Copied from my journal, written Sept 29, 2009. Stuff in [brackets] are not part of the original entry.
Jude Levi Johnson was born on Friday [September 25, 2009]. We got to the birth center at 11 pm on Thursday night. I laboured all through the night, alternating between the bed (on my sides, my back, hands and knees), walking around the room with Chris, and being in the pool.
I was exhausted. We had an early dinner and all I had to sustain myself was water, a sip of Mountain Dew, and two bites of a Clif bar. I was so ready to just give up a few times but Chris, Honey, and Becky encouraged me through it all. Chris helped me so much. He was right there holding, massaging, kissing, and encouraging me the whole time. [la la la...mushy talk...]
Little Jude's fist was up by his head and his elbow was digging into my back. This made labour so much more intense than I expected. [My lower back, along the belt line, felt like it was being broken. Becky brought some hot rice sacks and she & Chris applied pressure which helped at first but then the pain got worse and worse. I tried standing with one foot up on the chair and it hurt so bad I could hardly stand]. Because of the position of his hand, I had to get an episiotomy. Also, as I pushed, I became so exhausted that his heart rate started to get dangerously low. Usually his heart rate was in the 140s but it dropped to the 80s. It was getting scary and we thought I'd have to transfer to the hospital.
Becky strapped an oxygen mask on me and suggested I get on my hands and knees. They piled up some pillows and I leaned into that. Chris rubbed my back and encouraged me while Becky and Honey watched and held my legs. They did the episiotomy and lots of pushing and blood-chilling screaming later, I felt his little body wiggle out. [7.14 am] I heard him land on he bed and he didn't cry but made some little whimpering sounds. Chris gave me a kiss and stroked my hair [la la la...more omitted].
I looked down at him and thought, "Wait, it's a...boy?!" [I was SO sure it was going to be a little girl!] I was a little out-of-it. I laid down on my back and Honey said, "Chris tell her what it is". He took the baby from her, put him on my chest, and said "We have a little boy!"
I held him on my chest and Chris & I talked to him while Becky gave me stitches. Chris contined to stroke my hair and shoulders which felt so nice. About 20 min later I pushed out the placenta and Chris cut the cord.
[and yet more omitted] Becky then came in a few hours later and did an exam on him. His weight was 7 lbs 11 oz and he was 19 3/4" long. His head got bruised on the way out so Becky gave him a vitamin-K shot.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/ - being treated for jaundice
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
Jude Levi Johnson was born on Friday [September 25, 2009]. We got to the birth center at 11 pm on Thursday night. I laboured all through the night, alternating between the bed (on my sides, my back, hands and knees), walking around the room with Chris, and being in the pool.
I was exhausted. We had an early dinner and all I had to sustain myself was water, a sip of Mountain Dew, and two bites of a Clif bar. I was so ready to just give up a few times but Chris, Honey, and Becky encouraged me through it all. Chris helped me so much. He was right there holding, massaging, kissing, and encouraging me the whole time. [la la la...mushy talk...]
Little Jude's fist was up by his head and his elbow was digging into my back. This made labour so much more intense than I expected. [My lower back, along the belt line, felt like it was being broken. Becky brought some hot rice sacks and she & Chris applied pressure which helped at first but then the pain got worse and worse. I tried standing with one foot up on the chair and it hurt so bad I could hardly stand]. Because of the position of his hand, I had to get an episiotomy. Also, as I pushed, I became so exhausted that his heart rate started to get dangerously low. Usually his heart rate was in the 140s but it dropped to the 80s. It was getting scary and we thought I'd have to transfer to the hospital.
Becky strapped an oxygen mask on me and suggested I get on my hands and knees. They piled up some pillows and I leaned into that. Chris rubbed my back and encouraged me while Becky and Honey watched and held my legs. They did the episiotomy and lots of pushing and blood-chilling screaming later, I felt his little body wiggle out. [7.14 am] I heard him land on he bed and he didn't cry but made some little whimpering sounds. Chris gave me a kiss and stroked my hair [la la la...more omitted].
I looked down at him and thought, "Wait, it's a...boy?!" [I was SO sure it was going to be a little girl!] I was a little out-of-it. I laid down on my back and Honey said, "Chris tell her what it is". He took the baby from her, put him on my chest, and said "We have a little boy!"
I held him on my chest and Chris & I talked to him while Becky gave me stitches. Chris contined to stroke my hair and shoulders which felt so nice. About 20 min later I pushed out the placenta and Chris cut the cord.[and yet more omitted] Becky then came in a few hours later and did an exam on him. His weight was 7 lbs 11 oz and he was 19 3/4" long. His head got bruised on the way out so Becky gave him a vitamin-K shot.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/ - being treated for jaundice
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/broken-...7622331221083/
