Liam's birth story

They say that having a baby the second time around it is faster and easier, that did not hold true for me. Clara's labor and delivery was probably as good as they can get. Labor was pretty bearable, and when it wasn't I had an epidural to make it bearable. Plus I was only in the hospital for four hours before she arrived. It did not go so great this time around.

It was December 6th and I had gone into the doctor that morning for my appointment. At the appointment I had Dr. England strip my membranes, which I also had done with Clara. Then later that day Clara and I went to the grocery store. I was having crampy contractions but I wasn't about to get my hopes up because I had been having so many contractions for weeks now. Then at about 4:00 pm I started feeling sick to my stomach. Then about four thirty or so I called Chris and told him that my stomach was really hurting and I was super nauseated. I asked him to come home from work a little early because I didn't feel like I could take care of Clara because I felt so sick. By the time he got home I was really struggling. I had also called my mom and told her about how I was feeling so sick. She basically told me she was sending my little sister Morgan over, to watch Clara because she was sure I was in labor. ( I was also having contractions every four minutes or so). So Morgan came over and I was still struggling but I refused to go to the hospital yet because I did not want to go just to be sent home again. It was about 7:00 pm by then and Clara still had not had dinner so I asked Chris to pull the Garlic chicken pasta out of the freezer and cook it for her. The smell proved to be too much for me and I lost it. And even throwing up did not make it feel any better. And on top of the stomach pain I was having contractions every three minutes now. But honestly the contractions took a back seat to the stomach pain.

Chris finally convinced me that we should head to the hospital, and at the least they might be able to give me something for nausea. So we went in. I was very grateful that we only lived a few minutes away from the hospital this time, a few minutes after we got to the hospital and in the triage room I lost it again. Chris had to leave the room while I threw up, the nurses were laughing at him. Then they checked me and I was a 5 and 70%. I was having good contractions every three minutes still so they decided to move me to a delivery room and get an I.V. with some nausea medication in me. They had trouble getting my (normally huge) veins because I was so dehydrated. And then when they drew blood the nurse was afraid it would not be enough because my blood was so thick and would not come from the dehydration as well. But they eventually got the I.V. in my wrist. After I had the nausea medication I felt 100 times better! Then they gave me my epidural. It was not as bad as Clara's was, I did not feel that weird pop, so that was nice. They checked me again and I was a 6 and 70%. Then it was waiting time. With Clara I went from a 3 to a 10 in 45 minutes, so I thought it would be super quick. Well an hour later or so they checked me again and said I was a 9 and 90% effaced! The nurses said we were basically waiting for my water to break because that was the only thing holding him in. Then another nurse came in and checked me and said that the previous nurse had made a mistake and I was only a 7! That was disappointing because by then it was probably 2am and I was so drained. So she said she would ask the doctor that was there to break my water. We had not heard anything in a while, but the nurse did come in after a while and told us that they did not want to break my water because they did not want to wake up Dr. England. We were a little surprised because Dr. England had said if I stall to give me pitocin so I could speed it up, but the nurses still had not done that and I had been pretty much the same for hours. Well Chris was out in the hall getting me some more ice and overheard the nurse say that it worked best for HER if I did not have the baby soon. So we believe THAT was actually the reason they did not break my water. I was a little frustrated but decided that I would try to sleep. And I did get about an hour. So I was actually okay that they did not break my water because after that hour of sleep I felt like I had a lot more energy. Then at about 4:00 am they came in and finally gave me some pitocin. Twenty minutes later my water broke and immediately I knew he was HERE. I woke up Chris and told him my water had broken and that he was pushing at the gates, if you will. I had been feeling pain with the contractions so I decided to push the epidural dosing button to hopefully help it kick in by the time I was pushing. I was really struggling with each contraction to keep him in, but we had to wait for the doctor who was about ten minutes away. As soon as he got there he quickly set up what was not already set up and I began pushing. I don't remember Clara's hurting at all, just pressure. But this time I felt a lot of pain. I felt like I was going to pass out with each push. Luckily I only had to push four times and he was out.

