Bentley Boe Gilstrap

Introducing our sweet baby boy Bentley Boe Gilstrap!.This is for my records so your welcome to skip right to the cute pictures if you don't want to read his birth story! We weren't expecting to be having our baby boy a week early. I was measuring 2-3 weeks ahead at every appointment but I had not progressed at my last couple of Dr. Appointments. So we didnt think our appointment on the 27th was going to be any different. I figured I was going to be just like my sisters and go a week over my due date. So after  I was done working for the day we headed over to the Dr., he checked me, couldnt tell if I was dialated but  I was effaced . After that he disscussed the option of trying to induce me that day since the baby was measuring  a  few weeks ahead ( we didnt think this was possible because my Dr. told us they dont like to induce before the due date). Well we jumped on the chance..I was done been pregnant (mostly due to all the swelling) and I was concerned about pushing out a big baby if we waited a week or two more. We went home after our appointment to grab our bags and for Boe to give me a blessing. We stopped at subway for some lunch and my last meal and headed to the hospital. We arrived at about 12:30. Got checked in, stopped by to see my co-workers and then headed up to OB. Once we got settled in our room  the nurse  inserted the pill at 1:50pm (hurt like crazy!) I wasnt allowed to get up for an hour after the pill was put in and after 4 hours if I wasnt having 3 contractions in 10 minutes they would put another in, luckily I was! Boes grandma Alma came  to check on us and watched tv with us while we waited. After the 4 hours my Dr. came to check on me , broke my water (also super painful) and offered to start the Pitocin, at this time I was only dialated to a one.We agreed. His prediction was that we would be delivering our baby around 1-3 am that morning. Well the next hour and half was awful. I was having super painful contractions. By the end of the hour and a half I was in tears because of the pain, Boe was by my side letting me squeeze his hand. My mother in-law got my new nurse to come check on me to see if I could have something for pain (They wait to give the epidural till your at least a 4) She came  saw me bawling and got right on it but said she had to check me first.. well when she did come to find out I was dialated to a 4 1/2-5  already (no wonder I was in so much pain) So she immediatley called the CRNA to get me an epidural. I was in heaven after I got it! I honestly do not know how people do it naturally, they are amazing! It's so weird being that numb and feeling like dead weight.. My b/p dropped after I got it so they had to give me something to elevate my b/p. I was so exhausted after that whole ordeal I was just ready to sleep/rest. So the nurse kicked out our visitors and we started the waiting process. I progressed kind of slowly over the next few hours. Some highlights of  labor our puking two different times from the nurse moving me from side to side , got an O2 mask to help me breathe, getting super itchy from the epidural, getting the shakes (my teeth would not stop chattering), my catheter not draining so they took it out and placed another which still didnt drain (they think the baby was laying on my bladder just right) so in turn I swelled up even  more (Boe said I didnt have knees anymore), started to feel my contractions so they added another drug to help. Well 1-3 am came and went and I still wasnt to a 10 . I was hoping to deliver before 7am because I loved my nurse so much and wanted her  for the delievery but I was only to a 9-9 1/2 when she left. I finally got some decent sleep for about 2 hours  when my Dr. came to check on me, I was dialated to a 10 finally and he wanted to try pushing with the nurse .Well I pushed for over an hour and a half with the nurse and Boe (he got to help hold one of my legs). Well thank goodness for epiduarals because ( this was the tramatic part for Boe) I apparently tore and was bleeding a ton I had no idea I was just focued on pushing . Eventually my nurse got worried enough that she finally grabbed my Dr. According to Boe he could tell our Dr. was not pleased that my nurse let me tear that bad,I had a 3rd degree tear which is pretty bad. I pushed with him a few times and then he decided to try the suction to help the baby come out. Baby finally crowned  took about 2-3 rounds of pushes at that point to get him out with the aid of the suction. And finally at 9:51 am on August 28th our sweet baby boy was born! That first cry was one of the sweetest sounds I have ever heard! I was overcome with joy when they laid him on me for the first time. I was in heaven, couldnt believe Boe and I were finally parents to our little miracle. And what a beautiful/handsome miracle he is!We were surprised to find he only weighed 8lbs 6 oz. and was 20 inches long. But my Dr. thinks if he was any bigger I wouldnt have been able to push him out we would have had to do a c-section.  We had to stay  2 more nights at the hospital due to all the blood I lost and my b/p dropped real low again after giving birth. The first night Boe went home to get some rest so it was just my sweet baby and I. Second night he stayed with us.  On our last day  his bilirubin level was high so he was on a bili blanket and we went home with one for about 5 days. We were so excited to go home and start our adventure in parenthood! We are loving every second of it! Parenthood is definitly a rollercoaster but I can't imagine our life without him.He has us wrapped around his little finger already. And Boe is an amazing dad already despite what he thinks. I love my little family so much and feel blessed every day.