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| 38 weeks pregnant |
At 3:30 we had an u/s and OB appointment scheduled on Monday the day before our 38 week mark. The u/s ran late, but we found out that Jesse's fluid was good, he was approximately 7 pounds and 12 oz and had hair! Then we had to wait forever to see my OB. It was almost 5PM at this point. My OB checked me and I was dilated to a 2 still, but 50% effaced. I was discouraged, because I had been having contractions on and off all day every day...it seemed. So, we had a good talk and came up with the plan that we would set a c/s date around the 40 week mark and if he came before that we were going forward with the VBAC. Off to the scheduler's office we went and to my dismay she had already left for the day. I knew it was only a matter of calling in the morning, but I really wanted to have that end date on the calendar so we could start planning and preparing.
Chris and I hop in the car and I had a mini break down. I was just so disappointed and felt like Chris and my OB were pushing me to wait to do the VBAC when I knew this boy was big and I was so scared it would end in a c/s after laboring.
We decided to run to a couple of stores and look at mirrors for our master bath. We really want to get that last part finished. I walked around this huge warehouse decor store for a good while and then one other store before we realized we needed to pick up Owen and get him home for bed time.
By 8:30 my feet were up and I was watching TV on the couch with Chris. At 9:30pm I decided I needed a snack and was having some regular contractions. I chose something spicey because "hey, it could only help bring on the labor!" By 10:30 we were seriously timing them and they were regularly coming at 5-7 minutes apart. I didn't want to get my hopes up that this baby boy might be making his way into the world, so I tried not to get excited. By 11:30 we decided to call the after hours nurse line because we hadn't even discussed with my OB when we should go into Labor and Delivery. The nurse was sweet and said when they got to 3-5 minutes apart or my water broke to call back and then head in. I did the usual lay on my left side and drink water and it didn't seem to help. So, at midnight we call Chris's parents to come stay with Owen that we were headed to the hospital. I was so worried that it was a false alarm and that I was putting everyone out of sleep and we would be back home the next morning with this baby still in my belly.
12:45 we left our house for the hospital. They hooked me up to a machine and monitored my contractions that were 2-5 minutes apart on average. It seemed like forever before a nurse came in to check me and she said my cervix was funneled, but that I was a 3 on the outside and a 4 on the inside. During the check she must have stirred stuff up and the blood show started. She could tell I was uncomfortable and didn't want to send me home and said that she would call it a 4 and the blood show meant we were admitted to L&D. This was 2:30am at this point. I was still in denial that this baby boy was on his way OUT!
All my girlfriends said if you are getting an Epidural don't be a hero and just get it ASAP! So when the nurse asked about pain meds I said send the epi guy in! Things seem to be either in slow motion in the hospital or super hyper speed! By 3:30 the epidural was in! They checked me and Jesse was still head down. Things were moving.
I tried to sleep for the next bit, but it was so surreal to think it was finally happening I was having another baby. My little family was growing and this was it the day we had prayed for for so long.
At 6:30am the on call OB came in to see us. Ironically, this whole pregnancy I have see my Dr. L in the office and the on call OB was always Dr. M when we had our SCH scare and the preterm labor! Dr. M came in and checked me. She was surprised I was admitted at a 3cm, but realized that I was a 4cm with the funneling. We decided to break my water with a slow leak because they didn't want me as a VBAC to progress too quickly. We all thought that Jesse wouldn't come on Dr. M's shift and Dr. L was the next OB on call at 1pm.
I tried to sleep again and was able to doze on and off a little. But at 7:30am I got the whim whams or low blood sugar. In my family, we call it the whim whams when we get shakey hungry. They checked my blood sugar and seeing as it was a 75 I was able to eat some jello and some cranberry juice. It really helped!
At 8:30am they checked me again and I was finally getting moving at a 5cm!! We started me on the lowest pitocin drip. Things really picked up. 9:30am I was a 6 cm, 100% effaced and Jesse had dropped to a 0 station! I was told to call when I felt the pressure. At 10am I couldn't wait any longer and called even though it had only been 30 minutes. Chris was looking at me like I was crazy and I even told my nurse. I swear I felt the pressure for 3 contractions before calling. To ALL our shock I was dilated to 9.5 cm and Jesse is coming faster than we thought. Chris was so funny when she said 9.5cm. He sat up so quick, rubbed his face and said I guess I should put my shoes on and pee! LOL! We were both a bit overwhelmed that this was happening!
I did a couple practice pushes because Jesse was still up high and thankfully when I pushed it he did move down and the OB, Dr. M, was on her way. After 17 minutes of pushing this little guy entered the world. I am amazed my body was able to do this and I didn't watch, but Chris did. He was amazed and cried when he was born!
Chris is the most amazing husband. We had fun years as a young married couple before the loss of the twins. When we lost those babies the strength in him amazed me. I don't think I can think about giving birth to any of my babies without thinking about all 3 of my very different experiences. The day Owen was born Chris became a father to a living boy and the gentleness and patience he has is amazing. The day Jesse was born Chris was my strength again. When I was pushing and feeling like my insides were coming out with Jesse he would look at me with amazement and kept saying:
jeanna you are doing it!
keep it up!
this is it!
I think it would have taken me way longer to push Jesse out if I didn't have my husband as my cheerleader. So, a very long to me, short to the staff 17 minutes later I had a squealing baby boy in my arms!!! They put him on my chest and all the gook that I thought was gross, didn't smell, didn't feel weird, but was so amazing because MY NEW BABY was under there! I wanted to stare at this new person that was now in my life. Jesse was amazing. He looked so much like Owen, but so different. I love that they will look like brothers, but still be individuals!
I spent the next 40 minutes getting stitched up and holding Jesse. I told Chris that I was sorry he couldn't hold him till I was stitched up. I had a 2nd degree tear and my insides were pretty much torn apart. Jesse was my distraction, he was my prize! He is my miracle IVF baby and is so wonderful.
Big brother came to visit!
