"The Mav"

Maverick Albert Pettit

Born: July 25, 2012 at 5:03am.

Stats: Weight 7 lbs 7.4oz. Height 19 inches

Maverick decided it was time to exit the womb, one day after his due date. It was definitely worth the wait. He is perfect, healthy, and a great addition to our family. I actually discovered that my midwife had July 30th written down as his due date, but it was changed at least 4 times throughout my pregnancy and I had written down the 24th on my calendar and was what I have been going by. So you can either say he was born a day after his due date or about a week before...either way, he is here!

I had not been feeling well the last two days prior to his arrival. Not super sick, but sore back, contractions off and on all day/night, just nothing very consistent. The night of the 24^th when we went to bed I told Kyle I was beginning to think I might actually really be in labor, so he might not want to get to comfortable. He went to sleep around 11 while I tossed and turned and attempted to sleep. Around 12:30 I got up to go to the bathroom and had a little streak of blood. I told myself this was enough to start towards the hospital, considering the consistent contractions about 5 minutes apart, the small streak of blood, and the hospital being about an hour and half away.

Waking Kyle up is a challenge to say the least. I told him that we probably should be heading in. He rolled over after many jabs in the side and started questionings all my symptoms asking if I was sure.  I was busy trying to pack up the last few things and in his sleepiness all he wanted to do was hug and tell me it was okay, he was testing my patience. Once I got the car packed I not so nicely told him to find some clothes and that seemed to snap him out of his sleepiness. He quickly got dressed, grabbed Gunnar and Ryker and got in the car.

He did grab me the ice pack. He insisted that I use the ice pack. I tried explaining I didn’t really think it was going to help with contractions, but he was so persistent I finally just put it on my back so he would leave me alone and then once I got too cold I quietly removed it as we travelled down the road. In his sleepy mind he was being helpful. 

I had always imagined us speeding to the hospital being it's a considerable distance away, but apparently Kyle had more envisions of tickets than me, so he proceeded to travel down the highway at the exact speed limit of 60. After about the first hour of me trying to be patient and calm, my contractions started getting closer varying from 2-3 minutes apart, I at this point told him he better start at least going 5 over or I might begin to think he wanted to deliver the baby in the middle of no where, with Gunnar and Ryker as the audience. He complied. 

We got to Mike and Laura's and quickly dropped the kids off and finished off the last 10 minutes of the ride to the hospital. We safely made it, PRAISE GOD.

We got all checked in and up to our room around 3:15am. I was so nervous they would tell me I was wrong, it wasn't labor and to go home. They checked me and I was only dilated to a 4. Nurse Sarah said they would give me an hour to see how I was progressing but to plan on heading back home (or we would have just got to Mike and Laura’s). I told her that usually once my dilation started I went quickly, so I wasn’t sure that was a good idea, but we could wait the hour and then talk about it. At about 3:45 she came back and said she would check me because the monitor was showing (and I was feeling) some very strong and consistent contractions every two minutes. Kyle would watch the monitor and almost on the dot every 2 minutes start holding my hand knowing another good one was on its way. When she checked me to her surprise I was dilated to about 6 ½. She said I was indeed in labor and that she would call the midwife, Faith. Faith showed up around 4:15. She checked me and I was at an 8. She sat quietly in the room and told me to let her know when I was ready to push. They let me be in total control. Around 4:45 I told her I thought I was ready and she checked me I was about 9 ½ and she called the team of nurses in. Everything was ready and I could start pushing.

Maverick decided to make things difficult at the point and they informed me he was turned sideways. Faith could feel his back and his arm, but no head. While I pushed they worked on turning him. My stomach is bruised from all the pushing they had to do…no fun, thanks Maverick, as if giving birth isn’t painful enough.

My water broke on about my third set on contractions that I was pushing with, unfortunately my midwife got a nice amniotic fluid shower, a direct shot to the face (did I mention she is 37 weeks pregnant). As my water broke apparently Maverick got himself situated correctly. With all the stress I was so close to blacking out. As I was pushing I would see the black closing in. Thankfully they started giving me oxygen in between contractions and it helped considerably. As I could feel Maverick crowning I got a horrible cramp in my hip. I told my nurse, but she was more concerned with other things, like me passing out, and gave it like a two second rub. I was so annoyed with her. The cramp was killing me, so I ended up pushing my leg out straight trying to relieve some of the pressure from my hip. The nurse kept trying to pull my leg in so I could push better, but I won the battle. I not only got relief from my hip cramp, but in the process I was also able to finish pushing the kiddo out. At 5:03, after about 15 minutes of pushing he was in my arms, perfect, beautiful, and an absolute miracle. 

My midwife then proceeded to show us the placenta, the amniotic sack and umbilical cord. Honestly I thought It was all pretty interesting, I never got an up close and personal look at it with the other two boys. I'm not sure Kyle enjoyed the show as much as me.

I then was allowed to hold, nurse, and love on my baby for an hour before they took him and did anything with him. Before they weighed him, Apgar scored him, anything. It was wonderful to say the least. He nursed like a champ the last 30 minutes or so of the hour. He then got to go be tortured by the baby nurse. 

When they came back to check me, they discovered I was bleeding to heavily. They decided they needed to hook me up to pitocin to see if they could get my uterus to clamp down and stop the bleeding. They were doubtful the entire time they were pumping pitocin in me. Kyle was calm the entire birthing process, but this made him so nervous. The next steps didn't sound pleasant, so we prayed and handed the situation over to God.

He answered our prayers and the bleeding slowed down to their satisfaction. This didn't stop them from coming and giving my poor tummy an aggressive deep tissue massage every 10 minutes or so. I seriously wanted to smack my poor nurse. I was very resistant as she did it and she had to practically hold me down. 

We were put up in the Pediatric department as the maternity ward was full. We got our own room for the day and night then were headed out the door Thursday before 11am. 

There were some rough moments in the delivery of little Maverick, but God kept everyone safe and we are all healthy and loving getting to know each other. 

Gunnar and Ryker adore Maverick. Gunnar is especially helpful, loves holding him, and has informed us that if I have milk for the baby he has chocolate milk in one side and apple juice in the other. If I was Maverick I would try that out. Ryker experiences more jealousy than Gunnar, but really has been doing a great job. I love watching them both as big brothers.

Kyle and I are adjusting to life with a new little one. There are new challenges, but nothing we can't handle without each other and our faith in God. 

So now that the baby is here, we are actively looking for a house or land to build a house. Please, keep us in your prayers. 

 Moments after delivery.

Cuddling with mom after a grand entrance into the world.

 His brothers checking him out for the first time.

 First attempt at a family photo...didn't go so well.

 Gunnar giving his new baby brother kisses.

 Ryker trying to be sweet.

 "The Mav"

 Daddy loving on his new baby boy.

 We are ready to take his kiddo home.

 Just home from the hospital. Enjoying the attention of all three of my boys.

A sweet, sweet, baby Maverick.