Jared’s Birth Story

(This was written on 1/23/2004) 

On Friday, January 9, we had been out shopping with Mom for most of the day. My back was hurting all day long, and I just wanted to come home and sit. Mom (who was staying with us at the time) kept telling Joe and I that I would be going into labor that night… All day long she said this…

… For dinner that night I made tacos, but I didn’t really eat very well. My back was still achy, and I decided to take a bath, to soak away the pain. While in the tub I went ahead and shaved my legs, just in case Mom’s predictions came true.

That night, at 2:45 in the morning, I woke up. I thought things felt a little damp in my nether regions, so I went to the bathroom to check things out. As soon as I went to sit on the throne, my water broke… I mean it REALLY broke! It was pretty nasty. So I sat there on the throne for a second, kind of in shock, wondering what to do next! I knew that Mom was asleep on the couch, and Joe was asleep in our bed. I figured that Mom would wake to my calls first, so I called out “Mom” a couple times, but there was no answer. So then I tried calling Joe, and he was at the bathroom door in a second. I told him that my water broke, and all you know what broke lose! While I attempted to clean up, and kind of mopped up the bathroom floor with a towel, Joe called the hospital and they said to come in. So we got dressed (and Mom did too) and Joe loaded everything into the Explorer.

I wasn’t really having too many contractions yet, but my back was still aching….

When we got to the hospital Joe and Mom insisted I ride in a wheel chair (which was more than a little embarrassing, as I could walk!!) and we went up to the 3rd floor at Portland Providence Medical Center. We checked in at the nurses station, and were taken to our room. They gave me a gown, and I was sent in to the bathroom to undress. She also wanted to take a sample off my pad, to make sure that it really was my water that broke… I guess maybe they thought I had an accident? LOL! But sure enough, it was my water.

This is when my memory gets a little hazy…

I believe I was only 1 centimeter dilated when they checked, and soon after we got there is when my contractions started. But I never really felt them in my stomach, they were in my back, and it was awful. I had made one of those “Birth Plans”, where you write out in advance everything you want done. I had written that I wanted no narcotics at all, and was hoping to have a natural child birth, with no medications at all. Also, I refused to have a mirror, as I had no desire to see myself in that area!!! LOL!… Anyway one of the nurses told me that I might want to rethink the drug thing, because I was having back labor… At this point I had never heard of back labor before, but I would soon find out that it isn’t pleasant! LOL!

I remember at one point they wanted me to walk around the halls, trying to get the labor going. At this point I was in allot of pain, and I really didn’t want to, but I never was brave enough to stand up for what I want. I was already hooked up to the IV, so Joe had to push the IV stand along for me, as we went around the “circle” one time… I could barely make it. My back hurt so back I couldn’t even stand up straight, and I kept having to stop for the next contraction. At one point this other couple past us… I remember the lady was very tall and very pregnant, and she was just chugging around those halls at full speed… I couldn’t figure out where she got the energy!!! LOL!

By 2-3 centimeters I had opted for the narcotics… I know, I am very bad, but I needed some relief. They made me VERY sleepy, and I dozed between contractions. The only other part I remember from this time is the doctor… It wasn’t Dr. Prescott’s weekend to be on call, so we had the doctor from *&%^%. This woman was just nasty and mean. Every time she left the room I would be in tears, and say to Joe “I want Dr. Prescott!”.

When I was 5 centimeters I had opted to get an epidural. I was terrified of getting it, as I’m not to keen on needles, but after it was done, I wondered what the fuss was about. NOTHING HURT ANYMORE! LOL! It was wonderful! So I spent the next while chatting with people and being quite awake.

At 1:45 (11 hours after my water broke) I was fully dilated and started to push. Only Joe was in the room with me, as I didn’t want anyone else but hospital personnel… And I was surprised that for most of the time I was pushing, there wasn’t even a nurse in the room, just Joe and me…

One thing that sucked was that they thought that I needed to feel the contractions more, so they turned down the epidural. Soon the back pain came back full force. (Very depressing!)… At our child birth classes they had told us that the average time for a first time mother to push was 2 hours, so I set my eyes on 3:45, thinking that by then I would have Jared in my arms… I couldn’t wait…. But 3:45 came and went, and he still hadn’t come. And when they checked my cervix, he had made no progress at all. His heart beat was a little down too, and I had to wear an oxygen mask to bring it back up.

Anyway, when they discovered that he hadn’t moved they said that I should try a squatting bar for an hour, and if that didn’t work, that they would have to do a c-section. They also said that more than likely it would have to do the c-section, because his heart beat was still down and so far he hadn’t budged in the birth canal. After they left to go get the bar, I told Joe that I didn’t think I could do this for another hour… And I was terrified of that squatting bar… I’m sorry, I guess I am a wimp… Don’t think too badly of me… I was also thoroughly exhausted because I hadn’t gotten much sleep before I went into labor, had been in labor all day, and had pushed for 2 hours… I was drained.

