HE'S HERE!!!

James Schoville Dalton arrived into the world at 4:09 am on August 7! He weighed 8 pounds, 7 ounces, and was measured at 22 inches long, though our pediatrician measured him at 20 and three quarters.

The birthing process was incredible - something I can only try to describe with words, but the amazing experience will not be done justice.

On Friday, August 6, I woke up to some contractions that felt different from the usual Braxton Hicks, so I began to time them, and they were five minutes apart for over an hour, an indication that labor has begun. Jimmy was at work, so I called him to tell him to get in the car and start heading north to Alexandria - my parents and I would meet him there.

When we got the hospital around 1:30, the doctor, Dr. Siegel, checked me and I was only at 2 centimeters and 90 percent effaced, but he was confident that I was beginning to dilate quickly and labor was impending. He said it could be twelve hours or it could be Sunday, but that I was definitely on a "short leash". However, hat leash was just not short enough to keep me admitted, so at 3:00 in the afternoon, back to southern Maryland we reluctantly went. As we drove back, my contractions started getting even stronger, and we all thought it was pretty crazy to be spending so much time in traveling in the car while I was in labor.

I'm gonna have to get back to you regarding how we spent the rest of our time at home. The rest of the night, in fact, is a little hazy and surreal. I do remember making a phone call to the on-call doctor, Dr. Salgado, asking her when I should come back up, as the contractions were getting more and more painful. She asked if I wanted an epidural, and I told her I was unsure. She said it's better to spend more time at home if an epidural is not in the picture. Understandable, but, Lady, I live an hour and fifteen minutes away. She told me to call her again when my pain level was a seven on a scale of one to ten. I told her I was at a five, but what did I know? I felt I needed to know what a ten felt like in order to accurately rate the pain! And, in retrospect, I can now say I was more likely at a three on that scale. Yes, childbirth hurts.

At any rate on the pain scale, my parents, Jimmy, and I knew we would be going back to the hospital that night, so they rested and watched movies as I endured contractions that were growing more intense each minute. Around 10 pm, when I was having trouble talking through them and was buckled over with each one, my mom said, from personal experience, "Okay, it's time to go." And it's a good thing we did.

We arrived at the hospital on 11:30 pm, and the nurses there immediately knew I was in labor. I was checked right away, during which I was thinking of some of the Baby Story episodes in which the women were writhing in agonizing pain only to hear they were one or two centimeters dilated. All I could do was just pray that the pain I was feeling was justified and, luckily, it was. The nurse announced that I was between six and seven centimeters dilated.

It was at this point we were introduced to our amazing, wonderful, incredible, can't-say-enough-good-things-about-her nurse who was in attendance for the delivery. Karah came in with her bandana around her head, laid-back attitude, and said she was the lucky one who would be with us for the birth. Immediately, she made us feel like we had known her for years and had shared many a weekend beers on outdoor patios. My type of gal.

Karah asked, even before we went to the delivery room, whether or not I wanted an epidural. I told her, "I've made it this far...I think I'm good." And then I think I followed that with, "Well, how much worse is it going to get?" She was frank when she said it would get worse, but, she was confident, based on how I was already handling the pain, that I could do it without. So we went without. And I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself, and I have no regrets. Would I do it again? Probably, although I do think labor would probably be a little bit more fun with an epidural (for everyone!). The way I see it, though, is that four and a half hours (which is how long we were in the delivery room) is a very manageable amount of time to be in the worse pain of your life. If the labor would have progressed more slowly, I may have opted for the drugs.

Once in the labor and delivery room, my mom, dad, Jimmy, Karah, and I all "hung out" for a few hours - mainly, they were in charge of a few duties to help make me more comfortable, including fanning me, cooling me with a wet cloth, rubbing me down when I needed it, and getting their hands "the f&$* off me" during contractions, though I was slighlty more civilized about it. Still, Jimmy has never heard, "Don't touch me!" so much in his life. Poor guy - he handled it like a champ, though.

