One week ago tonight
We were on our way to the hospital...for the third time in 6 days.
I'm really crappy at deciding when I'm in labor.
Dylan had started to make major movements towards appearing one week before he was born, with full on contractions and the appearance of bloody show. We visited the hospital to be told, nope, not yet, but probably really soon! Then, every thing went quiet for a day or two, and it would start back up again! By the following Wednesday, I was having regular contractions and back pain that came in waves. We headed to the hospital to get checked, and we were sent home, again.
But by that evening, it was clear that we were having a baby. We had Grandma Cookie over for dinner and just about bedtime, I gave Chris that very serious look and said, WE GOTTA GO.
It was 8 pm, December 9th, and every lady in Worcester County decided that she was having her baby at Saint Vincent's hospital. I had to wait in the hallway, rocking through contractions, while I heard several women in the throws of labor. It was straight out of a Rom Com movie! I swear, I heard someone's waters break!
I met my midwife and was so comforted by her calm presence and maternal energy. I had never met her before, but I loved her instantly. After an hour, I was shown to a room where I was immediately forgotten about for another hour. Labor intensified and my contractions were right on top of one another. I had told the nurses that I wanted an epidural and I knew that I needed to receive penicillin prior to delivery, but the staff was scrambling to help the full house of laboring mothers and no one had any time for me. We heard a woman screeching in pain and fear and then the sound of a baby crying. I did not want to be that woman! In tears, I sent Chris to chase down a nurse to start my IV. He must have done his best Scary Husband because I got my IV and medication.
After I got my fluids I was able to have the epidural. This is not a fun part of the night, but I knew that I'd soon have relief from what was clearly back labor. Remembering my struggles to bring my first son into the world, I knew that I'd made the right choice to opt for medication. Except, the epidural only worked on one side. So, I had to keep shifting around in bed. But then the baby wasn't happy and I'd have to shift back to calm him and the pain would come back. I didn't want to risk complications by getting a new epidural and I decided to tough it out.
An hour later, it was midnight and I was feeling ready to push. I was 9 cm with just a lip of cervix. I'd gone through a very scary transition period where my legs were shaking violently and I felt sick and wild with pain. We decided to push through the lip and I was fully dilated. I pushed for an hour, though it seemed like I would never have the baby out of me. I was determined and Chris was so supportive. But let me tell you, I FELT EVERYTHING! That stupid epidural didn't do me one bit of good. I had said that I never wanted to feel the "ring of fire" again. I felt it.
But then Dylan was born!! I watched as he came from my body and I was euphoric. The relief that sweeps over you after birth is miraculous.
I'm really crappy at deciding when I'm in labor.
Dylan had started to make major movements towards appearing one week before he was born, with full on contractions and the appearance of bloody show. We visited the hospital to be told, nope, not yet, but probably really soon! Then, every thing went quiet for a day or two, and it would start back up again! By the following Wednesday, I was having regular contractions and back pain that came in waves. We headed to the hospital to get checked, and we were sent home, again.
But by that evening, it was clear that we were having a baby. We had Grandma Cookie over for dinner and just about bedtime, I gave Chris that very serious look and said, WE GOTTA GO.
It was 8 pm, December 9th, and every lady in Worcester County decided that she was having her baby at Saint Vincent's hospital. I had to wait in the hallway, rocking through contractions, while I heard several women in the throws of labor. It was straight out of a Rom Com movie! I swear, I heard someone's waters break!
I met my midwife and was so comforted by her calm presence and maternal energy. I had never met her before, but I loved her instantly. After an hour, I was shown to a room where I was immediately forgotten about for another hour. Labor intensified and my contractions were right on top of one another. I had told the nurses that I wanted an epidural and I knew that I needed to receive penicillin prior to delivery, but the staff was scrambling to help the full house of laboring mothers and no one had any time for me. We heard a woman screeching in pain and fear and then the sound of a baby crying. I did not want to be that woman! In tears, I sent Chris to chase down a nurse to start my IV. He must have done his best Scary Husband because I got my IV and medication.
After I got my fluids I was able to have the epidural. This is not a fun part of the night, but I knew that I'd soon have relief from what was clearly back labor. Remembering my struggles to bring my first son into the world, I knew that I'd made the right choice to opt for medication. Except, the epidural only worked on one side. So, I had to keep shifting around in bed. But then the baby wasn't happy and I'd have to shift back to calm him and the pain would come back. I didn't want to risk complications by getting a new epidural and I decided to tough it out.
An hour later, it was midnight and I was feeling ready to push. I was 9 cm with just a lip of cervix. I'd gone through a very scary transition period where my legs were shaking violently and I felt sick and wild with pain. We decided to push through the lip and I was fully dilated. I pushed for an hour, though it seemed like I would never have the baby out of me. I was determined and Chris was so supportive. But let me tell you, I FELT EVERYTHING! That stupid epidural didn't do me one bit of good. I had said that I never wanted to feel the "ring of fire" again. I felt it.
But then Dylan was born!! I watched as he came from my body and I was euphoric. The relief that sweeps over you after birth is miraculous.
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