2 very different, but equally special stories

Disclaimer: If you're not the type of person who enjoys when women describe their labor stories, feel free to skip this post! More than anything, I'm writing this so that in a few years- or 50- I can look back and remember.

My entire pregnancy with Jason, I was apprehensive, if not terrified, that my labor and delivery would happen like it did the first time around. Thankfully, it was nearly opposite in every way- a completely different and new experience. Anyways, I wanted to compare the two deliveries.

With Jack, I was 36 1/2 weeks pregnant and completely unaware and unprepared that I would be having a baby that day. I mean, no diapers, no clothes, no bottles- nothing! Not to mention the fact that we were planning on moving from Lubbock to Dallas in a couple of weeks, where the baby's crib and dresser and things were residing at my parents' house. Jon was out of town for a job interview, so I was left alone in our apartment. I felt the first stirrings of labor on a Wednesday night around 11, and it increasingly intensified, making me more and more nervous since Jon was out of town and it was my first time experiencing this. Gratefully, my sis-in-law Erin and her hubby were kind enough to stay with me thru the night so I didn't have to be alone! So I called the hospital to tell them I'm having contractions, and they tell me to time them, yada, yada, yada, and to drink plenty of water because it's most likely false labor since I'm so early and it's my first baby. So I'm drinking water like crazy, having consistent contractions every 5 minutes, and now due to the water I have to use the bathroom constantly! Meanwhile, Jon hopped on an earlier flight to get back to Lubbock and arrives home around 7 a.m. He takes me to the hospital to get checked out, and to this day I am angry at the staff for not admitting me. They said my contractions weren't consistent and I should go home. Honestly, I think they would have admitted me had I been farther along in my pregnancy, or if it weren't my 1st baby.

So I go home on Thursday morning and no lie, experience contractions every 5 minutes for the remainder of the day. I'm lying on the living room floor watching movies to try and distract myself. Thursday evening rolls around, and I'm supposed to be in Dallas at my baby shower! So I'm talking on the phone, in between contractions to my friends in Dallas and thanking them for coming to my shower and apologizing that I didn't come, irony of ironies! After the phone call, Jon and I go to "bed," meaning we lay down on the living room floor since I can't get up the stairs to our bedroom. I have the worst back pain every few minutes stabbing me. Jon complains in his sleepy state for me to stop waking him up! I'm still drinking water like a mad woman trying to stop my "false" labor and thus, must make it to the bathroom in between contractions to relieve myself every half an hour. Oh, will this night ever end? Friday morning rolls around, and we decide to take our chances with the hospital again, in hopes they would finally admit me. Turns out I'm dilated to a 3 and they admit me- hallelujah! I get set up in my room, and the nurse informs me that I might not stay at the hospital after all; my OB has to check me because I'm so early and will then make the decision. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! The doctor checks me and finally relents that I'm progressed to the point of no return and I'm having my baby. Few more hours pass, and I get the blessed epidural and RELIEF.

Jack's heartrate during this time fluctuates and isn't looking good, so I get oxygen. To make matters much worse, when they break my water, meconium comes out (baby's 1st bowel movement). Apparently, babies can pass meconium while in the uterus if they are stressed during labor. Hmmm, I can't imagine why he would be stressed during my nearly 2 days of labor at this point. (Sorry I'm still angry 3 years later that I wasn't admitted sooner to the hospital.) The doctor for whatever reason, doesn't do a C-section once the meconium is seen, and instead 5 hours later I deliver Jack vaginally. Luckily, it only took about 15 minutes of pushing to get him out. That was about the easiest part of my labor. Now comes the sad part; Jack is critically ill, his lungs are coated with meconium, and he's whisked away to the NICU. I was told 4 weeks later, when we were close to going home with him, that he was the worst case of meconium aspiration they had ever seen and he was truly a miracle baby for surviving. Glad they didn't tell me that earlier. A note about how he is a miracle baby- once Jack took a turn for the better during his NICU stay, he recovered faster than basically was medically possible. The nurses and doctor were astounded at how fast he recovered. What should have taken him 3 weeks to learn how to take a bottle, took him 1 day. They were throwing around the date of July 4th for a release date, and he came home on June 10th. He is just so special and has a purpose, I know it.

