Born 6:52 am 9/30/11, 8lbs 3oz, 22 inches long

What a big boy! Well...his head was anyway (14cm). Jonny Fox Boehm was born 7 weeks ago and I am just now writing about it. I guess you could say I've been busy.


7 weeks earlier....
9/29/11
9:30 am, was in triage with cramping/labor...dilated to 2 cm.
3:00 pm, admitted into the hospital, was not leaving without a baby!
3:30 pm, nurses kept poking me to start an IV...the most painful experience I can remember. They finally brought in the guy that later did my epidural. I had bruises all over my hands and arms for weeks.
4:00 pm, started pitocin (to produce stronger contractions)
6:00 pm, got an epidural (didn't work the way it was supposed to)
8:00 pm, 4 cm and "relaxing" with Jonathon
9:00 pm, water broke (heard and felt it pop, so weird!)
9/30/11
2:00 am, started pushing. This hurt a great deal and I had to stop at least 4 times for puking episodes (which I was afraid was going to happen).
4:00 am, stopped pushing and rested
4:45 am, started pushing again. No progress. I was fully dilated and Jonny was low...but his head just wouldn't fit through my pelvis.
6:30-ish am, was taken to get a c-section.
6:52 am, I heard the first cries of little Jonny Boehm. It was quite an experience!

The whole time Jonathon was by my side...he held one leg while I pushed, held my hair and bucket while I got sick., and held my hand while I was cut open. I was so embarrassed and knew that it had to be awful to be in his situation - though maybe not as bad as mine. Considering it was a 24 hour labor and delivered so early, we did not have visitors until after he was born. Most of me is ok with that, but a little part of me wishes someone else were there....not sure who, just someone. Nobody could have known that though, because I told them all they didn't need to visit. I didn't want them to sit around and be bored. I had no lack of visitors for the following few days, though.

I don't think I have ever been more tired in my life. I could have fallen asleep at the drop of a pin! With the long labor, visitors, constant nurses, and now a newborn in the room....there was not much sleep to be had. I tried breastfeeding, but I just knew he wasn't getting enough food (though everyone said he was). By the time we left the hospital I was supplementing with formula...which I know is common. Jonny had to go to his dr the day after we were released from the hospital...mostly because he had lost over a pound and they wanted to check his bilirubin again (we had to use the bili-blanket in the hospital because of jaundice). I was told to supplement even more. I used a bottle to feed him the formula since it was so much, that was a bad idea. He took right to it, and no longer wanted me. So I tried to pump and feed him that through a bottle...but I wasn't getting enough. This was a very emotional time anyway, and I took it as him rejecting me.....rationally I know it wasn't personal, but it felt like it was. This was all in the first week home...STRESS! I had never been around babies, so I was (am) constantly learning.

He's constantly growing and changing. It's pretty amazing! He is adorable, I couldn't have asked for a cuter baby. He looks mostly like Jonathon, but he has my eyes. :) I haven't stopped worrying about him since I heard his first cry. I worry about his head getting flat (I bought a special pillow, seems to help). I worry about him spitting up a lot. I worry about him being gassy and in pain. I worry about him eating enough. I worry when he coughs. I worry, worry, worry. Even when his daddy is here watching him so I can have a few minutes....I worry. I wonder if a parent ever stops worrying?