Asher Jorgen {birth story}

I woke up the morning of January 5th to some achy abdominal pain. Tried to sleep it off, but finally realized that I was having real contractions. I timed them in bed for a while and they were coming every 2 minutes! In my mind I envisioned holding Asher by the afternoon, so I jumped out of bed, finished packing our hospital bag, straightened my hair and put on some make-up, tidied up asher's nursery and tried to remain calm and collected. After about a half and hour, I couldn't contain myself, so I decided to wake Matt up. He was super calm and encouraged me to rest some more. {it was only 230 in the morning!} Around three we texted our families to let them know that I was having strong contractions less than 5 minutes apart. {My parents left Dinuba shortly after and began their 10+ hour drive to Mesa!} I watched the clock til around 5, when I remembered that the carseat base wasn't installed. I made Matt wake-up and put it in. We also packed the car, fully expecting to leave for the hospital. Suddenly I got a strong craving for waffles. {I couldn't stop talking about them!} After some piddling around the house, Matt and I went to Village Inn for breakfast. Contractions were coming every 5ish minutes, so we decided we'd head back home to rest and labor where we were most comfortable. {We were planning a non-medicated birth and wanted to wait as long as possible before heading to the hospital} We also decided to skip my 39 week check-up that was scheduled for that morning at 8. Again, we figured we'd be at the hospital soon, so there was no need to attend that appointment also.

We got home and decided to take a nap. After sleeping soundly for a few hours, I woke up realizing the contractions had stopped entirely. I was mad. {really mad!} I felt guilty and embarrassed that I thought I was in labor. I was irritated that I had woken everyone up for what seemed like no reason. I huffed and puffed around the house, slamming doors, cleaning things that didn't matter and biting Matt's head off if he even tried to talk to me. {Sorry Love!!} Around lunch time, I decided that I may as well go to the doctor, since I was obviously not in labor. The receptionist told me that the only appointment was at 210, I took it. Looked at the clock, it was 205 and it takes around 7 minutes to get the the office. I ran downstairs, told Matt I was going to the doctor and hopped in the car. Thankfully, Matt followed me and went with!! We got to my appointment and the doctor decided to check-me. She had hardly touched me when my water broke! We were sent straight to labor and delivery.

I was checked into the L&D unit around 330 that afternoon. I was 3 cm dilated and Matt and I were doing everything as we had practiced and planned. We walked, I drank water, I stayed relaxed ~ labor seemed great! Around 6pm, my parents arrived in Mesa and I told Asher he could come anytime :) He had other plans...I labored all evening and night. Contractions were intense. Matt did an amazing job coaching me through each one and tending to my needs. We had awesome nurses who were accommodating to our desire for a non-medicated birth and minimal interventions. Around 1130 that night, I was in an incredible amount of pain, was feeling nauseous {I ended up throwing up}, was shaking uncontrollably and was no longer able to relax through the contractions. I was physically and mentally done laboring. With our knowledge of labor, Matt and I anticipated that we were nearing "transition." We asked to be checked and were disappointed to find out that I was at "5cm, maybe 6 if [the nurse] is generous." After 20 hours, my body was working against the natural process of labor and no progress was being made. We talked it over and decided that I would have an epidural.

I signed paperwork for the epidural and the nurse paged the CRNA. {The hospital doesn't have an on-call anesthetist!} God totally provided though and the sweetest, most gentle CRNA was already in the hospital on his way to an emergency surgery. He would see me first :) While waiting the maybe 10 minutes, I threw up and begged Matt to get the CRNA there faster. He finally arrived, gave me the epidural and I was transformed ~ from an uncomfortable, brutally honest, defeated pregnant woman to a smiling, energetic and eager laboring mother. When my parents, who had seen me laboring prior to the epidural came back in, I announced that "the real me is back!" I must admit that after 20 hours of unmedicated labor, that epidural was like a miracle! I was back to enjoying labor. Matt and I decided to try to rest.

After a few hours, I started to feel some pressure with the contractions. The nurse explained that Asher was coming down during the contractions, but floating up after each one. She told me to call her if I felt continuous pressure. We waited and waited. Sometime around 4am she came in and had me do a few practice pushes. More waiting. Finally, she called the doctor and the nursery nurse in and they began setting things up. I pushed for a total of close to 45 minutes. During the pushing, they figured out that Asher was not coming down straight but at a slight angle ~this was part of the reason that he wasn't staying engaged after the contractions. As I gave what ended up being the last push, I was suddenly jumped on by the two nurses! They pushed hard on my abdomen until Asher was out, the doctor was pulling him simultaneously. Matt explained later that Asher's cord had prolapsed next to his head and that the doctor was {calmly} freaking out.

At 525 am on January 6th 2011, we met Asher Jorgen for the first time. He had to be suctioned because he had swallowed meconium and was looking a little shocky. But after a few minutes he perked back up and was brought over to me.

The 27 hours of labor seemed like nothing as I held him in my arms.
I was in absolute amazement.
I still am.