Baby Jack is here!

Jack Robert was born Tuesday morning at 11:44am. He weighed 8lb 7oz and was 21 1/4 inches long. He is perfect and adorable and we are so happy he's here! He's been a sweet darling, a great eater and sleeper so far :-). He loves to be held and we just love him to pieces.


Here's the story: Tuesday morning I woke up like any normal morning around 7am and felt some cramping. I didn't think too much of it since I was still waking up. Brandon had to leave by 7:20 to tape football practice so I was focused on getting him out the door. And I'm slow-moving in the morning, not really a morning person, so it takes me awhile to get going. I went to the bathroom and my mucous plug came out. The cramping seemed to increase but I tried to ignore it for the time being. I knew that the mucuous plug could mean I was having the baby now or I wouldn't have the baby for a day or 2, something I'd think more about later :-). I mentioned to Brandon on his way out the door that my mucous plug came out and that I was experiencing some cramping that might be contractions but I wasn't sure. I wished it was any other morning when he could stay home and I could take a minute to figure out if I was having contractions or not. But there he went out the door so I convinced myself I wasn't in labor, or that I at least had some time. I got the kids breakfast and cleaned the kitchen while they ate. The cramping was still coming in waves and I thought maybe, just maybe, they were contractions? Maybe I should start timing them. I called my mom to get a second opinion and she said, "Yeah I think you're in labor, your due date IS tomorrow you know..."After about half hour, around 8:15, I realized I was having contractions about every 10 minutes lasting almost a minute. My doctor said that I should call them at that point since it was my 3rd baby but I hadn't showered or gotten anyone dressed so I thought I'd just move forward with getting ready and keep timing them. The kids cleaned the family room so we could run the Roomba. I put a show on for them so I could focus on getting ready and getting through contractions. I texted my friend Stephani to let her know my status and that I'd keep her posted (since she was the one that was going to watch the kids when I went to the hospital).
 
When I got upstairs to shower, around 8:45, my contractions were closer to 7 minutes apart. I texted Brandon that he might want to come home as soon as football practice was over. I should've told him to come home right away but I wasn't really thinking straight and didn't want to be too demanding. I showered, got dressed, my mind was racing. I was coming to terms with the fact that I was definitely in labor, that it was happening really fast, would I make it to the hospital in time, and thinking of everything I needed/needed to DO (or thought I needed to do) before I left the house. Around 9am contractions were 5 minutes apart. I texted Brandon to come home ASAP.  I came downstairs mind still racing, contractions were now more like 3 minutes apart, what?! The doctor's office was open now so I called them and they said to come to the office and they'd more than likely send me right over to the hospital after they checked me. I couldn't leave until Brandon was home. There was no way I could drive through these contractions. I don't think I could've driven at any point that morning really. The thought crossed my mind that I really might not make it. Things were progressing so fast! Contractions started being more intense. The kids got dressed and loaded up in the car so we could leave the second Brandon got home. The kids were so good- cooperative, helpful, independent, obedient, it was such a blessing. He got home around 9:45. Contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and starting to reeeeally hurt. Sitting in the car probably wasn't helping. I was really worried I didn't have enough time. We needed to bring the kids to Stephani's so to save time I told Brandon to drop me off at the doctor's office, bring the kids to Stephani's and then come back. I went back and forth about doing that because I didn't want to have the baby without Brandon but there just wasn't enough time.

(snapped this pic right before we walked out the door, EXACTLY 2 hours before Jack was born!)

I had a contraction in the elevator going up to the doctor's office with some random guy who was like "umm are you okay?" then had another one while in the waiting room and some other random guy was like "umm are you okay?" I wasn't there long since the nurse could hear me and said "get back here! I know what that sound means!" It was around 10:15. The second I walked into the exam room I took my pants off and laid down for the nurse practitioner, Sue, to check me. She said "where is your husband?" I said "he's dropping the kids off at a friend's house, he should be here in 10 minutes". She said, "we can't wait for him, I'm bringing you to the hospital. You're dilated to an 8 or 9 and this baby is coming. Get your pants back on and come with me." So I followed her around the office, not sure exactly what was going on since the contractions were so strong and close together I was a bit in a daze. There's no cell service there so I asked the receptionists to use their phone to call Brandon but their phone wouldn't work! Sue came back and I saw she had gotten an "emergency delivery" box and thought to myelf "really?! the hospital is across the street! I might not make it??" We went outside and a lady (the office manager) picked us up. I made conversation with them in between contractions. I guess this has happened before- Sue and the office manager have had to take other fully-dilated women to the hospital. Sue walked me into the hospital and up to labor & delivery. I texted Brandon to say "go to the hospital! im in labor and delivery! baby coming! hurry!" hoping he'd see it. It was around 10:40.

I got into my hospital gown, the doctor came in and said "Where's your husband?" I texted Brandon again saying "where r u??" and he texted back and said "running in!" 10:45. Brandon was there. The doctor checked me and said I was fully dilated and could start pushing whenever. I said, "so I'm guessing it's too late for an epidural?" and he just laughed sympathetically and said "no epidural, sorry". I said, "okay then I need a minute" and he said, "take your time, whenever you're ready." I let a few contractions happen. I was so scared to have another baby without an epidural. The pain is more than I can bear. I didn't want to push. I didn't want to go through this. But I also wanted it to be over with and knew the longer I waited the more tired I'd be and the more contractions I'd have to last through. I decided to try pushing to see what happened.

