Welcome to the world....

Matthew Paul Gepner

arrived

on May 15, 2008

at 4:51 in the afternoon.

He weighed in at 5lbs 14oz

and measured 18 inches long.





The story:

The evening of the 14th I wasn't feeling well. I had a couple contractions but nothing too bad. I let Eric know that I wasn't feeling great and after what I described to him he thought it might be the real thing. But I didn't think so because the doctor had told me that if you think your in labor you probably aren't, she said you will know! Even though I wasn't feeling well, I still proceeded to cook myself dinner because I was hungry and I had already taken the chicken out to thaw and by golly I wasn't going to let it go to waste. After I finished cooking dinner and I sat down and just rested for awhile the pain went away so I thought maybe I had just over done it a bit. I had a crazy feeling Matthew would be here sooner rather than later, but for some reason I thought he would arrive on Monday. The next morning Eric and I went in for a routine doctors visit. The nurse took my blood pressure and it was quite a bit higher than it had been. The nurse then set me up on the machine to do the Non Stress Test to monitor me and baby. This was something we had become accustomed to as we were having to do it every time we visited the doctors due to my blood pressure. When the doctor came in to check on us she had decided that we were going to have the baby that day. Apparently my blood pressure was too high and I was showing signs of Preeclampsia. When she said that to me my first reaction was "She's kidding right? She can't be serious. I'm not ready for this!" My heart was beating so fast in my chest, I really don't think it helped my blood pressure any. She told us that we may not get in right away depending on how much room there was over at the Birth Center. We thought we'd probably have the afternoon and would be admitted later that evening. Well, the doctor called over to the Birth Center and sure enough there was room. We didn't get any time to process it all. They brought a wheel chair and a nurse took us over to the Birth Center. They gave me a gown to change into and told me to hop in bed. Then the nurses came in and stuck me 3 times trying to get the stint in my arm for the IV (I think that was the most painful part of the whole process). Not long after they got the IV in I started having contractions, after about an hour or so of that I decided I'd go ahead and get the epidural. The contractions weren't unbearable but I I didn't want to know what unbearable felt like. Once I got the epidural they checked me and I was dilated to 10cm, Matthew was ready to go! The nurse called the doctor in and two pushes later I was holding my baby in my arms! The nurses and doctors were amazed at how quickly it all went and how good of a pusher I was. Normally I guess it takes longer when they have to induce you and often times it can be harder to push when you have an epidural because you can't feel anything. I certainly couldn't feel anything, I just did what the nurse told me to do! Apparently she said I'm made to have babies! I know that Eric was thrilled that it was so quick. He was having nightmares of having to spend 24-48 hours in the hospital before I even gave birth! I told him it wouldn't take that long, but I had no idea that it would be as quick as it was!

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be a mommy! I never knew how amazing it could really be and that you could love something SO much! Pretty much I think he is the most adorable thing on earth now and I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world!