Marco's Birth Story

I really thought this little guy would arrive at least 1 week before his due date. I had not once entertained the idea I would still be pregnant on his due date, much less have to schedule an induction.

“Uncomfortable” is often used by women to describe how they feel at the end of their pregnancy. I think I may have been beyond that point… “uncomfortable”, “in pain”, and “never doing this again” are the feelings that very quickly come to mind when reminiscing the end of this pregnancy. The last 3 weeks were miserable… possibly a result of one, or a combination of the following facts:

1.      Huge baby
2.      3 other very active kids running around
3.      I’m north of 35

I feel beyond blessed to have had 4 healthy pregnancies, one of those resulting in twins. Pregnancy to me is THE most amazing experience ever. I truly loved seeing my belly grow, feeling babies kick and move inside of me, and knowing that a human life is growing right inside my belly. To me those are my life’s best and most incredible moments. I loved experiencing pregnancy and am so thankful I was able to carry babies. However, with that being said… I also know that I am DONE having babies.

So, on to Marco’s birth story…

We were scheduled to check in at the hospital at 5:45am for the induction. Dan and I were both up late the night before, as we both had a lot of work that we were trying to complete before the big day. At 5:20am, I received a phone call from the hospital saying they had a busy night and that our check-in time was pushed back to 7:45am. I was SO excited to have the chance to jump back into bed and sleep some more… but of course, did not get one minute of extra sleep. I guess I was too anxious about the day ahead.

We arrived a bit late, but were all settled in our room with IV’s going and the baby being monitored by 9:30am. Since I was already dilated to 3 and 50% effaced, we were hoping it wouldn’t take long to speed up the start of labor. They told me I was already having consistent contractions, but they were small enough that I just wasn’t really feeling them. I think they started me on a very low dose of P.itocin around 10am. The P.itocin wasn’t doing much… so I took a little nap, surfed the internet and flipped through a few magazines. At 1pm, we decided to have them brake my water. And wow… I think a small lake had been taking up residency inside my belly. Jeez! The water was gushing out for about 5 minutes… even surprising the nurses. Let me take this moment to be thankful that my water didn’t brake anywhere outside that hospital room!

Every half hour, they continued to up my dose of P.itocin. Finally, by 3pm, I was feeling the contractions enough, so I asked for an e.pidural. While they were prepping me for the e.pidural, I looked at Dan and had one of those “holy cow!” moments. I said “Wow! I really can’t believe I’m sitting here getting an epidural! Why are we doing this again?” I was SLIGHTLY nervous for the epidural and everything that would follow. I started getting nervous and anxious--thinking that I had been lucky enough to have 3 previous easy deliveries… so what if something went wrong? What if I had to get a c-section? What if something would be wrong with the baby? Ever since losing Matteo, I often find myself very easily fearing the worst in any situation. I hate that I do that--but it’s almost like a reflex.

                                                                                                
After I got the epidural, things started speeding up (very typical for me & each delivery). I’ve never had an epidural that takes away all the pain--but at least it helps. The drug seems to help me relax enough to the point where it allows the baby to move his way down.

I started to feel a lot of very painful cramping around 5:45pm. Like menstrual cramps magnified 500 times. As the cramping got worse, I got more and more uncomfortable and started squeezing Dan’s fingers to the point of causing him pain. This is when we decided to talk with the anesthesiologist to possibly increase the amount of drugs I was getting via the epidural. OR, maybe we were going to be meeting the little guy soon!

The doctor came into the room around 6:05pm, and I was almost fully dilated. The anesthesiologist said the epidural was doing its part and he couldn’t up the dose. So, my doctor said let’s give the pushing a try.  

This seemed so calm and planned out compared to my previous deliveries… where we went from dilated to 6 or 7 and thinking it would be a few more hours… to

“HOLY COW the baby’s head is COMING OUT and we don’t have one doctor or nurse in the room… HELLLLLLLPPPPPP!”!

So, I started pushing… and just like that, with one loooooooong push, Marco’s head came out. Another push and I was able to push his whole body out. No screaming. It just felt so easy (relatively speaking, of course!), and like the perfect delivery. The second Marco came out, the doctor quickly laid him up on my chest. No suctioning, no messing with him—just laid him right on me! I was a little shocked scared at first… thinking, “Gosh, somebody suction him! Isn’t he supposed to be screaming his head off right now? But, once I got past my fears—it was AMAZING! I cried tears of pure joy, thankfulness and love. I was simply in Heaven to have him placed on me right after birth. I had never experienced that before since my previous deliveries were at a teaching hospital. So, the moment the babies would come out, they were quickly suctioned and then whisked away to be inspected by neonatology residents (because my previous deliveries were at a teaching hospital). Dan’s first words were “Wow – he’s so big!” And, I remember saying “Really? Do you think he’s big? He doesn’t seem that big to me.” Perhaps he didn’t seem all too big because I was expecting a huge baby and had visualized him looking bigger at birth. Or, probably more accurate is that you just truly forget how TINY babies are! I mean, even big babies are just so tiny and precious at birth, aren’t they?

So, I was not too shocked to learn the little guy was over 9lbs, as I had expected it since Gabriella and Giuliana were larger babies (8lbs 4oz and 8lbs 14oz, respectively).  

Marco Birth Stats:

Height: 22.5 inches (98%ile)
Weight: 9lbs 3oz (95%ile)

Dan & I took turns holding the little guy while I was being tended to with post-deliver procedures, etc. Then, they let me spend time nursing him and he latched right on like a little pro! This baby did not need one breast-feeding lesson and made it so easy for me. Loved that – thanks, Marco! After that, he was weighed, measured, and given his first bath. He loved sitting in the bath… and spent a lot of time screaming while they were fidgeting with him outside the bath. He was very happy to get back in my arms again.

I spent most of the night holding him. He wasn’t too eager to spend a lot of time nursing. But, when I’d put him in the hospital bassinet he’d scream and fuss. So, we spent a lot of time together right from the start. Also code for *mommy probably got 2.5 hours of sleep that first night*.  

Daddy went home that night so he could tell the big kids all about their new little brother and help Gammy put everyone to sleep. Then, the next day daddy and Gammy came to visit me and Marco at the hospital. Daddy also brought Rocco and Giuliana with to pick us up. And, Gabby finally got to meet Marco when we arrived home from the hospital. I was in the hospital for a total of 34 hours. I think that’s just insane!

All in all, it was an amazing and unbelievable birthing experience and we feel beyond blessed to have Marco in our lives.