Tuesday February 4, 2020

38 Weeks Pregnant

9:20 AM

I was sitting listening to Josh talk about I don't know what, since I was tuning him out. Half way through his story, I felt something weird with my body and then all the sudden I felt water running down my leg. Crap, am I really going into labor, is the baby really coming?

I immediately took out my phone even though we were still filming to text Spencer so he could come and pick me up.

T: SPENCER! I think my water broke! Call the doctor to let him know and come pick me up!

"Teddy, am I really boring you?" Josh asked.

I put my phone down and smiled at him. "Not at all, continue."

"Like I was saying…"

My phone vibrated and it was Spencer texting me back.

S: I'm on my way!

I looked at the time on my phone and the show still had forty minutes until it is over. I placed my phone back in my pocket. I was taking deep long breaths and tried to relax but it was hard to knowing the baby is on his way and I'm not even close to the hospital.

Fifteen minutes later, I saw Spencer on the side of the stage. Josh was still talking but I interrupted him.

"Spencer, come here." I pointed down at the floor next to my seat. He walked over to me. "Everyone, this is my husband Spencer and he's going to take me to the hospital now because my water broke thirty minutes ago while this guy was talking about I don't know what." Spencer helped me up and we walked away.

"You okay?" He asked driving to the hospital.

I breathed out and nodded. "Are you?"

"I'm anxious and nervous for you." Spencer placed his hand on top of mine. "But I'll be here every step of the way."

"Where's Brendan?"

"With the babysitter, remember I had my meet and greet today. I basically ran out when I got your text."

"Oh crap, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, you come first, you and my kids."

I kept breathing in and out. "You called the doctor for me, right?"

"He's meeting us at the hospital."

When we got to the hospital, Spencer helped me out of the car and into the hospital. We got checked in and a nurse took me to our room. She gave me a hospital gown to put on and I laid down in the bed. A few minutes later, she came back in and put the IV in my wrist and hooked me up to the machines that monitor my heart rate and the baby's heart rate.

I had a tear rush down my face when she put the IV in my wrist. Spencer leaned down and kissed my forehead brushing my hair back. He used his thumb to wipe the tear away.

"You're doing great baby." Spencer said reassuring me.

I stared at him. "I'm scared."

"Don't be, I'm not going anywhere but next to you every step of the way."

I saw my doctor walk in.

"How are you doing, Teddy?" Dr. Michaels asked. "Ready to have the baby?"

I nodded.

"Great." He put some gloves on. "I'd like to check how many centimeters dilated you are."

I nodded and I spread my legs apart so he could look. I could feel his hand go in me.

The doctor pulled his hand out and took off his gloves. "Alright Teddy, you are about three centimeters dilated. You have to be ten to start pushing, so you still have a long way. You also have to be five centimeters to be able to get an epidural. I'm just telling you because your contractions are probably getting closer together and starting to be painful."

I nodded. "They are."

"Just hang in there and I will be back in an hour or so to check your progress. If you need anything, just press this button right here and a nurse will come in."

I nodded. "Okay, thanks."

He got up and left leaving me and Spencer alone.

"Spencer, can you-" I stopped when I felt a contraction. "Can you tell my parents I've gone into labor, I want them to know."

"Yeah, I'll send a group text to everyone and I'll text the babysitter to see if Brendan can stay with her tonight. Now you should get some rest, you'll need it if you are going to push a baby out of you probably tonight."

I nodded and slowly closed my eyes. As much as I tried, I just couldn't get to sleep. From the pain from the contractions to being scared, I just couldn't. I opened my eyes and saw Spencer near the window talking on his phone. I guess he saw me awake because he got off it and walked over to me.

"Who was that?" I asked in between breaths.

"Oh that was my manager. Yeah, he was mad I left but I told him why and he's somewhat cool now."

"I'm sorry."

"Babe, don't be, like I said before you come first. You always come first, you and the kids."

The contractions started to get worse and I started to cry.

"Oh, Teddy, why are you crying?" Spencer asked kneeling down next to me.

"The contractions… they hurt so bad." I cried.

Spencer gave me a kiss. "Stay strong, you will be able to get an epidural real soon."

Two hours later, my doctor came back in.

"How are you doing, Teddy?" He asked.

