The Birth Saga of Jacob Michael

I titled this not as a Birth Story but a Saga, because well it was very long!

It all began Saturday morning (10-25) when the mild Braxton Hicks like contractions began coming every 15-20 minutes and lasting about a minute long. Now these were really no big deal and I would say I didn't really start what I considered labor until later that afternoon when I the contractions picked up to every 5-12 minutes and I started needing to breath through most of them because they had become more intense (still not too bad). But they did wake me up that night and we really didn't sleep. I knew things were happening. Sunday (10-26) we called the nurses line for my doctor's office and let them know the contractions were 5-7 minutes apart. The nurse contacted the doctor on call and told us to go to the hospital to get checked. Well, apparently things weren't really happening as I had hoped, because when we got to the hospital I was only about 2cm dilated. They sent us home. Sunday night was another night of no sleep just a few minutes rest between contractions.

Monday (10-27), the contractions were a little closer together. I couldn't sleep anymore and got up around 6:30am. I got a bowl of cereal and halfway through it my water broke! Obviously this was time to go the hospital. We got to the hospital around 8am and were admitted, however, I hadn't dilated anymore! The contractions got a little closer together, still irregular, and a little more intense. Still, was barely dilating. We and the doctor decided that in a few hours I should be started on Pitocin to try to kickstart things; however, I got some pain meds first so I could rest for an hour or so before the harder labor began with the Pitocin. Somewhere between 4-5pm I got the Pitocin. By around 7:30-8pm the contractions had picked up in intensity and were closer together, I was dilating slowly, but faster than before. I was so tired and realized that if I didn't get something for the pain there was no way I was going to have the energy to push (remember no sleep since Friday night). I got an epidural around 8:30pm. I was pretty tired and took a short rest only to wake up to my mom saying something about the baby's heartbeat being 80 bpm! Chad came over to my bed and mom ran out to get the nurse. Nurses rushed in, the doctor was called, they put an oxygen mask on me. I was instructed to roll over and people started prodding me and everything was a flurry! I was scared and tried to focus on praying and breathing deeply. The doctor got there and the heartbeat was back up. What had happened was that the Pitocin made the contractions too close together and little Jacob just kinda freaked out from it! They stopped the Pitocin for a while and thankfully I kept contracting well. They eventually put me back on the Pitocin, just much less of it.

Tuseday (10-28), 3am rolled around and it was time to push. I felt the need to push with the contractions and I gave it all my might! With my mom, the cheerleader, on side grabbing one of my legs and Chad, the comforter, on the other side, I pushed hard for 2 hours and a little bit. Our nurse during the last leg of the journey was incredible and very encouraging as well. At one point Jake's heartbeat slowed again and this time he just didn't like the position I was in while pushing, so we switched between two other positions instead. The doctor was talking c-section at several points, but luckily Jake started moving out. The doctor used the vacuum during one push which was a little scary, but probably saved me several pushes. The final push was at 5:15am! He was 7lbs 14oz., 19.5 inches long, and handsome!

The pushing was the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life! But by far the this whole process was the most rewarding thing in world!

There is nothing like having that gooey, beautiful baby laid on your stomach when you have worked so hard for it!

God did an amazing thing here! The doctor was talking c-section several times, but God had a different plan...to give me the right people to support and encourage me through, and to give me the strength to carry on!

Here is a link to the pictures from this saga and a few from Jacob Michael Burns first day in the world! Jake's first day!