The Whidden Fam: Mason James Whidden

Mason James Whidden

born on December 16, 2016 at 4:39 a.m.

weighing 7 lbs 11 oz. and 20.5'' long

"A Christmas baby!?! Who does that?"

That was my first thought when I found out I was pregnant and due on December 20th back in April. Then the joke just got funnier when I went for an early ultrasound and they bumped my due date back to December 25th. Well, sorry buddy! Christmas birthdays aren't any fun, and I was telling myself with my history, I would be in the hospital on Christmas day. Both of the girls were pretty close to their due date, Renne was bang on, and we ended up staying for 4 days with both because they needed photo therapy. I wasn't banking on an early baby. Not in the slightest. I wasn't that naive. With Addie I had braxton hicks for months before, and I had a few fluid leaks, and totally got my hopes up, and that's just not a fun road to go down, so I convinced myself the timing would probably be less than ideal, but that it would work out as it should. We didn't set any specific Christmas plans, and we kept things really simple this year. I really wasn't that nervous about things though, I knew it would work out how it was supposed to. TBH, Christmas babies are THE BEST. The absolute best Christmas present = NEW BABY snuggles!!💙 Well, and being done with pregnancy is a pretty close second. ;)

In the past, getting checked has been the most painful part of giving birth. With Renne I remember begging Tim not to let them check me. That was the absolute worst part of it all. My doctors had tried stripping my membranes in the past, but were never able to, or even to find my cervix for that matter.😁 My cervix is what you call posterior, so it's waaaaay back there and quite literally it feels like the doctors are looking for my belly button until I'm basically fully dilated. On Wednesday the 14th I had an appointment with my doctor. I was 38.5 weeks, so she asked if she should check me, knowing fully well how uncomfortable it was for me. I told her to go for it and to try sweeping my membranes, and she told me she was so proud of me, as if that was some sort of accomplishment. It was my motherly duty to try and give this boy a not-so-terrible birthday, right? Anyway, she went to check me and it completely caught me by surprise when she said right away "there's your cervix! you're probably at a 2-3 and it's very favourable!!" what? She didn't have to tell me that it was favourable, I knew because it felt way different than it ever had before. She did a successful sweep and I wasn't even in any pain. A miracle in it's own right. She also told me she would be surprised to see me go another week. don't do that to me Doc. I hate getting my hopes up. I phoned Tim just giddy that getting checked wasn't going to kill me when I went into labor. I honestly didn't let myself entertain the idea that it could be any day...

The next morning I got up with the girls and started getting contractions as soon as I woke up and started moving around. I had been having lots of braxton hicks, so I figured it was just more of those initially. After half an hour, they began to hurt a fair amount, and were getting worse for sure. I started timing them and they were about 3-4 minutes apart. Being my third baby, and knowing Tim was half an hour away, I decided to phone him and let him know. I told him to be on stand by, but not to get his hopes up. He also phoned him parents and told them to be ready. At this point I was struggling to walk through them, so I figured it would be a few more hours at the most until go time.

As soon as Tim got home the contractions slowed down significantly. It was like as if someone hit "pause". I was devastated. I knew that the labor was real, it felt just like Addie, and I hadn't ever had start-stop labor before, labor that felt like that anyway. Being super hormonal I obviously broke into tears and had a pretty good cry. Tim didn't know what to say to me, poor guy was disappointed too, but couldn't show it since I was emotional enough for the both of us. I felt foolish and confused and just ripped off. After accepting that it wasn't going anywhere I went upstairs and had a nap. I kept getting the odd contraction here and there, so Tim didn't want to leave me by myself. We went and ran some last minute Christmas errands, which was great to get my mind off of things. I had several contractions that literally stopped me in my tracks as we walked around the store. They were pretty painful, but so irregular. I was so confused!

After picking up some pizza for supper, I phoned my awesome friend Kristy who is taking a reflexology course. Her and I had been joking all month that she would induce my labor by "working my uterus" on my feet. She was so sweet and came over just a few hours later. She massaged my feet and I went to bed that night feeling so relaxed.

At 2 am I rolled over and instantly felt some intense tightening. It was like someone literally pressed "play", and things picked up again, right where they left off. I decided to lay low for a while and try and lay in bed, but quite honestly things were getting real super quickly. By 2:30 I was in lots of pain, and Tim woke up hearing me puffing through a contraction. I started to get a little excited/panicky and got out of bed realizing that there was no possible way this labor was stopping this time. I was excited, but also super delirious as I didn't have anything packed or ready!! seriously, what the heck ASH?! I guess I thought packing the bag might jinx my chances of having an early baby, and I really was hoping he came before Christmas, I'm a weirdo. By 3:00 I phoned my bestie Joelle, who came over right away (thank goodness for her)! By the time she got here I was shaking and saying I wanted some drugs, and both Jo and Tim laughed and told me it was probably too late for that. I remember uttering something strange on our way out there door like "I just don't know what to do right now" - gotta love nonsensical labor talk.

We got to the hospital just before 4 and Tim dropped me off at the Emerg doors. I was already feeling lots of pressure and the contractions were really painful. I knew he was coming super fast. One of my contractions walking into the hospital was so bad I started sobbing and shaking as I stood outside in the freezing cold. I'm actually amazed my water didn't break on it's own because I felt so much pressure I could feel it bulging! I tried to act calm when I talked to the check-in nurse, but she could tell I wasn't doing so hot. "Are you ok?" haha, Yeah i'm great, just get me the heck upstairs! She insisted Tim take me up in a wheelchair. When they wheeled me into labor and delivery the nurses asked me what baby number this was to which Tim responded "3" and they wheeled me directly into the delivery suite right across the hall. They told me to take off my pants (I didn't even have time to take off my sweater) and checked me. I was at 8-9. I was actually a lot less calm than I was with Addison just because I didn't have time to gear up for it, it was all happening so so quickly. They phoned the doctor right away, and she arrived within 10 minutes, I was so impressed and so grateful! She broke my water and I immediately began pushing. About 5 pushes and fifteen minutes later Mason was on my chest and it was done! He was here! What the heck? 9 days early?!!? Could this be real?

It might not be clear in this picture, but this moment is!!!!!!!! Really explanation marks are the best way to describe it. So many intense emotions (and sensations). The relief of a brand new baby on your chest is definitely the most incredible moment. I was looking forward to this since the moment I found out we were expecting again. It's what kept me going during those long hard days when I couldn't find any relief from the pregnancy party. Labor is hard and crazy painful, but I welcome it gladly every time...

MY SON!!! A BOY!!!!!

Mason came so fast and so quick, he was so bruised, poor little guy :( He was still so perfect and cute. The love was instant. It's such a miracle.

Those puffy bruised cheeks...

Mason James and Payton Marie.

2 cute little cousins eagerly waiting for their other cousin, coming in a month!

seriously how cute is Payton??

Nothing like your baby holding your baby. Such a surreal moment.

Addie has been a champ with her new baby brother. She loves Mason and has been super gentle so far. Never easy being bumped from the nest.

There is something so magical about the moment when a baby opens their eyes for the first time, an introduction to their soul. Mason was one sleepy little guy for the first week, he hardly woke up, so I really cherished the moments when his eyes were open.

Well done Mason boy! I can't believe how well you cooperated!! and really, if i'm being honest, I'm glad you let me have a few hours of sleep and finish my Christmas errands in the middle of labor! It ended up being perfect.

Family picture before we left the hospital the very next day!! What an unexpected blessing! I was shocked when the nurse told me that his bilirubin results were normal and that we could go home! My girls' levels were scary high, and I was expecting it to be the same with him. Tim was so excited when I phoned to tell him to come and get us! I can't think of a better Christmas present.