April 05, 2011

I am AMAZED.

While I won't do justice to Jen's writing skills, she asked that I, the professor, start this post about our daughter's birth because it is still a bit unreal to her, and I have a different perspective.

I could go on about the detailed schedule of what happened when, or the technical explanation
regarding the internal pressure of the uterus during a contraction as given by our OB to an interested former engineer (myself), or that our baby was born without any vernix to speak of.   All of which may be interesting to some, but not that interesting to Jen. So I won't talk about those things.

Instead, I'll talk about my impressions while all of this was happening, what I was feeling and thinking. Then all of you who love to read Jen's blog because of her open expression of thoughts and feelings will not (hopefully) feel slighted. But I can't promise a 7-page entry.

What sticks out most in my mind is how amazingly well Jen handled the whole situation. Jen was able to deliver our baby without an epidural, and really mastered the whole labor experience.  The entire labor lasted about 5 hours, she was happy and talkative for all but the last 45 minutes, thanks to her hynobirthing scripts on her iPod. I had prepared myself for 5 hours or more of a snippy, cranky wife due to the labor pains (which is totally fine given the situation; I get snippy and cranky just by fasting for two meals...), but I was not prepared for what I saw.  Jen had her iPod turned on, but was externally focused between contractions. She would laugh and joke with the nurses, or talk with me about whatever was on her mind. During contractions, she became very inwardly focused. She would stop talking, close her eyes, and take measured breaths while focusing on the hypnobirthing scripts. Then it would pass, and she'd be her happy self again. It was the most calm labor I could have imagined for her.

The final 45 minutes were more difficult. Talking by the nurses or myself would cause Jen to loose her focus and she could really feel the pain, so the room became silent during contractions. As she was pushing through the last few contractions, I was amazed at her poise and determination. I knew that there was a lot of pain there, yet she had the mastery over her pain. She didn't scream uncontrolably, as could have happened. To me it sounded like a battle cry from Lord or the Rings or Braveheart, a sound of her sheer will conquering the pain and everything else that stood between her and her baby (note: ladies, there's no need to apologize for these battle cries. I couldn't believe Jen was with it enough to even care what we were thinking about her actions, much less apologize for them). While I would voice words of encouragement, inwardly I was speechless with amazement.  I believe her OB's words were, "Wow, you have a really high pain tolerance". When it was all over and she finally had her little girl, Jen was bright and alert. Such a different recovery compared to her last two births--emergency c-sections.

My wife, who has been induced during the births of our first six children, was trying desparately to experience labor starting without any medical interventions. Yet it became increasingly clear that if our girl didn't come on her own soon, we'd need Pitocin to start Jen's labor. Sunday night was difficult for both of us. Jen felt a bit forsaken, and it was hard for me to console her. She expressed her exasperation with the wait, her wondering about why things were happening this way, her concerns about all that could go wrong having a VBAC after two c-sections. But then she talked about all that could go well, all of the blessings that we had seen in our lives during this pregnancy. We had done all that we could do to bring about our desires, which we believe were righteous and good.

So, while Jen's labor was induced, our OB did what he could to respect our wishes and wisely started her with the minimal doseage possible to get things going, to minimize the risk of uterine rupture. I felt so happy for my wife, seeing her labor progress so rapidly with so little discomfort and so little Pitocin. And in the end, it turned out that having an induction in the hospital may have been the best thing for Jen because her water didn't break until two minutes before the birth, and the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck and body. Out initial plan of waiting at home until her water broke could have resulted in a birth in the front seat of our car--a very dangerous proposition given the condition of the cord. But because we were at the hospital, everything worked out just fine.

And so, I really feel amazed to have a healthy baby girl (Eve Antonina, 7 lb 8 oz, 20 in long) who is already nursing like a champ, a happy wife who is recovering more quickly than with any other birth, and a mother-in-law who is lovingly watching over our other kids. Life is very good.

15 comments:

  1. Congratulations! Yea! I'm so happy for you guys and the whole situation. Welcome little Eve!
    I'm excited to see some pictures of her.

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  2. Professor,
    You done good (on the post).
    Yeah, Jen is infinitely better, but still... good job. :-)

    CONGRATS!!! So excited for all of you, and so excited that she got to birth the way whe hoped--woohoo for doctors that allow VBACs! (Yup, recovery is approx. a million times better. Approximately.)

    Welcome, Eve!!!

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  3. Yay! So glad to hear this beautiful update! What a great story and a wonderful, happy ending!!! So happy for all of you! Congrats on the new babe and quick recovery.

    Good job, Jen! I'm so happy you got the birth you worked for and dreamed about!!

    Welcome to the world, little Eve!!!

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  4. Congratulations! I'm so glad that everything worked out so well and that Jen was able to have her natural birthing experience. We can't wait to meet the newest Moss.

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  5. COngrads! Thanks for updating us Prof!!! You did very well at the decriptions. You should become her cowriter!!! It was great talking to Jen yesterday I am so proud of her!

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  6. Congratulations! I've been anxiously awaiting this news from afar. Jen will have to give you props for your writing skills--you did a fine job.

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  7. Congratulations you guys. I am glad everything went the way you wanted (just a little later than you wanted it).

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  8. Was that an "Antonina" at the end there?!
    That is the one I've been rooting for, but is it official?
    We are so happy that our new neice little "Evie-nina" is here and that things went so well!
    We love you!!
    *nice post, Todd.

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  9. Great Job on the post Todd!!! I am so glad things went so well and that Jen is recovering so quickly and you have a new beautiful little girl!!!!

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  10. Yay!!! love the name...its lovely....congrats to the whole family!

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  11. I am so happy to see this wonderful post. I am so glad that everything went so well. I am also very glad that Jen was able to bring Even into this world naturally as planned. It is amazing how much quicker the recovery is and how much better you feel when there is not drugs and all that other stuff involved. I love reading this story coming from Todd and reading how proud you are of your tough wife. I LOVE IT! I also love how you put the "battle cries" Perfect description! But I am so glad that Eve has finally joined your beautiful family and I can't wait to meet her.

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  12. Todd, I am so glad that Jen asked you to write about yesterday because we'd been wondering how things went. Congratulations on your healthy baby girl and kudos to Jen for sticking to her guns and toughing it out until the end. We are so anxious to meet little Eve and hope that Jen's recovery continues to go well.

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  13. Congratulations! Glad to hear that things progressed well and she was able to pursue her wish of a natural VBAC. Can't wait to see pictures of little Eve.

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  14. Congrats to you and Jen! I'm so glad everything went so well, even with the wee bit of pitocin. And without an epidural! She's a rockstar!

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  15. Congrats Jen! What an amazing and beautiful birth story. Brought back memories of my own battle cries, that seemed to crop up in that same last 45 minutes or so. :-) Great to hear you had the natural birth you wanted - I love hypnobirthing. Enjoy your beautiful girl!

    Misty

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