Karah constantly reassured me I was a freaking rockstar, and that I made childbirth look easy. I'm pretty sure my head grew about five times its size due to her praise about how amazing I was doing - it was like I labored better than anyone EVER had in the entire history of the world. And Karah made it known how much fun and how easy I was making her shift. If it weren't for the pain, I'm pretty sure we would have just hung out and partied all night long, because, as she often reiterated, everything was "groovy." Anyway, I can't gush enough about this woman. She deserves a freaking award, and apparently, so do I for being the Greatest Child-Rearing Woman in the History of Planet Earth. Duh.

Dr. Salgado came in a couple of times to check me, and they hooked me up to the IV because there was a small chance I was going to have to have a C-section (when is there not?). Apparently, I was dilating rapidly, but James' head was not descending. They decided to go ahead and break my water with the risk that the umbilical cord would come out. Thankfully, the breaking of the bag went beautifully, and shortly after, his head began to descend.

Around 1:30 or 2:00, Karah announced we could start to practice pushing. At this point, the contractions were quite painful, and it actually felt "good" to push. For a little bit. After awhile, my contractions started coming one right after the other, with literally no break in between them, and James' heartbeat began to fall with the stress. Karah made the call to go ahead and give me a shot to slow down the contractions, which ended up working well (they slowed down to about a minute or two apart, rather than back to back - geez, thanks) and James' heart rate stabilized.

Finally, Karah told us it was time to call in Dr. Salgado. Before I knew it, she was at the foot of the bed, Karah and Jimmy were holding my legs back, my mom was standing in the corner with tears in her eyes and her hands over her mouth, my dad was quietly and calmly sitting near my head, and I was pushing a child out of me. Now, let me digress for just a moment. Most women I have talked to about childbirth say, "You forget the pain." I'm gonna have to say I disagree. I don't think I will ever forget the physical sensations of bringing my son into the world (thanks to not having the epidural, as well, I'm sure) and, in a way, I'm okay with that. It was truly the most amazing experience of my life. I won't get into specifics, but, I mean, I felt EVERYTHING. And it's pretty incredible how your body just kind of takes over at a certain point. Yes, I did a lot of work to get him out (I mean, my biceps HURT the next day from holding my own freaking legs up) but my body also just took charge with every push. I know that is kind of hard to understand, but I was very surprised by the sensation and want to mention it in the event that I actually do forget one day.

One of the concerns the doctors had regarding the baby's estimated weight was the chance of Shoulder Dystocia, which is when the baby's shoulder gets stuck in the mother's pubic bone. It can be a very serious situation if not resolved almost immediately. This indeed did happen during delivery, but thanks to a great doctor, I never would have known had she not told the nurse afterward for documentation. The problem was resolved beautifully, and thank God, because it CAN lead to brain damage or worse for the baby. And James' umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, as well, but she also took care of that immediately (and without me knowing, I think). It took James a few minutes to really give a good cry (the nurses had to literally piss him off to get it out of him) which was a little bit nervewracking, but he was great, just "a little stunned" according to the doctor. Um, totally understandable, Little Dude ... you just became a human.

The labor really couldn't have gone more smoothly, and I feel blessed to have gotten the opportunity to bring a person into the world. We are so happy to finally have him here. He really is a miracle, and I thank God every day for giving us a perfectly healthy little man. We can't stop kissing him. No one could have prepared us for the change and hard work parenthood brings, but we are loving growing into our new roles.

I will try to continue to keep up with this blog, though surely the entries will be fewer and farther in between for awhile. Keep checking back for updates on the Dalton family of three, and thanks so much for all your support, prayers, and well wishes. We are so appreciative!

38 Weeks - Waitin'

Just had another check-up to check progress and go over ultrasound results. The doctor said I am now 2 centimeters dilated, still 70% effaced, and the baby's head is at -3 station - still pretty high up there. Not much progress, but sometimes childbirth is not a gradual thing...hopefully I'll be like my mom and have a four hour labor from first contraction to baby!

As far as the baby's weight, the doctor didn't seem too concerned. Fortunately, the doctors I see share my philosophy- the less intervention, the better. They won't induce until I'm 41 weeks, as they like to avoid it because inductions usually result in more C-sections, which they also like to avoid. So I feel way better knowing they aren't going to force this baby out of me any time soon, but we would like him to come on his own within the next week or two (and she's really hoping before or around my due date.) So she gave me lots of pointers on how to get the labor going, such as walking, long showers, etc. etc.

