We welcomed our sweet baby to the world on March 31, 2017! His birth was long
(to me!), slow and I hate to say it, but hard and frustrating.
Jackson Paul
6lb 14 oz
19.5"
I've been blessed with fairly easy births,and I expected this one to be the same! I woke up at about 12:30am thinking that something wasn't quite right. Not a second after I woke up, my water broke!It didn't take me very long to wake up and for adrenaline to pick up. I woke Mike up, and we both started rushing around, waiting for things to start progressing quickly. My sister came right away, but nothing was happening. I was having a few contractions here and there, but nothing that made me thing that labor was actually starting. It was about 1:30 when I tried to go back to bed, and slept on and off for about 4 hours. I then got tired of waiting and thought that maybe if I got up and started moving, maybe labor would actually start! I got up and made breakfast for everyone, and got in the shower. Still nothing! I knew that I had an appointment with my midwife around 11:30 in the morning so I decided to try to nap if I could. I'm not sure that I've ever slept so hard! Mike woke me up to get ready to go, and I could barely drag myself out of bed!
Jack at 1 month old
We got to the appointment, and it still seemed that nothing was progressing. We monitored the baby, and I knew that I was having some contractions, but nothing that was really worth timing. My midwife sent us out, and told us to start walking and see if that helped. As we were leaving, it seemed that my contractions were picking up, so I started to watch them a bit closer. We went to our local co-op to get some snacks, and some bone broth for me to sip on, and while we were there I had to keep stopping because contractions were coming faster! I went out to sit in the van while Mike payed for our things, and started timing them. They were still around 7 minutes apart, but were getting closer. Once we started driving though, they slowed down again. I was so frustrated, and so tired so I told Mike that we should go home and I would try to nap again. He "accidentally" took the wrong way, because he could tell that labor wasn't slowing down and that we should stay close to the birth center. He's pretty smart! We went back to the birth center, and things slowed down.....again. It was hard for me to keep a positive mindset at this point, which I know is SO important, but labor kept starting and stopping, and I was so tired...and I just wanted to meet my baby!
Jack at 2 months
We started walking, up and down the block, over and over, until my contractions were picking up in intensity and time. We could both tell that they were getting closer and closer, so we started to head back to the birth center. Once we were back, labor slowed AGAIN. I felt like giving up (even though I knew I couldn't actually do that!) I told Mike and my midwife that I just wanted to lie down for awhile, and try to rest. She said that she would check in after awhile, or to let her know if anything was happening. It was about 3:30, and not even 20 minutes later that Mike went out to get her. I was at the point where I couldn't move without having a contraction, and they were coming fast. It's always at this point when I tell Mike that I'm not ready to do anymore...he says that's how he knows that our babies will be here soon! It was a LONG hour, and a lot of me struggling to get into the mindset that I COULD actually do it...after a bit of of loving (for lack of better word) pushing from my midwife, and our little boy was born! It took him a little bit to figure out how to breathe, but as soon as my midwife suggested that we give him a little oxygen, he started breathing and crying. We stayed at the birth center for four hours after he was born, and spent that time nursing, resting, and snuggling our sweet boy. We were in love immediately.
Jack at 3 months
We were so excited to get home, and woke up the kids...but they were too tired and didn't actually get up to see him! :)
It has been a big adjustment going from 3 to 4 kids, but we wouldn't have it any other way. He fits right in, and everyone absolutely adores him!
