Introducing... Cooper !

A detailed account for my record keeping... :)

4:30 AM January 9th
...I woke up to Mason calling me, "Mommy!  My door is open? Sammy opened my door!"  Yes, our cat likes to harass us randomly and open the boys' bedroom door in the night... we usually lock their door because of this , but apparently we had forgotten.  I felt 'crampy' when I got up to head to Mason, but I was generally uncomfortable so I didn't initially think anything of it.  Well, after tucking Mason back in bed and closing (locking!) his door, I knew this cramping wasn't just discomfort... it was labor.  I started timing  and they were about 7-8 minutes apart and so after 40 mins, I woke Matt just to let him know I was in labor and that he shouldn't bother getting up and ready for work.  We both attempted to go back to sleep at this point... but after 30 minutes, he quietly said, "I can't sleep" to which I replied "I can't either!".  So, we ended up watching an episode of Lie to Me (thanks, Netflix!) in bed until it was time for the boys to be up.  We called Matt's parents a little after 7 to ask them to come get them so we would be free to leave for the hospital as necessary.  I called my doctor's office when they opened to cancel my ultrasound scheduled for that morning, informing them I was in labor and would see them later that day (hooray!).

12:30ish, January 9th
... We had spent our morning readying ourselves - we gave the boys baths, each of us took a shower, ate breakfast, did laundry, packed our bags for the hospital, etc.  The boys left with Matt's Dad and Step Mom and Matt and I finished chores and tried to keep ourselves occupied. My contractions got stronger and became about 5-6 minutes apart, but were still not bad- I was still up and about and able to talk through them.  My nurse called at this point and said, "Jordyn... where ARE you?"  I explained what was going on and she said "uh yeah, I think you should come in".  I was really really surprised they were calling me and concerned!  Although I wasn't feeling ready to go in, I wasn't about to ignore their pretty specific request for me to come in so we got our things together and left.  We (Matt and my Mom and myself) got to the hospital and they told me I was at a 2 (haha!  I had been at a 1.5 at my last appointment) and after the hour of observation, I went to a 2.5.  Womp womp!  Since you aren't considered in "active labor" until you're at a 4 and dilating a cm an hour the doctor on call told me I was welcome to stay and rest, stay and walk, or leave.  At the rate I was going, I did NOT want to be at the hospital all day, so we left.  A waffle sounded good, so we ended up at Waffle House (haha!), then went to Walmart to walk and try to make some progress.  By this point it was about 5 PM and I was EXHAUSTED.  My contractions were all over the place, they had slowed to 8-9 mins at the hospital, went back to 5-6 mins at Walmart, and then when I got back in the car they went to 10 mins apart.  So, we headed back to our house so I could try to rest and give my body some more time.  Since they were spaced out to 10 mins, I was able to nod off between them, but they were getting pretty intense to where I couldn't talk at all in the middle of one.  Around 7 Matt decided we should go back to the hospital because he didn't want to have a baby born at home :) , even if my contractions were doing strange things.

7:30-8, January 9th
.... We got back to the hospital and they took me in an observation room where they told me I was finally at a 4.  They got me set up in a real room and we hunkered down for the duration.  I was able to listen to hypnobirthing "affirmations" on our ipod and it was GREAT!  During Lincoln's labor I attempted to do this as well, but my ipod battery died within 30 mins and I was stuck on my own.  The affirmations really helped me this time to focus and relax and I found myself dozing between (hard) contractions up until transition. Amazing!  During contractions I would use the affirmations to feel calm, relax to my best ability, and view the entire process in a positive light.  I also tried to consider them feeling like "a big hug" (a remark some woman made on a blog I read once) which also helped.  Transition finally came... which is where I think I just go into survival mode. Forget trying to relax!  I was mumbling/kind of talking (deliriously, probably, haha) between contractions at this point and Matt tried to make a joke just as I was going back into a contraction and got a sharp, unkind response of "shut. up." from me.  :)  The doctor laughed.  FINALLY pushing time came - in my mind I literally said, "GO TIME!" - I knew what needed to be done and how to do it and I was reaaaady to be done!  I was able to birth on my side again and I gave one long push through one contraction (about a min of pushing) and........


12:47 AM, January 10th

Cooper Michael decided to finally make his debut!!  8 lb 15 oz, 21 inches long and scoring a 9 on his Apgar.  I was so anxious to hold him but was delayed a second as the entire room kept saying "look at his cord!" which was apparently wrapped around his legs multiple times in multiple ways.  I had one stitch internally and have had a great recovery so far (besides the initial exhaustion! Over 20 hours of labor... good grief!). He nursed like a champ within an hour of being born and we spent about 2.5 days (blah) in the hospital due to my positive group b strep.  We did, however, enjoy visits from friends and family and I tried to soak up the one-on-one time I had with him there alone.   

He is so, so precious.  So sweet and perfect.

We are SO happy and blessed to have him in our family!!