She also made me feel good about my weight gain, which I was concerned about, as there was a part of me that felt like I had made my baby so chubby! But she reassured me that my weight gain was great (35 pounds, right on track) and, much to my surprise, I hadn't gained any in the past few weeks. I guess when your fingers and toes look like sausages and your ankles disappear you start to wonder...

So, we continue to wait. I am definitely trying to enjoy these last few days of pregnancy. I am going to miss it a lot, but hopefully God will enable us to travel this amazing road again! I also want to enjoy having this little boy all to myself - he is going to be so showered with love and attention when he gets out, I think I might miss him! But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Next appointment is a week from today. Let's hope I miss it :)

37 Weeks - BIG BABY!

My wonderful and amazing parents are FINALLY here! At my 37 week appointment, which they got to attend, the doctor measured my fundal height (my uterus, for those of you who don't know that ... and, obviously, it's a totally normal thing for many of you NOT to know that!) and normally the numbers coincide with what you week you are in. For instance, I was 37 weeks, so my height should have been at 37. As soon as she measured, the doctor looked at me with an astonished look on her face and simply exclaimed, "BIG BABY!" My fundal height was measuring 41! That's FOUR WEEKS ahead of schedule. Luckily, my mom was there to explain that big babies ran in the family (nine, ten, and almost eleven pounds to be sort of exact ... the nine pounder being myself) so the doctor, I believe, spared me the lecture about my diet and we happily chalked it up to genetics. Hold on, gimme a sec as I wipe the spilled ice cream off me. Dr. McKnight quickly wrote me a prescription for an ultrasound so that we could get an estimate on just how big this baby really is.

The next day, my mom, dad, and I (as well as the awesome new video camera we got for precious moments like these) went to the ultrasound and got to see our little guy! Damn, I am still too used to saying "little"...we really can't call him that anymore. The ultrasound technician measured his body parts, and everything was measuring right at 37-38 weeks, except for (for those of you who recall the post I wrote at 18 weeks, you may be able to take a guess) .... HIS BELLY! Belly was 41 weeks!! Oh boy...genetics at their finest. His beer belly has made an appearance 21 years early. After the measurements were taken, the estimated fetal weight was..... drum roll, please.... 8 pounds 2 ounces! BIG BABY!

Seeing the little chunker in 3d was amazing. I needed that ultrasound, as I have been so caught up in the anxiety of becoming a mommy, the impending labor, getting the house ready, dealing with aches and pains, and the instant I saw our boy, all of that just went away, and pure love replaced all doubt. It doesn't matter anymore that my feet hurt the moment I step off the bed in the morning. It doesn't matter that the house isn't spotless. All that matters is getting him here safely, holding him in my arms, and kissing the crap out of all fifteen pounds of him.

Please feel free to watch the video Grandpa Schoville expertly filmed of the little fatty. Technology truly is amazing these days.

Also, I see the doctor again next week, so maybe we will have more of a game plan about delivering this chunky monkey. The doctor did already say she won't induce me early, and that's fine with me. Ideally, he will just come on his own soon, but God already has a plan on how he will make his entrance, and I'm just try to go with it, whatever "it" is!

More next week ...

36 Weeks - No progress

Hello, everyone!
I had another appointment today and haven't made any progress in the past couple of weeks. Still one centimeter, Baby Boy's heartbeat is strong, and he is still head down!
My parents come into town this week! So excited to have them here, but I am a little scared they will get bored twiddling their thumbs with me in anticipation. Plus, I hear I'm a bit emotional nowadays. I think I'm gonna owe them after this!
I'm so excited to meet our little guy. I am getting a bit nervous about the delivery and about being a mom, in general. Frankly, I just don't feel like all the research about taking care of an infant is really registering with me. I'm gonna just have to do it to learn it, I think. As for the labor part, I just keep putting my trust in God for a safe and healthy delivery for me and baby boy. I had an angel hanging on (what was then) the spare bedroom's door while we were trying to conceive our little one (and all throughout the pregnancy) and now it's in my hospital bag to hopefully keep blessing us on this miraculous journey. As always, prayers are very much appreciated!
OH, and I MUST brag about my amazing husband. Jimmy's really picking up my slack around the house, always asking what he can do to help, and just being that rock that I need right now while the hormones are crazy! I couldn't ask for a better husband, and I just can't wait for him to be not only my spouse, but the father of my child. I am already so in love with our family, and it's only going to get better.
Jimmy - Thanks for making me laugh so hard every day that I literally almost pee my maternity pants ("What is....") and for being so helpful, understanding, and positive!! I love you!!!

