Tag Colton Bangerter

Here it goes with the {long... but not too graphic} birth story...

My mom came to St. George a week before Tag's due date. She wanted to spend a little time together before the baby got here plus she really wanted to be here when he was born.

A week before the due date I went to the doctor. I was dilated to a 2 and 80% effaced. I knew it didn't mean much but I was really hoping Tag would come sometime that week. It didn't happen but I did get to spend a ton of quality time with my mom. She was a life saver! She cooked and cooked and cooked and had my freezer chuck full so after Tag was born I wouldn't have to worry about cooking. She was also a great gym partner. That last week we would get up at 5:30 in the morning and would go to the Rec Center in Washington when Colton goes to play basketball and walk around the track. At the time I was so bummed that Tag wasn't coming early but looking back I am so glad I had that time with just me and my mom. I wouldn't trade that for anything.

I went back to the doctor on the 11th, a day before I was due. He checked me again and I was dilated to a 2+ and 90% effaced. I was so bummed. I had been having contractions all week so I was sure I would be dilated more than that. I left pretty disappointed but I was trying to be patient. My aunt said on her due date she drank a big glass of prune juice and she wasn't dilated or effaced at all. A few hours later she was in labor. I figured it was worth a shot! I didn't go into labor that night but it started real contractions all night!

The next morning my mom and I took Tuf to the dog park and walked for about 2 hours to try and make my contractions more regular. I started having contractions again but they were still very irregular. By 6:30 that night they started to get stronger and were about 5 minutes apart. They didn't hurt really bad but were 4-5 minutes apart for 2 hours so I guessed it was time to go. I kept thinking of everyone telling me when it's time to go, YOU WILL KNOW! I never really got that though. But I thought it could be it and we went in.

They checked me in to Labor and Delivery at 9pm. They said I was at a 2 and 90% effaced. Still the same as the day before! They said they would keep me for an hour and if I progressed they would check me in and if not I would be sent home. Seriously... I had been having contractions for over 24 hours and hadn't progressed at all. There was no way I would progress in an hour.
An hour later the nurse came in and I was at a 3! Woohoo... I was being admitted. Tag was officially on his way.

Waiting for Tag... Can I just say how awesome Colt was during Labor. I knew he would be a good helper, but he was amazing!!!

Im gonna try and make this short...
12am- Still at a 3 so they started pitocin. They also gave me my epidural so the pain would be better.

4:30amStill only a 4. But my epidural had worn off completely on the left side so with the pitocin, it was getting pretty painful. Then I started getting horrible pain my neck and spine from the waist up. The anesthesiologist came in to administer a new epidural. I helped the left side a little bit but the pain in my neck and spine had gotten so bad, I couldn't really move my head. They gave me a different kind of medicine that numbed my upper half as well but I was still in a lot of pain. The second medication helped some but wore off quickly. Even after the delivery the anesthesiologist and a specialist could never figure out what went wrong but it fixed itself a few hours after delivery so it was ok.

9am Dilated to only a 5. After being at the hospital for 12 hours and only at a 5 I was frustrated. The found out Tag was turned around backwards so they had me move around so he would turn. Within 30 minutes Tag was turned around and I was at an 8!

10amDr. Cain arrived and broke my water.

10:44 am Tag is born! My gorgeous little man was 7 lbs 10 oz and 20" long. He is absolutely gorgeous! He has his dad's eyes and his mom's chubby cheeks ;) He was very healthy and he didn't have any complications so we only had to stay at the hospital until the following morning.

Dad holding Tag just after he got cleaned up.

This is a pic from about an hour after he was born.

Tag- one day old.

Here are a few of my favorite pics from the last couple weeks :)

I am so so so thankful that Tag is finally here. He is the sweetest baby ever. He sleeps so great {so far} and has just been the greatest blessing ever.