On Tuesday August 18th, I had contractions all day that were 3-5 minutes apart. They were not painful, only uncomfortable, and in fact I only started timing them because I noticed I was having quite a few. I tried taking a bath but the contractions persisted. I tried resting, but they continued. I tried walking, yet the contractions did not wane. I took Ella to my mom's for a sleepover because I had a doctor's appointment the next day and did not want to take her with me. When I got there my mom told me to call my doctor but by that point it was close to 5 o'clock and no one answered. since my contractions were not painful I didn't think I needed to go to the hospital.
I went to bed that evening around 11 pm thinking that I would probably be admitted to the hospital the following day. I was right, just not in the way I thought! I slept very restlessly and at 1:45 am I got up to use the restroom. At that time I knew something wasn't right. I told Tyler we needed to go to the hospital. I'm very much a planner so we had hospital bags for the two of us packed and ready to go in the car. The car seat was already installed and the baby's diaper bag was loaded in the car as well. It took Tyler and I about a minute or two to get dressed. By the time I got to the pickup I could barely walk! We live on a dirt road and by the time we got to the paved road, I was in excruciating pain. I knew I wasn't going to make it to Temple. (Back story: Due to Daisy's still birth and compications, I was seeing a Maternal/Fetal Medicine specialist in Temple which is an hour and 45 minutes from my house.) I called the hospital in Lampasas (the nearest hospital) and asked for their labor and delivery department. They informed me that they do not have one and do not deliver babies. I hung up the phone and then had another contraction. I handed the phone to Tyler, telling him that he needed to call them again and tell them that they would be delivering a baby that night! We made it to Lampasas in record time and they were waiting for us outside. Upon arrival I asked (begged!) for pain medication. The doctor checked me out and said no! I was already fully dilated and ready to go! They did not have an ultrasound machine or monitors. The only monitor we had was the doppler. They were not very experienced using it and it took forever for them to find my baby's heartbeat. It made me so anxious. I kept thinking...not again! I can't lose this baby! But alas they found his heartbeat and I could focus on the task at hand.As I labored I did not get much feedback from the doctor or nurses. Usually when you have a baby, they tell you when to push and for how long. They cheer you on. They encourage you. They tell you when the baby is crowning. None of this was relayed to me. I had to just totally rely on my body and my instincts. My labor was quick and I'm so glad because it was by far the most painful experience of my life. I still can't even believe that I did that! It's hard to believe that I am capable of something like that.
My baby boy was born on August 19th at 3:15 am, just an hour and a half from the time I woke up. His umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck twice. I was scared but the doctor quickly unraveled it and all was well with my son. The best thing about giving birth is that moment when the baby comes out. Not only are you filled with euphoria from the experience of seeing your child for the first time, but you feel instant relief from the pain. It is not a gradual release of pain. It is there at its peak and then gone suddenly. It's amazing!
Jaxon Tel Owen weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. He was beautiful and perfect and snuggly from the start. We were put in an ambulance and sent to Temple and then came home the next day.
Jaxon is now 3 weeks old and a momma's boy! His likes to NURSE, look at mom's face, listen to Ella sing, get his feet rubbed, be swaddled, and sleep in his wrap. He does not like having dirty diapers or sitting in his bouncer. He weighs 10 pounds 8 ounces already and sleeps 3 hours at a time at night (usually.) My boy could not be more loved.
