20-9-2009 - Birth Story!

My mood while writing this blog: Content and in loooove

Ok so I'm finally posting my little punkin's birth story. As most of you know, I had gone into L&D twice thinking I was in labor and ended up getting sent home. I was in "early labor" for 3 weeks. 3 WEEKS! So my midwife said that she was on call the weekend of September 12th so if I happened to still be contracting and uncomfortable, she'd help things along or break my water.

September 12th around midnight, I jumped in the shower and shaved because I was planning on having sex with Eric to help get my contractions stronger as that had worked in the past. I figured if I could kind of plan it then why not right? So I showered and blow dried my hair and then we had sex. I stayed laying in bed until the contractions got strong and then I moved onto my exercise ball and started timing them. Sure enough after about half an hour they were 5 minutes apart. I called Lynn (my midwife) and she said to head to L&D. I told her I dodn't wanna go unless we'd be coming home with a baby and she assured me she'd do everything she could to make that happen.

4:30am: We were at the hospital and put into a birthing room. Sooo beautiful! A huge spa like bathroom with hot tub and a chandaleir in the room that was on a dimmer. Eric settled in to sleep for a bit and the nurse checked me. Unfortunately only dilated to 3-4cm and she said 70% effaced. Well she was awful. She tells me I'm not in labor and I should go home. I ask when ynn will be there and she says around 9am. So we're in for a wait...

10am: Lynn arrives and checks me. She says I'm about 4cm and 90% effaced and that nurse is thankfully gone. She then says that she is going to talk to the on call doctor (who she works with) about getting things going with us. Minutes later she comes back to say it's a go and we're gonna have a baby!

12pm: Lynn inserts a quarter of a teeny pill called Cytotec to help me dilate faster. It doesn't do much for me. And the IV is making me have to pee like crazy.

4pm: I get started on a really slow Pitocin drip. Like...REALLY slow. Since I was already in slow moving labor, they didn't want to go full force.

6pm: Contractions are fairly strong and my mom has come up to see her grandson be born. I'm starting to get uncomfortable and breathing through the contractions.

7pm: I have to pee for the billionth time. My mom walks me to the bathroom, pushing my IV thing. I sit down to pee and feel a pop as my water breaks. I wasn't sure it was my water so I wipe and stand and sure enough, there's a little running down my legs. I open the door where my mom is waiting and I say that I think my water broke. Lynn comes in and as I sit on the bed, more fluid rushes out. Now we're moving!

7:30pm: Contractions are killer. I sit on an exercise ball and my husband, Eric looks terrified of me being in pain. He holds my hands and a nurse sits behind me helping me not to fall off with each contraction. My water is still going in gushes on the floor. Lovely.

9pm: My contractions are so bad I'm literally writhing in pain and everything everyone does is irritating excpet for the cold compress my mom puts on my neck. I finally tell Eric that I want to know if there's anything other than an epidural that will help the pain. Lynn says there is an IV drip they can give me but it won't kill the pain. It will help me not feel so nauseous, relax a little, and hopefully, breath through the contractions a little better.

10pm: I notice that the last 2-3 contractions I've had to hook my ankles together and tighten my muscles because I feel like I have to push. Finally I turn to my mom and tell her to get Lynn because I need to push right NOW. Lynn comes in to check me and sure enough, 100% effaced, 10cm dilated and his head is at the 0 station. We're having our baby!

10pm-10:15pm: A total whirlwind of nurses getting his cradle ready and bringing in a scale. Lynn breaks the bed (it comes apart so all the fluid and nasty stuff goes straight into a bin to be disposed of), Eric and my mom each get on one side of me, a nurse dims the light and turns the heat up and shuts the door. Only my mom, Eric, a nurse, and Lynn are in the room and it's so quiet and calm.

10:15pm: I start pushing. And MAN! What a relief! The pain from the contractions is suddenly gone and I'm pumped to see our son soon! I was kind of confused on how to push but I eventually get it. It also helps that Eric and my mom are being so supportive and everytime I push, they lift from under my shoulders so I can really wrap around the contractions to push him out. After every push, my mom gives me a sip of water and Eric keeps telling me how much he loves me and how well I'm doing.

10:55pm: Little Jackson Eric is born! After only about 4 hours of hard labor and half an hour of pushing (with no epidural!), my little 8lb 3 oz and 21" long bundle of joy was here! As soon as he's coming out they throw a warm towel on me and then place him on me. Eric is crying now (even though he said he wouldn't) and telling me how proud he is and how cute Jackson is. I can't even fathom that we have a baby. A beautiful, perfect little baby!

So that is Jackson's story of coming into the world. He's beautiful and every day with him is a gift. We've spent hours just staring at him in awe of what we created.