33 Weeks - It's starting!

At 33 weeks, I went in for a check-up, and wouldn't you know, the little guy's heart rate was high AGAIN. This time, the doctor (a different one), said pretty much right away, "Looks like someone just woke up." So she listened to him for awhile, and not only could you see my belly squirming, you could hear him squirming on the doppler. After a minute or two, she got his heart rate back down in the normal range, and she concluded that he is just one of those babies that gets a little "excited" when he is unexpectedly woken up. Grreeeaaatt...sounds like another guy I know .... ;)

After I told her about the contractions I'd been having, she checked me and I was dilated one centimeter and am already 70% effaced, and the little guy is still head down. Sounds like my body has started preparing for the journey of labor!

33 Weeks - Tiny Scare

Hey, all.

So I went in for just a regular check-up today, and when my doctor got the heartbeat, she made a weird face, and commented that it was very high. 192, to be exact, which is about 40 bpm faster than his normal, and out of the "normal range". She was a bit surprised, but thought that it might have been due to 1.) the fact that he was moving all over the place and 2.) I hadn't had any water yet (it's a long drive and when I drink a normal amount of water, the average bathroom break is every twenty minutes or so, so you can understand why I limit myself on these hour and a half long drives). She wasn't overly concerned, but wanted me to go to the hospital (to my high-risk doctor) to get monitored just to make sure things were okay.

Okay, so trying to stay as calm as possible (because if my heartrate goes up, so does you-know-who's) and taking my doctor's advice of drinking lots of water immediately, I drove the five minutes to the hospital and was hooked up on the monitor that reads the heart rate and contractions (called a Non-stress test, the same external monitoring used during labor.) Little Boy's heartrate was FINE, right back around 150 where it belongs. Whew! Guess he was just keeping my doctor on her toes, and I'm glad she was (maybe overly?) cautious.

So about three nights ago, I had some significant contractions that weren't painful but that were occurring frequently enough that I SHOULD have called the dr according the "Labor Instructions" sheet I was given. But I never did call that night, but promised I would the next day if they were still occurring (they weren't, at least not as often or as strongly). I told my regular doctor this today and she said if I have six an hour to call immediately. Well, in the 20 minutes I was strapped in at the hospital, I had at least ten! When I finished the test (or when HE finished, and passed with flying colors:) I saw the amazing Dr. Poggi (whom I try to convince every time I see her that she is an angel sent from Heaven...you remember her...the Dr. from L.A. who sounds like a VERY smart "Valley Girl") and she stated the obvious - that I was definitely having more than six contractions in an hour. So as I wait for her to check me to see if I am dialated, I am preparing myself for the worst - news that I am already 2 or 3 centimeters dialated, and I need to get people to Virginia STAT (most importantly, Jimmy!). Luckily, I was not dialated at all (or as Poggi put it, "Your cervix didn't get the memo." Did you do the accent?) Another WHEW! She said to keep an eye on the contractions. Ummm, okay? Not quite sure what that means ... I'm obviously getting A LOT of them, so does that mean anything? Is he going to come early? How will I know when they are dialating contractions? (thanks to my two wonderfully honest and succinct mothers - I'll "just know":) My conclusion: I have no idea what to expect, but hopefully they are right, and my body will let me know (and with a little more warning than just a head popping out while I'm watching Jeopardy or something).

