The Delivery...

Joe's taken the kids to run errands and Jack is asleep on my lap so I can FINALLY sit down and get some computer work done! Hooray!

So, this is the story of Jack's quick and wonderfully, miraculous entry into this world...

A short history...my parents came down from Idaho for an Awards Dinner my dad's work was hosting on Friday evening. Joe and I had gone on a double date with my little sister that night. We met up with my parents that evening on Temple Square and did some walking around. That evening when I went to bed my body was in an excruciating amount of pain. I felt like someone had beat me with a baseball bat. I couldn't get out of bed without help, it was extremely uncomfortable. Needless to say, when my parents came over Saturday morning, I was wondering (and my mother was predicting) that the baby would be coming before the day was through.

I went on two or three walks around the neighborhood with Joe, my parents and the kids that day to help ease the pain in my legs and it helped keep the contractions coming consistently. It actually felt as though I was having one long contraction because my stomach was so tight. The pressure would ease slightly at the end of each contraction, but my stomach was still really tight - it was weird.

At around 5:30pm my water broke (fortunately it waited until Joe and I got home from our walk around the block - that wouldn't have been fun)! My dad and Joe gave me a blessing that the delivery would go well and that the baby and I would be alright. We got my parents and the kids settled and then headed up to the hospital.

The contractions were still coming, and my water was still leaking a bit, but they weren't very painful. I had been dilated to a 2 at my last appointment so, after checking in and getting situated, they checked me just after 6pm and I was only at a 3.

I talked to the nurse and she informed me that I could continue to progress in the labor naturally or they could hook me up to an IV and start PIT. I knew from my past labors that I would probably be in labor indefinitely if I tried to go on my own, so I opted to have them start me on the PIT.

At 7pm the nurse started the IV and put the PIT level at a 4. She said that as long as things kept moving they wouldn't have to turn it up. The contractions up to this point were barely noticeable, just a tightening of my tummy. I had been reading and talking with Joe and wasn't comfortable, but wasn't in pain. Once the PIT started, the contractions began to pick up in intensity. Just after 8pm they checked me and I was at a 4 1/2. I was really disappointed because it felt like so little progress and the contractions were steadily becoming more and more difficult to breathe through.

Joe's mom called at 8:28pm and Joe told her that I would probably have the baby in a half and hour. I felt like he was being rather optimistic because my regular nurse had just checked me a second earlier and I was now only at a 6. I was so tired I felt as though I had been laboring all day and that time had some how stopped. I was really feeling the contractions and the baby kept getting the hiccups which made them hurt worse.

After hanging up with his mom, Joe talked to the nurse and they decided to call the Dr. and get her to the hospital. The nurse then began to prepare the room for delivery. In my head I was thinking they were waisting their time because I felt like I wasn't getting anywhere, but the contractions felt like they were coming right on top of each other and I wasn't having a lot of time to prepare mentally for the next one.

At about ten to nine the Dr showed up during a really hard contraction. As soon as it finished I told her that she had better check me quick because I was pretty sure the next one would be starting soon. She said there was only a small amount of lining still there but that it would be gone with the next contraction so I could start to push.

As soon as the next contraction started I pushed and he came all in one grand hooray! They clocked him as coming at 8:58pm, exactly 30 minutes after Joe finished telling his mom he would be here within the half hour! I'm so glad that he was right because I was exhausted and starving! I hadn't eaten since about 11am and my stomach had been growling throughout the labor.

Jack stayed in the room with us for about half an hour, but he was breathing really quickly and they decided to take him to the ICU and watch him. Joe left with Jack and I went with the nurse to my room.

They discovered that Jack had an air bubble, they assume it was from the quick labor, and informed us that he would have to pass it on his own, but that it would take some time. He stayed in ICU for four or five hours before his Oxygen levels, heart rate and respiratory rate all leveled.

Other than that little episode, he is a wonderfully healthy and happy little baby. He has been sleeping about 4 hrs at a time during the night, which I LOVE! He is so cute and his brothers and sister LOVE him to death. Even Ali has been very sweet and loves to hold and take care of her little brother. Clay tells me often that he will never hate his little brother and that he will never fight with him because he loves him so much, I'm putting it in writing now so that I can remind him of it later!

All-in-all, it was a really quick labor, but I am SOOO glad that it is over and I love the result! We couldn't be happier. I am feeling great, a little sleep deprived, but great. As soon as I can start getting back in shape and shed the rest of the baby weight, I'll be doing even better! Wish me luck!