Life of a Redditt: Welcome to the world, Samuel Fox!

We went for what we figured would be our last checkup on 5/14, and Dr Cole talked with us about induction. She told us from the get-go that she wouldn't let us go past our due date since I was a hypertensive pregnancy. We decided that we would go in to be induced on 5/16, that Wednesday. So Ben and I spent the rest of the day on Monday and all day Tuesday soaking up our moments together. Don't get me wrong, we were so excited to meet our little man, but we didn't want to overlook the special time we had in the last couple days before our lives changed forever. The night before the induction we went to Bravo! for dinner. I was in full on waddle mode at 39 weeks 4 days pregnant, and I loved every minute of our special dinner together. We woke up super early the next morning and made our trek to the hospital. We checked in at 5:40 am and got settled into the labor and delivery room. Around 7 the nurse started me on pitocin, saline, and penicillin (since I am strep B positive). Dr. Cole came in at 7:30 to check me and break my water. I was 3 cm at that point. I decided I wanted to hold off as long as possible for the epidural, just to see if I could go all natural. I made it to just after noon. The nurse checked me and I was 5 cm with contractions back to back. I was miserable and gave in to the epidural. I'm not going to lie, the actual placing of the epidural was definitely not painless, but as soon as the meds were in and I started getting some relief I was a different lady :). I think Ben was happy to see me in no pain as well. I'm pretty sure I had squeezed his hand off during the couple hours of back to back contractions before the pain relief : / . I progressed rather quickly after that and by 3 pm I was at 10 cm and ready to push. At 4:11 we welcomed Samuel Fox into the world at 7 lbs 6 oz and 20-3/4 inches long! It was such an overwhelming experience, to watch my incredible husband coach me all day through pain, then no pain, then pushing (which btw was harder than I expected!). I was overwhelmed with emotion when I saw Ben cut the umbilical cord as he met his son for the first time. Words can't really express how I felt laying there on that hospital bed at the culmination of a complication free pregnancy that I was not sure I would ever have. It has been almost a month since Samuel was born and we are still learning each other and learning how our little family unit works. Every time I look at him I am reminded of God's grace and provision!