Jude's Life Story

We made it through our first night at home as a family, so its time to get down to the details as promised!

Where to start? On Tuesday, we went to the doctor for our 38 week appointment. This was the first time I was scheduled to be checked for dilation, and our doc found that I was about 3 cm. dilated and 90% effaced that morning. I'd been having increased Braxton-Hicks contractions for the past few days, and Tuesday afternoon I noticed them getting more regular and closer together. I told Ted about them when he came home from work on Tuesday night, but said they didn't hurt any more than the ones I'd been having for weeks and said it was probably nothing. So, we ate dinner and ran a few errands afterwards. We also took our "38 week pregnancy picture" seen above, only this turned out to be a picture of Jude about 8 hours before he was born! At 9:00pm we went to Starbucks and walked around Broad Ripple...Ted started timing how far apart my contractions were at that point as we walked, and we were a little surprised when we noticed they were about 6 or 7 minutes apart...because they weren't painful at that point. I've heard lots of stories about false labor and Ted and I were determined not to rush things or get overly excited at any sign of labor. I particularly wasn't convinced that night because my due date was still 2 weeks off.

Here's the silly part: we drove up to the hospital around 9:30pm because it was on my "to do" list for the week. I wanted to make sure we knew where to park when we went for the real deal, and take a peek at the labor and delivery rooms so I had an idea of what was to come. So we wandered in and talked to a few nurses, who showed us around and we chit-chatted about how I'd be back in a few weeks....WRONG!

We got in the car to drive home and in the 20 minutes it took to get there, my contractions went from slightly noticeable to completely miserable. Just like that. We stayed at the house for about 45 minutes, while Ted ran around and got our things packed. We jumped BACK in the car and sped BACK to the hospital an hour after we left. It would have been really funny if I weren't in labor, but I was and for anyone that's had kids, nothing is really that funny during labor, I learned! We checked in at midnight and I was 4 cm dilated. An hour later I was 7 cm. dilated, and another hour later I was 9 cm. dilated. My water still hadn't broken at that point, so the doctor broke it for me, I started pushing a few minutes later and Jude was born in 4 contractions, at 2:47am. It was an incredibly fast labor, and I was really lucky in that respect. Ted and I were hoping to have a natural birth, and I am so proud to say that we did! I had a lot of doubts about myself and I asked for an epidural not once, but twice! Ted was amazing...he knew I wanted to do the natural thing and he knew I said I might buckle, and he followed instructions and encouraged me through the worst of it. He did not have an easy job....I was having back labor and he told me later his hands almost fell off from rubbing my back so hard during contractions! It was the most incredible feeling in the world to experience that with Ted and little Jude, and it bonded our family very tangibly and immediately in a way I can't describe but will always relish.

My gestational diabetes is OVER and I have been showered with cheesecakes galore! I've been on a healthy diet of cheesecake a Coke for the past couple of days, and want to enjoy it for a bit longer before going back to normal. The sugar is helping me to stay awake and hang with Jude, so no complaints :) Ted and I are completely smitten and can't stop singing to him, no matter how hard we try! Charles Dickins said "It is no slight thing when those so fresh from God love us." I couldn't agree more:)

Come see us, stop by, call, whatever. Jude loves meeting Mommy and Daddy's friends and the rest of his family so feel free! We love you guys and can't thank you enough for your outpouring of love already.

Love,

Ted, Caroline, and Jude (the baby formerly known as Peanut)