Jacob’s birth story

 

Last Wednesday I went in for my appointment at 38 1/2 weeks pregnant.  The midwife checked my cervix and I was the same, 3 cm 70% effaced.  I asked her if she would sweep my membranes in hopes I could go into labor over the weekend because Dan was leaving town Wednesday and I was really hoping to have the baby before he left.  She said NO!  No sweeping until I was 39 weeks (which was in 3 days).  But she did schedule me for induction on Monday morning.

 

I decided to go in on Saturday and have the midwife on call sweep my membranes to improve our chances of a successful induction on Monday.  I just wanted to get things started.  Embarrassingly, it was the same midwife who refused to sweep me on Wednesday, I felt kind of like a defiant teenager who was getting what she wanted by being stubborn.  Fortunately, she was nice and told me she thought it was a good idea.  I did have contractions after that and lost my mucous plug on Sunday.  Sunday night my sweet angel sister-in-law Cami and her daughter Lily came to babysit, they spent the night so Dan and I could get as much sleep as possible before going into the hospital at 7 the following morning.  They ended up staying all day Monday AND Monday night for us!  Can’t thank them enough, what a huge help!

I was really excited and nervous as we arrived at the hospital that morning.  Was my body ready for this?  What if they had to use pitocin to induce me?  would I be able to go natural?  was I pushing things too early?  what if Jacob wasn’t ready to be born and would have trouble breathing?  The lady behind the desk told me they didn’t have any rooms available for me and we’d have to wait 40 min while a room was cleaned.  The midwife offered to sweep my membranes again and see if we could get some contractions started in the meantime.  So we went into a small triage room and she measured me at 4cm, and swept my membranes really well.  Dan and I were instructed to walk around the hospital until 9 when my room should be ready.

We walked around the hospital and down the street to a park, both of us choose to wear flip flops that morning and acquired blisters.  We went back twice and were told another hour each time, eventually they just had me leave my cell number and told us to go to the mall or something to walk.  So we did.  We found the girls some cute Tangled night gowns for baby brother to give to them, so that was good.  They did eventually call us and we got into our delivery room at 11:30, it was worth the wait, a beautiful room with an amazing view of the city from windows all across one side.  They monitored me and the baby for 20 min before breaking my water.  My contractions were 5-6 min apart from the sweeping but not very strong.  Then made me have an IV in place since there is an emergency c-section risk when they break your water, I wasn’t thrilled about that but understood.  I guess the cord could slip down before the head when the water is broken pinching it and resulting in an emergency c-section.  They never put anything in the IV, it was just capped off on my arm.  I was at 5cm when she broke my water.

We were all kind of waiting for something crazy to happen, like it was with Tessa.  Because when they broke my water with her I went into active labor in like 15 min and had Tessa 1 1/2 hours after that.  This time it took a couple hours for the contractions to pick up to where they considered me in active labor, that was about 2pm I think.  I walked around the room for awhile leaning against the wall for contractions.  I used the exercise ball to rock back and forth and did my best to breathe through the contractions.  Dan was watching a movie on cable and would mute it whenever I was contracting, and rub my back… don’t think he knew what else to do. :)  But I really appreciated it, I am SO glad Dan was there, he was a great strength to me, especially toward the end.

 

At some point I was in the restroom when I had a really strong contraction.  I was trying to walk back to the ball but couldn’t, Dan came and helped me stay standing and massaged my back for me.  The midwife came in and asked if I’d like to try sitting in the tub.  I thought it sounded nice so she filled it up, it was just a regular tub built into the bathroom.  I tell you what, that lady was looking out for me!  She had the lights off, candles around the tub and after I got in offered me a cold cloth for my forehead with tangerine smell on it.  She would tell people to be quiet so I could concentrate, she would whisper to me advice and encouragement when I needed it.  She seemed to really understand what I was going through and knew just what I needed to hear.  The nurse and her kind of went at it a bit because I think the midwife was breaking rules for me.  I know I wasn’t supposed to deliver in the tub, I didn’t sign a waiver or order my own tub like they require.  I was only in the water for around 10 min when I felt lots of pressure.  I got really scared, realizing what was about to happen.  I was actually going to have this baby without any medication! 

I didn’t think I could do it, and I told Dan and the midwife so.  I know I had planned on it, but in the back of my mind I had always kept myself open to the idea that I may not be able to do it w/o the epidural.  But it was too late now, he was coming.  She checked me and I was 7cm, but she said that she thought I would do the last 3 in a matter of seconds, she was right.  I was hyperventilating, I didn’t feel like I was breathing fast but I must have been because I lost feeling in my hands and feet.  They gave me a plastic bag to breathe into between contractions and that helped me get the feeling back a bit.  When it came down to it I had to just yell as I pushed him out, I wish I didn’t have to but there was nothing for it!  I had to yell!  Kind of embarrassing, but I guess they are used to it.  Fortunately it only took me a couple pushes/yells to get his head out.  This part was weird, because then his head was out, UNDER WATER but his body wasn’t.  I found it unnerving that his face was just sitting under water.  The midwife picked up on this as well and asked me if I’d like to just push him out now instead of wait for the next contraction, I opted to just push him out then and get him above water.  One push and out he came, they plopped him on my chest and I couldn’t believe what had just happened!  It was over, I had done it.   I was amazed at what I had accomplished all on my own, it was such a great feeling.  I must say that it was INTENSE, no cake walk, but it didn’t hurt as bad as I was expecting, the climax wasn’t as high as I thought it would be.  For me the pain was only what I would call “unbearable” for the last 5 contractions, then it was over.  I was sobbing and talking to Jacob who had his eyes wide open looking around.  They clamped and cut the cord there and then had me walk to the bed to deliver the placenta.  It is nice to have legs that work afterwards.

 

The nurses took care of Jacob while Dan took lots of pictures.  Funny story about that, I was over on the bed getting stitched up a bit (I still tore unfortunately, but only needed a few stitches) yelling over to Dan asking him what settings he had on the camera, asking him if the ISO was too high, what the shutter speed was reading etc.  As you can see he did a wonderful job with the pictures but I was worried they would all be blurry or grainy and so I had to ask. :)  Can’t get those moments back!  After Jacob was weighed and checked out they brought him to me to nurse, which he did for like 45 min and would have kept going if we didn’t stop him, it’s so nice to have a good nurser for a change!  He was born at 4:37 so my labor was around 2 1/2 hours I think… but it’s hazy because I don’t know when it would be considered “started” exactly.  I don’t know how people do it for 20+ hours! Everyone in the room but me was surprised at how big he was, but I knew I had a big boy for awhile now.

His sisters love him to death, and are doing so well!  I planned on Tessa really acting up after he was born but she hasn’t, well not more than normal anyway. :)  They love to help me with baby Jacob and ask to hold him many times each day.  I am doing my best to make sure I spend as much time as possible with my girls so they don’t feel left out.  I am so proud of them and how they have really stepped up and matured.  He’s got plenty of moms around here!

I love having a new baby, I try to cherish every minute I can because I know it will go so fast!  I love his smell, the fresh soft skin of his cheeks, I love the cute little grunts and squeaks he makes, the smiles in his sleep.  I love how small and perfect he is, my little boy, our son.  

We are all just so happy and on a family love high!  Babies are such a blessing, and we are incredibly grateful Jacob is with us.