The only problem I had with this c-section is my external stiches, staples, came out because I was making so many trrips back and forth to the NICU.  

It was so hard to have to leave him there and go home and especially hard to try to explain it to his big brother Kyler!  But it was the best thing for him and now that he is home Kyler can't get enough of him!

On Wendesday Nov 18th, I ate a light lunch of chicken noodle soup before my regularly scheduled midwife appt.  There, She broke my membranes and suggested having prostaglandin gel administered, perhaps Friday or Saturday if I didn't go into labor sooner. 

Around 4 pm, another midwife called from the practice - she was at the hospital with 2 other moms in labor - did I want to come up and have it done today - perhaps I could then go home, eat dinner, get a good night's sleep and if it worked, come back the next day in labor!  I asked if I could drive home and she said yes, so I called DH and told him I'd see him after he got home from work and to pick up my 3 year old from preschool.

I got to the hospital and the midwife noticed my increasing rate of contractions.  They seemed like more BH ones to me so I had thought nothing of them.  She hesitated to give me a full dose of gel incase labor was coming on naturally.  I was at 2-3 cm; no more than I had been for a couple weeks now.  We waited 45 minutes or so and she gave me a half dose.  Soon the back pain started.  She said I was in labor and they were going to send me back to the ldrp room! 

I called DH and he had to get my mom over to watch Shelby.  By the time he got there around 7:00 pm I was so annoyed it took him so long - I was laboring in the shower by myself.  I was at 4 cm and feeling it all in my back.  We had read the Bradley books and were going to try for an unmedicated delivery - but I was really needing something if it was going to be a long haul.  I asked the midwife how long she thought I would go - she said it might be another 5 hrs.  I freaked at that thought and asked for something.  She was going to try nubain and then maybe an epidural later if I wanted.  I agreed and she went off to tend to her other two laboring patients. 

40 minutes later she came back with the shot and said she better check me first - I looked pretty far gone.  Sure enough I was at 9 - she couldn;t believe I had gone that fast.  I was shaking uncontrollably - the nurses said that happens frequently when your labor progresses fast - plus I hadn't eaten much (they brought broth and popsicles when they first admitted me - it didn't help much!).  My midwife said I'd need to push soon and just as she said that I needed to!  They were scurrying to break open the room and get the warmer going and I just pushed a few times and baby's head was crowning!  Thirteen minutes of pushing and baby's head was out.  We didn't know the gender - a nurse saw the little face and said it look's like a boy! What if it was a girl after all I thought - but sure enough he was a boy. 

And he was 8 pounds 5 oz.  So much for all the worry about me measuring small.  And I am only a small framed 5 foot tall woman- I must have had space enough inside me to hide him!  My daughter was the same size at 8 pounds 7 oz so I should have known better.  He was so sweet - he had a litte crease on his chin and on his forehead. 

We call him Jack cuz DH goes by John and he is a great baby.  We took him for his 2 week checkup and he had ballooned up to 11 pounds 8.75 oz.  I couldn't believe it!!!!  He's over 12 now and I have him in 3/6 and 6/9 month clothes - they fit in the chest but the legs are long.  People laugh when they see me lugging him around and find out he's not even 7 weeks old!  DH and I joke that I have bionic breastmilk.  Anways, if you're still reading thanks and I'm glad I finally posted - I don't sign on nearly as much now that I'm not at work!  Best wishes to everyone.

She has lots of light brown hair, blue eyes, andis simply beautiful!