Baby Dylan's birthday story is quite a whirlwind, but simply can be described as "eager" as he decided to have a quick and speedy grand entrance into this world.
Dylan James Cox was born at 5:44pm on October 14th, 2009. He was born right on the 37 week mark and weighed a healthy 5lbs 13.7 oz, 19 inches long. His apgar score was a respectable 9/9, which we were elated to hear as he was 3 weeks early.
Here is a time line of the series of events that occurred leading up to his arrival:
Tuesday October 13th:
6:00pm: I meet Matt at Cedar's Sinai for Infant CPR class. On my way, I start to get "cramps" but don't really read into it. Despite these cramps coming and going every half hour, I consider them asymptomatic of getting close to delivering this baby.
6:30pm: my cramps are easily distracted as I have Tom Morelo, lead singer of Rage Against the Machine, sitting in front of me, practicing CPR on our infant dummies and counting out loud with his deep radio voice.
Wednesday October 14th:
3:00am: My cramps start to get even more painful...still a half hour apart, but they are more intense. The pain kept me up between the hours of 3-5am, but simultaneously, our fire alarm is blaring outside for a good hour - not one neighbor is concerned aside from us...
again I don't really read into my 'cramps'
7:00am: as I get dressed for work, I am hunched over my vanity putting my make-up debating whether or not my cramps were in fact contractions. I opened up my labor packet from our birthing classes and read that the early stages of labor details contractions last 20-60 seconds and on average 20-30 min apart...I questioned whether or not I was being really wimpy about my pain and sack up and go to work - I figure I had my weekly check up with Dr. Walden today she can tell me what is going on, and possibly give me something for my pain.
9:00am: I arrive at work and ask my co-worker Diana what contractions feel like. She explains to me that it feels like a "you have to go poop stomach cramp"...the debate in my head continues. I also call Dr. Walden's office to talk to them about my symptoms, and they ask how far apart my cramps were and that I should eat breakfast and do a kick count - nonetheless, I would see them in a few hours and they would check me out then.
9:15am: I receive Baby Center's Weekly email. My "37 week" email talking about Braxton Hicks and false labor pains - I am quick to diagnose myself a wimp and what I was experiencing was totally false labor.
The hours between 10am-1pm: my cramps start to intensify and are about 20 minutes apart. The pain is so bad I toggle between standing keeled over my desk trying to concentrate on my work, walking off my pain, and sitting down in my chair taking deep breaths in and out. I realize at this time, something is not right and consider leaving early to get into the doctor's office sooner rather than later. I messenger Matt back and forth about my pain...specifically talking about if this weren't labor, I am afraid to see what actual labor feels like because if this was 1/100th of what was to come in labor, I am royally "____".
LABOR BEGINS:
2:00pm: I go home, walk Parker in the rain, and take a shower...the pain is really bad and I can barely walk the dog and speak w/out baded breath...I have a pep talk w/ Parker saying I'll see him in an hour and hope these weren't my last moments w/ him as an only child..I pass my hospital bag on the way out and debate, do I take that with my now just in case? I don't.
Traffic is horrendous to Cedar's Sinai (where my doctor's office is located) due to a rainy day in los angeles (la drivers don't know how to drive in the rain) and my horrendous pain is coming and going 15 minutes apart - I accept now I am in labor and do my breathing exercises in the car.
3:00pm: I see Dr. Walden and Leslie her nurse. I tell them both I am in utter pain and they ask if I drove myself there and if I had packed my bag...I reply my husband can pick up my bag if necessary, but don't scare me! They both look at me knowing that my chances of giving birth today were fairly high.
ACTIVE LABOR
3:30pm: as I sit on the examine chair undressed from the waste down, my contractions start to get a bit unbearable - as I breathe through a doozy contraction, my water breaks...EVERYWHERE. all over the floor, all over the chair. I pop my head out the door and tell Leslie "My water just broke" . She comes in to help me as I leak all over the place gushing fluids, I am mortified at this point. She calls Dr. Walden in to let her know, and she comes in and says "looks like we are delivering today, I better cancel my dinner plans tonight"...I grab stacks of tissue paper that they use for exams and shove them in between my legs, but still doesn't absorb the amount of fluids leaking out of my body.
I call Matt to let him know that my water broke, and he needs to meet me at the hospital, but to take his time because it was rainy outside and to not panic.
3:45pm: Dr. Walden examines me and she tells me I am 4cm dialated. She gives me hospital orders and they wheel me across the bridge to the hospital.
4:00pm: Nora, my L&D nurse, who was so sweet and nice brings me to my LDR room #10...my contractions are UNBEARABLE at this moment and I immediately ask for the epidural. However she can't give it to me because she still needed to admit my paperwork and give me an IV. I ask her again 5 minutes later, pleading that I am in a lot of pain, and to please give me the epidural. I think at this time she felt terrible for me and finds the anesthesiologist to please do her this one favor and give me the drugs.
4:00-5:00pm: this hour is a bit blurry but I have flashes of a "newbie" female doctor w/ a british accent administering the epidural (guided by the head anesthesiologist who jokes w/ me, "are you sure you don't want to do this naturally?), Nora trying to position me correctly and holding my hand, Matt texting me as he is stuck in traffic and UTTERLY, UNBEARABLE, PAIN as I am hugging a pillow breathing deeply and begging quietly "just stab me with that large needle NOW". These contractions were very painful - but it's no wonder, Nora checked me and I was 10 cm dialated.
5:10pm: Matt walks in and I start bawling, I was relieved to see him. The epidural finally kicks in after 3 torturous contractions and my legs are shaking convulsively - I also have the biggest sensation of having to "poo" - the anesthesiologist explains to me that this is the baby coming down the birth canal.
5:20pm: Le - tisha ( a very large Queen Latifah resembling L&D nurse) barges in, tells me to turn over gives me an oxygen mask and tells me I am having a huge contraction and the baby's heart beat is dropping. She checks me and can see that "he has hair on his head" and has me start pushing and to "bear down". A bit concerned because Dr. Walden has not arrived yet.
5:30pm: Dr. Walden enters and tells us this baby is coming out now as she can see his head.
5:30-5:44pm She gears up for delivery and has me "bear down" 8 times as Matt helps me hold my legs and Dylan James Cox arrives to this world. Dr. Walden lays our beautiful and adorable blue but quickly turning pinkish baby on me as Matt and I admire him and his large feet :) ... and conversations strike "can you believe we have a baby?"
Dr. Walden comments of a record time delivery. I give a special nod to pilates and walking throughout my pregnancy for this.
Like millions of other parents in this world, this was obviously one of the happiest moments I can record in my life. The whole labor experience was so quick - and it is without said, I am very fortunate to have a fast and efficient delivery. I hope to detail more on Baby Dylan's early life in a few days and pictures will be posted soon.
Love,
Gemma, Matt, Dylan, Parker, and Bubba
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