New Update; It's been awhile

Brody is here at last, arriving over 2 months ago now. He was born on Monday, August 10, 2009 at 2:02pm.

Sunday afternoon we went swimming, and I was just so tired of being pregnant and feeling awful. I asked Jake to run and get me some castor oil, because I figured it couldn't hurt! So, he ran to the store to get it. While he was gone a storm started to roll in, and with it came contractions about 7 minutes apart. When Jake got back, we thought we should probably get stuff ready in case we needed to go to the hospital.

Jake was eating dinner, and the contractions just got closer together. We then started our drive into the hospital at about 7pm. At that point, the contractions were about 2 minutes apart. Jake was pretty shocked, as was I. But not as shocked as when we got to the hospital and they said I was still just dilated to 1cm and about 50% effaced. I thought there would have been more progress from my doctor's appointment the week before. So, Jake and I started walking the hospital. It was very late that Sunday night, and the hospital was dark and quiet. We walked for hours . . . and my legs were so sore. I did get to soak in the tub a couple of times, and that was really nice! Those moments in the hospital with Jake were precious and fun. Jake had me laughing so hard that I had to stop walking many times and catch my breath. (Oh, I am so lucky to have such a great husband!)

Sometime in the early morning hours, the nurses and my midwife decided to start me on pitocin in order to regulate the contractions. They were there, but they just weren't doing enough.

By lunchtime, I was dilated to 5cm and my water broke . . . but I was not dilating any more. It was like things had stalled. With the epidural in and working (very, very) well, I couldn't go walking anymore.

My nurse Shannon finally had a great idea by 1:40pm. She said she could feel the baby's head, and he felt like he was face-up, which could have been holding things up. She said that I needed to get on my hands and knees and rock back-and-forth. Shannon said that she didn't know why, but it worked to help turn the baby and get things moving. So, with Shannon's and Jake's help, I got on my hands and knees (I couldn't really feel my legs too much ... the epidural was really working well.) and rocked for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, I laid back down and instantly told Shannon that I felt I needed to push. She checked me again, and I was dilated to a 10!!! They called Kim, my midwife, who was luckily at the hospital next door. At one point, with my eyes closed, I said, "I really feel like I need to push!" Jake said, "I'm not qualified to deal with that!" I opened my eyes and noticed that he and I were the only ones in the room, as my nurse was calling my midwife to get there right away.

Kim got there just in time. A contraction came, and they told me to push. So, I pushed three times through ONE contraction, and Brody was here. It was amazing that he came so fast!!

In the moment that they set him on my lap, I said, "He looks like a Brody. He is so beautiful."

So, on August 10, 2009, Brody arrived weighing 7lbs 11oz and was 20.5 inches long. At 1 month old, he weighed in at 10lbs and 11oz (75%) and 22.5 inches long (85%). Now, at 2 months old, he weighs 14lbs and 7.5oz (97%) and is 24.5 inches long (95%). He is growing beautifully. He is smiling freely and even laughing a little!