Jackson's Day

The Story:

You would think that with having a planned Labor and Delivery, it would go on with no surprises, right? Not so much. Maybe it was because I actually had a Birth Plan this time around that it all went out the window...

After calling the hospital at 4:30 a.m. (a.k.a. the middle of the night) to make sure they had a room for me, we arrived at the hospital at 5:00 a.m. I was hooked up to an I.V. and had my Pitocin started by 6:00. Things were good, and the contractions weren't too terrible. Around 8:30, my doctor came in and decided to break my water. I told him I wanted my epidural first, and he said we'd do it right after. After reminding him that I labor fast, I agreed to let him break my water at about 9:00. That turned out to be a big mistake.

The anesthesiologist came in about fifteen minutes after that, which would have been fine, except that I was really feeling the contractions by then. So much so that I had a hard time even holding still while he did his work, and was in tears by the time he was done. At this point I was relieved that the worst was over, and that the inserting of the epidural would be the most painful thing about the birth. Think again...

For the next forty minutes, I waited for the rush of when I couldn't feel the contractions anymore, but it didn't come. Granted they weren't quite as intense, and the edge had been taken off, but that was about it. I called the nurse who had me turn to my other side to even out the epidural, and that's when I started to feel like I might die. I told her I was in a really, really lot of pain. At this point, Jeremy piped up to the nurse, "Uh, maybe you should check her."

So she did, and I'd gone from three centimeters (which I'd been dialated to for three weeks) to ten centimeters and complete in forty minutes. My precious epidural was in and working, but not even keeping up with me progressing that fast. At this point the contractions are the worst pain that I have felt in my life, the nurse is bustling around getting stuff ready before my baby falls out on it's own (okay, it may not have been that bad, but it was pretty close), and I am hearing "We need Dr K. in here." "We need Dr. K. in here now." "We need any doctor in here right now." Very comforting. The anesthesiologist came back in and re-dosed me (at least he was hurrying) and told me it would kick in in about five minutes. I was thinking, "I'm not going to be pregnant anymore in five minutes.."

My doctor made it just in time for me to push little Jackson out in three pushes. He was great though, nice loud cry, and a 9 on his one minute Apgar Score. My doctor told me afterward that I had just had a pretty much natural childbirth. Anyone who knows me knows that a natural childbirth is (was) my worst nightmare. Heaven help me.

I want a refund on my epidural.

Here's proof that you actually can live through your worst nightmare. Good thing my new little guy is so cute:

Jackon Drake Bachman

Born Monday, August 10, 2009

10:08 a.m.

7 lbs. 11 oz.

20 inches long

The Proud Daddy:

The good thing about not being pumped with drugs for hours, is that they wear off quickly. I was off my I.V. in about 15 minutes, and walking by myself to the bathroom in about 30. Plus, I can actually remember the visitors who came. Here's just a few:

It was so fun to see everyone, and share the latest addition to our little family:

Jackson and I were able to go home the next afternoon. He was ready and rarin' to go!

If only I could have taken home one of those nursery nurses with me for the night...