Most of you probably know that I approached this delivery with great anxiety and hesitation. The entire nine months of my pregnancy, I was determined to convince my NP that I needed to be induced. I could not mentally endure another 48 hour delivery like I had with Chloe. Charlie's delivery was ideal- pain free, hassle free, and very enjoyable. I wanted this birth- not Chloe's. For the last 4 weeks of appointments, I tried to bring up being induced, but was quickly rejected saying that they only induce at 41 weeks, blah blah blah. Each visit I got more and more frustrated with my NP. I even tried emailing her my concerns before the appointment so we could discuss it when I came in- it didn't work. Finally, my last appointment before my due date, I met with a mid-wife (whom I was previously told had the power to make an inducement date). I brought Kevin with me for moral support. We weren't even in the appointment for 5 minutes before I totally fell apart and Kevin had to direct the conversation. To make a long story short: I vented about 20 minutes about my fears. She set me another appt w/ a DR on 8/4, reassured me that I would be fine and checked if I was dilated. To my surprise, I was a 1.5. To my surprise, I felt relieved that I had started dilating before my actual due date! Maybe there was hope. She then stripped my membranes. Now we wait...
The next night, 7/31/09, I started getting contractions and couldn't sleep.
Nothing all day Saturday. Saturday night, more contractions. By 6am, I decided to take a warm bath to relax, stop the infrequent, but annoying contractions, and get some rest for the upcoming event.
Sunday, we go to church and I have the occassional contraction, but nothing consistent. When we get home, I am getting more contractions, but again, nothing consistent. I proceed to make dinner and suggest we all go on a walk to see if we can get this going for real. We walk, stop at the Jones' house for a potty break (Kevin and Chloe, not me!). Then walk home. It was bed time. I suggested we call Karen to stay w/ the girls while we go on another walk. She comes (ready w/ her PJ's) and we go a walking. This time, we stop at the Woodwells for me to go pee. Sitting down made me realize how sore and tired I was. We decide to head home. Contractions are still coming, but not 3 minutes consistently and not real intense. When we walk in, I got three in a row and have Kevin call L&D to see when we can come in. Being this was my 3rd baby and I had been having contractions consistently for the last few hours they said to come in. YEAH!!! My only fear was getting to the hospital and being told to go home....
En route, we call my mom and tell her we are going to the hospital and we will call her when we know how far along I am. We park and I get half way across the lot before I lean over and contract. A nurse brings a wheelchair (how embaressing... this is when I lost it!) and we go up.... admitting tells us go straight to triage... triage takes me straight to the delivery room. By this point- I was full on shaking. After some basic questions, etc. the nurse checks me and I am dilated to a 5. Kevin calls my mom and tells her to start heading up to the hospital (approx 25 minute drive). At this point, I am begging for an epidural, but we had to go through a bunch of paperwork -CRAP to be more specific- before I can get it. This goes on about 15-20 minutes as the contractions are getting stronger. I finally let out my first "primal" scream and the nurse panics, or at least sounded a little paniced. She checks me and I am dilated to a 10! Next thing I know my mom walks in (later my mother told me she heard me screaming from down the hall..ha ha) and the nurses and Kevin are trying to convince me that I don't have time for the epidural and to just push the baby out. I was set on the drugs and was determined that I could sit during the contractions for the epidural. I wouldn't be able to deliver without the drugs. I was determined that I wouldn't survive. The only reason an epidural was still an option is because my water hadn't broken yet. And voila... my water breaks. I had no choice. So, 8 minutes and 4 pushes later our newest addition arrived!
A few thoughts about this delivery. Why anyone would choose to do a "natural" delivery is beyond me. Seriously, why put yourself through that if you don't have to? The term, "ring of fire" - doesn't even begin to describe what I felt. If and when I have a 4th child, it will be on the terms of promised early inducement from my doctor --before I get pregnant. I know I am a wuss because women have been doing this for centuries, blah blah blah. All I know is I don't want to do that again because I know I don't have to. There!
I survived...barely!
Proud Papa and great coach
Gma is 3 for 3 on watching the births... she almost missed this one
Cleaning up
Totally and utterly exhausted!