Because I was scheduled to see Poggi next week anyway for a growth ultrasound, she said we could do "one-stop shopping" today and go ahead with it. So I got to see the little one who is causing all this drama, and he is perfect. Yippee!!! Everything is measuring great - he's already 5 pounds 12 ounces! (Figure a half a pound more a week, do the math, and we've got a little chunker!) I am measuring around 34 weeks. He's always been about a week ahead, and now with these contractions, I'm starting to think he'll be here sooner than later... just "Mother's Instinct." And Jimmy has had that feeling for awhile now, too. My doctor said that at 37 weeks, they'll deliver (I mean, seriously, three more weeks!!!!!) but the longer he stays in there to fatten up, the better. (Tell that to my... nevermind.) Seriously, though, I really do hope he stays put for a few more weeks. The lungs develop last, and they grow stronger and more functional with each day. I'd hate to have him early and have him suffer by being hooked up to breathing machines in the NICU. That would break my heart. I'm thinking 38 weeks is a perfect time for his first breath :) Oh, and he is head down and "locked" so hopefully he will stay that way so we can decrease our chances of a C-section (thought, honestly, I really don't care ... I just want what's best for him!)

Funny little tid-bit - apparently, the office is witnessing a baby boom right now - babies are up 30%! Poggi noticed how many 18-weekers they had, so her and her nurse got out the calendar, flipped back, and guess what was going on at the time? If you are from the area, do you recall a succession of blizzards? Poggi calls them her "Snowmageddon Babies." The ways people try to stay warm :)

Anyway, as always, please continue prayers and good thoughts. We'd like our little guy to cook for at least another three weeks so he can come out with a waaaaaailllllllling scream letting us know he's okay! :) And thanks so much for all your support - we are so thrilled to be parents-in-the-making.

Pic to come! He's so chubby and cute already!

33 Weeks - I'm still pregnant!

Yes, I realize it's been FIFTEEN weeks since I last posted anything on my pregnancy, but, I swear, it's not because I'm bored with it, having complications, not feeling pregnant, or any other reason you may think I may use to justify my absence. The truth is, despite what my absence may lead you to believe, I've been completely obsessed with this unseen baby. In fact, the reason I've had trouble typing my blog is because I only lift my head and eyes away from my growing and shape-shifting abdomen to eat every once in awhile and make the half-hourly trip to the WC. That's it. The rest of the time - eyes down, hands on belly, heart melting.

This pregnancy has been AMAZING. I think there are two types of pregnant women out there - those that really dislike being pregnant, and those that love it, and I have fallen into the second category (and I can say that confidently now that I'm well into my third trimester!) So to give you a glimpse into what I have been experiencing, I'll make a list (who doesn't like to make lists?) of the wonderful going-ons. Though some of them may seem like "cons", they are merely the facts of my experience (and though I love pregnancy, I'm not a saint, and I reserve the right to complain every once in awhile).

Wonderful happenings:

1. Movement - this is by far my most favorite thing about carrying a baby. My favorite TV shows, time for reading, chores around the house, etc. have all been replaced by my favorite new pasttime - watching my belly for entertainment. And now that I am this far along, it's fun to play, "Guess that body part!" and "Tickle" and "Tag" and all other weird one-sided games I have made up for myself and the unknowing participant, Baby Boy (who, by the way, I'm convinced is growing 18 arms and legs). If you could seriously observe me for one day, you'd think I was nuts. But I don't care - I'm having so much fun playing with him already!
2. Getting huge - I've always wanted a pregnant belly, and because of the stares and extra helpful/nice things strangers do, I can say it's officially large (official meaning it's no longer just my opinion.)
3. Daydreaming about being a mommy. Now that I'm just weeks away, it's getting real, folks!I can now envision this happening. And the biggest desire I have right now is to hold him. He's quite large in there, so I know he is huggable, but I must be patient and let him get just a bit chunkier.
4. Growing closer with Jimmy. Already, I'm so amazed at what a great dad he is. Seriously, I'm pretty sure he's gonna be award-winning. And it's just been so fun sharing this experience together. At first, it was a little awkward, as I asked, "Um, so do you like wanna talk/read/sing to my belly?" or "Feel here...feel that? No? Okay, what about now? No? Okay, what about now... no? What's wrong with you?! ... No, I can't stop breathing!!!" But now, I swear the boy starts going crazy when he hears his daddy's voice. And the kid's gonna love the fathers of Soul, because that's what his daddy loves to sing to him. (ughh...hang on ...continue to number 5 to see reason for delay). Okay, so it's totally inappropriate to sing Marvin Gaye's "Let's get it on" and Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" to a fetus, but it's feel good music to Jimmy, and well, please don't ask me to justify it - it's weird, I know, but just happened to be the music of choice, and it still melts my heart when he sings it. :) Anyway, I'm just so excited to start this chapter with Jimmy, and I think I'm gonna fall in love with him all over again...this whole other dimension to our relationship is starting to develop, and I'm pretty excited for it to continue.
5. Braxton Hicks contractions. To be discussed now as I have one at this very moment. Okay, maybe this is gonna be one of the points about which you ask, especially if you've experienced them before, why it's included in a list entited, "Wonderful happenings." I guess the positive spin is that they are my body's way of "practicing" the miracle of labor. That being said, yes, they are extremely annoying and uncomfortable.
6. Lack of sleep. Positive - I'm getting used to what life will be like for, um, the next 10 years? Oh, and I have the luxury of napping any time I want thanks to not having children already and being unemployed. More power to those who work and chase around kids in their third trimester!
7. No energy. I was kind of hoping the first trimester would be the only time in which I was drop-dead exhausted. Now I can't decide which trimester is worse. Even on the rare occassions where I get ten hours of sleep, I still could use a nap in the middle of the day, or I still just stare at the laundry basket of unfolded clothes as I lay on my bed. Every minute chore is a triathalon. And apparently I'm supposed to be in "Nesting Mode" right now. What's that? Is it when the mommy bird finds the nearest nest (because she's too tired to build her own) and just lays in it for days? Okay, sure, I'm nesting. Oh, Positive - ummmmm, I get to just sit on the couch and play more games with my belly?
8. Plugged ear - for those of you that know me really, really well, you know I have had a plethora of ear problems, from ruptures, to tubes, to weeds growing in them. Add pregnancy to the mix, and my right ear has replaced hearing with ringing once again. This time, I can't do anything about it. No meds, no vacuums, nothing. So for the next couple of months, expect to tell me a really great story or your biggest secret, only for me to reply with, "What?" Pro - well, I'll just say this, you know how you sometimes just want to tune people out? Yeah... Con - I'm pretty sure I am the loudest, most off-key singer in church these days.
9. Indigestion/Heartburn - I remember hearing nightmares about this from pregnant women, and up until a couple week's ago, I thought I had escaped it's wrath. Nope, just add me to the list of victims. Pro - I still eat whatever I damn well please. Tums rock.
10. Near-fainting - A day at the beach... sounds lovely, right? Unless you are seven months pregnant, that is. All was great until the walk to the car after being in the sun for two hours. Now I'm scared to go on what used to be my 40 minute-walk outside. Pro - being taken care of - not in the selfish, spoiled kind of way, but in the way in which you are reminded that people do care and want to look out after you.
11. Constant worrying. This, I've heard, starts here and ends ... well, never. Pro - I'm just so happy I have a little one to worry over, and also a husband who can help remind me when I am being way too overprotective.

Okay, so yeah, I may have prefaced this list by giving you a false notion that it was going to be about all the wonderful things about pregnancy. Don't worry, I HAVE noticed the negatives. And, yes, as a former Reading teacher required to teach children what a Main Idea is, it does bug me that the title and content aren't really appropriate for one another. But, I mean, really, there is ONE pro about being pregnant - creating a human being! So while the list may include more not-so-wonderful happenings, it's quality of the pros versus the quanity of the cons in this scenario. The pros will always win.

Final thoughts: I'm so excited for our little guy to be here in a few weeks. But I am worried about something - I've had him all to myself for the past eight months, and I feel like we have such a strong bond already! Now I have to share him?! Jimmy is only hoping that I will be exhausted so that he can pry him out of my arms. ;) I will try to update again before the little man arrives, but in case I don't, please send lots of good thought and prayers our way. We really appreciate it, as we want to have a healthy and safe delivery for both Mommy and Baby, and emotional strength for Daddy ;)

Til next time!