"It hurts a lot." I almost cried.

"Well let's see if you are dilated enough to get the epidural then." He put some gloves on and looked. "Great, you are five and a half centimeters." He pulled his hand out. "Would you like to get the epidural?"

"Yes."

"Alright, I'll send in the anesthesiologist."

Ten minutes later, the anesthesiologist came in.

"Hello Ms, I'll be giving you the epidural. Before I do though, I have to tell you what can happen. An epidural can paralyze you, so if it does happen to happen to you, you can't sue the hospital."

"I don't care, just give it to me!"

"Wait, what are the chances it could happen to her?" Spencer asked getting worried.

"Don't worry, I am highly professional and do this hundreds of times a week. The odds are one in a million now of days. Ms. Please sit up and lean into your husband while I perform this on you."

I nodded. Spencer walked over to me and helped me sit up. I leaned my head into his chest. The anesthesiologist undid my hospital gown and put the needle in my spine.

I started to cry again when I felt it go in. The needle hurt like hell, but not as bad as the contractions. He and Spencer helped me lay back down when he finished.

"Alright, all done." He said. "You may not eat anything now and try not to move much. We don't want the needle to come out or move out of place."

"Thanks."

Immediately I could feel the epidural working. It made everything feel less painful but I could still feel the pressure from the contractions.

"Feeling better?" Spencer asked.

I nodded. "The needle hurts so bad though."

"Put it this way, what is more painful, the contractions or the needle?"

"Contractions by far. You just don't understand and won't ever understand how painful this is. You are so lucky you are a guy. You don't have to experience things women do, like labor and periods."

Spencer licked his lips and smiled. "Yeah, let's not talk about periods."

"I'm just saying…"

"I know, I understand. Men have the easier life." He leaned down and gave me a kiss. "I give you props, I doubt I could go through what you are."

I shook my head and gave him a slight smile.

7:13 PM

I have been in labor for about nine hours. I saw the doctor walk in. Last time the doctor came in, he said I was eight centimeters, which was about two hours ago. Hopefully I'm dilated enough to get this little guy out.

"You are now ten centimeters, ready to have the baby?" He asked. "I'll be right back and when I do, be ready to have the baby."

Everything just got real. I mean being in the hospital, in labor is real enough, but being told the baby will be here probably within thirty minutes, I'm freaking out. I have never pushed a baby out, since when I had Brendan, it was a c-section.

The doctor came back ten minutes later. He brought a few nurses with him. One of the nurses placed my legs on these leg guards. She told Spencer to hold one leg and she held the other. The other nurses were prepping for the baby to arrive.

"Ready to start pushing?" Dr. Michaels asked me.

I let out a deep breath. "I guess, no turning back now."

Spencer gave me a kiss on my lips. "You can do this, baby." Spencer said reassuring me. "Bring in to the world our son."

"Alright Teddy, when I say push you push. The nurse will count for how long you push for okay?"

I nodded.

The doctor put his hands down near my vagina. "Okay Teddy, push."

I leaned my chin down in my chest pushing. In the background I could hear the nurse counting to ten. I was pushing for fifteen minutes.

"He's almost here. Give me one more big push." The doctor said.

I was close to screaming when I was doing that push. I could feel the doctor pull the baby out. I felt like Spencer was sorta freaked out from me screaming to seeing a baby getting pulled out of me.

I started to cry when I heard the baby cry. Braeden Karson Walsh was born on February 4, 2020 at 7:45 PM, weighing 6 pounds 7 ounces.

The doctor immediately placed the baby on my chest as the nurse cleaned him up. Another nurse handed Spencer scissors to cut the umbilical cord. The nurse picked him up to weigh him and measure him real quick and then brought him back over to me wrapped in a blanket.

I was crying as I held him in my arms staring down at him. He is the most precious little guy ever. I looked up at Spencer and smiled at him. "I love you."

Spencer knelt down and smiled. "I love you too."

Spencer took a few photos of me and the baby together and sent it to our families. I handed Spencer Braeden so I could get some rest since I'm so exhausted and for him to have bonding time.

Spencer sat in a chair near the window with his son in his arms. Braeden was holding on to Spencer pointer finger.

"I love you, my little son." Spencer whispered. "Daddy loves you so much."