 minutes later my epidural stopped working!! My legs were dead weight, my crotch was numb... but EVERYTHING else hurt. There was sooo much pressure on my pubic bone. Every contraction hurt so much. They got close together and more intense super fast. To the point that I wasn't getting a break between the contractions. The sucky thing being that if I hadn't gotten the epidural I could have walked around or done things to help with the pain, but with dead weight legs I was bound to the bed. It was awful. SO. MUCH. PAIN. I would start to panic over the pain and Brenda would remind me to breath and try to stay calm. I was grabbing onto the railing so tight. It was all I could do to not totally lose my mind. Sarah reminded me to make an "angry" noise when I was breathing out, because I was making a "scared" noise- it was scary! ha ha ha. But once I focused on that it helped so much. I don't really know how long this went on, but I think it was only about 20 minutes. Then Brenda asked if I felt like I needed to push... and it clicked that YES I needed to push. I didn't even recognize my urge to push because of the intensity and I wasn't getting a break between the contractions to breathe and relax. So they called the doctor back and quickly broke down the room. Of course once you realize you need to push, you NEED to push, and I knew my pain was about to end because pushing feels good during the contractions. They were ready in no time and had me push with the next contraction. Three contractions, five minutes and he was born!!! (that was the FASTEST I ever got a baby out, I wanted him OUT!) I went from checked in about 10:15pm to delivery at 12:17am. (full labor to delivery about 6:30pm-12:17am) I'm thankful now that I didn't have to feel him crown, but man everything else about that HURT! So thankful that I never have to do any of that ever again. AS soon as he was placed on my chest my first words were "he doesn't look like the others!" he didn't look like the kids to me... and as each of them were born I could recognize their features in each other ha ha. Now of course I think he looks like Lydia. And he had SO MUCH HAIR!! My placenta was weird and having a hard time detaching so that was also very painful and I had to have some stitches since I pushed him out so quickly ha ha. Logan (like Quinton) had the cord wrapped around his neck, but thankfully he was never in distress like Quinton. Charlie had guessed his weight exactly when we were all guessing prior to birth, 7lbs 14oz. I got lots of snuggles and then let the nurse take him so that he could get cleaned up and everyone else would get to hold him.
**Charlie later told me that I had him totally freaked out when I was in pain and he was afraid to say anything to me because he'd start crying. If he had started crying I would have realized he was freaked out and it would have made it so much worse for me. So him staying quiet was the best thing for both of us.

We stayed two nights (well technically that first night was when he was born and I didn't sleep at all because of the adrenaline) And then headed home. I thought I'd want to stay longer to have peace and quiet and Logan all to myself... but it's boring at the hospital and I wanted my own bed! ha ha ha

The picture I posted to Instagram about 30 minutes before labor started, inviting Logan to get the show on the road. Who knew he'd be such a good listener! ha ha ha

These next few were taken by the birth photographer. I had hired Sarah from Shutterhappy. She's ALL over Facebook and I LOVE her work. It was pricey but so so so worth it. i have some AMAZING photos from her. None of them gory or the "action" shots. I wish I would have done it with all of them now. If you ever get the chance hire someone, then you don't have to rely on who ever is in the room getting photos on a cell phone etc. I have them all uploaded to a private album on Facebook because some people might get offended by some of the photos (that's another story ha ha) but here are some good ones.

When the pain first kicked in

The moms trying to comfort me when the pain was the worst. This is the position I was in during that HARD 20ish minutes

THIS. This is a picture I wouldn't have had if it weren't for Sarah. My mom trying to comfort me while they broke down the room... I vaguely remember her whispering to me "it's time, you're almost done"