It was a little after 11. I tried pushing on a few more contractions but he wouldn't come out, he made progress though. The doctor decided to break my water. He said, "Here we go! Ready?" "Mmm mmm," I whimpered. Then the contractions got super intense and I was panicking. I kept saying, "I can't do this. I really can't do this. It hurts too bad." I couldn't do what they told me to do to have my pushing be more productive. It's soooo counter-intuitive. They want you to do the exact opposite of what you want to do. Instinctively when you feel like you're being tortured you want to curl up into the fetal position and cry. Or at least grab a hold of something and tense up and scream. They want you to open your legs and use your hands to pull your thighs up and and push when you have a sickeningly painful contraction (the pushing only brings more pain) and NOT tense up my muscles? Yeah it's not possible. I tried, I really did, but I just couldn't do it. I grabbed onto the bed handles with all my might and pushed my legs into the stirrups or the nurses held onto them so I could bring my legs up closer to me but still have something to push against. And when I pushed I screamed, really loud. I'm sure it wasn't helping but I thought maybe it might and really I couldn't stop it anyway. I was getting so tired from using/tensing my arm, leg, and back muscles (hmm probably the reason I wasn't supposed to do that). I was in agonizing pain. Pushing during contractions was too much. I was terrified. I whimpered and said, "I just can't do it. I can't do it." But I wanted it to be over and I knew I had no choice. I had to push the baby out. I just had to. It was inevitable. So I cried a little and then tried to do everything right but did everything wrong and screamed really loud and just went for it praying that the end was really reeeally near, I pushed over and over and over until he finally came out. 11:44am, an hour after I got to the hospital!

Dr. Montgomery told me to reach down and I grabbed Jack under his arms and pulled the rest of his body out of me. They helped me lie him down on me, skin to skin. I couldn't believe I did it. I was so happy it was finally over and I got the best prize in the world. It all happened so fast (and I want to say it happened so unexpectedly but my due date WAS the next day, haha). I kept replaying the morning in my head and couldn't believe it was real. I kept replaying the pushing experience in my head and thinking "I really can't do that again. I'm so scared to have another baby because I CANNOT do that again. I seriously CANNOT." Jack only cried a little to clear out his lungs, then he nursed (that kid is an eating machine), and I just laid there with him on me for a couple hours and was so happy, and tired.






Then we moved to the recovery room while they checked Jack's weight, height, vitals, etc. etc. I was starrrving so they brought me food. We Skyped with family and sent pictures of Jack to family and friends. I was feeling pretty good. It helped that I got a good night's sleep the night before and labor wasn't too long :-). Brandon picked up the kids around 5:30 and came to meet Jack. They were sooo cute with him. They both wanted to hold him and they were so loving and sweet and happy. Then Brandon took them home to sleep with them that night. My night at the hospital was rough. Jack did great, he slept all night and only woke up twice to nurse. I couldn't get comfortable in the hospital bed, the pillows are uncomfortable and plastic (with pillowcases) so they made me hot and sweaty. I was just warm. I couldn't turn the tv all the way off so the light from it kept me awake. My mind wouldn't relax, it just kept thinking about the day and about having a new baby and everything. I didn't really sleep much. It was a long night.

Brandon brought the kids to Stephani's again in the morning (I am forever grateful to Stephani for taking Josh and Emma for a couple days and loving them and caring for them during this time. She's such an amazing friend and it was so great to know the kids were in such great hands so I didn't worry about them at all) and then came to the hospital. I was pretty tired and slept here and there when I could. My arm and leg muscles were so sore and I was confused why but then remembered that I tensed them up so much and pushed against the hospital bed with them so much the day before, haha. Brandon picked up the kids again that evening to visit and then took them home. I was exhausted. I couldn't keep my eyes open. I slept from 10 til midnight, nursed Jack, asked the nurse to take Jack to the nursery and I passed out. I'd covered up the tv with a million blankets and Brandon brought me my pillow from home so I slept much better that night. The nurse brought Jack in at 4am to nurse, I took him back to the nursery, and then they brought him back at 8am! It was great to get some rest. My milk came in that morning so that wasn't very comfortable but besides that I had a really relaxing peaceful morning just Jack and I enjoying each other. Brandon took the kids to the library for Josh's preschool storytime class and then came to the hospital around 11:15 to help me pack everything up and go home!

It's been good to be home, it's an adjustment, figuring out life with our new baby and me needing extra sleep and rest but it's great having Brandon home to take care of all of us- he is the best husband and father and I fall in love with him more than I thought possible to see him totally in love with Jack and doing so much for me and the kids. He has been so creative with doing fun things with Josh and Emma and helping us all feel loved, special, and cared for. I feel incredibly blessed and lucky to have him as my husband and our children's father. It's been heavenly to spend time as a family and enjoy darling Jack. He only cries a little when he's starrrving, getting his diaper changed or he's ready to sleep (pretty typical reasons). When I go to change his diaper, Josh covers his ears, haha. The kids ask to hold Jack a lot and are really affectionate with him. Josh likes to watch everything I do with Jack. He loves when Jack's eyes are open. He's a great helper with Jack. Emma thinks Jack is so cute and little. Jack's first night home he woke up every hour and a half to 2 hours to nurse and didn't settle into sleep very well, it took some snuggling and a pacifier to help him get to sleep. His second and third nights home he only woke up a few times to nurse and slept great besides. This newborn sleepy stage only lasts so long and then we'll see. We are just so glad he's here, healthy, perfect, and we love him to pieces.