Jordyn and Matt

Everything is GREAT!  We have our little Mason home with us and are loving every minute (even the sometimes sleepless nights…).

The birth went GREAT!  My labor ended up being very long… about 25 hours… however, we made it!  Although I dont have anything to compare my performance to, I did have feedback from several people.  My parents were there with me and commented on how impressed they were — my mom had her 4 children unmedicated and my Dad said he was impressed and that I did a lot better than she did with her first (ha!).  Our nurse ended up being AMAZING – her name was Elizabeth Oborne – and she was so supportive and fabulous.  She cheered me on and encouraged me, I wish all women wanting to do it natural could have her as their nurse!  At one point in the labor she told me “honestly, of all first time moms, you are doing this better than anyone I’ve ever seen!”.  After delivery when she was taking me down to the next floor (we delivered at UVRMC) she asked Matt and I about our HypnoBirthing classes – I think she really liked what she saw.

One thing I will say is I definitely learned how essential your birth companion is!  I am so glad that Matt took the classes with me and was such an integral part of the whole experience.  He was the one who was able to remind me to relax, take slow breaths, etc and it was so vital.  Having his support and confidence really buoyed my own.

Several things on our birth plan got overruled… but, it doesn’t bother me in the least.  I ended up hooked up to the monitors with an IV in, but I really felt like laboring laying down at that point, so it worked out well.  Mason also ended up with his cord around his neck as he was delivered and meconium in his lungs, so the post-period didn’t turn out as planned, but was perfectly fine  (we couldn’t delay cord clamping and I didn’t get to keep him with me in the room for a bit – they took him to NICU).  At that point I knew he was healthy and safe and trusted the staff to do as they needed.  Dr. Savage was also amazing – I would keep recommending her.  She was great in the delivery and she also commented the next day on how neat it was to watch the experience.  Good news – no episiotomy!  I tore a smidgen internally (she just did one stitch) but that was all.

To compare my labor with another, just another reason to go natural, my parents ended up knowing another set of parents in labor and delivery that night.  Their daughter was at 9.5 cm at 10:30 at night and I was somewhere near a 7.  She had an epidural… I gave birth at 1:15 AM and she gave birth at 1:30!  How is that for miserable?  Just one of a million reasons not to get an epidural.  Oh, another reason, right after birth I was able to get up, go use the restroom, etc – my recovery was soooo smooth.  I could tell all the nurses were surprised at how mobile I was and energized.  I felt on top of the world!

We went home from the hospital Monday night and my parents are in town (from Tennessee) helping out (what lifesavers!).  Mason is doing well – he is a pro nurser – and is so stinkin adorable.

Love,