Well, Joe (who had been wonderful throughout the whole day) went to tell them that we wanted to just do the c-section. They didn’t even question him, just said OK and went to get the OR set up…. By this time I was in tears from the pain, and I admit I was moaning with every contraction. (Very humiliating)… They were wheeling my bed to the OR when my brother came by the room to check on progress. He saw the condition I was in, and was pretty upset. He went back and my family prayed for a safe delivery……

I don’t remember too much of what when on then. I know that the epidural was turned back up (naturally) so the pains diminished, though I was still exhausted. I vaguely remember being prepped for surgery, and having my arms strapped down to the table. I still had the oxygen mask on, and it was really bugging my face. Pressing into my cheeks, and feeling like it was going to go into my eyes. The anesthesiologist sat behind my head and was very comforting, and Joe was back there too.

Seems like it didn’t take long before Jared was out. I cried my eyes out at the sound of his cry. They took him over to wipe him up, and Joe asked me if I wouldn’t mind if he went over there to see him… Of course, I didn’t mind…. Someone held Jared up from across the room and asked me, “Isn’t he cute?”… How would I know… I had taken my glasses off during labor, and they had been left in the room… I couldn’t see a thing. Joe came back to me and said Jared was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen, and he just wasn’t saying it! LOL!… Soon someone finally brought him over to me, and put his cheek next to mine. My arms were still strapped to the table, so I couldn’t even touch him. But I cried and gazed at the baby I loved so much.

Jared was born at 4:40 p.m., and his apgars were at 8 & 9.

As soon as I was put back together, they pushed the bed back into the other room. Joe got to carry Jared, and he went over to where the family was waiting, to show Jared off.

When we got to the room I finally got to hold Jared!!! It was hard though, as I was still flat on my back. I couldn’t really see him very well. I couldn’t wait until I could sit up and hold him, so I could gaze down upon him…

I don’t remember everyone coming into the room, but I remember asking my mom if she wanted to hold him. He was then past around for a while…. This time is very fuzzy in my mind, as I was still pretty wiped out. During this time the nurse weighed Jared, and took his measurements…. If I remember correctly, he peed on either a doctor or nurse! LOL!

Jared was 20 inches long, and weighed 6 pounds 7 ounces.

After everyone left I nursed Jared for the first time, with a nurse helping to get me situated, since I was still lying flat. Sometime after that the nurse gave Jared a bath while Joe got it all on video tape.

Then I got Jared back, snuggled him against my side, and we both fell asleep.

Since we didn’t know that I would end up with a c-section, we hadn’t prepared for a longer hospital stay. Plus, it had snowed like crazy the day Jared was born.

My brother and SIL volunteered to bring some things for Joe to eat, so they slowly trekked from Gresham to our house, where my mom was. She had packed Joe some extra clothes, and made some sandwiches. They picked up mom and the stuff, and brought it to the hospital on Sunday.

I was more awake on Sunday, and feeling great. I had already been out of the bed, but hadn’t been allowed to shower. That was depressing! LOL! I had Joe comb my hair, as it was horribly tangled, and it was hard to brush with the IV. It took him quite a while, and after he was done I put a headband on, trying to look somewhat decent for company.

One bad thing was that I was swollen from all the IV fluid. My face, arms, legs and feet were HUGE! LOL! I looked puffy all over, that in combination with the nasty hair gave me a complex! LOL!

We finally got to see Dr. Prescott on Monday morning. He went to check out Jared, who was in Daddy’s arms. Dr. Prescott said that Jared looked like Mommy! Then he made me VERY happy when he said that I could take a shower!!! As soon as he left, I was on it! LOL!By Tuesday we were so ready to go home! We had a serious case of cabin fever! Luckily, the ice (we had a bad snow/ice storm over the weekend) and snow was starting to melt. So we knew we could get home safely.Also, the snow and ice had kept everyone away, so none of Joe’s family, nor my sister and her family, had seen Jared yet. We were getting anxious to show him off!So that morning I dressed him in his go-home outfit, and waited to get released! LOL!

Finally Dr. Prescott came in to check the incision, and said I could be released. Then a nurse came in to check out Jared. We did get some bad news… Jared’s weight had dropped to 5 pounds 13 ounces, which was more than 10% of his birth weight. They told us to start supplementing with formula, and to go see the pediatrician the next day… In fact, we had to make the appointment before we left the hospital.

Then the nurse had us fill out all the paperwork, and we were free to go. What fun it is to take your baby home from the hospital!!!