Labor…the untold story

Ok, finally I am blogging about this big event! Where to begin. Well one night, Conrad and I…just kidding…I won’t go back that far!

Monday June 18th looked like this. My mom came and got me and took me to my OB/GYN for my 39th week check up. I saw Midwife Susie that morning and she said baby’s head was down. Maybe 80% effaced. And only a dimple open. I didn’t think anything would happen that week. In fact, my mom had brought her pool stuff and we were going to go swimming after the visit. That week I had planned to catch up on some reading (last minute baby book prep) and hang out at Barnes and Nobles a lot. WRONG!

Susie wanted to check the baby’s position via ultrasound. Yep. Head down. But what is this? Amniotic Sacs looking low? Not a lot of fluid as to be expected at this stage of the game? Hmmm. She wanted us to get checked out by one of the Tech’s. That meant going to the Alpharetta office. I asked her, “should I call my husband?” She said, “yeah, he might want to be there.” She continued to explain that I would get checked again by the tech who was more trained to read the ultrasounds and that after a consultation with the doctor, they may suggest I go to the hospital. WHAT? I was in shock. Bye Bye Pool. Forget my last week of relaxing with a good book and time all to myself!

I called Conrad and he left work. We ended up meeting up with each other on I-75 and he followed my mom and I. We got to the alpharetta office and confirmed low amniotic fluid. The tech guessed baby weight at 6 1/2 lbs. heh. The Doc said, “since you are 39 weeks and 2 days, let’s go ahead and have you go in to the hospital.” We were told to go home and wait for the hospital to call us when they were ready (had room?). My mom, Conrad, and I went to Olive Garden, where I was craving to spend my last meal. Needless to say I was freaking out. I mean I was FREAKING OUT! The thought of labor just got a little more frightening.

Fast forward til 12 something a.m. Tuesday 6/19 when the hospital called. We got there around 2 a.m. and went back to the room shortly after that so I could fill out paperwork. (I like how they want to cover themselves with letting you know that everything under the sun could happen to you while at the hospital or on medications…including, but not limited to, death. hunh?)

After a round of cervidel to thin out the uterus that night when we got in, the next morning was uneventful…nothing. I was in a good mood though. And since we were told we weren’t leaving without a baby, I felt even better. My mom, dad, aunt nancy, cousin Elaine, brother Erik, sister in law Roseann, friend and doula Diane, myself and Conrad all hung out waiting. After the midwife came in and said they were going to do another round of cervidel, give me some meds to sleep and then pitocin in the morning, everyone left so we could get some sleep. Have you ever been so tired you can’t really sleep? That was me Tuesday night. Wednesday morning came and I was TIRED. Nothing exciting that morning either–except my shower. Pitocin was started at 7am. By 4 pm I was 4 cm. By 6 pm there still was nothing to write home about and at this point the midwives (Mary and Amanda) talked about a possible C-section. WHAT? AHHH. (later, during labor, I thought to myself, “you dork, you should have gone with the c-section). My friends and family gathered around me for a little prayer. I went to bed and by 8 was having some serious pain. Oh, I forgot to mention that I had an epidural. Yes. HA. I still felt lots of pain when I was on my left side.

So when Mary came to check me and I told her I was in a lot of pain, she said “no wonder! you are 10 cm dialated!” So away went the bottom part of the bed. UP came the stirrups. And it was “game on” from then on out. I remember thinking “oh my goodness. This is it! The only way this baby is coming out is through me.” And it was like I was in a state of surrealism. They told me how to push and to put my head to my chin (totally uncomfortable). “Push harder”. EXCUSE ME? What am I doing??? Getting a tan by the pool? Diane, my friend and doula, was coaxing me on. My cheerleaders (husband, mom, sister-in-law, Aunt, and cousin) were all encouraging me and staring at the place where my son would soon emerge. They aren’t kidding when they say you lose all modesty while having a baby! The midwives were focused. They even brought in what looked like a water skiing rope and had me try to pull Mary in towards me. That was interesting. I tried using the mirror so I could get a visual on this momentous occasion. That was distracting (not like a “I-was-fixing-my-hair” kinda distracting…but I just couldn’t watch and push at the same time and boy did I want this kid out!)

After what seemed like 10 minutes (I think I was delirious because it had been an hour and a half), Mary and Amanda said “if you don’t push harder to get him out we will have to call Dr. Parker to use the forceps and/or vacuum.” (PPPUUUUUUUSSSSHHHHHHHH). They said to take a deep breath then count to 10 while pushing and to do that 3 times. Well I did 4. I wanted that kid out! That was something painful I tell you!

Anyhow, soon, I felt a release and the cord unravel. PHEW! Mary held up our baby and had Conrad announce “it’s a boy!” Wow. The nurses took Kayle to the scales to be measured and weighed and apgar(ed)! All that stuff. I just remember thinking, “I don’t hear him? Is he crying enough?” Conrad brought him to me and put him on my chest. My little bundle of blanket with big alien looking eyes! (omigosh is this our kid?). It was still so surreal. I remember checking the number of fingers and toes. phew!

Ah…labor. Finally, the moment I had been so nervous for had come to an end. Or so I thought. Don’t get me wrong…the labor part was over (we only had one kid). But then there was the trip to the OR to get the placenta out. OUCH. Didn’t see that one coming. I begged them to “put me out” at that point. The anesthesiologist asked “you can feel that?” and that was the last thing I heard. Until I woke up about 2 hours later in the recovery room with a big pipe shoved up my right nostril because I was “snoring so loud”. yeah, you try not getting any sleep for 2 days and then delivering a baby. Do you think I was tired?

After finally being wheeled to my room, I got to see my husband again and then really focus on my new baby. And then life really began…

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