You can skip this post...just my recording of the birth.
It is just funny how wonderful things worked out as far as timing goes. On Monday (day before Nathan was born), Brian had accidentally set garbage out, had taken my pregnancy photo, had zipped up our toiletries in preparation for my dr. appt the next day (there was hope that I would be sent over to the hospital) and he had wanted to take the kids' suitcase over to my parents' house but I resisted. We did take the kids over Monday night for an overnight stay because they have ESPN and we wanted to watch the Bears on Monday Night Football. So we stayed at my parents' house until 11ish, got home and slept 3 hours before the fun began.
I got up for my usual trip to the potty and
literally just thought that I really wish my water would have broken at home just to have that experience of going by myself (last 2 deliveries were inductions). I stood up and felt the weirdest thing. My water breaking was not what I thought it would be. It was more of a trickle and I was left wondering if I was tired enough to have had an accident or if this was it. So I yelled at Brian (which I was free to do since the kids were gone!) and we decided this was it!! So we grabbed our stuff and headed out.
We got to the birth center, which is locked at that time so I got to call in and do the check in and etc. I was having zero contractions so I was pretty fine at this point!! I went through the hour long process of answering questions, being monitored and having the test run before they admitted me at 3:30. I got to the "fun" part of walking the halls. I actually didn't mind because it was so quiet without lots of people watching you. :) Anyway, we waked until 5am and I was having contractions every 5 minutes or so. They hooked me up to monitors to check on the contractions and the baby and then checked my cervix. I had dilated 0.5cm further, making me at 4cm. That's it. How depressing. So the nurse asked my opinion, which I didn't have one, and then went to ask the doctor's opinion on starting pitocin. They decided to go for it. So between 6-6:30am, they gave me what one nurse called a "whiff" of pitocin.
At first, the contractions didn't hurt any worse and it was at this point that they asked me if I wanted an epidural. Here's where I forgot Samuel's birth. They did the same thing when I was in labor with Samuel and I was going to pass but my wise hubby told me to get it before it was too late. That ended up being great advice as I went from 4-9cm in a half hour. I forgot all of that and passed on the epidural. Suddenly, I felt like I was being ripped in half and was dying. Seriously. They checked me and I was only 5cm so I hadn't progressed much but I was ready for that epidural. Of course, they had to call the backup anesthesiologist because after I passed on the epidural a bit ago, that one left for the other hospital to assist in a c-section. I thought I would die. I never had such labor pain with the other kids--probably because I always got my epidural in plenty of time! They got my epidural in about a half hour later and checked me and guess what? I was 9cm. The epidural took away some of the stomach pain but it was pretty much too late for me.
Very shortly after, I was ready to push and everyone assembled. Here's where it gets funny. I would push and the doctor would give the nurses these disbelieving looks. She started telling me that this baby looked to be BIG and she wasn't sure this was going to work out. Brian can vouch for me--the doctor's face was hilarious. I was getting upset because I did not want a c-section on my last baby!! So, the doctor decided to make me take a 15 minute intermission while she did a c-section. I had the "pleasure" of laying there with contractions and the urge to push for that long without being allowed to push. That was a good time. The doctor was hoping the baby would continue to come down and I would be able to push him out. She clearly didn't have much faith by her facial expressions. But by the time she came back, that baby was just about crowning. He was born about 3 hours after that "whiff" of pitocin so it all happened very quickly.
After he was born, the doctor said he was big but I really couldn't tell. He looked like a baby. But they weighed him later and I could NOT believe he was 8lbs, 7oz. Then they measured him and I, again, was so surprised to find out his length--our babies usually aren't that long. No wonder I was so sore these last few weeks!! His feet didn't even fit on the rectangles they have for footprints. His hands are good sized, too! They had to go through a couple hats to find one big enough for him. Ha! They also took away his size N diapers and brought size 1. It was hilarious. I know people have bigger babies but Samuel had been my biggest at 7 lbs. It wasn't the easiest labor/delivery but it wasn't the hardest so I can't complain. I am glad to be done with that part and have him here!! He is so incredibly sweet. I will definitely treasure these early days when he's so little (he really isn't a giant baby to me!) and sleepy. :)
The kids were not able to visit--which was really upsetting for me but I knew ahead of time. They have been home and pretty wound up about everything. I hope they have time to adjust before school starts back up in a few days. It should be an interesting time!!
