at 38 weeks and 5 days i had my final doctor's appointment. why haven't i had this baby? the million dollar question. the baby was dropped i had started the birthing process and we were ready to go....but james wasn't. for fear of delivering a 9+ pound baby we decided to induce 1 week early. phew! it will be so quick. you're young and healthy. the baby is in position. famous last words. my delivery was not like on A Baby Story. thank you TLC for not really telling what birth can be like because no one would want to have babies if you did.
here we go:
39 weeks and on my way out the door to go have a baby. yep, i am naive and ready.
we arrive at St. John's and the labor and delivery rooms are full. yes, full but they have one to clean for me. therefore, we go and eat (my last meal for 24 hours) across the street at P.F. Chang's and hope the maids can clean my room and that no one in labor can snatch it from me within the next hour.
we return and the room still isn't clean so we wait. annoyed and nervous we wait again in this semi-private waiting room. but hey the alternative is to check into the triage room and wait. the triage room has no privacy. holds 4 people with sheets for walls. thank you but we'll wait.
okay, get checked in. get the bracelets. get the backless gown. get the iv. start meds to make me dilate.
i was supposed to sleep peacefully through the night and be ready for my quick delivery at 7 am the following morning. wrong. the medicine produced too much uterine activity so it had to be switched to pitocin. yes, the one that induces labor but at such a small dose it would just give me slightly uncomfortable contractions all. night. long. awesome. i'm uncomfortable and exhausted and i haven't even had the baby yet. all night i kept thinking i wish i were in my own bed.
7 am nurse turns up the drip. lets have this baby!
about 10 my doctor comes in to break my water. whoa. bizarre feeling but by this point i'm almost certain that everyone in the l&d wing has seen and/or touch my growing flower. i hadn't seen it in months so i'm hoping everything is a-okay. anyway, things start to finally happen. bam! MAC truck!! contractions quickly begin before i can get my epidural. oh no. i don't want to feel this pain. i'm supposed to be drugged for this and i'm not! long story short - i had to wait for an hour, the loooongest hour of my life, before i could get the epi. pain. 90 seconds. oh my more pain. 90 seconds. oh my goodness pain!!! then the high dollar angel arrives with my numbing drugs. thank you baby jesus. i'm dilated to a 6 after that hour. an 8 after the next hour and a 9 shortly after. about 4:30 we're going to start pushing.
armed with my sister to my left, the "know it all" nurse to my right and ben by my head we start the final stages of labor.
contraction.
deep breath in.
push. push. push.
60 seconds.
contraction.
deep breath in.
push. push. push.
60 seconds.
1 hour down. no baby.
need oxygen mask.
contraction.
deep breath in.
push. push. push.
60 seconds.
contraction.
deep breath in.
push. push. push.
1 hour 40 minutes down. still no baby.
demand vacuum.
60 seconds.
contraction.
deep breath in.
push. push. push.
1 hour 45+ minutes down. still no effing baby.
60 seconds.
contraction.
deep breath in.
push. push. push.
FINALLY! the heaven's parted and james' head "popped out".
problem.
james' shoulders were stuck. baby is not getting oxygen.
huge woman clips my sister, pushes her out of the way to stand on top of me and push my stomach to force baby james out.
PAIN. tears. clueless to what is really happening. during the next minute people are filing into my room ready to get the baby completely out and breathing. after 60 seconds, he is free.
6:23 pm - james arrives.
i cannot see him but he has his own personal medical staff to assist his "traumatic entrance" into life. after examination, james was a little blue but perfect. no shoulder issues. no nerve problems. nada. perfect but to be on the cautious side he was taken to the special care unit for further observation. he received oxygen until 3 o'clock in the morning.
8 pounds 9 ounces & 19 3/4 inches long. and perfect!
the following morning he was off the oxygen and get could finally hold him. i woke up early and excited ready to go down to see my baby. they said we could go at 8 but i was ready at 7:45.
first family photo.
over the next 48 hours, the nursing staff and doctors were wonderful to me and my baby. they woke us up all hours of the night to check our vitals, bring pain meds and get baby james to breastfeed. whirlwind. thank you to the nice staff at SJMC.
both james and i were released to go home at the recommended time by my insurance.
sweet baby james. i love him more everyday. it was all worth it. he was worth it.
Oh my gosh reading that makes me just want to cry! Seems like yesterday. You did so good! I was/am very proud of you!!!
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