So after about 3 weeks after being born, I finally get to hold my baby, only he's still attached to the breathing tube so I can't even pick him up. It takes 2 nurses to get him situated on me while I sit in a chair. Prior to this point, we weren't allowed to touch him because he had taken a turn for the worse; whenever stimulated his stats would drop. Another miracle? A seasoned nurse warned me that meconium aspiration babies often didn't like to be touched because of the experience, and to not take it personally. Well, once better, Jack craved to be held. In fact, he refused to sleep unless someone held him. He is still the most cuddly boy.

Well now, writing that, that wasn't the most pleasant trip down memory lane. Thankfully, my second time around was perfect. With Jason, I expected to go into labor early, and furiously worked to get his room ready and the house perfect (see my nesting post for evidence). Once 36 weeks hit, I figured I'd made it and was ready at any time to have my baby. 37 weeks rolls around and nothing. My doctor says I probably have at least 2 weeks left and I'm showing no signs of labor. 38 weeks rolls around and same thing. Okay, not expecting that! Finally I start to have some (excuse me if this is TMI) bloody show on Monday, the 18th, and think it's happening! I'm going into labor today! (Because when this happened with Jack I did go into labor that night.) Nope, nothing for 3 more days! At this point I'm thinking, did this kid not get the memo that I'm not supposed to get this far along? FINALLY, on Thursday, the 21st, something happens. Jon went out for food, and I'm not kidding, the second that food hit the table, my water broke. It's the start of Easter weekend, and Jon is so mad at me that he doesn't get to eat dinner and that his plans for sleeping in on Good Friday are ruined! Haha. We had joked about the baby coming on his day off from work on Friday.

So we leave for the hospital, and I'm still not having any contractions. Weird, right? They check me and blessedly admit me! Still zero contractions. I guess this kid really didn't get the memo that he was supposed to come out....I mean my body is practically kicking him out at this point with the water breaking and all. So I'm in my delivery room and in no pain whatsoever, just waiting for something to start. So opposite and ironic from Jack's delivery; with Jack I had to practically beg for them to admit me after 1 1/2 days of labor, and with Jason my contractions hadn't even started yet before I was sitting in my delivery room watching a movie. Anyways, they jumpstart my labor by ripening my cervix and within an hour I started hard labor. It literally went from nothing to intense within an hour. NOT FUN. I was not mentally prepared to just start hard contractions that lasted a full minute each. What about starter contractions that have 5 mins of rest in between? These came every minute. I felt like such a wimp requesting the epidural that soon, but I couldn't wait any longer. Finally, the epidural comes and sweet relief, oh thank-you.

I'm told it will most likely be 7 am or later before baby is born. Well since ripening my cervix around 10 pm, I was fully dilated and the baby was engaged, at around 4:15 am. The nurse was completely surprised, as was I, that I went from being a 1 to a 10 so soon. I was just so grateful, because then I didn't have to get pitocin or any extra help. They get everything set up and ready for me to push and ask if I want to use the mirror to see the baby being born. Three years ago with Jack I resoundly told them no, while thinking "ew, yuck" in my head. This time around, I'm a little braver and curious so I say sure. It was so cool! I can't believe I liked seeing Jason being born, but it was just the most wonderful experience ever. I think I pushed for 7 minutes, and the doctor had to tell me to stop at one point, and then said to give a tiny little push, I guess so I wouldn't shoot Jason across the room! And then he was here. The nurse plopped him on my chest and I got to hold my little baby within seconds of him being born. It was AWESOME and miraculous to me that I could hold him so soon. He was healthy, no problems, and came home from the hospital with us after a few days. It was such a wonderful, and peaceful experience.

Reflecting on the differences between my two deliveries, I'm just so grateful to have my 2 boys with me, both healthy and happy. It doesn't really matter how they got here, just that they got here. Jack and Jason- you're both unique and precious and I hope you know that.