David Clark Bridgman DOB: October 11, 1997 Time: 6:22 A.M. Weight: 9 pounds 8 ounces Length: 20 1/2 inches Head: 35.5 cm Apgars: 8 and 9 .

CLARK'S BIRTH STORY

   8:30PM - Friday night we were watching "Sabrina: the Teenage Witch" on TV, I was laying on the couch when I felt this jolt -like electricity running through my body - and heard a big POP!! David was sitting in floor next to me playing with Mallory and I asked him if he heard that noise. It was so loud to me but he didn't hear a thing. I said that something just happened but I didn't know what. My whole body shifted with that POP! I thought maybe my water had broken but when I stood up, there wasn't any fluid. We just couldn't figure out what it was. I then went to the bathroom where I discovered my mucous plug had come out (it was sort of clear making it hard to see). There were no contractions so I told David to wait till there were - sometimes the plug can come out days before labor begins. I laid back down when onehit me - I knew it was for real then. We started to get things packed for Mallory since we were taking her to my parents - some clothes, Elmo, Big Bird and some snacks; then got my suitcase, the camera and camcorder. I called Denny to see if Mom, Dad and Lorna were home from the ballgame (they weren't) and he asked why. I replied that we were going to the hospital to see if we were going to have a baby or not. I still wasn't totally convinced it was labor but had a pretty good idea. We actually waited around about 2 hours before leaving because the contractions we so far apart. David joked as we turned into the drive at Mom and Dad's stating he was surprised they weren't all waiting on us. I laughed and told him that they were - the lights were off outside and he just couldn't see them! We got everything out of the car that we needed to and I got in the front seat with David. Of course Mom was acting all worried and asking me when I got "sick". I told her I wasn't sick - that I was having a BABY!

10:30 PM - Leaving for Lexington; contractions getting quite close together, awfully fast. We started to worry that we had waited too long once the ctrx became 4 minutes apart when they had been 20 minutes apart when they started.

11:30 PM - I had a hard time getting out of the car because every time I moved, my contractions would get worse. As we were walking in, a couple was coming out of the ER entrance and were saying stuff like, "Oh-oh, she's ready. She even has her suitcase." It was incredibly hard to walk and David offered to get me a wheelchair since there was about 4 in the hallway. I declined saying I needed to walk anyway and that I could stand the pain. Then I realized what a loooong walk it was. David offered once again to go get me a wheelchair and although I really needed it, I just said I would walk it. I remember passing by this man and he was looking at me with a very concerned look on his face and asked me if I was okay. I reassured him and kept walking trying to get to the elevator as quickly as possible. We checked into Central Baptist hospital and the nurse asked me if I was having contractions. I must have looked at her like she had no brain and said, "Yes." They put me into a room and hooked me up on monitor and checked me out - I was only 4 cm dilated (was 3 cm yesterday at doctor's appt). So we thought we could just rest most of the night and start the "real" work in the morning. I answered a bunch of questions about my first labor and delivery and basic health questions.

    The time gets fuzzy here since I was more busy concentrating on other things but around 1:00AM I finally got in touch with Julie after trying to call her since we decided to go to the hospital. I wanted to make sure she would be around by morning since it was apparent that I was in labor. She wanted to know if she should come right away but I told her that since it could take hours, she should get some sleep and wait for me to call her again. I then asked the nurse for Stadol so I could rest but it did NOTHING!! I was told it would make me feel *drunk* - which it did between the ctrx but it was still terribly uncomfortable during the ctrx. The pain was getting so intense that it was almost paralyzing! I would get into a position to try to relax then could not move from it. At one point I had to pee, made it to the bathroom but when I was finished, couldn't get off the toilet! David had to come help me. I'm sure it was comical since he would try to help me but as soon as he would touch me, a contraction would start and I would tell him to get away and leave me alone. We laughed and wondered how I was going to make it back to my bed but somehow I managed.

