Jake's Birth Story

Jake began to measure big towards the end of my pregnancy and it was decided that labor would be induced around 38 1/2 weeks to give me the best shot possible at a vaginal delivery.  We checked into the hospital at 5pm Monday, August 22.  At 6pm, they administered cervidil to prepare and soften my cervix for the induction the next morning.  At 6:30am Tuesday, August 23, they started the pitocin drip.  At 7am, the doctor came in and broke my water.  Almost immediately, the real contractions began.  At around 12:30, I got the epidural.  It allowed me to "enjoy" the day and visit with our families who were anxiously and patiently waiting for Jake's arrival.  Well, it turned out to be a very long day.  I was stuck at 4 cm for several hours and then at 7 cm for several more.  After failing to progress any further and my epidural stopping working, Dr. Lambert came in at around 10pm and said, "I think it's time to talk".  Jake was too big to drop down low enough to get me to dilate any further.  The chances of a vaginal delivery were slim and I had already been in labor for 16 hours.  We decided on a c-section.  After working for a while with the anesthesiologist to work through the issues with the epidural, surgery began.

last prego pic before leaving for hospital

Big Jake

Daddy and Jake

JAKE HOLBROOK ESTILL was born at 10:48pm.  He was 8lbs 10oz and 21 inches long.  BIG BOY!!  He was gorgeous!  I will never be able to put into words what I felt when they held him above the curtain to show him to me.  All I could think was "It's you, it's you, you sweet baby boy".  And then when I heard him cry, I just lost it.  I just cried right along with him (happy tears, of course).  I listened to John talk to him and heard him asking the nurses questions as they examined him.  I could hear the joy and pride in his voice and I will never forget it. 
During the entire procedure, a 90's music channel was playing in the operating room and, right when he was delivered, the song "Whoomp, There It Is" came on!  We ALL laughed.  HILARIOUS!
I could hear the nurses saying "Big boy!!!" and "look at all this hair!" and "look at his toes!!" and "no wonder she couldn't deliver him!" and "he's beautiful!"  They finally brought him to me to hold and it was incredible.  To finally be face to face with the little one who grew inside me for all those months and who had listened to me sing and read and talk to him, who I had felt move, kick, and squirm is indescribable. 
He is the happy, healthy baby boy for whom we prayed and we could not be more grateful to God. 

Our family

We love him more and more every day.  And so the next chapter of this journey begins...