The Peanut Galleries: Peanut's Birth Story

Jack Bradley Farner

Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 2:29pm

8lbs, 8oz. / 20"L

Thanks to your Dad, who was keeping timed notes of the day, I am able to write this with a pretty clear timeline.

Wednesday evening (the 22nd), I started feeling cramps and soon after, started having contractions. The contractions were painful but nothing I couldn't breathe through. Wednesday night is a good one because all of our favorite shows are on TV (Survivor, Modern Family, Goldberg’s and Designated Survivor). Your Dad and I sat on the couch with the pups and watched, while timing my contractions at the same time. As the night went on the contractions became stronger and more regular. I was up all night with them while Dad tried to get some rest. I told him to be prepared-I knew this was it! Aunt Sheena was up on the East Coast and texted me around 3am west coast time. I told her I thought you were on your way and she wished us luck and asked we keep her posted. By 6:00am Thursday (3/23), the contractions were very strong, very regular and averaging 5 minutes apart I had even started throwing up. We called the doctor and were instructed to head to labor & delivery. We got our bags ready, showered and arrived at Saddleback Hospital in Laguna Hills around 7:00am.

Once at the hospital, we were taken to a room with multiple beds surrounded by curtains where they strapped monitors to my belly to confirm that my contractions were regular and that my heartbeat and your heartbeat were healthy and stable. They were! The nurse checked my dilation and I was only 2cm. She recommended I walk through the hospital for an hour to try and “bounce” you out. Your Dad and I walked the halls, stopping at the same few locations for me to hang to the wall bent over in pain to get through my contractions. After an hour, and another session of throwing up, the nurse checked me again for dilation. Again, I was still only at 2cm. An OB came in (not mine but she was very nice and the one who actually delivered you) and told us we could go home and deal with the contractions there or we could walk through the hospital again for another hour. Because we live just a few minutes away and because I did NOT want to have to walk the hospital again, we decided to come home. The doctor said with first pregnancies the dilation process from 2-10cm could take up to 24 hours and to get some rest but that we would probably be back before her shift was over. At 10:30am we headed home.

Your Dad tried very hard to keep my mind off the pain. By 11:45 I could hardly stand it and he called the hospital. The nurse on the phone explained to him that we were in the worst stages of the pre-labor process (she wasn't kidding) and that I should take a hot shower, try and eat something like cheese and crackers and take a Tylenol. We did not have cheese and crackers or Tylenol so Dad ran to the store to get some. When he came back, he tried to get me to eat-which I didn't want to do because I couldn't hold anything down. He tried to give me a back rub, except it didn't feel as good as it should have. I tried to take a shower and it wasn't as calming as I had hoped. I just wanted to focus on what my body needed to do. At 12:40pm my water broke and my stomach was already trying to push you out! I could not control it. We called the hospital again and they told us to come back ASAP. We arrived for a 2nd time at 1:00pm. By1:15 I was checked in and FULLY dilated! You were on your way!

The nurses and doctors couldn't believe that we were back so soon. ‘This never happens!’ they told us. We did not even have time to fill out paperwork and there was no time for an epidural, so we skipped it. Grandma Mary got to the hospital just as I had started to push and sat in the waiting room, ready to meet you! The nurses and Doctor Cough (was the OB’s name) were amazing. Your Dad was in charge of updating the family and giving me oxygen in between pushes. I was not aware of his timeline until today. At 2:29 in the afternoon with one final push, you were born. You weighed 8lbs, 8 oz and 20” long. You came out screaming and with a full head of fuzzy blonde hair. You are by far, the most beautiful thing I have ever created. Words cannot even describe the love that your Dad and I have for you. Today you are 1 week old. Time is already going by too quick.

Here are is your Dad's take on the day- He even included pictures!

7:12 am

Just got at the hospital. Your dad forgot everything he learned and we ended up checking in at the emergency room.

7:15am

Your mom got into a wheelchair and was pushed up to labor and delivery- I had to move the car. Ran back inside.

7:25am

Texted the parents and family to let everyone know you are on your way.

7:28am

I am pacing in front of the labor and delivery area as your mom gets checked in.

8:15am

You didn't want to come out yet. The nurses had told your mom and I to walk around until 9:15 to try to get you to come out.

8:45am

On our walk, your mom told me to get a coffee and breakfast. I didn't want to leave her. She made me. She kept walking. I went to the cafe and got this.

9:15am

We stopped walking. And they checked out your mom. They told us to keep waiting.

10:30am

Your mother has had many contractions and been in much pain, but they don't think you are ready to come out yet- so they sent us home 🙁

11:45am

Your mom is not feeling good. I called the Dr's office back- they explained to me that this is the worst part of the pre-labor process. They told me to get your mom to take a hot shower, take a Tylenol, give her a lower back rub, and make sure to eat something. They suggested cheese and crackers as mom probably had little appetite. We didn't have Tylenol or cheese at the house so I ran out to the store to get some.

12:15pm

I got back from the store & cut some cheese while your mom got out of the shower.

12:20pm

I gave your mom a back rub and a Tylenol. She didn't have any cheese and crackers.

12:40pm

Your mothers water broke, I called the Dr's office and they told us to come back in to the hospital.

1:00pm

We arrived back at the hospital.

1:15pm

Your mom got checked into the hospital and she was fully dilated- you were on your way!

2:29pm

With one final push, you were born.