I found this and thought it was a pretty cool reference for dilation.
I figure I better get this post in now while it's still fresh in my mind and while both babies are sleeping. Jackson Joseph has made his debut! He is amazing in so many ways and even though I wasn't sure I could love a 4th child as much as I loved the first 3, it has happened and my heart is exploding with love for him.
Sunday, February 19th I woke up with some back pain. At first I blamed it on the horrible nights sleep I had....up peeing 100 times and feeling even more uncomfortable then the night before. Then I realized the pain was coming and going. I laid in bed cuddling with Alexa for awhile and then we ventured downstairs for some breakfast. It was a few hours before I was really convinced that the back pain was in fact turning into regular contractions. My feelings would change just as frequently as the contractions came and went. One minute I was excited that this might be it. This might be labor. I might get to meet my 2nd son very soon. The next contraction I'd be worried and sick with the fear of how very painful labor is. The next I'd feel disappointment when I felt like the contractions were slowing down. Super emotional day for sure. Around 2:00 the big kids and I took to the streets for some walking. I knew that if it was true labor walking would bring on more contractions. By this time they were coming every 5-6 minutes. We walked for almost and hour. By time we were back home I was almost in tears because I knew the contractions were spacing out. I sat and secretly pouted on the couch. At this point in the pregnancy I was just so uncomfortable and cranky and just tired of waiting and wondering when labor would start. On Wednesday I had my membranes stripped and lots of contractions (1, almost 2 cms dilated at my appointment). On Thursday I lost part of my mucus plug. On Friday the rest of it, followed by more contractions and lots of walking at the zoo. On Saturday I was super uncomfortable and thought the baby had dropped but in hindsight now just think he turned so that his face/head were facing the front of my belly and not my back. I was just very ready to meet this little guy! Luckily for me around 4:00 the contractions picked back up again. Burt was in the shower and the kids and I were just hanging out watching TV. I started timing and writing them down at 4:17. By 4:24 another one. 4:29 another. 4:35 another. By 5: 14 I knew they weren't stopping. I put a plan in motion. I was going to try and stick it out at home until 8:30 when we'd put Alexa to bed and have Amanda and Juan over to baby-sit. By 6:00 I knew that wasn't going to happen. I knew I wouldn't last. Burt went and picked them up and I just quietly breathed thru every contraction. When they got home I put in the call to the midwives office. Amy called me back and told me "You're no rookie, you know what labor is. If you feel like it's time to come in, come in." A half hour later we were in the car and heading to the hospital. Once there I refused a wheelchair and just slowly walked up to the labor and delivery floor. They sent me to room three and I was given my gown and hooked up to the monitors. Unfortunately I had a student nurse. Everything seemed to take twice as long as it should. Once I was finally checked they told me I was still 1-2 cms. My heart broke. How could I be the same as my appointment after all those painful contractions. I knew they wouldn't admit me if there wasn't some change and I knew I'd never survive the night if they sent me home in so much pain. I cried and felt so hopeless. As I laid there waiting for them to get a good tracing on the baby's heart rate (he kept moving off the monitor) I prayed that things would progress. I was now at the point where I couldn't talk during contractions and I didn't want anyone trying to talk to me during them either. By 8:30 Cindy had shown up and the nurses instructed me to try walking for an hour. Cindy, Burt and I took to the halls, pacing up and down labor and delivery and venturing over to the nursery window. There was only one baby in there. I was so excited thinking about my baby boy being in there. The contractions continued on getting worse and worse. We walked some more trying to make small talk and pass the time in between the pain. Cindy was an awesome coach and I couldn't love her anymore. Burt was good too but nothing like another woman to be there who knows just how horrible those contractions could be. By 9:30 we started heading back to my room but the nurses told me they'd check me at 10:00. Although a bit disappointed I knew that gave me 30 more minutes to progress. At ten they checked me and I was 3-4 cms. Thank God! I begged for an epidural and they got the ball rolling. IV in. Blood drawn. Midwife (Moon) on the way in to check me herself. By 10:30 I was given the a okay for IV pain meds and they started them. I was still in super amounts of pain but the meds made it so I didn't care. I slept for most of the next 30 minutes in between contractions. By 11:00 the anesthesiologist was there and I was hunched over in the bed waiting for the relief. It took him quite awhile to actually place it. Later I found out he was a newer doctor and that the midwives didn't quite like him. By 11:19 the epi was placed. I was still feeling pain on my right side so I was told to lay on that side to help move the meds some. 10 minutes later I was convinced that I was just destined to not be completely numb. At 11:50 Moon broke my water. Clear fluid. She also checked me. 5 centimeters. I was exhausted. I slept for a bit but was still awoken by pain every 5 minutes. Not contraction type pain but pressure type pain. At 12:30 I was 7 cms. Things seemed to be moving quickly and we all thought I'd be delivering in a couple hours. At some point the pain got worse and my epidural was topped off. Around 4:30 I asked to be checked. I wasn't feeling any more pressure but I had been 9cms dilated with just a rim of cervix left on the right side for quite some time. I was getting a bit inpatient. Once they checked me I was given the go ahead for pushing. I couldn't feel any pressure or contractions. I kept asking the nurses to let me know when I was having them but no one seemed to listen. Finally I asked Cindy to let me know and she did. I pushed for almost 20 minutes. The hardest 20 minutes of my life. I gave up a few times. I cried a few times and begged for someone to just take him out. At one point the nurse asked the midwife if she should page the nursery and the midwife said no. I was devastated. I knew that calling the nursery meant I was close and not calling the nursery meant I still had a long road ahead. I think Burt knew I was getting pretty burned out. He really started cheering me on and I found a 2nd dose of energy. I knew I was close when I felt his head and it wasn't moving back up. 1 push later his head was out and the midwife was telling me not to push anymore. She worked his shoulders out and there he was. A slippery screaming baby on my belly. I don't remember having too many different emotions. My primary feeling was one of worry. He came out and calmed down so quickly that I wasn't sure if he was calm because of me and my voice or if something was wrong with him. All I wanted was for the nursery nurse to check him out. The midwife took him to the warmer and I just watched him. He started crying again immediately and I knew he was fine. Cindy snapped 100 pictures of him from her phone and Burt took a million with the camera. As the midwife worked on me everyone started joking about his size. We all started taking bets. Moon said he was 9lbs 3 oz. I guessed 9lbs 6oz. Burt guessed 9lbs. We were all pretty far off as the porker weighed 10lbs 3 oz. No wonder I was so uncomfortable! He was amazing! And his pudgy cheeks can't be any cuter! Burt held him for a bit because I was shaking so badly. Once the shakes wore off I got my cuddle time. He was so awake! My heart melted as I looked into his eyes. This was the little guy who made me so sick in the 1st trimester. This is the little guy who I worried so much about before my anatomy scan at 18 weeks. This is the little guy whose feet were kicking and pushing on my belly. Jackson.
By 6:00 the room was quiet. Cindy, Moon and all the nurses had left. It was just Mommy, Daddy, and Jackson. The nurse had done a quick test of his blood sugar (because of his large size) and it came back at 73 and they allowed me to feed him. By 7:00 Burt and I were making plans for the day. He was heading home to take care of the other 3 kids and we decided he'd be bringing them up later in the day to see the baby in the nursery. I knew they'd be moving me to the postpartum unit soon so I had him pack up all of my stuff. Baby Jackson headed to the nursery. I was exhausted but on a serious adrenaline high. My baby was here and healthy. All 10 fingers and toes. I couldn't wait to see him again...to smell him again but I knew I needed some rest. I love you Jackson. My 4th child. My 2nd son. The missing piece of my heart that I never knew I was missing.
Sunday, February 19th I woke up with some back pain. At first I blamed it on the horrible nights sleep I had....up peeing 100 times and feeling even more uncomfortable then the night before. Then I realized the pain was coming and going. I laid in bed cuddling with Alexa for awhile and then we ventured downstairs for some breakfast. It was a few hours before I was really convinced that the back pain was in fact turning into regular contractions. My feelings would change just as frequently as the contractions came and went. One minute I was excited that this might be it. This might be labor. I might get to meet my 2nd son very soon. The next contraction I'd be worried and sick with the fear of how very painful labor is. The next I'd feel disappointment when I felt like the contractions were slowing down. Super emotional day for sure. Around 2:00 the big kids and I took to the streets for some walking. I knew that if it was true labor walking would bring on more contractions. By this time they were coming every 5-6 minutes. We walked for almost and hour. By time we were back home I was almost in tears because I knew the contractions were spacing out. I sat and secretly pouted on the couch. At this point in the pregnancy I was just so uncomfortable and cranky and just tired of waiting and wondering when labor would start. On Wednesday I had my membranes stripped and lots of contractions (1, almost 2 cms dilated at my appointment). On Thursday I lost part of my mucus plug. On Friday the rest of it, followed by more contractions and lots of walking at the zoo. On Saturday I was super uncomfortable and thought the baby had dropped but in hindsight now just think he turned so that his face/head were facing the front of my belly and not my back. I was just very ready to meet this little guy! Luckily for me around 4:00 the contractions picked back up again. Burt was in the shower and the kids and I were just hanging out watching TV. I started timing and writing them down at 4:17. By 4:24 another one. 4:29 another. 