To start, I apologize for not blogging sooner. There is something about having a baby that just fast forwards the clock and allows you to do nothing else but stare into those gorgeous eyes of his.
I will write this blog with some of the details of his birth, but save the most detailed parts for the specialized entries I want to share with you.
I began laboring on 10/8 with 5 minute spaced out painful contractions. We had the midwife arrive over the period of three days. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday...all to say we were not in active labor yet. When Friday came, around 2pm, my contractions hit hard. Back labor so painful, all I could do was rock back and forth clutching to the sink and wailing in pain. I tried EVERY technique I knew...breathing, rocking, hypnobirthing, but you could not release this pain. Something very different was happening.
We contacted the midwife again who said this sounded like "it" and that she was heading over, for us to prepare for the birth and get the show on the road. We filled the tub and began the preparations around the home to bring our baby boy into this world.
Of all the midwives, guess who was at our birth day visit. Yup, you named it. The ONLY one we didn't want. She came in and set up her stuff. She barely helped me through any of the labor (this is where I will spare you details until another post). I labored for HOURS and HOURS in wailing pain and I'm not kidding you....she sat on our couch, texted, knitted a sweater and slept. I was BEGGING for help and anything to assist me in getting through the contractions. Eventually she checked me for dilation and I was at a 3cm. I had a VERY long time to go. At this point, I begged Matt to take me to the hospital, something was wrong. I shouldn't be in THIS much pain. He reminded me of my wishes to birth at home and we continued on through the labor.
At 3am, my water broke. My midwife continued to sleep on the couch and barely cared that this just happened. She finally rechecked my dilation, we must be close now...right? Nope, wrong. 3cm still. WHAT??? I have been in active labor now over 12.5hrs and I am not dilating....She went back to sleep.
That was that. I HAD to take care of my baby and the only way was going to the hospital. So, at 5am, I made the call to transfer since I was not progressing and I could not stand the pain any longer. I was breaking down.
We arrived at 6:30am to Hartford Hospital. I was immediately taken to L&D and relief was soon upon me with yes...the dreaded epidural. This is an entire different story to share, but it is a blessing!!!
Matt and I slept until about 1:45p and they checked me...Fully dilated and effaced while I slept!!
An hour later I began pushing and only an hour of that plus 20 minutes of delivery and Jarek entered this world. I never felt a thing in my life closer to heaven than looking down and seeing this gorgeous baby coming towards me and being placed on my chest. The emotions flooded over me. It didn't matter that it wasn't a home birth or that everything I didn't want, happened...what mattered was this 7lb 4oz bundle of warm baby that was now looking right through me into my heart.
The birth ended up being the most amazing pleasurable experienvces of my life...even in a hospital.
Our baby scored a 9/10 on his APGAR and was 20.5" long! He barely cried and just stole our hearts.
The last few days are a whirlwind of so much more...but I will share that soon. Right now he just woke up to feed..................