JUDAH GABRIEL ESPARZA

March 10, 2006 8.6 pounds 18.75 inches

I have no idea how Christa posted so soon after the birth of baby Tyler. What a woman! I've finally sat down because I have a few moments (and care enough) to give a brief synopsis of Judah's birth day and post some pictures.

I woke up March 10 at 2:30 am with a pretty powerful contraction that made Judah kick. I laid there for a while and had three more contractions, then deciding it was best to wake Matt and Autumn up to help me time the contractions. In about 2 hours they were powerful and close enough to get to the hospital.

Once at the hospital, I was checked and immediately admitted because I was 3 cm and 60% effaced with good contractions. I labored in the labor/delivery room until around noon with the contractions getting stronger but not necessarily patterned. Around noon, Dr. Goodwein decided it would be best to start me on pitocin to try and make the contractions stronger and set in a pattern. I had not progressed very far in dialation/effacement, and stronger patterned contractions help that along. So in the pitocin went, and a couple hours later or so...in the pain killers went. All I could think during several pitocin contractions was, "Dr. G is a liar!" He said induced labors are no harder than non-induced ones. Liar. It hurt. But I was told by several medical personell and family that my labor was indeed harder than normal labors. We found out later this is because of the way Judah's head was positioned. It was creating both front and back contractions as well as LOTS of pressure in the birth canal region. Those three fierce pains when they happened together were impossible to relax and breath through. Because I could not relax through them, it was causing my cervix to swell a little and I actually started de-dilating. Hence the pain killers.

Note: God gave man intelligence and has allowed us to discover medication. Use it! I was a DIFFERENT woman within a minute the shot went into my back. I was smiling, talking, even laughing. I told Dr. Sugar, the anesthesiologist, that his last name fit him well. :-)

After a while, Dr. G came back and checked me and still no progress. He had a c-section to do and would be back in an hour to either see progression or decide on a c-section for me. The drugs were wearing off. The pain was returning. I was ready to be done. It had been about 13 hours. Thoughts of a c-section were actually appealing, by God's grace. That 45 minutes Dr. G was gone went SLOWLY. After five minutes, I was praying he'd come back sooner. When he did return, he checked me and still no progress and he knew that Judah's head was preventing him from coming out that way. C-section was immediately and quietly decided. What did I do? I started crying. Why? Out of pure relief...and so did everyone else. Gosh, I'm getting teary just remembering it. So they stopped my pitocin IV to let the contractions wear off and started prepping me for surgery. Matt donned the adorable scrub garb while Autumn, my mom, and Nonie stood around my bed holding my hands and just touching me. (Autumn's hands were AMAZINGLY cool and comforting!) Then Matt came to the bed and we all prayed. I was able to talk to Jaclyn and Gramps VERY briefly before they wheeled me out.

The c-section was actually "fun." Dr. Sugar was there again to numb me up. Dr. G was there and all the other assistants. We were all quite jovial and relaxed. It was quite a unique experience. Matt was able to watch almost all of the section and said it was very weird to see his wife that way. I could feel NOTHING except occasional pressure. A very weird thing -- to know what a c-section looks like and know it's being done to you but not feel a thing. While they were sewing me up, Matt was with the baby nurse while Judah was being cleaned up. I told Dr. Sugar lots of women must love him, and Dr. G and his assistant chatted about raising various breeds of dogs. Very relaxed atmosphere. :-) Then off to recovery for about an hour when I was able to nurse Judah for the first time. Then off to our hospital room.

And that's the story in short. :-) God proved once again to be the strength and Sustainer of everyone there...for me, for Matt, for family. He orchestrated everything perfectly. I know in my heart this was the story He wrote specifically for little Judah and the beginning of our family. I have no regrets about requesting pain killers nor of having to have a c-section. It is how it should have been. It has been encouraging to hear things like a nurse saying I went way longer without drugs than most women. So I did my best, but I am grateful everyone else (not just me) knew I NEEDED the drugs. And I have to say, once I was in the operating room, it did not even seem like I had been in the hospital for 14 hours of hard labor. God is gracious to wipe the pain memory from women's minds.

I was able to come home on Monday, and again many of the nurses told me I was doing excellently post-section. I felt "great." Anything was better than having those contractions. Not to scare you ladies who haven't had babies yet. Remember, I had a harder labor than most because of Judah's position. Even Dr. G said once he had cut me open he knew there was NO way Judah was coming out any other way but c-section. Things have been going well at home, the hardest adjustment being nursing. Wow. Talk about learning patience and self-sacrifice. I think we are on the upside of learning to work together and the feedings are becoming easier. Goodness! Last night he fed only ONCE allowing Matt and I to sleep for two goooood chunks of time. I hope he does it again tonight, but I must stay flexible! Judah's first appointment was today and he is the picture of health.

Praise God with us!

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