Fashionably Late

Okay, we've been home since Sunday, but I haven't touched the computer since... oh, I think since Saturday morning when I re-emailed family pictures? It has been an interesting couple of days and we're still far from being normal. I don't think we'll reach normality for a while. But, that's okay...

Now, the details. Jackson Wyatt Stone was born on Friday, September 21, at 6:02AM. That would be 7 hours to the minute after my water broke. Now, we weren't expecting anything to happen until late Friday evening if anything. We went to the hospital on Thursday night to be put on the low dose pitocin after being 12 days past due with my cervix not doing much of anything. We were supposed to stay on the stuff all night and then in the morning they were going to ramp up the dosage to bring on the labor. Jack, however, had other plans. Around 11 o'clock, I decided to try and get some sleep and so I started getting myself comfy. Just as I finally found a comfy position and got the bed setup to where I wanted it, I felt a pop and then a gush. My exact words to Casey: "Oh! That was interesting!"

This would be the part where Casey gets an extreme jolt of adrenaline and starts looking for something to do. I, rather calmly (if I recall correctly), pushed the call button for nurse and within seconds, our nurse Sharlotte, was in the room and helping us to the bathroom to get cleaned up. I decided to get in the jacuzzi and hung out in there for while, during which time the contractions steadily ramped up until I asked for some nubain to take the edge off.

The nubain made me completely loopy. The best way to describe it would be like this: I would try and focus on the clock on the wall, specifically the number 1 and it was like watching a slot machine really really close up. The number just kept spinning in front of my eyes. Casey said that he couldn't get me to focus during the contractions, which I agree with that one, but I was able to get a bit of rest between them. Luckily (and unbeknownst to me), the nubain wore off in about an hour and I labored the rest of the night au natural.

The midwives were AWESOME!!! I can't get over how wonderful the experience was with them. Sharlotte, one of the nurses, stayed with us until her shift was over and she was rubbing my back, pushing down on my back to decrease back labor. She was excellent! Unlike my experience with Lily's birth, I didn't have anyone telling me to push or not to push. If I felt like bearing down, I would bear down. If I felt like pushing, I pushed. The only time I was specifically told to push a little bit or to hold off pushing was when Jack's head was coming out and they had to turn him a bit because he was coming out head first.

Finally, it was time for Jackson to be born. One push and he was completely out! No normal two pushes, one for head one for body. ONE PUSH AND HE WAS OUT!! Out, alert, looking around and Casey picked him up, put him on my chest and I just was enthralled... This little person came out of me! As Casey cut the cord, I just kept looking at Jackson and telling Casey "Look what we did! Look what we did!" I was a blubbering mess of emotions. Happy, elated, relieved that he was okay! Ten fingers and toes and a head full of hair.

I instantly recognized Casey's nose and I think he does look more like Casey than me, although right now it looks like he has my chin. He's definitely a cutie, though. Makes me fear for all the girls who's hearts he will break.

We got to hang out for well over an hour, just by ourselves and around 9AM they came in and weighed Jack. He came out at 7 pounds and 8 ounces. When they measured him later, he was 20 inches long. And his feet!! He's got HUGE FEET!! I am amazed that he didn't do more damage to my lungs when he was inside me with all the kicking!

Four days later we're home and adjusting to life with baby Jack and while I have major mood swings (and will for the next week or so), I couldn't feel more at peace.