8/14/08

A Baby Story: Jude Edition



The last few weeks of pregnancy with Jude were hard, mostly because I felt like I was in labor all of the time. I had regular contractions and got sent home from the hospital once for preterm labor, once for not being in sufficient amount of pain with my contractions.


Texting and playing with Iphones. It was a technologically enhanced birth.


Finally, after a night of annoying contractions, we went to the hospital at about 9:30. I knew I was having that baby that day because we had the same evil nurse as when I had Mimi. She has horrible bedside manner and doesn't tell me what's going on.




Right before I swooned and needed more drugs.



Still no pain. The nurse checked me and I was at a 2, which was more than I was when I checked in with Mimi. Dx and I did the walk around the maternity ward, mostly because I've always wanted to do the maternity ward walk. By around 11, they hooked me up to the IV and the contractions were actually hurting because I was at a 5. Next, I requested my much beloved stadol and an epidural, although I wanted the stadol to kick in for a while before the epidural. But, anesthesiologists get busy, so if he was available I'd better get that drip in place before they started the pitocin. I was really drugged and shaken during the epidural, I couldn't breathe and I was sweating and shaking violently. It was really scary. My leg didn't do the normal kicky thing when the guy put in the needle, so I was kinda worried that he'd messed up, but the pain went away so I thoughtI was in the clear.


At 12, my sisters Celia and Paige descended in a flurry of hilarious.



Paige "checking" my dialation



No bras in the delivery room!

They went through every closet and played with all the gadgets. They texted and took pictures, it was a total party. When Paige was doing my hair, however, I started to pass out. I don't know what happened exactly, but the nurse apparently turned off my epidural. The pitocin was in and working. When the doctor came in to break my water, I could FEEL EVERYTHING! I freaked out. All of the sudden, the contractions went crazy and I truely thought I was going to die. The anesthesiologist came back in and tried to explain to me that the epidural was fine and that it was too late to change it. I was in complete panic. I had to soothe this guy's ego while going through transition without any medication (stadol had worn off). While he was explaining, Dx held up the phone so Ellie could hear and she told him to demand Versed and another epidural. Everybody thought it was too late to get a new epidural and Celia and Paige had to coach me through 30 minutes of the worst pain I have ever felt. I was weeping. I think I transitioned without drugs. Finally, they dosed me with Versed and I felt much better. Then they gave me another epidural and we had to listen to the dumb guy explain why he hadn't screwed up the first one. But the second one worked!

The nurse checked me and said I was "complete" whatever that means. Hair and makeup resumed. (What, don't you have hair and makeup people at your births? You should!) Paige and Dx held my legs on one side, Celia on the other. Nobody looked at my business. I pushed the baby down for about 20 minutes, then the doctor showed up and rather than catching the baby (who was crowning) he grabbed my camera and started taking pictures from HIS vantage point! We all thought he was taking pictures of the baby coming out and were horrified. But they are actually kind of cool and show nothing disgusting.




One of the pics taken by the Doctor.


In about 10 minutes at 4:05pm, the baby was born. It was a love fest.




Baby Love



Then my crew helped the baby get cleaned up and passed him around to be cuddled and loved.



Baby Jude 8lbs 9.8oz



Shortly thereafter, everybody in my entire family and Dx's showed up or called. Jude must have been cuddled by 25 people in the first five hours of his life. And they wonder why my kids have no separation anxiety and will go to anybody!


I'm glad my sisters and husband were there. All in all, it was a positive experience, despite the unexpected pain and suffering. The recovery has been easier than the first and I am taking it as easy as one can with a toddler and a newborn. Mimi and Jude seem to like eachother and Dx and the fam are helping a lot. I like having two babies even more than I like having one.





Hooray for babies! Apparently I have "Irish twins" which means two babies within 18 months of eachother.

21 comments:

Tristan said...

Love labor stories! I am intrigued at having a room full of people to entertain you during labor. Who wants to be there for mine in Febuary? ;)

Jude is gorgeous! You guys make very pretty babies!

Celia Fae said...

At night when I go to sleep I see his face. He's so beautiful.

Good recap. I could have written it. I want to see the rest of the photos the dicey doctor took. I can't believe you were brave enough to scroll through them.

AnnEE said...

2nd picture: Holy crap, when did Dx knock up Camille?

Loved this post. One of your best, by far.

Paige said...

It's annoying when your sister looks better than you while she's in labor and you are a full 2 (Celia) and 3 (me) years post-partum. It's all because we did your hair and make-up, I'm sure.

Ellie said...

Yeah those kids look so Irish.

I have comments. Call me.

Jenibelle said...

Chemicals...ahhhh.....

That last picture is beyond wonderful.

Paige said...

Irish twins are actually 1 year apart, not 18 months. Don't go wishing you had twins.

Lauren in GA said...

Ohhhh, so sorry about the wall of pain that you hit because the first epidural wore off.

You look so, so beautiful! I love all of the pictures. Your sisters are the greatest and your children are so beautiful. I love that picture of Jude and Mimi, together.

Hollyween said...

It's not fair that you look so fantastic and model-esque and that you have two wonderful sisters to coach you through labor. Seriously. Your legs don't even look remotely bloated. So not fair.

Anonymous said...

LOVE the play by play. LOVE that schmoopy baby boy. LOVE the fabulousness of your (shaved and pedicured) legs during labor.

Ilene said...

He is such a pretty baby.

I'm so jealous of your legs. I would be posting pictures of me half clothed too if I looked as good as you. When I have my baby, I'm sure I won't let any pictures of me be posted.

Clearly, I need a make up crew. And new legs.

Victory said...

It was so fun to see you today. Jude is SUCH a beautiful baby--perfect and fuzzy and so sweet! Congratulations, Mama & Daddy!

Sally said...

The picture of Celia looking at you with your hand on hers made me cry! How awesome. Thank you for post the birth story and again, congratulations on that beautiful boy.

Sherine said...

you should apply to be on baby story for your next one. And this time make it a REAL irish twin. (Thanks for the correction Paige)

Sherine said...

you should apply to be on baby story for your next one. And this time make it a REAL irish twin. (Thanks for the correction Paige)

Courtney said...

Congrats to you guys! He is beautiful, of course!! I like his name, especially Jude. So cool. I've never met anyone with it before Jude Law (and the song, obviously), and its a good name.

Thanks for sending the Blooms. I love them! I've found that if I put them on the left side of her head, she doesn't discover them and try to pull them off til she looks in the mirror, because she is clearly right-handed! They're so fun and picture-worthy, like her. I'll post a pic of her with one in soon. Good advertisement for you.

Jessica said...

Baby story's even more fun when you know the person!!

(That baby is so so so darling in that last picture. And Mimi's cuteness should just always go without saying...)

Brigitta said...

I hear your pain on epidurals not working, so not fun!!! He is so absolutely beautiful, enjoy the love fest. And btw your Irish twins look so Irish. Glad you are recovering nicely. The first one is always the hardest and the recovery gets easier with each baby.

Adrianne said...

I hope Ellie is having her baby in California and not Hawaii!

You look hot in labor - must be why you make such beautiful babies!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pics. Your little family looks so sweet. Congratulations - LF

the wrath of khandrea said...

i am so entertained by all this. it's better than the baby story on TLC.

and you have some seriously hot legs. you owe it to the world to get your bikini collection back up and running.