Jack's Story

We have known him a whole week already! How can that be? Someone you dream about your whole life is finally in your arms and your eyes finally get to wash over his sleeping face and the clock begins ticking double time. I am trying to take it all in and not miss a single second.

A week ago I was to be induced because Jack wasn't coming fast enough and my Dr. feared he was a large baby. I felt anxious about the induction. I was induced with Greta and really wanted to let him come on his own time - God's timing is always perfect. And, the perfect time came the night before the induction!

I woke up at midnight with strong contractions. I knew it was happening and had the feeling it would from the moment I woke up the day before. I timed the contractions until 1 and then woke up Derek (who I think had been sleeping with one eye open, sensing my restlessness.) We timed a few more and they were becoming so intense that I knew we should go to the hospital.

Gee and PaPa were staying with us and were both awake, too - The energy that filled our house was vivid! Everyone was wide eyed like it was Christmas Eve! We were on our way to meet our son. I will never forget the drive. It was so still and peaceful. The air was cool. Derek joked that he wanted to speed in and out of traffic to get us there just in time....just like the movie. But, it was just us on the road.

We got to L&D and my memories flashed back to our experience having Greta. Walking down the bright hospital hallway made me feel like a little child, and Derek, too. But this time maybe it was because we actually knew what we were in for! Hopefully there would be no surprises in store.

We were placed in a room and made to feel comfortable, given the IV and were left to ourselves. Derek managed to find a TV show about Sesame Street and Jim Henson Muppets (just when I can watch adult TV, I am watching Sesame Street - go figure.) But, it didn't matter - my contractions were hard and coming much quicker. I was trying so hard to go through labor without an epidural. I just wanted to know. But I was loosing the battle.

I tried the exercise ball and walking. I leaned on Derek and across the bed. But I was coming apart. I asked for the epidural at 5 am when I was 5 cm. It was such a blessing. It was such a different experience than what had happened during Greta's birth. The epidural worked and I felt much more relaxed and able to focus. Whew! Derek closed his eyes and I closed my eyes and visualized holding my baby very soon.

At 8 am my Dr. arrived and was thrilled to see we were here! But not thrilled to see that we were still at 5 cm. She broke my water to help speed things up. And we were again left to ourselves. When they checked me again, I was at an 8! I was so close! How thrilling!

But then the hours kept rolling by and my progress slowed. I seemed to stall out at 8 cm for the longest time. What to do? I don't know if it helped but I tried willing myself to progress and tried so hard to envision my body doing what it needed to do to bring the baby down. And, FINALLY I was there. It was 1:04 pm.

My nurse helped me start pushing. I pushed twice and she told me to stop and wait for my Dr. That was funny - she was at lunch. She was going to miss it all, too. They called her several times and had her book it up to my room. She scrubbed up and I pushed. Then she told me to stop! Well, the baby's cord was wrapped around his neck. She clamped it and cut it and we were on to get the shoulders out. Then he was crying in my arms -all blue and shocked. (he was blue and I was shocked!)

He really was a boy. He really was big! He peed on my Dr. even before she got him up on my chest! He weighed 9 lbs 14 oz, was 21 1/2 inches long and his head was 14 cm. He was here in all his glory and we still didn't know exactly what his name was!

Then the nurses scattered and Derek and I were left with him and phone calls to make to anxious family members. He was nursing and thriving already. What a mess of emotions that go through a new mom's head. The end of an era....the beginning of something else so big that you never even expect what it will bring to your life. And Jack is his name. Jack Boyer Colling, our son, has already made quite an impression.