2:00AM -The nurse came back in around to check me and I was already 10 cm!! I had already asked for an epidural before I did anything else - I just couldn't believe I was having so much pain when Mallory's birth was soooooo easy. We also made another call to Julie since I was closer than we thought. When it came time to push, I wasn't using the right muscles due to the epidural being too strong for me to feel the correct way to push. I had the same problem with Mallory but got the hang of it after a while. They were afraid I would wear myself out so they stopped everything, turned down the epidural, started pitocin to regulate the ctrx again and was told to rest for a while. But who could rest? So David, Julie and I sat there in the dark talking and a nurse would periodically come to check on me. I guess they thought I should give it another try an hour or two later only there were several nurses around and the anesthesiologist. They kept commenting on how big the baby was and I could hear them whispering that if I couldn't push him, I would have a c-section. Well, I sure didn't want that so I was determined to show them I could do it!

    I can't remember what time I finally started pushing again but I was doing it this time. David had hold of my left leg, Julie had the right one and finally I was making progress as the baby began to move down. They could see he had lots of dark hair (just like Mallory)! It seemed like I pushed forever and it was the hardest work I think I had ever done in my life.  I don't think I've EVER sweated so much in my life!! I really wanted to experience a more "real" birth this time since I was so numb when Ihad Mallory and couldn't "feel" her being born...well, I sure felt it this time and I loved it!! Of course, I say that now that it's over! It was the best pain I ever experienced - just the thought of my body accomplishing something so amazing - what a rush!! I actually felt the head pop out, then the rest of him just slid right out! He was born "face up" so that explained all the extra pain I had this time...something about the baby pressing on the spine more in that position. The nurses kept saying, "Can you see his hair?" which I couldn't since Dr. Nunnelley had him almost upside down suctioning him out so I said all I could see was his butt! I couldn't believe it when they said he was 9 pounds 8 ounces!! Guess it was all those milkshakes while I was pregnant, ha-ha! They were suctioning him out and cleaning him off when I first got a good look at him. I thought he looked a lot like Mallory at the time. They brought him over to me all bundled up and cuddly. We spent a few minutes together before taking him off to the nursery. Julie still had the camcorder, David was taking pictures - I think even one of the nurses got in on the picture taking while Clark was in the nursery. Of course, we didn't have his name yet and was just Baby Boy Bridgman. The name wasn't decided on until Sunday afternoon. Then I had the pleasure of being able to feel my OB sew me up and mash around on me for a while. He felt my septum again and said that he had seen several of them lately in his patients. Guess it's becoming more common for some reason. I really like my OB. I was his second delivery that night but the day before, he had EIGHT babies delivered!! Plus the week before, his son and daughter-in-law had a baby, too. He was really exhausted, to say the least.

    I stayed in the LDR room for an hour or so before being put into my room I would stay in for the next couple of days. Before leaving LDR, I called Mom and Dad to let them know. It was probably around 7:30 AM when I made the call. I felt so much better getting up and into the wheelchair than I did with Mallory since my epidural had worn off during the delivery. I didn't get all shaky nor did I need much assistance from the nurses. When we got all settled in, I talked with David and Julie for most of the morning, had breakfast and called Carolyn (sister-in-law) and let David call his dad. I was worn out from being up all night but must have been on an adrenal rush because I could not go to sleep. I actually stayed up the whole day seeing visitors and didn't go to sleep until 10:30 that night. The nurses were good about not bothering me all night since I told them I needed the sleep.

Sunday, Dr. Nunnelley came in to check on me and asked if I was having him circumcised; I replied "Yes." They took Clark back around 11:30 to have it done, then brought him back to me. He slept most of the day. We also officially picked the name today - David Clark Bridgman. He sure does have a lot of namesakes (daddy, both grandfathers, great-grandfathers and great great-grandfathers all have David in their name and Clark came from my grandfather and great-grandfather). It is a very special name for a very special little boy!

Monday, we got to go home. David arrived about 1:00 PM and we filed out all the necessary paperwork, loaded up all our belongings on a cart the hospital provides, and a nurse wheeled me to the car. I was thrilled to be able to hold my baby in my arms and take him home with me. I didn't have this privilege with Mallory since she had to stay in the NICU for 6 days and I went home without her. I had said from the beginning of my pregnancy that if I went full-term and got to take him home WITH me, then it would be perfect and I wouldn't complain about a thing. Looks like I got my wish and I must say that we are so lucky to have two happy, healthy children! Now, the real fun begins!!!!!