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Gabriel Esquivel Jr. Sex: boy Born: 16 May, 2008 Age: 0 years & 70 days Birthday in: 295 days Starsign: Taurus Development: See the 2 months page. Biggest achievement so far: -

Birth details

Type of delivery: Vaginal (with pain relief)
Duration of labor: 9hrs
Weight @ birth: 6lbs 6oz
Length @ birth: 19 in

I have been trying to find the time to share my birth story, over the last 2 months I have been adding and rewriting so here it goes…

On May 2, I had a regular OB checkup and sonogram scheduled. The tech measured my amniotic fluid and informed me that it was on the low side. Dr. Gordon told me to take it easy over the weekend and come back on Monday May 5. I returned Monday to find out that the fluid level was back to normal and that he would see me the following Monday, May 12. On the 12^th my fluid was back down and Dr. Gordon seemed concerned so he wanted to check it one more time before he made a decision on where we should go from there (c-section/induction), he told us to be prepared to go to the hospital Thursday night but informed me not to get excited about any of this, that I was considered full term and now it’s a toss up on whether the baby is better inside or outside. Thursday morning we returned to the office, and for the last time saw our sweet little baby on the sonogram screen. The tech measured the fluid and said “well, I don’t know what we are going to do with you” (half laughing). Gabriel and I waited anxiously in the room and finally we were greeted by Dr. Gordon. He tapped his lab top a few times and said “Ok, it’s time to have this baby”. Apparently I had been suffering from high blood pressure over the last 2 weeks and he was fed-up. He called the hospital and told them to expect me at 4PM. He explained to me that he would soften my cervix over night and induce me at 8AM in the morning. I looked at Gabriel and knew that what we were about to experience was so life changing that I almost cried. We went home, rested a little and then he looked at me and said “ok, baby are you ready… we have everything. All we need is our son”.

When we arrived at the hospital, I was admitted downstairs and then directed upstairs to our room. Everything happened so fast… I put on my fashionable hospital gown and 4 nurses came in. They took my blood, asked my medical history, and guided me on the procedure I was about to go through. They inserted the medicine to soften my cervix at 6PM. Felisha and mom came to visit. Lindsay and Liz came by too and Gabriel’s parents as well. Everyone left at 9PM and Gabriel and I were on our own. We watched the Lakers and Spurs game for a while and turned the lights down to get some rest. It was freezing in there and I couldn’t get any sleep because the blood pressure cuff was going off every 15 minutes. My contractions started at about 10:30PM. I thought I was just having pelvic pressure. I don’t remember how much I was dilated to or at what time they would come in and check me. But at 12:30AM my water broke. I felt like I had to use the restroom and after unplugging all of the machines I was connected to, I stood up and immediately sat back down. I looked at Gabriel and said “OMG! I THINK MY WATER JUST BROKE! CALL THE NURSE!” I didn’t think to call our families… this is usually a BIG RED flag that the baby was coming but I was still hung on the fact that Dr. Gordon said he was coming in at 8AM to induce me. The contractions only got worse from there, I wouldn’t say that it was painful as much as I would say that it was discomfort… the nurse gave me 2 Ambein so I could sleep. I was literally snoring before she left the room. At 4AM I finally was relived with the epidural. I don’t remember much, only that Gabriel and I were facing each other with our foreheads touching and it felt like we were going to fall over. I woke up again at 5AM and thought to myself that if I could get past the next 2 hours that I would be ok because my mom said she would be back at 7AM and Gabriel’s parents would be back around the same time. At exactly 7AM my mom walked in and I felt so relieved. Gabriel was so tired, I felt so bad for him. I know everyone is probably thinking that he should be feeling sorry for me but I can’t imagine the positions being reversed and me having to watch him in pain overnight. My contractions intensified and at 8AM I was in a lot of pain. (The discomfort stage was WAY over). I just kept telling my mom that it hurt badly and that I felt like I had to push. The nurses kept telling me not to push and to wait for Dr. Gordon. I looked at my mom and said “F* that I am pushing every time I have a contraction”. I was getting so impatient and apparently so was my son. 40 minutes later I looked at my mom and said “ok, where the F* is Dr. Gordon?” Low and behold here comes that great Dr. I was never so happy to see him. He checked my cervix and told me that I had a half a centimeter to go… I told him “I feel like I need to push” “-not yet” he said, as he pulled out the stirrups. I put my legs in the stirrups (which let me know that the epidural had worn off by now) and said “NO, I have to.” He said “ok, if you are ready”. I pushed 4 times in 24 minutes. I looked at Gabriel and saw tears flowing down his face. I heard the most precious cry and knew that our son had arrived… I looked at Gabriel and said “Thank God” everyone laughed but I really was so relieved that our son was here. I didn’t cry but my mom said she saw one tear fall… he was the most handsome baby I had ever seen!

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