Our B.A.D. Birth Experience

I love hearing about different birth experiences and sharing mine. It is now a little over a month later, kids are both napping , and I'm ready to dish!
  There have been so many highs and lows this pregnancy, it was almost surreal. It started with us planning this pregnancy, then shortly after, my husband coming home to tell me he was deploying and would not be here for the birth. I cried, screamed, through a few profanities in there, put on my big girl panties and dealt with it. He left, I cried some more, but learned to heavily rely on God and my friends.
 I am a creature or order. I like order and predictability in my life. { I know, I'm married to the wrong profession} With that in mind, I was going to the same OB practice I did with Isaac, and the same mid wife that delivered Isaac was going to deliver me again. { Sidenote: I had a phenomenal experience with her and loved her bed side manner} I called to reschedule an appt I had with her and was told she went on sudden maternity leave because her adoption came through. I was thrown for a loop and was in a tornado of emotions yet again. After Andrew talked me back from never never land, I wrapped my head around the fact my mid wife wasn't going to be there for my delivery and that was going to have to be ok.
 One day I was taking a bubble bath after a stressful day, and thought.. It couldn't hurt to hope.. even pray he would be home for the birth. So I said the following, " God it would be really nice if my husband could be home for the birth... even nicer if he was home for Christmas." Left it at that and went on about my evening. Two days later he called. He was coming home. Not only was he coming home, he would be home for Christmas. I nearly peed myself. Being 9 months pregnant that wouldn't have been hard to do .. lol.
   Andrew was home, Christmas and New Years were great, and my due date was quickly approaching. With all the Braxton Hicks contractions I was having , I knew he was going to come early. At one of my check ups I asked when my mid wife was coming back from maternity leave. The receptionist said, " Oh, she's coming back early, she will be back next week." I nearly fell over I was so happy. So I made my next {38 week} appointment with her.
  The Sunday before my appt. the Giants were playing a very intense game. I was contracting {prob due to the game ..lol} and I thought I was going in for sure. Then they fizzled away and I had nothing til that Tues, morning. I called Andrew at work, because they were getting more intense. He came home and my best friend Julie, brought me subway. My "last " meal. Just in case..lol. Julie kept Isaac, in case they kept me, but I really didn't think they were going to. That was until , Isaac was gone and we were on our way to my appointment. I cried most of the way there because I had never been away from Isaac over night and I missed him already. We arrived at the office and Rose { my mid wife } checked me and said, " Ok, I'll start your paperwork and let the hospital know you are on your way over." I said," I'm staying?" She said " Yup, You are 5cm dilated and 50% effaced." Andrew and I were shocked. I did not expect to be halfway there.
  So we headed over to the hospital, called Julie to drop off Isaac at the sitters house and pick up my sister. Julie and Cassia both wanted to be there for the birth. They got there around 4:30 p.m. and so the wait for the little man began. I walked around a little and had no change for a while, so my midwife decided to break my bag of water. After she did that I progressed very quickly and was 10 cm and fully effaced by 9:30 p.m. I wanted to "labor down" before I started pushing, because I didn't want to push for hours on end and I knew I was having a big baby. Around 10:00 p.m. I was +1 station and feeling the urge to push. Everything was so perfect. I had my patient husband, hilarious sister, loving best friend and my awesome Mid Wife there. I was feeling so blessed.
  I got them to bring in the mirror so I could watch. I am weird I know, but it really does help in the pushing process. Especially if you have an epidural, which I did. I pushed for approximately 12 minutes and he was out. At 10:22 p.m. Benjamin Andrew Dunham was born.  I am not going to lie, he was VERY swollen. For some reason { I was a little delirious } I kept saying , " His nose and lips are so big!" lol. They obviously and eventually went down. I hemorrhaged a little, as I did with Isaac. This time they were better prepared with more drugs to head off the bleeding. I of course wanted to see my placenta, because I think it's totally cool to check out where your baby was living the past 9 months. The nurses were so great and let me keep Benjamin for an hour before they whisked him away for his weight, height, bath and shots. I tried to rest, but I was getting a thousand texts, calls and FB updates. It was all good though, because I love feeling loved.
 It's been a bit of a recovery, but all in all another great experience. I thank God, my family and friends for being part of this journey, and for helping me through my highs and lows of it. I love my little Benjamin Andrew Dunham. {B.A.D}