Warning: this post contains more information than you probably want to know. There. I've warned you. I don't know what it is, because I'm not a blood and gore kind of person, but I always love hearing peoples delivery experiences. Plus, I want to record it...so here's a condensed version of what happened. Don't read if you don't want!
For the past week I had been having contractions pretty consistently (2-5 min apart) on and off. There have been at least 3 times I've thought this is it....they're getting more intense...this is the real thing. Then, after a couple of hours they would die off. Really? Baby #3, wouldn't you think I'd know if I was in labor by now? Hah.
July 2nd: At my dr appointment, I was dilated to a 4 and the dr told me to come to the hospital once I've had them fairly intensely for over an hour straight....she didn't want a baby born in the car. And she said he could come any time.
July 3rd:
6:00 pm: I had contractions just a few minutes apart for a few hours then they started to get more intense. After an hour I told James. We finished dinner, went on a walk with the girls, then got them ready for the bed, then we were off to the hospital. Only problem, they slowed down once we were on our way, so I wasn't sure if it was real or not.
8:30 pm: After checking into the hospital I was at a 4.5 so they put me on the machines to be monitored. At this point I was still having regular contractions, but not very intensely.
10:00 pm: I was still a 4.5 but this time the sac was bulging. They checked with the on-call Dr. He wanted to watch me for a while and see what happened. Now my contractions are more sporadic but much more intense.
11:30 pm: I'm at a 5. They call the Dr and he wants to watch me for a couple more hours, so we get ready to settle in for a while. We try to get some sleep, but those darn contractions make it rather difficult for me...and the couch James is on doesn't look to comfortable. I was in some pain, but not that bad...one minute I would be certain this baby was coming soon, then the next I would question if I was in labor at all. The mind does funny tricks!
Thursday, July 4th:
2:00 am: I'm dilated to a 6.5. but was very wrestles, so I started walking the halls, bounced on the exercise ball, etc....for a few hours while the contractions were still sporadic, but much more intense.
4:30 am: No progress. Bummer. We decide to wait 1 hour (until a more reasonable hour) then have the Dr come in and break my water.
5:30 am: No progress. We call the Dr in. He comes a few minutes later and breaks my water.
6:30 am: The contractions are much more intense and closer together, but no progress.
7:30 am: We begin pitocin. Contractions intensify some more and are back to back.
After walking around and switching positions I am very slowly dilating, but am running out of strength and begin asking about drugs. James convinces me to make it through 2 more contractions and see how I feel...we play that game for a while.
10:00 am: I decide if I haven't had any progress I'm going to have some drugs to take the edge off. They check and I am a 9 so they call the Dr in. I was starting to hyperventilate from all the deep breathing, so they gave me an oxygen mask to help. I was getting numb and my hands/feet were getting pretty shaky. Luckily, it was almost over. After a couple more contractions I begin pushing. He was facing the wrong direction so our dr had to turn him (rather unpleasant). He was lots bigger than our other 2 and it hurt a lot more to push, but luckily it was only 20-25 minutes until his arrival. And it's a good thing...I was dead. I had no arm strength to hold him, so they had to prop him up on me.
It was a slow process that I don't care to repeat any time soon, but we made it. James was wonderful!! He was so good about trying to distract me, or helping me relax, or reminding me to breathe. I'm glad it's over and we're all healthy. I feel pretty good now and have had a quick recovery. Now, here's to keeping him alive with 4 little hands helping!
