Simon Joseph Hutchings

Simon joined our family Wednesday, May 14 around 8 PM after a unique pregnancy and delivery.  Whether it was my aging body, a super cold winter or just how it was, this pregnancy was definitely a challenge for myself and my family, and no it didn't mean we were having a girl.  :)  All of my patterns were thrown out the window, which as we all know is not my favorite way to live.  I started having contractions over a month ago, and since I have never had a contraction before real labor this was even stranger.  I remember other women telling me about these, and I always thought it sounded horrible.  Needless to say, I was right.  It is no fun and having contractions is exhausting, so I've spent the last month tired and physically exhausted.  The boys have been good to help and fill in for me when I have needed to rest.  Because I started contracting so early we thought this little boy might come even earlier than our other boys, but our hopes were dashed as time went on, even though the contractions sporadically continued.  I had an OB appointment scheduled for Wednesday the 14th and was sure I would never make it that far, but I did and went to my appointment.  My doctor/midwife was headed out to a delivery, but she took the time to see me since I was so far along.  She wanted to do a check and found that I was already dilated to almost 4 cm.  She was shocked, and I was glad to hear that all of those contractions had accomplished something.  After awhile I was wondering if I was just imagining things, so it was nice to know it wasn't in my head.  My midwife did not want to send me home that far along but because I was still one day away from being 39 weeks there was nothing she could do according to hospital policy.  I promised her that after 3 contractions in a row I would go straight to the hospital.  It didn't make her happy, but I was comfortable with it, and I wasn't going to just sit at the hospital waiting around.

I was hoping that her invasive check to discover my dilation would be enough to send me into labor.  So, I ran to the grocery store and home.  By the time I got home the contractions began just as I was hoping, so we set the boys up for the evening and headed back to town to the hospital.  My midwife was still there from her previous delivery and she was really glad to see me as she was worried that I would give birth in the grocery store.  I wanted to try a water birth, well, a water labor because a water birth is not allowed in our hospital, so after getting settled and jumping through a few hoops they let me into the tub.  It was relaxing, but my level of pain really didn't seem less than in the past which was really discouraging.  Things progressed plenty fast compared to others, but for me it wasn't going fast enough and I wasn't dealing with the pain.  You would think that on my fifth child I would have this down, but no.  My midwife read me well and asked if I wanted an epidural.  I caved and said yes.  Because I was almost to hard labor they gave me something called a spinal and then an epidural.  I must admit that I didn't love the spinal as it completely numbed me from my waist down.  It was really strange and different from any other epidural I had had before.  I remember reading that epidurals made it so you couldn't feel crowning and had never experienced that before, but now I can say that I have.  It was completely surreal.  My midwife was going to put in a catheter but ran into a problem when she found that his head was crowning.  I couldn't believe that I couldn't feel him at all.  I had to be coached through pushing since I couldn't feel.  I wouldn't recommend a spinal as you are numb for quite some time, but it was better than my falling apart, and I found I wasn't nearly as tired afterward which was nice.  And now it is over and I am no longer pregnant.  Yippee!  Having a more difficult pregnancy has really taught me what is most important in life as I have had to limit my activities and make difficult choices.  I know I will be tired and up in the night with a baby, but after such a challenging pregnancy it just seem so bad.

Both of us slept last night.  These beds aren't particularly comfortable, but I felt a lot less tired this morning than I have in over a month, and that was fabulous!  I am very much looking forward to getting my own body back.  The boys came over this morning to visit, and it was really sweet to watch them hold Simon and pass him around.  We are working hard to introduce Simon to Hyrum in a way that will keep Simon safe and Hyrum from being super jealous.  I think it is all still very confusing to him, but he loves seeing the baby and touching him.

Hyrum and Simon meeting for the first time.

All my boys!  

Joshua enjoying some Simon time.

That is one proud big brother!

We didn't want Hyrum to feel left out.  Jacob enjoyed helping him get to hold him.

It is crazy to think we are a family with five boys, but it is wonderful!  I hope you all get to meet our new little precious one soon!