Try to either click on this link or copy and paste it into your browser to see some pictures of Jack:
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=6e6f79d22543ebff5b2f2841c4d4a52e&sid=0AcM2TVk1asWrn4
Let me know if it doesn't work, and I can send it by email :)
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
He's here! (ok, I know, it's almost been 6 weeks!)
Where to begin... Jack is here.. and we are sooo in LOVE! Not to sound cliche, but it is truly amazing the amount of love you can have for someone who has only been on this earth for 6 weeks (almost). And it's amazing how much that love grows everyday.
I guess I can start with the story of Jack's arrival. I am telling it from my memory, however, every time I tell my rendition, Paul tells me I've got it all wrong. So, for the real story, you should ask Paul :) So, Thursday, July 26th, I woke up at about 5am having very slight contractions. Being that this is my first child, I thought all contractions were equal, so when Paul woke up at 6am, I told him that he wasn't going to work, and that I had been having contractions for about an hour, and they were pretty consistent. So, we called the doctor, and she said to go to labor and delivery. So, off we went. We called our parents, but told them to hold tight until we heard something from the doctor. My mom was adamant that Jack was going to make his appearance that weekend, so she decided that she and my dad were going to come down regardless.
Once we were at the hospital, they monitored me for a few hours, and then we were sent home because my contractions slowed down, and they said that was not the day that Jack would come. We were kinda bummed, but at least Paul didn't have to go to work!
So we went home. We talked to our neighbor who gave us some raspberry tea and told us her story about going into labor. She explained her walking route around our neighborhood. She would do about a 50 yard sprint, then proceed to walk around the block. I looked at her like she was crazy.. sprint in THIS condition?! I'll settle for walking.
I think Paul and I kinda got the house in order, maybe took a nap, then my family arrived. My mom came with my sister, Becca, and her two girls, Camden and Kellan. I was having contractions all day, and once my mom got there, we began timing them. They were getting more intense as the day went on. So, we decided to try all of the things we had heard send you into labor. We went and ate spicy Thai food with the family. I'm sure everyone in the restaurant was terrified that I was going to have my baby right there! I'm pretty sure they had 911 programmed and ready to call in case Jack decided to make his appearance at Mama Fu's Thai restaurant!
After dinner we went home. Paul made a big batch of the raspberry tea, and I began drinking it by the glassful. Also, Becca and Camden and Kellan began to give me foot massages.. it helped to keep my mind off of my contractions (mind you we were still timing them, so I had to announce when one started and one ended so we could get accurate times), and who doesn't love a foot massage, laboring or not?!?
Paul and I began taking laps around the block. We would take Bailey and walk the block (only running into a few neighbors), then come back, and I would chug a glass of raspberry tea, then rest. We would do our routine about 1x/hour. The contractions continued to get more and more intense. I found it most comfortable to lean over the back of the couch, close my eyes, and breath during my contractions. Camden, my 2 and a half year old niece was really sweet. During a few of my contractions, she came to me with caring eyes, and would tell me she loved me. She is such a caring, kind hearted girl. It was really sweet.
Paul and my mom went to bed, and Becca and I stayed up to watch TV and Becca was timing my contractions. Around midnight, my dad, my sister, Keri, and her kids, Riley, Peyton, and Connor arrived. I stayed up just long enough to say hello, then I joined Paul in bed. He rolled over as I got into bed, and asked if I was alright. I was in quite a bit of pain, so he recommended that I get in a warm bathtub to help take some of the edge off. It definitely helped. I labored in the bathtub for an hour or two (this is where my rendition starts to get iffy). Paul finally threw up the white towel, and called the nurse. She told us to go back to the hospital.
We gathered our stuff and on our way out woke Keri and Becca up (because they were sleeping on the couches downstairs) and told them they were welcome to sleep in our bed because we were going to the hospital.
When we arrived, they were expecting us, because the nurse that Paul spoke with let them know we were on our way. We were placed in a private room, and had the best nurse; Sarah was her name. She was very sweet and helpful. She placed a monitor on me to monitor my contractions and Jack's heart rate. Finally after 3 or 4 hours, the doctor saw us, and decided that we needed to be admitted. I was dilated to about 4 cm., so Sarah asked if I wanted to go ahead and order my epidural, and I said YES!
So, we got into our room around 7am (I think), and probably 20 minutes later, the anesthesiologist was in the room getting me ready for the epidural! I was still able to move my legs, and could feel them, but it definitely took the edge off of the contractions.
The contractions continued to stay about 3-5 minutes apart, but I was able to sleep because of the epidural. Paul was able to sleep as well. They had a pretty nice pull out couch for him to sleep on. Apparently every room in labor and delivery was full! Everyone decided to go into labor on July 27th! They even had to use the "demo" room, the room they show people on their hospital tours (that Paul and I did not go on-oops!).
Not a lot to report between the time we were admitted and lunchtime. Before noon, Dr. Schieffer (our actual doctor) came into to see if she needed to break my water. As she was checking me, my water broke. My contractions continued to remain consistent, with the same amount of time between and the same intensity. The nurse joked that Dr. Schieffer was going to lunch, so I needed to wait until she got back to start pushing. And wait, I did.
We waited and waited. My family visited, then left. Jack was just really comfortable in there, and I don't blame him! Finally a little before 6:00 pm we had made it to 10 cm. We could start pushing! They expected it to take a few hours, but after about 30 minutes, Jack was ready to see the world! They paged Dr. Schieffer (thankfully she was on-call that night), and she came in and got ready to deliver our boy! Because there were so many deliveries that evening, they were short staffed. We had to wait on the "baby catcher" and the sterile tech. Jack was born at 6:38 pm, and he came out screaming! Dr. Schieffer allowed Paul to cut the cord, he was a proud daddy! Jack weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce, and they measured him at 21 3/4 inches. Long and lean, just like his daddy!
