We went to bed on Tuesday night (Sept. 15th) knowing that we would have a baby the next morning. I can't begin to explain how hard it was to go to sleep that night, knowing that the biggest event of our lives would be taking place in a few hours. So much to worry and think about as well as all the extreme excitement to finally have our daughter here. We finally went to sleep around 12:30 am (i know, everyone told me to go to sleep early and get lots of rest, but honestly- would you have been able to?)
I woke up to contractions at 2:30 am. I had woken up in the night a couple of times with contractions, and felt some randomly during the day in that last week, but they were definately not strong at all, and not at all consistent. This time I didn't really think it was anything different, and in my half asleep dazed mind I thought I would just sleep them off. Another one came soon enough for me to think 'I don't know if I can sleep this off' and realize that these were a lot stronger than the others I had been having. Another one came after that, it hurt, and I decided that I should probably start timing these things. I got up to go to the bathroom, and when I came back I felt Brady stirring next to me. I asked him if he was awake, and he sleepily said 'kind of'. I told him I was having contractions, and we started to time them. They were 5 minutes apart, then 3 minutes, and we decided that we should go ahead and go to the hospital. I kind of wanted to wait since we were supposed to go at 5am that morning anyway to be induced, but then I would have another contraction and thought it was probably the right time to go.
It was fun to get all our bags in the car and drive to hospital while I was 'in labor'. We checked in, they took me back to the room (suite 16) and told us that it was the best and biggest room in the hospital. I had beat everyone else who was scheduled to be induced that day so I got the good room :) I changed, and the nurses came in to get the stats and check me out. I was dialated to a 6, fully effaced, and the baby was at station 0. They hooked me up to an IV to keep me hydrated, and also to penecillin because I was strep b positive. The contractions were getting worse and I went back and forth as to if I should go ahead and get an epidural then, or wait longer. I would have a contraction and tell Brady that I thought I would go ahead and get the epidural, then the contraction would taper off and i would say nevermind I can wait, but then I would have another one and change my mind. Luckily the nurse came in while I was in the middle of one and she went to get the anesthesiologist. It took an extra 30 minutes for him to get there so I'm glad I asked for it when I did.
After getting the epidural I would highly recommend to anyone who is planning on getting one to just go ahead and get it once your contractions get pretty painful. I couldn't feel any pain at all after that! It was amazing. I was really nervous to get the epidural and I'm not going to lie, it was scary to have someone sticking needles in my spine. Especially when I could feel a little prick right in my spine. The actual needle didn't hurt, in fact none of it really hurt, I was just so nervous. I was so happy that Brady was there holding my hand the whole time, talking to me to get my mind off of what was going on.
Before the epidural the nurse had opened the iv to drain rapidly while I was getting the epidural (don't know if that is normal or why they do that but she did). Then I had the epidural, we waited for a few minutes for it to work (about 15 to 30) and she inserted the catheter, then left us to be alone for awhile. I told Brady I was feeling dizzy and he realized that she never closed the IV after I had the epidural. He was about to go out to get her to ask her if she needed to close that, when she came in becuase she remembered that she was supposed to. After that I was pretty woosy, and i ended up throwing up every time I had to change positions. I was glad I couldn't feel any contractions because i just had to sleep so as not to throw up.
The nurse came in again to check me. i was dialated to an 8 and she could feel the water bag and told me my water would probably be breaking soon. I pretty much just slept after that which I think is why my water didn't break.
The doctor came in and broke my water, and asked if i was familiar with Meconium. For some reason i just knew that i was going to have meconium water, so it didn't shock me and he said that they would just have to flush out the water so that as she comes out she would not breath any of that dirty water in. The hooked up another thing and i could just feel all the water flowing out of me. I started to feel a lot of pressure down low and knew the baby was making her way down.
The nurse came to check again and i was dialated to an 10, she was checking the fontenelles of the baby's head to see how the baby was positioned. She was having a hard time and said she would have the doctor come in and check. