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Stories JENNIFER JILL'S BIRTH: All day Friday (Jan. 25), Jill felt "something"..... Since we were more than 2 weeks from the due date, we weren't too concerned. We thought they might be Braxton-Hicks (practice) contractions. This would have been consistent with what we read to expect. HOWEVER...... at about 4:30 PM, Jill started to feel stronger movement. She still wasn't convinced that they were contractions, because they weren't very strong and they weren't consistent. We couldn't get a bearing on their length or frequency! At 5:20, Jill had the strongest contraction yet BY FAR. It actually forced her to stop talking and grab the wall. This contraction was accompanied by a rush of water. HER WATER HAD BROKEN. NOW WE'RE TALKING BUSINESS!! At this point, I start racing around the house, gathering the last things we may need because we're heading out. Just before we left, I called ahead to the hospital because I was pretty excited. Jill's contractions were now one on top of the other, and very severe. She was beginning to sweat a bit, and was concentrating and very serious. I had a feeling that it was not going to be long. I spoke to the nurse in the maternity ward and told her that we were heading in. "Water's broken - contractions one on top of the other." The nurse didn't seem like she was very impressed! She asked if it was our 1st baby (yes), so rather non-challantly said "we'll see you when you get here." We got in the car. At this point it gets a little ironic. OF COURSE, we're almost out of gas! 18 days early folks! I wasn't prepared to do this today! We weren't close enough that we were worried, but when the "low fuel" light came on accompanied by that beep, Jill and I both had to laugh. Just to make it more fun, snow started to fall pretty hard, we seemed to be behind the world's SLOWEST drivers, and we got EVERY red light. EVENTUALLY though, we made it. We pulled up to the ER like instructed, and there's no one there who has any idea that we were coming! That nurse who said "we'll see you when you get here" hadn't alerted ANYONE. She just assumed we were another 1st baby couple who would arrive and have 20+ hours before baby would appear. So.... I left Jill in the car and rustled up some folks. We got her in the wheelchair and rolled on to the maternity ward. Against the objection of the security dudes, I just left my car in the turn around right in front of the ER doors. "Tow it if you want." When we got to maternity, Jill is now not talking again. The contractions have only gotten stronger, and she can't talk much at all. She's just concentrating on relaxing, and going with what her body needs. At about 6:15, the nurses get around to check Jill's dilation and effacement. I'll never forget the look on the nurse's face and the reaction of those around her when she said, "You're 100% effaced and between 8 and 9 centimeters!" IMMEDIATELY, it seemed that there were 500 nurses in the room. In seconds, masks were on, sterile objects prepared, and the baby heater was warming up! I heard a nurse yell down the hall, "Get Jill's doctor here NOW" and a different nurse told me that if I planned on using a camera - I'd better get it ready! The next hour was a blur of emotion watching Jill. Excitement for the coming baby, and thrill and fear for the work Jill was doing. I reminded her of our relaxation practice, and kept her informed of the progress of the baby. The nurses were wonderful and supportive, and all were AMAZED at the skill and determination with which Jill was performing. The pressure of the contractions were now incredible, and Jill was almost in a trance. Breathing through the pressure and trying to rest whenever possible, there was never any doubt that she was going to do it. Jennifer arrived at 7:34. 3 hours and 4 minutes earlier Jill and I had been on the phone making dinner plans and discussing what we thought might be going on with the baby. She had taught school all day, and taught a group fitness class at ISU the night before! The doctor brought the baby straight to Jill's stomach and, after a bit of time, I cut the chord. The nurses were again good and thoughtful, and the baby remained with Jill and I right there for more than 2 hours. She was perfect. She scored a 9 out of 10 in APGAR, and like crazy parents, Jill and I wanted to know "why not 10?!?" (she wasn't PINK enough!) Jill had a glass of orange juice and it was time to move to our "recovery room". The nurses brought a wheelchair, but Jill asked if she could walk. The look on the nurses faces couldn't have been more shocked if Jill has asked to ride a uni-cycle through the hospital!! As we walked the 200 yds or so to our room, nurses stopped and stared! As we came to our room, the same nurse with whom I'd spoken on the phone found us to apologize. She asked Jill, "Did someone forget to tell you that having a baby was supposed to take a LONG time and that you're supposed to feel TERRIBLE afterwards!" I guess they did!!
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