Introducing Connor Joseph Power

As most of you know we welcomed our son, Connor Joseph Power, to the world on Tuesday, July 28th at 4:18am. He was exactly 8lbs and 21 1/4 inches and he is beautiful! We are completely in love and so happy that our little man has finally arrived, healthy and happy.






So here are the details of the big day and the time leading up to that moment where I fell hopelessly in love with my son.
I actually worked all day Monday (while I was in labor) because I really thought I just had gas pains. It wasn't till I actually started timing the "gas pains" when I got home that I realized we may be on our way to baby day. I called my doctor when my contractions were around 4-7 minutes apart. They weren't ever a consistent 5 minutes apart, but they were getting stronger and stronger each time. At around 8pm, I spoke to Dr. Newman and let him know what was happening. He told me to stay home as long as I could so I would be comfortable, but he called the hospital to let them know we would be on our way sometime that night. I stayed home for another hour and a half, but the contractions were getting really strong, so we headed off to the hospital. After a quick stop at Burger King (big surprise - Mark was hungry), we got to the hospital and were admitted. At first check, I was 3 cm dilated, 80% effaced, and my contractions were 2-4 minutes apart. We thought we were on our way to a pretty nice and easy delivery. Then, I am really not sure what happened. I got my epidural around midnight. Shortly after that, my blood pressure began to drop and then Connor's heart rate dropped. The doctors and nurses tried to stabilize us both with medication and we would stabilize for a bit, but then his heart rate would drop again. I have to say, I really wasn't concerned till I realized that my OB had been sitting by my bedside for almost an hour just watching the machine. He, of course, was completely calm the entire time, which was incredibly reassuring to Mark and I. After 3 hours of trying to stabilize us, I was checked again and only progressed to 4 cm. Once Dr. Newman saw that, he sat down to talk with Mark and I. He said he couldn't really understand why we were having trouble or why the baby was in distress, but he really felt that this labor would be a very long one and one that the baby may not do so well through that. You could really tell he cared and agonized over the decision, but he felt that a c-section was our safest option for a healthy baby and healthy mom. I told him whatever he felt was best was what we would do...after all a healthy baby is the goal. Once it was decided, I have never seen people move so quickly in my life. It felt like literally a minute that Mark was throwing on scrubs, I was being prepped and rolled down the hall. Now, having a c-section is an unreal experience. You are awake, see things going on around you and yet all the while you cant feel your body. It felt like maybe 5 minutes once it all began to the point where I heard that little cry. Dr. Newman asked Mark if he wanted to stand and announce our baby and Mark did just that. He turned to me and said "It's a boy", then added "he has a lot if hair". I immediately started crying (like I am again right now). It was the single most amazing moment of my life and I cannot explain to anyone how in love I was before I even laid eyes on him. Dr. Newman did discover meconium once they got Connor out, which reassured him that we made the right decision by getting him out sooner rather than trying to deliver naturally. The nurses cleaned up Connor and whisked him off to monitor his heart. I literally got to see him for about 1 minute, which was so hard because all you want to do is hold him. I went to recovery for about an hour and then they put us in our room. It was about 3 hours before Connor got to come to the room with us and those were the LONGEST 3 hours of my life. I was so exhausted, but could not sleep because I was so excited to see him again and hold him and kiss him. Once he arrived I got to breastfeed him right away. From that point on he never left my side (except to get his weight checked and have his little man procedure). Even now that we are home, I miss him when he goes down for a nap. I could literally hold him and cuddle for days on end. This feeling is indescribable, but I can tell you I have never been so in love.

I cannot end this post until I mention the other godsend in all this - my parents and brother. They have been an amazing help to Mark and I. I cannot imagine how we would have gotten through this first week without them! I love you guys and I know Connor adores you already!! Thank you for everything!!