He's Here!!

Jacob Scott Langlow has arrived and he is absolutely precious!!  i couldn't feel more blessed to have him here and out of my belly, phew.  it is such a relief to be done with pregnancy.  i am sure that in the future i will be missing the feeling, but honestly, right now i am so happy to have my body back, even if it is sore, stitched, and swollen.

i am always interested in other's birth stories, and before Jacob got here i was reading them by the hundreds on pregnancy boards, anticipating what it would be like for me.  throughout my pregnancy i had many braxton hicks (painless contractions), so when the began to actually become uncomfortable, i was hoping the time was near.  they began to feel painful on wednesday, the 21st, and although i slept, i woke up periodically throughout the entire night.  the contractions at this point were not really time-able.  thursday the contractions continued throughout the day, but i didn't really time them.  i was able to handle them, so i assumed this was just the beginning stages.  thursday night the contractions got worse, and i was not able to sleep (unless it was for the 5-10 minutes between the contractions) and i woke every time i had one.  in the morning they were anywhere between 4-7 minutes apart, and i was incredibly uncomfortable.  we decided to go into the hospital to see what was going on.  once at the hospital the contractions slowed down and the nurses had me walk around for an hour to see if there was any progress from the 3-4cm dilation and 80% effacement i had.  nick and i found a stairwell and got busy... climbing stairs that is.  when the hour was up we learned that there was no significant change, so then sent us home, or to our appointments we had previously scheduled with ultrasound and my doctor.

the ultrasound proclaimed that this baby was big. i mean BIG.  the estimate was that he would be 9 lbs 15 oz... my doctor said that in this case it is probably better that the baby comes soon, so we scheduled an induction for monday (mind you, this is friday) if the baby had not arrived yet.  by this time (of course) my contractions had returned so i was in a lot more pain than i had been at the hospital earlier that morning.  we left the doc and got breakfast, spent the rest of the day at home.  another night passed with me moaning in pain at my contractions on the couch while nick slept in the bed.  (its not really like he could do much for me anyways).  at about 6 we called the doctor and told him how much pain i was in.  he said we should go to the hospital, but no promises we'll have a baby today.  i decided i didnt want to get sent home again, so i would tough it out a little longer at home.  at about 9am we were preparing to go walking in hopes of getting the still inconsistent, but very intense contractions to become more consistent. my doctor called our house wondering why i wasnt at the hospital.  i told him i didn't want to be sent home, and he said that the nurses weren't the ones who decided if i would go home, he was.  he was prepared to induce me or give me a cesarean if necessary when i gave the word, and the nurses should have talked to me about that when i was last at the hospital... they hadn't.  so apparently i could have had this baby on friday instead, but there was some miscommunications...

we left for the hospital and arrived at about 10 or 10:30am.  nurses said i had made no progress from the previous morning, but the admitted me anyways on my doctors orders.  my doctor arrived in an hour or so and broke my water and ordered pitocen to increase my labor.  then we played the waiting game.  at 6 cm i got an epidural (which was great)  and at 10 cm (9pm-ish?) i started pushing... my epidural had begun to wear off and my nurse would not let me have any more meds for fear i would not be able to feel when to push.. over the course of the next 2 1/2 hours i definitely could feel when to push.  because thats how long i had to push for... two. and a half. hours.  by the time the doctor arrived (when i was crowning) i really couldn't feel any of the epidural anymore.  because the doc was worried (even still at this point) that the baby's shoulders would not fit through the birth canal and out of me, he gave me an episiotomy.  within 10 minutes of the doctors arrival baby Jake was out and screaming ferociously, but all i could do was cry that i didn't have to push any longer (i was happy he was there too i suppose...)

Jacob Scott Langlow was born June 25th  at 11:12 pm weighing 9 pounds 11 ounces and measuring 20 inches.

we are in love <3

THERE! i finally finished this!  its taken me 7 1/2 weeks, but here ya go!