Joel Franklin Orton

We had a big surprise Thursday night! Our little guy decided he wanted to get here. Joel Franklin was born at 9:03 and weighed 3 lbs. 2 oz and is 15 inches long. He's super duper tiny but such a cutie! He made quite the entrance in this world. Here's the story. It's very detailed for my history's sake.

Thursday day I felt absolutely fine. In fact, Joel and the kids spend the morning and part of the afternoon with me at the hospital, and I felt completely fine. They left because they had to pack for a one nighter camping trip with my parents down in Spanish Fork canyon. So, I went about my day as usual (a nap, reading, cross-stitching, T.V.).

Around 6:00 I started to feel uncomfortable but not in pain. I just thought I'd been in one position for too long. But as I ate my dinner it got worse (but I did not let it stop me from eating my chocolate cake!). I got in the shower hoping that would help. It did while I was in the shower but it didn't get rid of it. Finally around 8:00ish I called my nurse.



She started monitoring me, and it seemed like the contractions, which were ALL in my back (ouch!), got worse each time. She called my doctor. He talked to me on the phone and asked if this was it, and I said with tears, "I think so." He sent Labor and Delivery over to check me. I think this was around 8:15 and my contractions were starting to hurt worse and were getting much closer together. I was at a 4, so they quickly started wheeling me to where they'd prep me for my C-Section. I had to have a C-Section because the little guy was breech.

At this point it was very obvious I was having a baby. Remember how I said Joel went camping? I tried to call him, but he had no reception. I tried calling anyone in my family, but no one answered their phones, so I was getting very panicky and very upset and very scared that I'd be doing this alone. Adding those feelings to my already increasingly painful contractions made the pain much worse. I did get a hold of my sister-in-law Robin and she sent her husband to find Joel and she started heading up this way. So sweet! Thanks Robin!



By the time they got me to triage where they started quickly (not quick enough for me!) prepping me for surgery, I was in so much pain, and in just a few minutes I felt pressure starting, like I needed to push. I told the nurses this but they told me to not push, which was so hard. I was starting to have contractions within what seemed like seconds apart, and I was having a hard time working through them calmly, given the fact that I had no mental prep for a delivery like this and Joel was not there to support me. In short, I was terrified. At one point my hands went numb because I was breathing so hard and so fast. The nurses kept telling me I needed to calm down, which was so hard to do! I don't think they realized how ready I was to have this baby. I always wondered how I'd react to a labor pains this strong. Would I scream, moan, or breathe through it? Well, there was a whole lot of yelling. Later, after it was all over, my throat was a little sore.

Meanwhile in all this fun pain, they're poking me and doing all sorts of things to get me ready for surgery. I just kept thinking why they weren't moving faster and stopping my pain. My awesome nurse from anti-partum tracked down some Elders to give me a blessing. I've never been so irreverent during a blessing! I think God understood, though.



The pressure to push kept getting stronger, and finally they checked me again and realized I was ready to go. That's when I was finally ready to go to the C-Section room. I was so happy to see my Doctor's face, and as soon as I did I told him I couldn't not push. He just looked at me reassuringly and patted my leg, which was actually very comforting. He's a very calm man, and I needed that at that moment.



They finally got my epidural or spinal block going (I don't know which they ended up doing), but it still just seemed like everything was taking SO long! And during all this I was still thinking somehow I was still going to have a C-Section. I had to, my baby was breech! But I knew if that medicine didn't kick in soon I couldn't not push any longer, which added to my terror because babies are not supposed to come out that way!

Epidural/spinal block done, they got me on my back, and then I heard the most blessed word in the world, "PUSH!" If ever there was a word gift wrapped on topped with a bow it was that one. I gave one big push and he was out. First came a bum, then popped out his legs and then the rest. His head did get stuck for a second but not long. They whisked him away, of course, before I could look at him, but my doctor said he looked good. I can barely recall seeing in my peripheral a little purple, bloody thing. The whole process, from when I knew I was in labor until I had him was about 2 hours. So fast!



I've heard of the relief that comes as soon as that baby is out, and it was the most wonderful feeling in the world. My pain was completely gone, and they assured me my baby was looking good, so I was very good. The nurses said, "Well, you go your V-BAC!" My doctor could not have been more pleased with how that rapid, scary birth went. He told me I must have had guardian angels with me, and I think he was right.


After all this was done, we still hadn't tracked down Joel. So, the nurses called the Rangers and gave the info they needed to find him, somewhere in Spanish Fork canyon. They finally did. Joel saw the Sheriff pull up and had a feeling why he was there. He told him his wife was in labor, but then shortly after that he got new info and told Joel that he had a son. Joel sped back to Ogden pretty quick. Those of you who know him can guess how fast he drove home.

You can imagine how he feels about not being here, but honestly, even if he'd been home he might not have made it because when I started calling him it was 45 min. to an hour before I delivered. By the time he got kids taken care of and got down here, who knows if he'd made it. It was a relief to see him when he did make, but part of me is a little glad he didn't see me like I was. He would not have liked it one bit!



The whole thing feels like a dream. I still can't believe I did all that. Of course, I know I didn't do it by myself. I know I had a lot of unseen help. Three things happened that night I never in a million years thought I'd experience. 1) I delivered naturally 2) I delivered a breech baby 3) I did it without my husband by my side. I cannot describe how terrified I was at the thought of all three of those things. It was the most traumatic thing I've ever gone through, and I hope I will never have to do it again! I do feel a little foolish at how I handled it, though. I was pretty vocal and probably scared other laboring mothers half to death. I even apologized to the nurses afterward. I'm kind of embarrassed.



I got a nasty fever soon after the delivery (I've been fighting fevers ever since, which is why I'm still here at the hospital), but once that was gone they took me in to see my little guy. He was so small and helpless. I just stared and stared at him with tears in my eyes. I was glad to have him here but sad that he had to be in the NICU. But since that first night, he's doing awesome! Pretty much breathing on his own and handling my milk really well, and I've held him a bunch of times, which is the best thing in the world! We love him so much! I could stare at him all day, especially his little mouth. I'm in love with all the little faces he makes.

As scary as that night was for me, I have so much to be thankful for. My brother-in-law dropped everything to go find Joel, my sister-in-law started heading up this way to be with me, my awesome nurse Amanda stayed with me knowing I was alone and pushed on my back with each contraction, my brother came up (after I left him a message that scared him to death), it was a miraculously smooth delivery, my tiny baby is strong, my family and friends are so willing to help, and in addition to many other little things, I've learned so much and am going to be a stronger, better person.

There's a quote from an old T.V. show episode that I've thought a lot about. In the episode a woman delivered a breech baby, and the nurse choked out the words, "He came in the world backwards, but he landed on his feet."



P.S.
We're not sure if we want him to go by Joel or Franklin/Frankie. We love both names but aren't sure we want the confusion of two Joels. We'll decide soon.