Ok with multiple requests I am posting this. WARNING: THIS POST IS VERY LONG!
I think it started around August 2nd because I was having contractions like every other day for 3-4 hours straight with as little as 7 minutes apart and then they would just stop and/or I would fall asleep (insert fatigue and frustration here). This had happened a few times before and I had actually gone to the hospital the Saturday before to get monitored because I was worried about decreased fetal movements but everything was good and I was sent home. This was good then because Jeff was at work out in the field. I went in again on the 2nd of August to get monitored at the hospital but was sent home once again (insert stress here).
I will condense the next mass of information to make things go faster. So at my Dr. appointment on the 4th we started going through the options of what we could do to encourage this baby to come out and my body to progress. I was measuring at 40 weeks when I was only 39. I was dilated to almost 3 cm and not effaced but very soft.
Wednesday, the hospital where we were preregistered called us and told us our insurance wasn't accepted there because it was out of state. So that night we went to the other hospital down the street and preregistered there because that is where our insurance was accepted (insert panic and stress here). Lots more contractions throughout the week but none that get past uncomfortable and tight.
Monday the 11th, another Dr. appointment and I am still at 3 cm dilated but 50% effaced and measuring 41 weeks (still a week ahead). I decide to get my membranes stripped (you can look that up so I don't have to tell you) and schedule an inducement for the next day. We start to fill out paper work and I ask, "Now this is at the other hospital right? The hospital next door told us last week that they don't accept our insurance." A look of surprise and panic comes over the midwife's face and she tells us that they aren't allowed to deliver at the other hospital (insert major panic and stress here). So we get my medical records transferred to another midwife clinic that can deliver at the other hospital. We have another appointment with the new midwife clinic later that day to meet them, fill out some paper work, and get my membranes stripped again and scheduled an inducement for Thursday (insert stress and soreness here). My contractions basically stopped coming after that, even with some vigorous walking. Jeff and I were sad and frustrated to say the least at this point. Luckily, we fit in a little anniversary date that afternoon and went to Baskin Robbins while Calder stayed home with a babysitter.
Tuesday the 12th, we went into the Dr. that morning to get my membranes stripped again and thankfully the midwife told me that I was a 4+ cm dilated and 70% effaced and that I should be having this baby very soon, like within the next 48 hours.
Around 6 pm I started having more regular contractions and I didn't want dinner really, this is odd because I had been eating a lot lately. So, we start timing contractions. We called the babysitters, Brian and April. They were out with some friends at the BYU Creamery and we told them to be on "high alert" and to start heading home to get their overnight things to come to our house because we wanted to have this baby.I think we went on another walk but not very long because I had a few strong contractions and was afraid we wouldn't make it back to the house still walking so we headed back.
By about 7:30 pm I knew this was "it" and called the babysitters again telling them this was "it" and to come over. They didn't quite get the sense of urgency so we called again at about 8 pm telling them to hurry up because I was on my knees leaning over the couch through contractions that were only 5 minutes apart and increasing. So they hurried and got here about 8:30 pm and Jeff and I left promptly.
I know that it was like 85 degrees or so but I turned on the back heater on our car seats and oh man that felt good, even if I was sweaty. So we check into the labor/delivery before 9 pm and they start monitoring me and baby for a while we watched the Olympics on TV. I kind of watched, but it was nice to have the background noises of people cheering. I felt like they were cheering for me in my subconscious mind.
After an hour I hadn't made any "progress" so they were considering sending me home with some sleeping/pain pills. My midwife believed me, unlike the hospital staff (grrr), and kept me there and told me to go for a walk. We didn't make it very long before my contractions were really intense and I was really tired. We got back to the room and on the exercise ball I went. I love that thing even more!
The midwife checked me a while later and she was like, "Wow you have made a lot of progress! Thanks goodness we didn't send you home". So it was like 10 pm or so and things were moving quickly. Contractions went on (lots of breathing and focus involved here) while the annoying hospital staff now realized I didn't have much longer to go when they needed a bunch of papers signed and had Jeff sign them between my contractions when he wasn't holding me up. So this is where I really lose the actual timing of things because I had my eyes shut from here on out mostly and in my own little world of having a baby. Maybe Jeff could fill in some blanks but moving on.
Hard contractions started coming and I was told to get on the hospital bed from here on out. The midwife checked me and was surprised yet again to find me dilated to 8 cm and basically no cervix left and a "bulging bag of waters". Sorry to those of you this grosses out. She said that as soon as I needed to I could start pushing and maybe cause my water to break. It didn't.
Time and contractions continue... it is all kind of a blurr in my mind... I start needing to push. They put me in the "labor position", I will spare this description for the sake of innocent readers, and I start pushing. My water still doesn't break and the midwife asks me if I want her to do it so that things can move along. I think, "why is she asking me this, YES!". So she does and I don't really know exactly what happened after this just that it was a little relief having it done because I could tell the contractions were actually moving the baby now with my pushing instead of feeling stuck. So pushing...pushing...pushing and lots of breathing...people saying things to me about how good I am doing...blah blah blah...pushing...breathing...yeah here comes the head...wait that really really hurts...pushing...breathing...the head is out...keep pushing...breathing...and his shoulders are a little wedged...pushing...breathing...and the rest comes out and I feel like I am high on drugs. Which by the way I did this all without any.
The time is 1:13 am on Wednesday August 13, 2008.
Man that was like the biggest relief I have ever felt in my entire life! In fact that is something that I said right after he was out was "oh man I feel so much better", and "don't ask me to do that again for a long time" directed toward Jeff mostly. Yeah he is here! Jeff gets to cut the cord and they place him on my chest/belly and I immediately thought "Phaelen".
So that is it really! There you go. Hopefully none of you are totally traumatized by this. Know that I spared you the intense descriptions and you shouldn't ask unless you REALLY want to know and in which case you can call me on the phone because I don't want to post it.
Well our family took a trip this last week up to North Idaho and visited with the Johnson side of the family. It was really fun and the boys did really well flying on the airplane. We had a good time staying with Great Grandma J, especially when she makes Swedish pancakes every morning for breakfast.
Calder really enjoyed playing with Grandpa Gary's new puppy Sam and riding on the tractor. We also had fun helping out around the farm with the horses and buffalo. We even got to be there when a guy came up to shoot one.
Phaelen was really good, considering he also got his first tooth! 4 months old and already teething! Thankfully we had lots of family to help out and hold and distract him to ease the discomfort.
We did get hit with the cold winter storm that hit just about everyone on the western US. It got down to 10 degrees one day! We also had the chance to visit our friends from Lewiston and go to church. It was nice to see everyone and had a wonderful time!
