Dalinar Michael Johnson

So this may be redundant, since I texted the whole world last night, but I know there are people out there that don’t get picture texts, and also some that I missed (please forgive me, it was late and both of us were VERY tired), so here you go!

For those of you not in on all the drama, Kristin has been having Kidney problems over the last month, which were bad enough that she was in the hospital for a few days and had to have a nephrostomy tube placed through her back. We had to fly all the kids out west to stay with her family for the last month of pregnancy, so she wouldn’t have to take care of four kids and risk overdoing it. We decided to induce because this last week she started having pains in her other kidney, and we finally decided that this wasn’t really a low-risk pregnancy anymore. We had hoped to do an out-of-hospital birth at the birthing center in Delaware (about an hour away), since we’d had such a wonderful experience with Gavin’s birth at the birthing center in Georgia, so Kristin was really sad to see that wish go, but we both accepted that it was for the best. We didn’t want her to start having kidney pains while in labor and not have anyone nearby who could help.

So Thursday we started making calls to transfer care to a different midwife group - we spoke with the midwifes that had taken care of her last month when she was in the hospital, and they said they would be willing to take her (transferring to a new provider in your last week of pregnancy is frowned upon ;-). We were squeezed in for a last-minute appointment Thursday afternoon right as they were closing, and they scheduled the induction for the very next morning. We figured we would do it as soon as could be scheduled, because waiting would only risk kidney pain coming back. It has been very strange telling people “we’re going to be induced and have a baby tomorrow”, and having “congratulations!” as a response. :-) Typically we don’t know the baby is coming until Kristin is in labor, so informing people that we’re going to go have a baby was very odd and a little surreal.

I swear nothing ever happens quickly in hospitals. Kristin got to the Hospital yesterday morning at 7:30am to be induced. She was checked in and put in her room very quickly (before 8am), but then we had to wait around for two hours before they finally got her hooked up to the IV Pitocin. Most of that time was spent waiting alone in long-intervals in the room, in-between very short visits from the nurse, who would check her temperature and then ask a million questions, clicking away check-boxes in the computer to document that she hasn’t been depressed in the last three weeks and doesn’t feel threatened at home. Paperwork <sigh> - a necessary evil anywhere.

Once she was on the Pitocin, she started having mild to moderate contractions, and they slowly increased the dosing every 30-45 min. After about six hours, Kristin was still happy and kindof bored, waiting for real labor to start. We finally said, “heck with this!” and asked them to break her water, since that has always been what really got her going with all the other kids. After deciding to do that, it took them another hour before the midwife actually made it in to oblige. Once the water was broken, the real work began. Kristin was amazing to watch - I turned on light music and she meditated through most of the contractions. She really seemed almost asleep through most of it. I tried to give her light back-rubs and do anything I could to help her, but there’s only so much anyone can do to help. The nurse and the midwife had never seen anyone deliver a baby like Kristin. The midwife, 40 years old and 8-months pregnant with her first baby, openly laughed at Kristin when she said she didn’t want to be asked her pain scale and wouldn’t need an epidural unless there was kidney pain, saying “I’ll ask you again once you’re on the Pitocin.” I told Kristin later that she really needs to take the instructor course in Hypnobirthing, since it’s made such a difference in her life, and she could really help a lot of people with her knowledge and experiences.

The nurse and midwife came in a few times to ask how things were going. Kristin didn’t speak with them - I told them in a very quiet voice that everything was fine, trying hard not to break Kristin’s focus. It was frustrating, since it’s the hospital and they have to at least come in every so often and check her blood pressure and temperature. I joked with Kristin that while it’s pretty easily to determine whether to check the “dead” vs “alive” checkbox with a simple visual inspection, in the hospital it’s actually the “sick” vs “not-sick” checkbox that requires a little data. They came back every so-often to check that “not-sick” box, and I tried to help Kristin to stay focused through it, and kindof chased them away a little. I know they mean well. Two hours after her water was broken, the nurse happened to be in the room checking to see if Kristin needed anything. She had changed position several times, and at the moment she was on her side with one-leg up on a birthing ball. She was in the middle of a very strong contraction at the moment, so we waited for it to finish, and she said “he’s coming”. Neither of us had noticed that the baby’s head had come out. I saw first, and said, “Baby!” to the nurse, who totally freaked out. I caught little Dalinar Michael at 7:01pm, our smallest baby so far at 8 lbs 1 oz, 20 inches, and laid him on mommy’s chest. I’ve never caught any of my other kids, and it was a profound and incredible experience.

Mom and baby are just fine. There was no kidney pain. We both went to sleep exhausted last night. Dalinar has nursed and pooped, so all of his plumbing is working, and he seems happy and healthy.