Jase has Arrived

My sweet baby boy Jase arrived March 21, 2011.  I would like to write about my experience because thinking back, I never asked anyone about labor, what it would be like or anything and no one felt the need to give you that type of information.  Hopefully me writing about it will help someone not get as freaked out about things as I did.

It all started that Friday before really, my head started to hurt, like a faint headache so I took some medicine to see if that would help out.  It slightly made a difference but I woke up that Saturday with an even bigger headache, one that throbbed, felt like I could feel my heartbeat in my head.  Jason & I were supposed to go to his brothers for some birthday celebrations, both mine & his and then Lauryn's, but I could not make it to them because, as the day went on, my head did not stop hurting, I even took a 3 hour nap & that still made no difference.  We went and bought a blood pressure cuff to see if that was the problem and every time we checked it, it was high.  We decided to wait and see if I still had the headache Sunday & then we would call the doctor.  I always remember that they said if I had a headache that lasted over 24 hours to call.  This one was well over 24 hours.

So Sunday it was still throbbing even more than before, so we called the doctor, knowing we would end up in the hospital, thinking it would just be for observation & then we would get to go home.  The doctor on call did want me to come in & be monitored with blood pressure & they ran some blood work.  Everything looked good besides the blood pressure, it was consistently high.  So after being there for maybe an hour or so, the doctor comes in says that you know since you are having such a bad headache and you are at 37 weeks, which is full term, there is no reason to keep this baby inside you.  So for the safety of him and myself she decided that it would be best if I was induced.  

I heard that and do not really think it set in until she left the room, I looked at Jason & was like holy hell this is happening isn't it?!  We are about to have a baby!  I thought I would be happy, but I just busted into tears freaking out.  I was saying how much I was ready but when it was time I freaked out.  I guess it was because everything was unknown, you know, I knew nothing about what was going to happen.  Nothing prepares you for this.  So we called everyone & let them know, no need to panic because the doctor said that most likely nothing would happen until the next day.  

Once they got me admitted and into one of the labor & delivery rooms, I freaked out and had an emotional breakdown again, not sure why, it just kinda happened.  We had to get my brother to come sit with me for a while so Jason could go get my bag & get the dog put up and taken care of.  A couple of hours later they put gel on my cervix which was to help it loosen and let us know that in the morning around 6am or so they would be giving me the meds that put me into labor.  Thankfully we had a night to try and get some rest.  Try to rest would be the correct way to say that, it is hard when you are anxious about what is happening. I would suggest to get as much sleep in that time was possible!

Labor & Delivery Room

The doctors work on a 24 hour rotation so we kept asking who was going to be the next one on call, but no one knew right away.  That Monday morning, who walks in the door but my FAVORITE doctor!!!!  How exciting is this, that he would be the one who was most likely going to deliver baby Jase - Dr Miller!  So they started the meds & now it is just a waiting game.  I am still having contractions, but they are not bad a level 5 I would say, not to bad & of course I had no clue what they would be like in the end.  After the meds and a couple of hours later, the time is now 1pm, Dr Miller comes in a breaks my water.  He explains that this would most likely start things going much quicker.  Boy was he right, my contractions began to get much faster & much, much more painful.  Due to my blood pressure I was unable to walk the contractions out & I had to just lay there and take them, they were so unbearable at times I didn't think I was going to make it.  I was thinking that I might not need to do an epidural but boy was I wrong, I could not wait to get one!!!!  I finally got to a pain level of about 12, the scale is from 1-10, so I asked the nurse if she could check me because you had to wait until you were 3cm dilated before they give the epidural.  Thank god I was there, it maybe took 5min for the dr to come in but it felt like forever, I guess when you know relief is in sight you just can't wait to get there!

Before epidural

After the epidural things went so much smoother, I felt better, I was able to talk & carry on conversations and just relax.  Before I was tense, not talking, just wanting this to be over.  I would suggest to anyone to get the epidural!  A couple more hours went by & I felt this feeling like I had to poop very badly, just pressure.  I asked the nurse what this meant & she said well let me check you again, because usually that means you are ready to push.  I was like okay, so she checked & I was almost there, Dr Miller soon came in to check on me, he said in about 15 min we are going to start pushing.  They all left the room & I got Jason to clear everyone else out of the room & then it was just me & him sitting there waiting.  I freak out again, and he is just going back & forth & back & forth.  He could not understand why everyone said we are about to push & then they all leave the room.

After the epidural

So at 5:15pm I began to push.  Man this was hard, I mean there were times where I could not catch my breath, I wondered being a former smoker, how women who still smoked could breath like this.  I guess in certain situations you just do it.  There was one point where I just didn't think I could, then my awesome dr gave me a pep talk & it was back at it.  After a couple more times I asked how much longer, I had maybe been pushing for 20 min, dr said maybe 3 more contractions.  I am thinking okay, cause I am thirsty, tired & really just want this baby out.  The next contraction BAM!!!!! he was out, I had full motivation on a diet sun drop & I needed it fast!

Right after birth

The new family

So that is my story, it was an amazing, wonderful awesome experience that any family is blessed to have.  Never did I think it would be anything like it was, but I will never experience anything like it again, unless of course I choose to have another baby.