This will be my longest post and I promise they all won't be this long-winded. I want to document my birth story though for future memories. Don't feel the need to read unless you want ALL the details!! :) You can skip to the recent good stuff.
WJC5 decided to make me aware that he was coming on May 13th, which was my actual due date. Around 3 pm I started to get cramps but kept it to myself because I was not really sure what was going on. I didn't want to alarm anyone and I thought since it was my due date, I was possibly creating "contractions" in my head. My mom was sitting in the family room with me and could tell something was up. I told her about my cramps and she silently, without my knowledge, started timing them. About an hour later she told me she thought they were contractions and we should start timing them out. Well, out comes the pad of paper and the stopwatch!!
From that moment on, they got stronger and stronger. James came home from work and we continued timing them into the evening as mom and dad made their way back to the hotel to be on-call. The contractions were really getting intense and painful, so I called the hospital. I
was told by the doctor on call that if I could talk to him and breathe through them, he thought I was fine and should wait it out at home a little longer. If I was only 2 cm dilated, I would be sent home. Hmmm... not what I wanted to hear. I told James I couldn't imagine them getting worse. We waited a little while longer and they were getting closer and closer together. I told James I didn't care if we had to sit in the parking lot, I wanted to get to the hospital and see where I was at in this process. I just couldn't believe the doctor didn't think I was far enough along. If I was early in the stages and couldn't handle this, how was I going to handle delivering this baby!!
So off to the hospital we went. James drove like a pro and I kept timing and grimacing in pain. Apparently my tolerance for pain is higher than I give myself credit for. Upon checking in at
midnight, the nurse informed us that I was 6 cm dilated and I earned a pass to stay for the night!! THANK GOODNESS!!! All I could think about was getting that epidural and making this pain subside. I just couldn't handle any more contractions.
Well, too bad for me... WJC5 picked a great night to decide to get things going. It was a crazy busy night at the hospital and women were rolling in one after the other. One nurse said, "We have no more rooms left in the inn!" I was lucky enough to get a room, and a big one at that, but I ended up having to wait another 2 -3 hours for the doc with the drugs to come to me. She was super busy and I was down on her list. Not good for the mom-t0-be. So with James comforting me as I squeezed his hand, dad trying to get as much information as possible as to what was going on with me, and mom feeding me ice chips... we waited for the drugs.
Finally, when I was 8 cm dilated, yes 8!! She came in. I was so happy to see her. She wanted to go over the risks about the epidural and I told her, "I know the risks. Where do I sign? Get this thing in me." Prior to this I was petrified of this needle and drugs, but at this point that was the least of my thoughts. I was over that fear quite quickly. I needed relief.
From that point on, we waited. My body stopped dilating and they had to bring in Pitocin to try and get me to open further. We waited, we waited, and we waited. The sun came up, one nurse left, another came in, then she left, another came in, then that one left and another came in. Pretty bad when you see three nurse shifts!! Next thing we know, the sun set and I was 10 cm dilated. Finally time to push... (This is where mom and dad exited the room)
Now, you think at this point I would be exhausted and have no energy. I was tired, but once they told me it was time, something came over me and I become Wonder Woman. I had all this adrenaline and energy and all I wanted to do was PUSH! It actually felt great and it was the best I had felt since I checked in the night before. They told me they could see a part of his head and I really thought I was going to get this little guy out.
I guess WJC5 might have a stubborn side... 3 hours later of pushing, nothing. He wasn't budging any further. My parents were sitting out in the waiting area just beside themselves with worry. The doctor came in and said, "I can try forceps or the vacuum extraction, but he may not be able to fit, so you might end up with a C-section anyway. What would you like to do?" I thought... "What would I like to do? Wait, you're the doctor... I've been doing this for 26 hours... you tell me!!" So James and I made a quick and easy decision at that point that I had tried and done all I could do. It was time for surgery. Mom and dad came in to see me and give me their love before I went in and then we were off.
From that point on everything was a whirlwind. Things were moving at warp speed. I got heavily drugged, rolled into the OR, James got his scrubs on, and we were underway. I was scared and excited all at the same time. I knew I was having major surgery, but I also knew at this point, our baby boy was coming out soon and we'd get to meet him. Within the first 10 minutes of the surgery, they got the baby out. They held WJC5 up, we heard him cry, and we both lost it. James ran around with the camera to take pictures so I could see him. They cleaned him up and gave him to James all wrapped like a little burrito. James brought him to me with tears in his eyes. That moment was the most precious and special moment between James and I. We had a son. He was ours and he was healthy. Just truly amazing.
For the next 45 minutes they "put me back together." I felt some pressure and pushing but all I could think about was getting out and getting to my baby. I just wanted to hold and kiss him. He was taken to the special care nursery because he has fluid in his lungs. (very common with c-section babies) The difficult part was once I was done I had to wait in recovery for one hour before I could see him. James went out and told the good news to my parents and brought them into the nursery to meet their new grandson. I wish I was there for that moment, but I was stuck in this area waiting for my legs to stop tingling. Ugh!! The time felt like it froze.
FINALLY, I got to go to our room. They brought WJC5 in to me and my parents shortly followed. What a celebration we had!!! We were all tired but holding and meeting him made it all worth it.
WJC5 was born on May 14th at 7:07 pm. He was 8 lbs 2 oz and 20 inches long. He is our little miracle and we feel so blessed.
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