4:35 another. By 5: 14 I knew they weren't stopping. I put a plan in motion. I was going to try and stick it out at home until 8:30 when we'd put Alexa to bed and have Amanda and Juan over to baby-sit. By 6:00 I knew that wasn't going to happen. I knew I wouldn't last. Burt went and picked them up and I just quietly breathed thru every contraction. When they got home I put in the call to the midwives office. Amy called me back and told me "You're no rookie, you know what labor is. If you feel like it's time to come in, come in." A half hour later we were in the car and heading to the hospital. Once there I refused a wheelchair and just slowly walked up to the labor and delivery floor. They sent me to room three and I was given my gown and hooked up to the monitors. Unfortunately I had a student nurse. Everything seemed to take twice as long as it should. Once I was finally checked they told me I was still 1-2 cms. My heart broke. How could I be the same as my appointment after all those painful contractions. I knew they wouldn't admit me if there wasn't some change and I knew I'd never survive the night if they sent me home in so much pain. I cried and felt so hopeless. As I laid there waiting for them to get a good tracing on the baby's heart rate (he kept moving off the monitor) I prayed that things would progress. I was now at the point where I couldn't talk during contractions and I didn't want anyone trying to talk to me during them either. By 8:30 Cindy had shown up and the nurses instructed me to try walking for an hour. Cindy, Burt and I took to the halls, pacing up and down labor and delivery and venturing over to the nursery window. There was only one baby in there. I was so excited thinking about my baby boy being in there. The contractions continued on getting worse and worse. We walked some more trying to make small talk and pass the time in between the pain. Cindy was an awesome coach and I couldn't love her anymore. Burt was good too but nothing like another woman to be there who knows just how horrible those contractions could be. By 9:30 we started heading back to my room but the nurses told me they'd check me at 10:00. Although a bit disappointed I knew that gave me 30 more minutes to progress. At ten they checked me and I was 3-4 cms. Thank God! I begged for an epidural and they got the ball rolling. IV in. Blood drawn. Midwife (Moon) on the way in to check me herself. By 10:30 I was given the a okay for IV pain meds and they started them. I was still in super amounts of pain but the meds made it so I didn't care. I slept for most of the next 30 minutes in between contractions. By 11:00 the anesthesiologist was there and I was hunched over in the bed waiting for the relief. It took him quite awhile to actually place it. Later I found out he was a newer doctor and that the midwives didn't quite like him. By 11:19 the epi was placed. I was still feeling pain on my right side so I was told to lay on that side to help move the meds some. 10 minutes later I was convinced that I was just destined to not be completely numb. At 11:50 Moon broke my water. Clear fluid. She also checked me. 5 centimeters. I was exhausted. I slept for a bit but was still awoken by pain every 5 minutes. Not contraction type pain but pressure type pain. At 12:30 I was 7 cms. Things seemed to be moving quickly and we all thought I'd be delivering in a couple hours. At some point the pain got worse and my epidural was topped off. Around 4:30 I asked to be checked. I wasn't feeling any more pressure but I had been 9cms dilated with just a rim of cervix left on the right side for quite some time. I was getting a bit inpatient. Once they checked me I was given the go ahead for pushing. I couldn't feel any pressure or contractions. I kept asking the nurses to let me know when I was having them but no one seemed to listen. Finally I asked Cindy to let me know and she did. I pushed for almost 20 minutes. The hardest 20 minutes of my life. I gave up a few times. I cried a few times and begged for someone to just take him out. At one point the nurse asked the midwife if she should page the nursery and the midwife said no. I was devastated. I knew that calling the nursery meant I was close and not calling the nursery meant I still had a long road ahead. I think Burt knew I was getting pretty burned out. He really started cheering me on and I found a 2nd dose of energy. I knew I was close when I felt his head and it wasn't moving back up. 1 push later his head was out and the midwife was telling me not to push anymore. She worked his shoulders out and there he was. A slippery screaming baby on my belly. I don't remember having too many different emotions. My primary feeling was one of worry. He came out and calmed down so quickly that I wasn't sure if he was calm because of me and my voice or if something was wrong with him. All I wanted was for the nursery nurse to check him out. The midwife took him to the warmer and I just watched him. He started crying again immediately and I knew he was fine. Cindy snapped 100 pictures of him from her phone and Burt took a million with the camera. As the midwife worked on me everyone started joking about his size. We all started taking bets. Moon said he was 9lbs 3 oz. I guessed 9lbs 6oz. Burt guessed 9lbs. We were all pretty far off as the porker weighed 10lbs 3 oz. No wonder I was so uncomfortable! He was amazing! And his pudgy cheeks can't be any cuter! Burt held him for a bit because I was shaking so badly. Once the shakes wore off I got my cuddle time. He was so awake! My heart melted as I looked into his eyes. This was the little guy who made me so sick in the 1st trimester. This is the little guy who I worried so much about before my anatomy scan at 18 weeks. This is the little guy whose feet were kicking and pushing on my belly. Jackson.
By 6:00 the room was quiet. Cindy, Moon and all the nurses had left. It was just Mommy, Daddy, and Jackson. The nurse had done a quick test of his blood sugar (because of his large size) and it came back at 73 and they allowed me to feed him. By 7:00 Burt and I were making plans for the day. He was heading home to take care of the other 3 kids and we decided he'd be bringing them up later in the day to see the baby in the nursery. I knew they'd be moving me to the postpartum unit soon so I had him pack up all of my stuff. Baby Jackson headed to the nursery. I was exhausted but on a serious adrenaline high. My baby was here and healthy. All 10 fingers and toes. I couldn't wait to see him again...to smell him again but I knew I needed some rest. I love you Jackson. My 4th child. My 2nd son. The missing piece of my heart that I never knew I was missing.
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