So after almost 38 hours of labor, I wouldn't change a thing in the world.. Jack is more than worth it!!
I'll make another post with pictures. We have lots! I have been keeping a written daily journal of all of Jack's visitors and "firsts".. and will try to share when I post the pictures.
Sorry about the novel. I will try to stay on top of this now that Jack is here, and we have gotten used to our new normal!
going home from the hospital
Once we were at the hospital, they monitored me for a few hours, and then we were sent home because my contractions slowed down, and they said that was not the day that Jack would come. We were kinda bummed, but at least Paul didn't have to go to work!
So we went home. We talked to our neighbor who gave us some raspberry tea and told us her story about going into labor. She explained her walking route around our neighborhood. She would do about a 50 yard sprint, then proceed to walk around the block. I looked at her like she was crazy.. sprint in THIS condition?! I'll settle for walking.
I think Paul and I kinda got the house in order, maybe took a nap, then my family arrived. My mom came with my sister, Becca, and her two girls, Camden and Kellan. I was having contractions all day, and once my mom got there, we began timing them. They were getting more intense as the day went on. So, we decided to try all of the things we had heard send you into labor. We went and ate spicy Thai food with the family. I'm sure everyone in the restaurant was terrified that I was going to have my baby right there! I'm pretty sure they had 911 programmed and ready to call in case Jack decided to make his appearance at Mama Fu's Thai restaurant!
After dinner we went home. Paul made a big batch of the raspberry tea, and I began drinking it by the glassful. Also, Becca and Camden and Kellan began to give me foot massages.. it helped to keep my mind off of my contractions (mind you we were still timing them, so I had to announce when one started and one ended so we could get accurate times), and who doesn't love a foot massage, laboring or not?!?
Paul and I began taking laps around the block. We would take Bailey and walk the block (only running into a few neighbors), then come back, and I would chug a glass of raspberry tea, then rest. We would do our routine about 1x/hour. The contractions continued to get more and more intense. I found it most comfortable to lean over the back of the couch, close my eyes, and breath during my contractions. Camden, my 2 and a half year old niece was really sweet. During a few of my contractions, she came to me with caring eyes, and would tell me she loved me. She is such a caring, kind hearted girl. It was really sweet.
Paul and my mom went to bed, and Becca and I stayed up to watch TV and Becca was timing my contractions. Around midnight, my dad, my sister, Keri, and her kids, Riley, Peyton, and Connor arrived. I stayed up just long enough to say hello, then I joined Paul in bed. He rolled over as I got into bed, and asked if I was alright. I was in quite a bit of pain, so he recommended that I get in a warm bathtub to help take some of the edge off. It definitely helped. I labored in the bathtub for an hour or two (this is where my rendition starts to get iffy). Paul finally threw up the white towel, and called the nurse. She told us to go back to the hospital.
We gathered our stuff and on our way out woke Keri and Becca up (because they were sleeping on the couches downstairs) and told them they were welcome to sleep in our bed because we were going to the hospital.
When we arrived, they were expecting us, because the nurse that Paul spoke with let them know we were on our way. We were placed in a private room, and had the best nurse; Sarah was her name. She was very sweet and helpful. She placed a monitor on me to monitor my contractions and Jack's heart rate. Finally after 3 or 4 hours, the doctor saw us, and decided that we needed to be admitted. I was dilated to about 4 cm., so Sarah asked if I wanted to go ahead and order my epidural, and I said YES!
So, we got into our room around 7am (I think), and probably 20 minutes later, the anesthesiologist was in the room getting me ready for the epidural! I was still able to move my legs, and could feel them, but it definitely took the edge off of the contractions.
The contractions continued to stay about 3-5 minutes apart, but I was able to sleep because of the epidural. Paul was able to sleep as well. They had a pretty nice pull out couch for him to sleep on. Apparently every room in labor and delivery was full! Everyone decided to go into labor on July 27th! They even had to use the "demo" room, the room they show people on their hospital tours (that Paul and I did not go on-oops!).
Not a lot to report between the time we were admitted and lunchtime. Before noon, Dr. Schieffer (our actual doctor) came into to see if she needed to break my water. As she was checking me, my water broke. My contractions continued to remain consistent, with the same amount of time between and the same intensity. The nurse joked that Dr. Schieffer was going to lunch, so I needed to wait until she got back to start pushing. And wait, I did.
We waited and waited. My family visited, then left. Jack was just really comfortable in there, and I don't blame him! Finally a little before 6:00 pm we had made it to 10 cm. We could start pushing! They expected it to take a few hours, but after about 30 minutes, Jack was ready to see the world! They paged Dr. Schieffer (thankfully she was on-call that night), and she came in and got ready to deliver our boy! Because there were so many deliveries that evening, they were short staffed. We had to wait on the "baby catcher" and the sterile tech. Jack was born at 6:38 pm, and he came out screaming! Dr. Schieffer allowed Paul to cut the cord, he was a proud daddy! Jack weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce, and they measured him at 21 3/4 inches. Long and lean, just like his daddy!
So after almost 38 hours of labor, I wouldn't change a thing in the world.. Jack is more than worth it!!
I'll make another post with pictures. We have lots! I have been keeping a written daily journal of all of Jack's visitors and "firsts".. and will try to share when I post the pictures.
Sorry about the novel. I will try to stay on top of this now that Jack is here, and we have gotten used to our new normal!
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