Lyle Leslie Jackson

Before the details start slipping away I better write down Lyle's birth story.

My original plan for Lyle's birth was to go au natural. For no other reason than to say that I did it. I admire people who go natural. That's some serious hard and painful work. So I asked my friend Shelly who is a doula if she would help on this journey.

I was due Nov 28, 2014 and my 40 weeks came and went. This kid was content in there. At 39 weeks I fell down my stairs while taking a box to the storage room (I know smart, right?). We went to the hospital as a precaution and the fall didn't even so much as raise my blood pressure. We did a non-stress test and all was well. They sent me on my way home.

My doctor and I decided on a 41 week induction. There was no way I could have made it to 42 weeks. I was huge and miserable and suffering from symphysis pubic dysfunction since about week 16. My pubic bone had spread too much. This caused my pelvis to actually "pop" out of place and it hurt to walk, lay in bed, etc… at 36 weeks I caught bronchitis and when I coughed I could actually feel my pelvis moving. Popping in and out, it sucked.

Saturday Dec 6, 2014 was the day my induction was scheduled. My doctor, Dr. Parrett is amazing. She knew how much I wanted to have a natural birth and was so supportive of my decision even though we both thought an induction would be best.

I wasn't having so much as a contraction that day. We went in at 7:00am for them to start me on pitocin (the lowest dose possible) to see if my body would react. It started contractions but unfortunately nothing  worth having a baby over. Shelly showed up and we began dancing in my hospital room. We danced to Eminem, Taylor Swift and Meagan Trainor. And yet my contractions were nothing to write home about.

At 11:00 am Dr. Parrett came in to break my water. I was terrified to have my water broken for some reason it freaked me out. Luckily it wasn't bad at all. Afterward we started walking around the hospital and exploring every patient care room I could find. I snuck Lorna Doons out of the cabinets and would eat them in the empty hall ways.  Around 12:00 pm my nurse Andria asked me what i wanted to do. I could wait it out a little more and see if the pitocin they had given me would start working or they could up my pitocin again. I knew that my body wasn't going to do this on it's own. And I just wanted this little boy to get here. So i opted to have more pitocin. Figuring this was going to be it I sent Troy to go get some food. So Andria got me hooked back up to the IV and ran more pitocin. Finally my contractions started and boy did they ever! Shelly got me on the ball and rubbed my back with some oil. At this point they were strong but manageable. Once Troy got back from lunch they had really picked up. Also, can i interrupt to say that having a contraction when you need to go to the bathroom is miserable? A toilet is not my ideal place to be in incredible pain.

My contractions were about 3 min apart and felt like they lasted forever. Once my body took over and I no longer needed the pitocin my contractions seemed like they never stopped. The pain would peak and then ease up a bit but it never felt like I got a break. After 3 hours of pretty intense contractions that only seemed to be getting worse and absolutely zero change in my cervix… I waived the white flag and opted for the epidural. It wasn't an easy decision for me. In fact I cried when I told the nurse. I felt like I had let myself down but the pain was too much to bear. I don't know how people do it.

After the epidural I sent Shelly to get lunch and then my nurse Andria said she would wait about 20 min before inserting my catheter. By the time Andria came in to my room I could feel pressure in my butt. I remember telling Troy I felt like I just wanted to push this kid out, but since it hadn't been very long since they checked me to tell me that I was still at 4 I didn't think that baby was ready to come out. I told Andria the pressure. She inserted my catheter and then checked my cervix. I still remember our conversation after she checked me
"Well that's because his head is right here and you are at a 10!"
"Seriously????"

Andria paged Dr. Parrett and within 15 min or so I was prepped to start pushing.  I still remember how hard I pushed. I thought my eyes were going to burst from their sockets. I did not want to push for 2.5 hours like I had with Izzie. This wonderful little boy was out in about 5 or 6 pushes.

He came out and was perfect. No weird cone shaped head. He cried immediately and I breathed a sigh of relief. (Izzie went in to shock after birth and we had a very scary few minutes immediately after she was born trying to get her to breathe).

8 lbs 8oz
20 in

perfect kid.

His APGARS were near perfect. Our pediatrician was impressed! He lost nearly a pound of weight in the two days we were at the hospital. He got down to 7 lbs 9oz. So he had to go in to be weighed at 4 days old. He had gained about 2 oz so we were on the right track. And after making sure I nursed and nursed AND NURSED at his 2 week appointment he made his way to 9 lbs 3 oz.

honestly he is perfect. and i love to snuggle him. He is just who are family needed.

And those of you wondering about his name…

Lyle is after Troy's grandpa
Leslie is a huge family named for me. My great grandpa Franklin Leslie, my grandpa Leslie Franklin, my dad Kevin Leslie and me Leslie Ann… obviously :)