It's no secret that July 4th is my second favorite holiday (this is a lie, Mandy's favorite Holiday is definitely the Fourth of July-Brian). I anticipate it almost as much as Christmas, but no 4th of July has ever been as memorable or as special as this one--and it wasn't spent in Oakley, and I didn't go to the parade, or the patriotic program, or spend time with my sisters, or attend the Cannon family reunion--all staples of the Fourth of July. Instead, I spent the day in the hospital and welcomed this precious bundle into the world.
If you don't want all the details, you can stop reading now.
Birth Story
Connor was due July 21. I had planned to go on our annual Shakespeare festival trip July 6-8 and even had tickets. We packed our things and headed up to Oakley July 2nd. We went to the rodeo that night and then I had dreams all night that I was going into labor. I joked about it the next day as we enjoyed hanging out with family. I was feeling super uncomfortable and even told Brian and my sisters that I felt like the baby was going to fall out, but I didn't seriously think that anything would happen for at least another week. I had felt some contractions during the day on the 3rd, but figured they were just braxton hicks. We went to bed that night and I woke up needing to go to the bathroom around 3:30. As soon as I walked into the bathroom, my water broke. It didn't splash all over like it does in the movies, but I definitely knew that it had broken. I went to wake Brian up and he didn't believe me at first. "You are joking right?" he said. "No, I am not joking. We need to go to the hospital," I said. Brian got up and went to wake up my mom. I grabbed one of the backpacks we had brought and made sure Ellie was ok and then headed down to Ogden to Mckay Dee Hospital. About 10 minutes into the car ride I started feeling regular contractions, but they did not hurt very bad. They felt more like bad menstrual cramps only better because you got a break after each contraction.
It was about 5:00 in the morning when we finally got up to the delivery room. Contractions were getting stronger and when they checked me I was at a 4. They started me on pitocin and the contractions got worse so I asked for an epidural. Oh the relief! I've heard people complain about the huge needle, but I didn't even see it and getting the epidural was a lot less painful than putting in my IV. By 9:00 I was fully dilated and effaced so they called my doctor. The epidural had worn off slightly, which I am actually grateful for. It was just enough to dull all the pain, but not so much that I couldn't control my legs and even feel what was happening. My doctor came in and I got ready to push. I pushed through one contraction and felt Connor's head, then shoulders emerge and at 9:10 they handed me a beautiful baby boy. The whole things went so quickly and so smoothly that I could hardly believe it. Connor gave a little cry and then quieted down as he lay on my chest. He was much less messy than Ellie was and unlike Ellie didn't seem to have swallowed any fluid.
I guess Connor was so excited about the Fourth or July that he just couldn't help coming. If we had been in Oakley he would have been here in plenty of time to catch the parade!
Connor B Porter
6 lbs 15 oz.
20 in.
Born at 9:10 a.m.
If you don't want all the details, you can stop reading now.
Birth Story
Connor was due July 21. I had planned to go on our annual Shakespeare festival trip July 6-8 and even had tickets. We packed our things and headed up to Oakley July 2nd. We went to the rodeo that night and then I had dreams all night that I was going into labor. I joked about it the next day as we enjoyed hanging out with family. I was feeling super uncomfortable and even told Brian and my sisters that I felt like the baby was going to fall out, but I didn't seriously think that anything would happen for at least another week. I had felt some contractions during the day on the 3rd, but figured they were just braxton hicks. We went to bed that night and I woke up needing to go to the bathroom around 3:30. As soon as I walked into the bathroom, my water broke. It didn't splash all over like it does in the movies, but I definitely knew that it had broken. I went to wake Brian up and he didn't believe me at first. "You are joking right?" he said. "No, I am not joking. We need to go to the hospital," I said. Brian got up and went to wake up my mom. I grabbed one of the backpacks we had brought and made sure Ellie was ok and then headed down to Ogden to Mckay Dee Hospital. About 10 minutes into the car ride I started feeling regular contractions, but they did not hurt very bad. They felt more like bad menstrual cramps only better because you got a break after each contraction.
It was about 5:00 in the morning when we finally got up to the delivery room. Contractions were getting stronger and when they checked me I was at a 4. They started me on pitocin and the contractions got worse so I asked for an epidural. Oh the relief! I've heard people complain about the huge needle, but I didn't even see it and getting the epidural was a lot less painful than putting in my IV. By 9:00 I was fully dilated and effaced so they called my doctor. The epidural had worn off slightly, which I am actually grateful for. It was just enough to dull all the pain, but not so much that I couldn't control my legs and even feel what was happening. My doctor came in and I got ready to push. I pushed through one contraction and felt Connor's head, then shoulders emerge and at 9:10 they handed me a beautiful baby boy. The whole things went so quickly and so smoothly that I could hardly believe it. Connor gave a little cry and then quieted down as he lay on my chest. He was much less messy than Ellie was and unlike Ellie didn't seem to have swallowed any fluid.
I guess Connor was so excited about the Fourth or July that he just couldn't help coming. If we had been in Oakley he would have been here in plenty of time to catch the parade!
We are so happy to add Connor to our family!
