Andrew Jameson's Birth Story - Long - PIP

Shelynla · March 2011

I?m a little behind on posting Andrew?s birth story, but better late than never!

Andrew Jameson surprised us with his early arrival on Saturday, February 26^th at 9:12am (I was due March 4th), weighing in at 6lbs 12oz and 20.5 in long. From the start, he was measuring ahead, so we were anticipating at least an 8lb baby and not the little peanut that we ended up with! But he is healthy and adorable and DH and I could not be happier.

At my 39 week appointment on Friday, February 25th, the doctor checked my cervix to find that I was already 3-4cm dilated and 80% effaced. The baby was also at a -1 station. The doctor told me that it was likely that our little boy would be born within the week. She offered to induce me later in the week, but I declined since I figured why not just wait and let nature take its course?

That night, I started having pretty severe back pain and also a lot of pelvic pressure. Until that point, I hadn?t had a lot of back pain during my pregnancy, so I thought it was strange that my back was hurting so much. I decided to take a bath to see if I could ease some of the pressure. While I was in the tub, I felt a little better, but as soon as I got out and stood up, the pain and pressure returned. It seemed to get worse and then feel a little better at times, but I honestly didn?t think I was in labor because I wasn?t having any abdominal pain.

My boss (who is also my friend) called me to see how I was doing. I told her about the back and pelvic pain and she asked me if the pain got better and then worse. I told her that yes, sometimes it hurt worse than other times. She told me that I should time the more painful periods to see if there was a pattern. DH downloaded a contraction timing app on his phone and we started timing around 8:30pm. It turned out that my back pain was getting worse about every 5-6 minutes and became more intense for about a minute each time. I guess I hadn?t really noticed this when I was up and walking around because all I could focus on was that I was feeling SO MUCH pressure. So, around 9:30pm, I hesitantly called my doctor?s office. I was not really sure that I was in labor because it didn?t seem like what I thought it would be, but the doctor told me to head over to L&D.

We got to L&D to find that they were packed. Two women were in active labor and there were 21 babies in the nursery that night. They checked my cervix and I was still only 3-4 cm dilated, so they told me to walk around for an hour and then they would check again. Since they were so busy, DH and I ended up walking for more than an hour. During that time, the contractions began to feel more intense and began coming 3-5 minutes apart. However, when they checked my cervix, I was still only 3-4 cm and 80% effaced. The nurse said that the doctor would check me, as well, and by the time he came in, my contractions were becoming more intense and I had started to breathe through them. They were also coming every 3 to 4 minutes. He checked my cervix and I was at a solid 4. Since the contractions were coming so regularly and had been for several hours (it was close to midnight at this point), he decided to break my water.

Once my water was broken, within minutes the contractions were more intense and closer together. In fact, they were really starting to hurt and I was pretty sure I wanted an epidural. It took about 30 minutes for the anesthesiologist to arrive and by that time, I was hurting pretty badly. DH said that I was starting to zone out, although I was still keeping up with breathing through each contraction.

Getting the epidural itself did not hurt, but I had two very strong contractions while it was being administered and that was some of the worst pain that I felt during labor. Once I had the epi, the very next contraction was about half as painful and by the next one, I was feeling only pressure and no pain. What a relief!

I slept for about an hour and when the doctor came in to check me, I was 5 cm dilated. Because there was little progress, he said that they?d be giving me just a touch of pitocin. Just a few minutes after they started the pitocin, the baby?s heart rate started dropping. They stopped the pitocin and gave me some oxygen. Thankfully, the baby?s heart rate went back to normal just as quickly as it had started dropping! They decided to hold off on the pitocin and let me get some rest. I slept for a few hours and when they checked my cervix again around 7am, I was 8-9 cm dilated! An hour later, the doctor checked me and I was 10cm, 100% effaced and the baby was at a +1 station. He told me to let them know when I started feeling pressure to push. Within 15 minutes I was feeling pretty significant pressure.

They told me to start pushing. DH and my mom were both there to hold my legs. I started pushing and at first, I thought I wasn?t making any progress, but slowly I could feel more and more pressure as the baby?s head made his way down. Pushing was difficult and painful ? I actually broke a few capillaries in my face and neck while doing it! ? but more than anything it was just EXHAUSTING!

After 45 minutes of pushing, they called in the doctor. He decided to do an episiotomy. I didn?t feel a thing, but shortly after they told me to push again and with that, the baby?s head was out! With the next push, Andrew Jameson came into the world! I?ll be honest, when they set him on my chest, it was very surreal. I didn?t feel the instant connection that many women talk about, but I was so happy to see him and I was crying with a mixture of relief and also feeling a little overwhelmed. I think I said, ?Hey, little man!? and then, ?This is not a big baby!? I couldn?t believe it when he only weighed 6lbs 12oz.

Andrew is two weeks old today and doing well. He?s been gaining weight like a champ (he?s 6lbs 15oz as of this past Friday after having been 6lbs 4oz when we left the hospital.) We have definitely bonded and I am absolutely in love with him!

Here's my boy: