Meet Deven

Deven Everitt
September 16, 2007
1:32 am
7 lbs, 2 oz
19"
apgars 9/9

His birth story: the long version.
On Saturday, Sept 15 I had my first contraction at 9:30 am. I had been having inconsistent, week contractions since the day before but I didn't think they would build up into anything. I got up and went into the living room to walk around and time my contractions. They were about 15 min apart at first. I timed them for about 3 hours before I decided to call my Doctor. They were about 7 min apart and my doctor suggested it would be better to wait until they grew closer, but seeing as the hospital was an hour away I knew I had time.
We arrived at the hospital at about 1:30 and I was wheeled into a triage room and strapped onto monitors. Everyone recognized me from the week before when I spent the day there with a horrendous stomach bug. I was about 4 cm dilated and my contractions were about 3-5 min apart. The nurses suggested I maybe walk around the labor unit to speed labor, but I hadn't slept the night before and was pretty nauseas from labor. All I wanted to do was rest. Sleeping through contractions is damn near impossible, I should mention.
At about 5 or 6 I was checked again and was 5 cm. They ordered an epidural for me and were getting ready to wheel me into an actual labor room. The epidural was such a relief, and I got mine before the contractions actually got bad. After they wheeled me into my room the hard part was over for the time being. It was time to relax, watch tv, and dilate. That day MTV was airing a marathon of America's Next Top Model season 8.
At about 8 my Doctor came in to break my water. I was 8 cm dilated. I had been dilating like crazy just laying there watching Tyra Banks' fat ass and I had no idea! About an hour later I started getting pain in my left side that felt sort of like sciatica but in the front of my pelvis. The nurses kept telling me to turn over, that the epidural sometimes would favor one side and maybe it would move to the other side. Nothing seemed to help, the pain was getting unbearable, and at that point I started to complain.
The nurse came in and checked me at 11 pm, and low and behold, I was 10 cm and +1. I was exhausted and nauseas yet starving from having not slept or eaten all day. I was not feeling having to push, but I knew that this was almost over. Pushing is honestly the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life. I have never ever put my body through that much torment, and it has never felt that kind of stress before. It's like pulling the weight of an 18-wheeler full of cement blocks. With every push I felt like I was going to puke, poop, and pass out all at the same time.
 After a couple of hours of pushing his head was down far enough that they could call the Doctor in. His head was slowly descending, but not down far enough and he wasn't rotating well with each push. We decided the stubbornness must come from his mother. After pushing a few times in the presence of the Doctor, we decided I needed assistance of some sort. I was thinking c section, anything that would get him out of me as quickly as possible and ending this torment, she was thinking vacuum.
After pushing 2 or 3 times with the vacuum attached to his head, Deven was born at 1:32 am. Vance cut the cord, and then stared down in horror at the blood bath. Vance insists that the bleeding was serious, and he thought I was going to die. Luckily I had no idea what had just happened to my body. They laid Deven on my chest after suctioning his nose and mouth and he was gooey and adorable, and perfectly healthy. He had a bit of swelling on his head from the vacuum, but he was alert as any other baby. I suffered a 2nd degree tear and my body will never be the same again, but it was so worth it. I would do it over and over again for him.

March 2008: Deven is 6 months old and awesome. He loves to smile and laugh and stick his tongue out (as demonstrated in the above photo.) He can finally roll in both directions and is starting to get up on his hands and knees. He can sit up by himself and is learning to drink from a sippy cup. He loves applesauce and snuggling with his momma.

About the Author

My name is Janette. I'm a 22 year old mom and housewife. I take care of my baby son and watch a lot of daytime tv. I rely on my son's naps and lots of coffee to be able to write here every day. I have so much to say and the internet is my outlet. Go free speech! Learn more...

janetter
myspace.com/geddyleesex
aim: jzthestampede

meet deven
flickr
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These are some of my daily reads
Dooce.com
alittlelessordinary.com
dasbecca.com
waiting.nu
alwaysmichelle.com
alittlepregnant.com
thesuperficial.com
rushisaband.com
lewrockwell.com
ronpaul2008.com

Other stuff:
I must give credit where credit is due. Blogger, the software of (my) choice. The image is from the film Boondock Saints, and the brushes are made by the dolls at Celestial-star.net