Due date was set to be December 1 according to some, to be December 7 according to the MIT doctors. We kept both dates in mind.
Mum (Grosi) arrived on Thanksgiving (13:20 from Frankfurt) making sure we would not repeat what happened to Blake. This time it turned out to be well in time. The plan was to wait for at least for the due date (Dec 1) and then induce in case nothing happened on Dec 2, a Wednesday. So we prepared for December 2, including finding a replacement teacher for my 8.01 section. Mount Auburn folks told us they would call us between 6-10am to tell us when to come, but it turned out to be a busy day. They called again at 13:00 and at 17:00 concluding that we might not really be called in the next few days! We decided to go back to our normal life, me going to work and Ana taking care of the kids and thus started Dec 3. Ana dropped me off at the office, picked up some groceries at Target and went to her medical appointment at MIT.
At 10:28am I receive a phone call from Mount Auburn hospital that they are ready to induce. I called Ana at the doctor and we coordinate to get ready. We picked up some more groceries on our way home, picked up the labor and delivery kit Ana had already prepared and drove to the hospital. Quick DD cream cheese bagel on the way just to be able to stay steady. Could there be a better gift for our 16th anniversary? Well, the nurse told us we might not make it today, I hope for Ana’s sake that it is going to be December 3.
Ready to deliver in LDR7, Blake was in LDR6, I still remember the geometry up here on the 5th floor in the Needham building. The monitors are attached, heart rate of the baby is about 130 and there was a first non-induced contraction.
Started Petosin by about 4:00pm, the contractions started and after about 2 hours the intensity went up so Ana asked for the epidural.
Water broke at 21:00…. Now we should be getting closer more quickly.
Well, you will see how wrong I was. The contraction continued for quite a while and we only gradually got Ana to open up until 8. The doctor broke the remaining water, which was still a lot and finally around 3:45am Ana started pushing. I was expecting a quick push as all the other times but not this time. Ana struggled to get the little guy in direction to the exit. Finally, after an hour I became very light headed and needed to sit down and take a break. The nurse and doctor called it ‘daddy alarm’. Ana also had to vomit as she did a number times before. After 5 minutes, a few crackers and some apple juice later, I was back in my spot and Ana was still pushing. Finally the baby was forced out at 5:10am. Almost one and a half hour of labor. Ana did great, little bleeding, no stitches and such a beautiful boy. Before getting out the cord was unwrapped from the little sucker.
Measurements showed 4.41 kg of weight and a height of 54.6 cm just a tit bit taller than all his siblings. We decided Knox Nolan Jakob would be the right name. We got some rest and moved to room 515 with a beautiful view on the Charles at 8:45am. I let Ana sleep a little, went to an important senior faculty meeting (12:00-13:00), went home for some Zzzzs, grabbed the kids and Grosi and we went to visit Ana and our newborn.
