A New Year - and then a New Baby!

So Jacob made it through Christmas as a no-show.  We had an induction scheduled for January 4th if he didn't come before then.  My midwife swept my membranes in hopes that it would help my body along with the process.  The process was painless and quick, and I did begin having contractions the next night.  However, they again weren't consistent or strong enough to warrant a call to the doctor, although they were strong and consistent enough to keep me from sleeping well!  Nearly every morning that week I was up for 1-3 hours with contractions.  I still went to work, all the way through to Thursday.  Friday morning I was so tired that I worked from home, and then took the afternoon off.  Contractions were often enough that I was carrying around the Pooh clock from Jacob's room (silly cell phones don't time seconds, and I don't own a watch anymore).  Still, nothing.

New Year's Eve my sister invited us to go to the Burning Bowl ceremony with her at Unity Church.  I went a couple of years ago and it was quite fun.  With Ally though - we decided not to tempt fate.  We did meet her and some friends for a New Year's Eve dinner at the Salty Iguana.  Spicy food doesn't bother me, even pregnant, but I decided to try their spicy chimies and see if that would do anything.  I was still having contractions off and on and just uncomfortable in general.  We made it home, and rang in the New Year asleep.  Not a bad thing when you are 9 months pregnant and overdue! 

I woke up at 3 with contractions.  These were a little more serious than the ones I'd been having, but still nothing huge.  They continued until 6, when I got to sleep for a couple of hours.  Ally got us up at 8 so we started our day.  Contractions started up again, not especially strong but only 5 minutes apart.  Problem was my midwife told me to call when they were 10 minutes apart.  We called, and she advised us to come on in to be checked, just in case it was farther along than I was thinking.  Thinking back on it, I should have known better, but all I had to compare it to was Ally's labor, which was pitocin induced, so I wasn't entirely sure how different a "natural" labor would be.  We made it to the hospital where they announced I was 3 centimeters dilated and 90% effaced.  I was hoping it would be more with all of the contractions I had been having over the last couple of weeks, but this was much better than where we started at with Ally (barely 1 centimeter and not effaced).  Sarah, the midwife, had us walk around for an hour to see if the contractions got stronger or longer.  They kind of did, but not consistently.  We were given the option of being admitted, or going some place close by (the mall) to walk some more on our own and check in later.  I didn't want to be induced if we didn't have to be, and was pretty sure that if we stayed and it didn't go as quickly as they wanted it to we'd end up with interventions that I didn't want.  I really wanted to try to have Jacob naturally, without any medication.  I'd been practicing hypnobirthing techniques and wanted to try them. 

Ernest and I had lunch and walked around the mall for 2 hours.  Contractions every 5 minutes, with every few being stronger and longer, but really no change.  Sarah advised me to go home, take a bath, take a nap, and in general just try to relax.  I managed to do all of the above.  The bath was so nice.  I hadn't taken a bath (just showers) for the last several months because getting up and down was so cumbersome.  It made me look forward to using the tub at the hospital.  Around 10 I thought my water broke, and my contractions began getting stronger.  We headed back to the hospital, and by the time we got there they were every 3-4 minutes apart. 

I had dilated to a 4, so they had us walk around again for an hour.  I couldn't last an hour.  As soon as we started walking the contractions went to every minute and a half to two minutes apart and lasted a minute.  We only made 3 rounds around the floor, having to stop every few feet to wait for the contraction to pass.  I used the breathing techniques I learned from hypnobirthing, as well as the affirmations (My body is made to bear children.  I meet each surge (contraction) only with my breath.  My body is still and limp.  etc.)  One of the nurses that saw us helped too - she said "This is one time when pain is a good thing - it means the baby is coming!"  That helped a LOT as well.  Reminded me that this isn't hurting my body, and it's only temporary.

Anyway, after about 40 minutes we went back to the room and the nurse checked me.  I was feeling pretty out of it at this point, just trying to focus on relaxing and breathing.  She checked me, and I was a 6-7.  And discovered that my water hadn't broken.  While they were in the process of admitting me and getting the IV lock in, I began transition.  Blood pressure dropped and I felt nauseous.  I had Ernest get a cool cloth to wipe my face, which was WONDERFUL. Jacob's heart rate dropped too, so they had me roll to my side, and the rushed me down to the labor and delivery room.  It is so not fair to expect a laboring mother to move ANYTHING when she is that close to the end.  I was afraid to move because everything was so sensitive. 

