Dear Jackson,
Welcome to the world little one. Let me tell
you about your arrival!
While I was pregnant with you I was told a million
times to not expect your labor/delivery to be the same as
Jordans and I really tried to keep an open mind and be mentally
prepared for anything. But that is very hard when your first
delivery was so great. I couldn’t even believe that
it could go differently. Boy was I wrong.
Let’s start by telling you that just like
with Jordan I had two due dates – one based on the last
menstrual date (10/16/09) and the other based on the ultrasound
(10/25/09). We were basing the dates on the first due date
since second babies typically come earlier than the first
baby. I thought for sure that you would come around 39 weeks…so
when 10/27/09 came around I was very ready for your arrival.
Not to mention I had been experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions
since week 34. These contractions were strong ones too, so
strong that I kept thinking that they might be real ones –
too the point where I kept track of times. So – I was
on edge.
Everyone wanted to be here for your birth also,
so my sisters (your aunties) arranged their visits around
my first due date. During the weekend of October 15-18 Grandma
Larson had 10 people sleeping at her house just waiting for
you to come. I was doing my best to help…I was walking
a lot, jumping on trampoline, pumping, and walking up/down
stairs. But, unfortunately you did not want an audience and
my sisters and their families went home.
On the night of October 26th your Daddy and
I had taken Jordan to his swim class and during the class
I started to feel Braxton Hicks again. They were a little
stronger but still very irregular and inconsistent so we thought
nothing of them. Grandma Larson, Aunt Tracy, and my friend
Alisha all texted me that night asking how I was…if
there were any signs of labor. “Nope” I told them
– “I’m going to be pregnant forever!”
We got home and went to bed as usual.
At 1:30 am I woke up to use the restroom, which
was not unusual for me. When I returned to bed I had a little
bit of back pain that sort of came on like a wave and then
went away. Not thinking much of it I took note of the time
and figured it was still Braxton Hicks. Here are some of the
times: 1:50, 1:54, 1:58, 2:04, 2:12, 2:16, 2:20 and so on.
By 2:30 I began to think that this may be for real and woke
up your dad. He didn’t think I was really in labor and
I really wasn’t that sure yet either - so I decided
to take a bath and your dad went back to sleep. A few minutes
later he came in the bathroom and said that he couldn’t
sleep because he would feel really bad if this was truly labor
and he was sleeping. How sweet!
While I was in the bath they really started
to get strong but manageable. It was then that I realized
this was truly labor. By now it was nearly 3:30 am. Shane
called Grandma Messmer to make sure that she didn’t
go to work (she leaves for work really early). I got out of
the bath and got dressed and began to labor in the living
room on the ball. Dad made himself some breakfast and made
me a bagel. Both of us figured we should eat because we believed
we had many hours of labor ahead of us.
At about 4:00 am the contractions began to be
pretty intense. So much so that I thought I was being a big
wimp. I couldn’t understand why I was having such a
hard time with the contractions. I was not able to relax through
them as well as I had with your brother. I began to think
I couldn’t do it naturally this time. It was then that
I thought I may be in transition and told Dad that we needed
to call Grandma Larson and the midwife (Jill). Here's a little
secret – Daddy thought I was being a wimp too. He wasn’t
even with me for most of the labor. He was gathering our supplies
and washing dishes! At one point I had to yell at him to get
over to me and help me or he’d be sorry! Hee hee. I
think he realized I was serious then.
We were in such shock. How could I be in active
labor in only 2.5 hrs –even Jill was surprised. Realizing
that we were pretty far along, we quickly gathered our stuff,
woke up Jordan, and headed over to Grandma Larson’s
house. I will just let you know that the drive over to Grandmas
was horrible. I urged Shane to call Jill again and tell her
to speed because I was feeling the urge to push!
Finally we got to Grandmas house – it
was the longest 10 mins of my life. Thank goodness Grandma
had the bathtub ready because I was stripping my clothes off
as I walked in the house. I pretty much made up my mind on
the drive over that I was not going to hold back the urge
to push any longer – midwife or no midwife!
I got in the tub and it helped slow down labor
a little and I got a small amount of relief. Jordan asked
to come in the bath with me and we let him. Everything was
going ok for a little while – I was relaxing better
through the contractions now but I still knew it wouldn’t
be long. The urge to push came back and this time there was
no way I could hold it back. I must have yelled out or screamed
a little because Jordan got all upset and Grandma Messmer
had to take him away. He was so sad and I could here him crying
in the hallway.
Meanwhile, Grandma Larson had been calling aunts
and uncles to let them know I was in labor and Grandpa Larson
and Daddy were very nervous that Jill wouldn’t make
it. At this time, I reached down and felt something and thought
it was your head and yelled out to everyone that you were
coming. Grandma Larson jumped in the tub with me and began
to feel around. She said that it was my water bag and not
your head, but I think it was then that she realized this
was going to happen very soon. We called Jill who still was
about 15 mins away and Grandma stayed on the phone with her
to get step by step directions.
At 5:45 am you were born at Grandma’s
house without a midwife – and Grandma “caught”
you. I have to tell you that the 5 mins after you were born
were pretty intense. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable
about labor and childbirth but, in the heat of the moment,
I didn’t think too clearly. As soon as you came out
I grabbed you and pulled you out of the water. I wanted to
make sure you were ok. You were a little blue and weren’t
crying. Jill instructed us over the phone to stimulate your
body and keep you warm with the towels. Well, Grandma was
very vigorous with the stimulation while I was suctioning
your mouth out. Still no cry and still blue. Everyone was
very nervous but I thought that I could hear you breathing
- just as I was about to say that I could hear you breathing
Grandma snatched you out of my hands to stimulate you some
more. I had to snatch you back and calm everyone else down
by stating clearly that I could hear you breathing. With a
little more suctioning you made your first noise – it
wasn’t really a cry…it was more of a cooing. But
it was noise – which meant you were breathing and we
were all ecstatic. It was at that exact moment that Uncle
Erik and Aunt Bonnie walked in the house. Amazing. If they
were there a second earlier it would have been pretty scary
for them I think.
Finally Jill got there and checked you out.
All was well – you are perfect! You were just in such
a hurry to get out – only 4 hours of labor!!! Because
you came out so fast your poor little face was all bruised
and swollen. But that went away in a day or two.
We love you and welcome to the world!!!
Read about this mother's first birth
with Jordan's Birth Story.
back
to Birth Stories main page
Home
• About Us • FAQ
• Schedule • Contact
Testimonials • Birth
Stories • Breastfeeding
• Pregnancy Tips •
Resources
|
