Baby Hoogenbooms here to Stay

Owen Vincent

Hoogenboom

03/22/2007 - 12:16 p.m.

The story: Julie was at 38 weeks, at her weekly doctors appointment. Her blood pressure was too high at the checkup and the midwife decided that it was time to induce labor. She called me and we met at the hospital around noon. Something happened after the checkup that set her off into natural labor, it was the fact that she was told they were going to induce labor! After a few hours, her blood pressure slowly came down and her contractions began to get weaker. They speculated about possible hospital release. However, because we were dealing with the risk of pre-eclampsia the midwife prescribed a IV with a low dosage of pitocin (which induces the labor process), this was around 8:30 p.m. After this excitement, things settled down a little and we actually managed to get some rest this was at midnight. At 3 a.m., the contractions became really intense and irregular in timing, 2 minutes apart and about 10 minutes long. At 5:30 the pitocin and IV were removed all together and we were back into a more consistent natural labor, like 3 minutes apart and about 60 seconds long, still relatively tolerable. As the contractions grew closer together and more powerful, at 10:20 a.m., the midwife decided to break her water and the real labor began! After trying some different positions, we got her into the whirlpool at 11. Screaming, swearing, grunting, and splashing ensued, all of the typical kind of emotions you would expect from the labor process. My Mom and brother were in the hallway pacing around, because Julie was stressing everyone out. Our suite was directly across the waiting room and there 8 people in there and everybody was concerned, but the nurse reassured them that Julie was just singing her birthing song. Which in retrospect, I think needed an explicit lyrics label! She eventually got this strange focused look and maintained her breathing and pushing perfectly and at 12:16 p.m. delivered the baby. I got to cut the cord, and everything went perfectly. They handed Julie the baby immediately, she was so happy and content at that point, we didn't even know the sex yet! Finally the nurse moved the leg around and we discovered it's a boy! This whole experience was very emotional and exciting all at once. Julie did an awesome job, all natural with no painkillers. The numbers: Weight 7lbs 13oz Length: 20" Head: 14in

Story Written by Daddy Hoogenboom