One more push!

JJ's Birth Story - Part 3

So there I was.  I had been assured by my sister and sister-in-law that the pushing was no big deal.  Hindsight sure is 20/20...I think they lied to me about a lot of stuff!!  :)  But it sure did help me feel better about what was to come, so I am thankful to them for that. 

I was laying there in my hospital bed, surrounded by my family, when I suddenly felt like I was going to be sick.  I quietly said, "I think I'm going to throw up."  No one heard me.  Again I said, "I think I'm going to be sick!"  Still, they were all caught up in their own conversations.  The third time I tried to be as loud as possible, "I think I'm going to throw up!"  I think my Dad was the first one to hear me.  Someone produced a large bucket that had a hole in one corner.  Everyone left the room quickly, apparently not wanting to see me puke.  I did throw up, and I had to tilt the bucket so that it wouldn't go out the hole!  I believe that was the last time my family was in the room.

Then it was just John and I.  The nurse asked if I wanted to do some practice pushes, since I was feeling pressure.  My answer?  "I don't know."  I really was unsure and scared of the pushing part.  Plus I was feeling my contractions so much again, I was afraid of what else I would feel while pushing out my huge baby!

But she convinced me to start trying to push, and for the next 2 hours, that's all I did.  I pushed with almost every contraction, and had oxygen in between.  John would help hold my leg, then give me the oxygen mask after each push.  When another contraction came, I would push off the mask and prepare for more pushing.  I felt like I couldn't breathe.  I felt like acid reflux was worse than ever.  I threw up again.  I can't believe I did that for 2 hours.  There were several times when I thought I just couldn't do it anymore.  I remember saying, "I'm tired!" over and over again. 

At one point, somewhere near the end, the nurse started saying, "Just one more push!"  Now let me just say here, my nurse, midwife and husband were incredible through the whole delivery.  With each push they told me what a good job I was doing.  They were all so encouraging, and I know I wouldn't have been able to do it without them!  But this nurse must have said, "Just one more push!" at least a dozen times!  And silly me, I believed her each time. 

I got to feel JJ's hairy head...that was so weird!  But finally it was one more push, and he was here!  The cord was wrapped around his neck and his left hand was up by his face...apparently part of the reason why I had to push for so long.  She laid him right up on my stomach, and I remember expecting that I would cry...but I didn't!  I think I was just so tired and happy.  I rubbed my hands all over his slimy little body, and I remember my midwife saying, "That's definitely not a 10 pound baby!" 

The nurse took him to clean him up and get him a little responsive.  He was just a little sluggish and didn't cry right off the bat.  His apgars were 8, then 9.  He had his footprints done, got a Hepatitis (B?) shot and he pooped and peed.  John took pictures.  I got stitched up.

When he was about to be weighed I remember saying something about placing bets about how heavy he would be.  My guess was 9 lbs. 3 oz.  I was only an ounce off! 

My beautiful 9 lb. 2 oz. boy was then delivered to my arms, with a full head of dark hair!  When the nurse gave him to me I thought he was heavy!  He definitely wasn't a small bundle...but I was so in love already.

..first time in Mommy's arms..