But that was not the end. Liam, just as Clara did, swallowed a huge amount of amniotic fluid on the way out so he was struggling to breathe. They immediately took him right away and started sucking out all the fluid. He was not crying much either so they really had to try to stimulate him and get him to cry and use his lungs. They got him breathing well enough to hand him back to me so I could try to nurse him. He did pretty well. The nurses and pediatrician told us to watch him and if he was still grunting and struggling a bit to breathe that they wanted to take him and keep him in the nursery to watch him. When he was done nursing he was still grunting a little bit so we let them take him to the nursery. The next few days to me are a blur. But basically, Liam kept having trouble keeping his oxygen level up and so they had to put in an I.V and monitors to make sure he was alright. There was once, I think the second day, that he had done great all day and then that night really struggled. They told me he needed quite a bit of stimulation to get him going again. And then when I was nursing him he stopped breathing and started going gray! Luckily a nurse was right there, and quickly got him going again. That was so frightening. From then on I was glued to the monitors, the problem was they sometimes just get a faulty reading. I was just thankful he was under a constant watch from the nurses there in the nursery. They kept almost apologizing when they told me they wanted to keep him there longer, and longer, but I was so grateful that he was there. I would much rather have him in the hospital watched closely than to have a problem at home when I am alone.

This time around I would be alone because Chris was not working from home and did not get much time off of work (plus he is a workaholic and would not be able to stay sane if he was at home). Even there at the hospital he was working on his computer or on calls the entire time, well it seemed like the entire time, I could be exaggerating a bit. Thank goodness we had my mom, who is always saving us. She took Clara a bunch so Chris could get some important things done for work. It was actually kind of funny because Liam threatened to come so many times, all of which would have been far more convenient than when he actually came. It was Chris' busiest week so far, and busiest day of the week as well. But we were happy all the same when he arrived.

After Liam's bad night and morning he seemed to really improve. But the doctors and nurses were still being cautious and wanted to watch him for another night, I gladly obliged. And now his billiruben levels went way up, which means he was jaundice. So now he needed to be under the lights in the nursery as much as possible anyway. He continued to do well and keep his oxygen. He did go down a bit when nursing (during a let down), but the doctor said the monitors in that case were telling us too much because a perfectly healthy baby's oxygen probably went down as well when nursing. So they decided to watch him just one more night and test his billiruben levels early the next morning to see if he could go home the next day. The next morning they told me that his billiruben levels went way down and that he could go home! We were so happy. So we went into the hospital Monday night and took him home late Friday afternoon. He has not had a problem ever since. We figured it just took him a while to adjust after swallowing so much fluid.

Liam Christopher Cotton was born December 7, 2010 at 4:42 am. He weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz. and was 19.5 inches long. It is an amazing feeling that just can't be described. I still don't understand how you can love someone so much when you have literally just met them. And I can't describe the love I have for my children (that is weird to say children instead of child). I feel as though I can't hold it all inside of me, like it overflows and I don't have enough room to contain it all. It gives me a glimpse of how Heavenly Father must feel for us. I am truly grateful to be a Mom, it is the only job I have ever wanted to do. I am also so blessed that my Heavenly Father has made it possible for me to stay home and be with my children. I never thought I would be a mom so young, especially to have two kids while still 22 years old. I don't love everything that comes with having a baby, I could do without the stretch marks and some of the changes that your body makes after having a baby. But I would not change it for the world. I have the most wonderful, caring, supportive, patient husband I could dream of, (Not to mention a total hottie). And I have the two most beautiful, sweet, special, healthy children I could ever dream of. I live in a place I love, with the most wonderful supportive extended family imaginable (on both sides). I have the gospel in my life that brings me complete peace and joy in my life. Is there anything more?! I think not. Life is not always easy and we have our fair share of trials and bumps in the road to get over, but I am truly blessed and would feel ungrateful if I did not express my gratitude to my Heavenly Father. I know without a doubt that everything I have is because of his great mercy and watchful eye over my life and my family. I never want to forget just how lucky...no, how blessed I am.

Now, here are some pictures!

Waiting and waiting....
Chris waiting and waiting

This is just after my water broke, and I am trying with all my might to keep him in!

Chris' parents came at 6:30 am because Kathy(his mom) was leaving to Louisiana to visit Chris' sister in an hour or so and she wanted to see him before she left.

Daddy and son

Liam in his little bed int he nursery

The first time Clara got to touch her little brother. It was hard because this as close as she could get for the first week of his life. She was not allowed IN the nursery and he couldn't come OUT. But she was so excited to see him and kept asking to see "baby".

Clara keeping herself entertained by pushing all the buttons the T.V controls.

He did get to come out to our room for a few hours late one night. Unfortunately Clara was fast asleep.

Daddy on diaper duty.

Jammin' out to tunes...okay, he was getting a hearing test done but it looked like he was listening to music.

I was a little jealous he got to go tanning.