CLARE ABIGAIL BECKMAN IS HERE! On Sunday morning Jenny woke up around 4am having back pain. I woke up at 5:20 hearing her making a groaning noise. I asked her if she was having contractions. She said yes. I scrambled around the apartment trying to find the stopwatch, some paper and a pen.
Jenny hopped in the shower and was really concerned it was false labor because she hadn't even felt the Braxton Hicks contractions at this point. Sure enough she was having them 4 minutes apart and they were lasting 40 some odd seconds a piece. I rinsed off and we headed off to the hospital. On the way, I called into work. Jenny was concerned that I used the excuse of labor too early and was worried she wouldn't have another contraction the whole ride there.
A minute later she had another contraction. We got up to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in like 40 minutes and went straight to the delivery room to tell the nurses what was going on. It was just a little before 7-am. The nurse checked Jenny and she was 3 cm dilated and 90% effaced.
There was a changing of shifts at 7 and our nurse came in. She asked if the doctor could break her water, but when Dr. Raphael came in, he found it was either thin or already broken. Within 2 hours Jenny went from 3 to 9 cm and wanted to push.
Shirley came in right when Jenny wanted to push so Jenny was told to wait 15 minutes. She started pushing after the epidural was in place.
She pushed for 2 and a half hours straight through 2-4 minute contractions with about the same amount of rest time. I tried talking about fond memories of Oahu to put her in a happy relaxing place. Eventually, just exhausted she asked for the doctors help while she kept pushing to get the baby's head into view.
She made just enough progress that the doctor was able to use the forceps instead of the vacuum. With one more contraction he pulled and brought her head into view. Just below the head was the umbilical cord so he quickly clamped and cut the cord to be safe in making sure the baby was okay. With one more push the baby was out and on Jenny's lap.
I was balling in amazement. The doctor had to then stitch Jenny up.
Jenny's aunts had actually told Jenny they thought it would be wonderful if Jenny had the baby on Sunday, in which she replied that she would see what she could do. Although I had Monday set in my mind of when it would all happen.
The nursing staff was phenomenal and helped Jenny get off to the right start. Clare Abigail Beckman was born on Sunday 4/13/08 at 12:23 in the afternoon. She weighed 7 lb. 3 oz. at birth. Her length was 18.75 inches long and her head was 13.5 inches around (the Beckman Head that I apologized to Jenny for... mine was 15 around) We came home today and Clare is changing every day and becoming a little more needy as well. She already has Daddy wrapped around her little finger. It will be hard to finish the next month of school with the little one on my mind, but hopefully I manage.
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Oh Bill....wonderful description. Of course we had heard it all, but still teared up. Shirl says Clare is already more expressive with eyes opened more. We love you 3 and are so happy things went so well and we were able to see you all
Carolyn & Mona |
ckhdpm@mac.com |
April 29, 2008