Nolan Russell Brower - The Birth

Nolan Russell Brower

The night of Wednesday August 24 was just like any other night during the last part of my pregnancy with Nolan.... I was up at least 3 times to use the restroom, restless in bed, piled high with many pillows, dreaming weird dreams. However, I knew something was different when I got up at 5:30 am the next morning to do (what else?....) use the restroom.... I was having some cramping and bleeding as a result. This is not totally unusual during this pregnancy as my earlier Placenta Previa caused bleeding too. But I hadn't had any since the Previa had cured itself around month 7.

So I got up, nervous about not feeling any baby movement right away, and drank some OJ and waited. Soon enough, baby Nolan started moving and it seemed as if the cramping stopped and started at random times. These were my earliest contractions, but nothing "regular" to speak of. Knowing this could go on for days, I decided to get ready for work, drop Jack off at the sitters and make a day of it. I did go ahead and put all the hospital bags, cameras, etc in the car just in case (seeing how we live so far from my work and all :).

Work was normal, contractions still not regular. I had an important appointment at 10 am (my only appt of the day - I had cleared my schedule due to me not feeling the greatest) and I wanted to keep that appointment. End result = I was able to complete the appointment, but just barely. My water didn't break when I had Jack (they had to break it in the hospital, so I didn't know what happened when mid-appointment "something" happened. I ignored it at first and then got more suspicious when I looked down to find a soaked chair! I tried to remain calm and continue on, but I am sure I was a little flustered. The couple are wonderful, dear friends and although I am sure they would have understood, I spared them the details and finished the appointment and escorted them out. I immediately had Mint call Jess over and let him know that we needed to leave for the hospital soon.

We made the trip to Jasper Memorial Hospital. I knew my doctor (Kristen Werne) wouldn't be delivering baby Nolan because she had just given birth on Monday to her 3rd child. Dr Beckman was on OB call for the office and would be the delivering doctor. That was fine with me.... I had heard wonderful things about him and seen him in the office a time or two. We were checked into the hospital and things progressed quickly at first. I was 4 cm when I arrived at 12:30 and was 7 cm within the first hour. The nurses were prepping for me to "go fast". I'm convinced that just when you have it all figured out..... life throws you a curve ball and you find out you don't. I stayed at 7 for the next 2 1/2 hours, until about 4 pm when they found out I had a 2nd bag of water and/or another membrane that needed to be broken. Hard to believe there was MORE water, given the fact that I'm pretty sure I could have filled a child-size swimming pool with the 1st bag of water. Once the 2nd water was broken, I moved from 7 cm to 10 cm in 20 minutes, then pushed for 10 minutes. The contractions were intense at the end, but I stuck to my plan of no epidural and diligent counting and breathing through contractions and it all went fairly smooth (minus the fact that I wouldn't let my mom or Jess talk AT ALL when I was having a contraction)! I do remember hitting the point during "pushing" where I thought "God, how much more can I handle? Can I go through with the rest of this?" I don't think I heard His answer verbally, but He did give me the strength and courage to keep going. A verse I repeated in laborious contractions and pushes was "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".... so appropriate!

Nolan Russell Brower was born at 4:34 pm, weighing 8 lb 3 oz, and 22 1/2 inches long. My mom, Jess, one delivery nurse, one assistant and myself were in the room for the birth, while my dad, Darrell & Debbie were waiting in the next room. We kept Jack at the babysitters until after Nolan was born, not knowing how long labor would take (and keeping in mind the attention span of a 3 yr old).

Nolan was born with the cord around his neck and wasn't crying or moving well. The look on my mom and Jess's face was a bit scary but as soon as I saw movement, I was relieved. He cried a small bit and the doctor laid him on my chest before they whisked him away to have the nurses rub on him and make sure breathing, etc was ok. It was a beautiful and terrifying moment that makes you realize just how precious life is. My Grandma Jo said it best when she reminded me that every time a child is born, when you really think long and hard about the process (conception, carrying a child for 9 months, and ultimately birth) it is all a true Miracle.

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My hospital stay and doctors were wonderful. I didn't have near the pain, muscle tears, etc that I did with Jack and that made life much easier. I took advantage of the nursery and had them keep Nolan through the night and bring him to me to nurse. He nursed right after they cleaned him up and kept on a steady schedule of every 2 hours, except for the first 2 nights in the hospital when he spoiled me by going for 4 and 5 hour stretches.

My parents left soon after Nolan's birth to go get Jack. When Jack arrived, he was so excited! He ran over to his daddy (who was holding Nolan) and immediately said "Is that baby Nolan? He's so cute". It was a great and genuine moment that I won't ever forget. Here is Jack meeting his little brother for the first time.

Over the next few days, I had many hospital visitors..... my parents, Jess's parents, Jess, Jack, my Grandma Jo, my Grandma and Grandpa Williams, Jess's Aunt Tammy and Aunt Teresa, and friends - Brock & Lacey Higgins.

On Saturday, Nolan and I were released in the morning (after having his newborn test) and Jess and Jack came over to pick us up and head back to the comforts of home. Everyone had a bag to pack - even Jack and we made the trip back to Washington to start our life as a family of four.