They kept waiting for my water to break.  The nurses kept asking me questions.  Another silly thing to do to a woman in my position.  They were good though, especially patient when they had to repeat themselves after a contraction was over.  I don't know how far apart they were at this point, but it seemed like they were on top of one another.  Since my water hadn't broken (apparently it was bulging) there was a lot of very uncomfortable pressure on top of the contractions, and I was afraid to push.  I had told Sarah that I wanted to push when I wanted to, and now when and how long a nurse told me to.  Sarah and the nursing staff were fabulous.  They listened to me, and let me pay attention to what my body was telling me.  Silly me though - I was waiting for someone to tell me it was okay to push.  Finally I asked because my body was pushing whether I wanted to or not, and Sarah very calmly told me to go with what I was feeling.  They were getting ready to break my water since it still hadn't broken.  Just as I started to push a little bit, my water finally broke.  What a relief!  Ernest said it sounded like a water balloon popping, and fluid shot out quite far (2 feet was mentioned) and the doctor got a bit wet. 

After that, it went pretty quickly.  I had been lying on my side, and continued to stay on my side.  I don't think I could have moved if I had to.  I was trying to catch my breath and relax.  My hypnobirthing was basically out the window at this point (at least, it felt that way to me).  I kind of pushed a little bit and Sarah helped coach me through a few gentle pushes ("your baby doesn't like this position, give a little push.  Do another little one here").  Jacob's head was born.  Someone told me that his head was out and I could look at it or touch it.  I still had my eyes closed (had had them closed pretty much since I started transition) and told them that was okay.  Really what I was thinking was, "I don't care."  Another little push and his shoulder came out, then out slithered the rest of him. 

I was so shocked, relieved, and catching my breath (trying to stay relaxed is hard work!) that I had no clue what they were telling me.  I had in my birth plan that I wanted him on my tummy after he was born, and to hold/bond with him before they took him away.  Again, the nurses were Awesome.  They listened to my birth plan and asked before they did anything and were so respectful.  Anyway, I was clueless with what they were doing, I was so much in shock.  I missed what time he was born, how much he weighed, how long he was, etc.  Luckily they write it all down for you!  I got to hold my little guy - who has blond hair!  Jacob Ernest Kelso was born on January 2, 2011 at 1:49 AM.  He weighed 8 lbs 10.8 oz (Ernest says I should claim the .8 oz as well - especially since I delivered him naturally) and was 20.5 inches long.

For anyone who's interested...with Ally I had an epidural and that was a TOTALLY different experience - very calm, quiet, and I could observe what was going on during delivery.  It also look longer for me to dilate, and they told me when to push and for how long.  I didn't tear with her, but I was pretty sore and took a week or more before I felt normal in that area or with bowel movements.  And I couldn't feel my legs for several hours after the birth.  With Jacob, it obviously was more intense during labor, but it went quickly and it was nice to be able to really listen to my body and let it do its work.  It really wasn't any less calm or quiet in the room, just in my head because I was trying to hard to relax and remember what I was supposed to do.  I also didn't tear with him, even though he was a full 2 lbs bigger than Ally.  I was minimally sore afterward, and barely felt it all the next day.  Physically I felt great.  If I think about it, there really was only about 60-90 minutes that were hard and I was wondering what the heck I was thinking by wanting to skip the epidural.  Pros and Cons to both ways and I'm not sure what I'll pick if we do this again.  I got lots of comments from the nurses saying they couldn't believe that I did it naturally and how calm and focused I was.  They couldn't tell that I was in active labor and until my body took over with pushing they didn't think it was that close.  I didn't feel that calm, but apparently I did okay! 

Other fun that happened...  Ernest stayed the night with me and went to bring Ally up the next day.  She loves her little brother.  She couldn't wait to hold him and keep saying "Mine!" "Awwwww" and "Cute!"  Ernest was going to bring her back up on Monday, but she woke up with a fever and goopy eyes.  Great.  The doctor gave her antibiotics because they thought she might have an ear infection and drops in case she had pink eye.  We had lots of family come visit us at the hospital but I sure missed my little girl and especially my husband.

We came home on Tuesday and it was SO good to be home!  Ally has been a bit overactive during the day, not wanting to listen to us as well as she did before.  She's also waking up in the middle of the night wanting to come cuddle with me and not stay in her own bed.  I feel bad that she is getting less attention from me, but we are trying to work it out.  I am nervous about being at home alone with both kids while Jacob is so little.  Especially because I like my naps!  He's doing pretty good at eating and sleeping.  He wants to eat every 3-4 hours.  I have a very hard time when I don't get enough sleep, so it's a daily challenge.  I remind myself that it will get better though, and just take it one day at a time. 

So, Jacob is finally here, we are home, and settling in.  A good start to a brand new year!