The Birth of Jaxton Cole Alexander Greene

On Sunday, July 2nd, I woke up with contractions. It was kind of annoying because this was the 3rd Sunday in a row that I woke up with contractions and that meant another church service being extremely uncomfortable. 

After church me and Cole dropped off the kids at my dad and step moms house so I could go walk for a bit and see if it helped things get stronger because I just had a feeling. But we went to target and it was too much stopping to get things going. After we picked up the kids we went home, got them in bed, and me and Cole walked about two miles. When we were almost done walking I could tell that his head was way lower because every time I’d have a contraction it felt like I had a bulge in my vagina. 

I had contractions all Sunday night that woke me up several times. I finally got out of bed at 6am Monday morning to go pee and had some pink spotting. Contractions started getting stronger where I would have to stop. I told Cole and my mom that this might be it. So I did some laundry and packed our hospital bags, which I hadn’t got to yet because I was only 36 weeks and 6 days pregnant and I never went into labor with my other two pregnancies. 

As the morning went by contractions were getting stronger and closer and I was still spotting. I got in the shower to see if that would help and it didn’t change anything. I called my OB office around lunch and they told me to get to the hospital as soon as possible. 

I got to the hospital around 2:30pm. I got into a bed at 3pm and when the on call OB checked me I was 3cm and 90% effaced and was having contractions 3-4 minutes apart. They had me walk for 2 hours to see if I would progress. 

I was checked again at 5pm after 2 hours of walking and contractions getting stronger and closer and was “a good 4cm” dilated and still 90% effaced. 

I was admitted to Labor & Delivery about 20 minutes later. I was put on IV antibiotics because I hadn’t had my gbs test yet and got fluids because baby’s heart rate would go up really high during some contractions. The fluids really helped chill him out. 

Around 6pm my OB, Dr. Cummings, came in and checked me. He said that saying I was 4cm would be very generous and he wouldn’t say 4. So I had a banana milkshake because I was starving, did more walking, got in the shower to help relax myself, bounced on a yoga ball, leaned on the bed, and did some squatting. 

Dr. Cummings came back in at 11pm. No progress. Just 4cm. Contractions about 2 minutes apart. So I had him break my waters. He said he would be back around 3am. 

Holy crap. I didn’t realize how having my waters broken would bring on contractions so much stronger. It was instant. And no amount of reading or what anyone tells you will EVER prepare you for how bad those contractions hurt. 

They wanted me to walk around more, but I wanted to lay there for a few to relax. Relaxing didn’t last very long though and I didn’t feel comfortable walking out of my room because I was moaning during contractions. 

Contractions starting getting really strong around 1am and I was wanting pain medicine just to take off the edge. Cole and my mom were both telling me no though because I had told them before that if I start asking, don’t let me have them. 

2am came by and I was in an unbelievable and unbearable amount of pain. I felt like I was being tortured. I was yelling and crying out that I needed something for the pain because I couldn’t loosen up or focus during the contractions and I thought I was going to stop myself from progressing. 

My nurse checked me between 2am and 2:30am and I was 6cm. All I could think about was that this was going to last for hours and I wouldn’t have the energy to get through. I even asked for an epidural because at that point I didn’t care what my goal was. I wanted relief. Everyone was telling me that I could do it and Cole was getting so emotional because he knew I was in so much pain, but he kept reminding me of how disappointed I would be in myself if I didn’t go through with it. I told him I didn’t care anymore. Everyone said just to wait for my doctor to come back in because it wasn’t that long and I’ve already made it this far. 

At about 3am my body was starting to push here and there on its own and I kept feeling like I was going to throw up. I was trying to take my mind to a different place, I tried opening my eyes and focusing on the pattern in my pillow, I tried listening to my mom and Cole, but I just couldn’t stop. I was rocking and swaying and moaning during contractions and laying down for a few seconds in between to try and rest. When my body would start pushing I felt like I was roaring like a lion. I yelled out that I was pushing and everyone told me to stop. But I couldn’t stop. It was just happening. 

Dr. Cummings came in at about 3:15 and checked me. I was 9cm and fully effaced. I wasn’t even happy. I didn’t even have any thoughts. I was just done. He kept his hand there and said that at the next contraction we would decide what to do. Next contraction I was at 10cm and my body was still pushing on its own. It was time to get baby out. 

The bed got broken down and nurses started filling up the room. I couldn’t stop moving my legs and I couldn’t focus at all. I was in so much pain. 

Dr. Cummings said, “We’re going to have a baby, but I need you to get him out.” He told me to hold back my legs with my hands and when I had a contraction to hold my breath and push. So I did just that while roaring like a wild animal. 

On July 4th at 3:23am, after 6 pushes, Jaxton Cole Alexander Greene came into this world weighing 6 pounds 14 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long. 100% perfection.

I finally got my natural VBA2C and couldn’t be any more thankful for my OB who trusted and believed in my body’s ability to birth naturally. But I’m most thankful for Cole staying by my side this whole pregnancy and birth encouraging me, loving me, and for giving me the privilege of watching him fall in love for the very first time. 

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