the hodges family: Grant Michael Hodges

Time to catch up on Grant's birth story and pictures! He was due on January 18th and on January 14th I went into labor. I was actually trying to remind myself of what "real" contractions felt like as opposed to the braxton hicks I had been having periodically. Then this certain Monday, I was reminded oh so certainly of what the "real" ones felt like when they started coming. haha! I still went into work that day as they were so few and far between, but we knew it was going to be that evening, or early the next morning when he came. So...we took all the kids to Mike and Pam's house and they stayed all evening with them. We hung out for a bit, timing contractions, watching the bachelor, enjoying our time, etc. then Brent and I headed home to get some rest before going into the hospital.

Around midnight that night my contractions were every 10 minutes but not very painful, just consistent. Being almost an hour from the hospital, and it being our fourth child and all...Brent was very concerned of us getting to the hospital in time. (mostly because his sister shannon had just had her sweet second baby girl in her bathroom on accident...just didn't get to the hospital in time) So he was basically waiting in the car for me as I was dragging my feet. I was trying to convince him we didn't need to go yet, I wasn't in pain, and the contractions were still far apart...but to ease his nerves, we went ahead and headed to the hospital.

Got all checked in, I was at a 5...still not in much pain, but was wondering why my contractions were still every 10 minutes. I assumed with it being our fourth that it would go much faster. Long story short...I ended up having about 12 hours of contractions every 10 minutes. WHAT? That seemed so strange. I was progressing, just slowly. So they broke my water around 6:30 in the morning and I thought for sure after that it would go much faster. I thought wrong. I hadn't gotten an epidural with Marli because I had so many issues with Cash being born so quickly, and after having time to really think about it...I preferred the way Marli's delivery felt as opposed to those with the drugs. So thinking that Grant would come even quicker I decided ahead of time to go epidural free. (all that being said, had I known how this delivery was going to go...I'm pretty sure I would've gotten an epidural LOL!)

So...water broken at 6:30am and I jokingly said to the nurse. "Well, maybe we'll have him by 1pm." COMPLETELY thinking I was being way ridiculous...he was born at 12:55pm. haha! So after they broke my water my contractions began coming much more regularly and harder...every five minutes or so. I started to be in some pain. But Brent was amazing and we were laughing our way through it thinking we probably didn't have much longer. I was starting to shun Eve and joke in between my contractions of how they hurt like heck and Brent was still able to make me laugh as well.

Well, once they break your water they don't check your progression too often for fear of infection, so they basically check every couples hours unless you have an undeniable readiness to push. Then they check because you're probably about there. LONG story short...every couple hours when they checked me I was only progressing by like 1/2 cm or 1cm each time. SERIOUS? All while contractions were getting harder and harder and closer and closer. Well, sometimes women get stuck in the 'transition' phase of the labor...the last few centimeters and that's what happened. From 7-10cm it took me five and a half hours. Through those five and a half hours my contractions sucked terribly and were every two minutes. I thought I was going to die. I felt I handled myself well until my dr. came in and was suggesting pitocin. I was smiling at her and calmly shaking my head, but in my mind was thinking...."THIS IS MY FOURTH KID! WHY are we talking about needing pitocin when I'm at 8 cm???!" but after she left, I lost it, and cried for a bit but then just decided to get the pitocin to kick things up a notch. I honestly wasn't sure how my contractions could hurt any worse, and they didn't because they were as bad as they could get. They were already so bad, I didn't even notice the difference the pitocin made. But not long after that it was time to push. Thank you, Jesus!

Well, after his massive head made an exit ;) everyone was cheering and encouraging me, etc. and in my mind, I had made it. I was thanking the Lord that it was over and I couldn't wait to rest. Well, my amazing dr. stood up off her stool and said, "Oh Jess, he's big. Oh Jess, he's big...we're going to need a few more pushes." At that point, I didn't know what to do. haha! Had I been thinking clearly I could've just pushed a couple more times and been done...which I eventually did, but I couldn't comprehend what that even meant because I was thinking, "what do you mean?? the rest of his body should just be coming out!!? I am all done...I can't do anything else!" but I mustered up enough energy to push a couple more times, with those pushes came some seriously loud screams (looking back that cracks Brent and I up) then he was born. To which followed me saying..."AAAH. I am so happy! This is the best day ever!!!! I am so happy this is THE best day ever! YOu guys are the best nurses, I have the best doctor, and Brent...you were amazing! This is the best day ever." My doctor and nurses were all laughing at me, but I was just so happy it was over. Grant was here, and he was perfect. Weighing in at 9 lbs. 2 oz...he was perfect. Our family is complete and we are so so blessed. Here are some pictures!

January 15th, 2013

The early stages...haha!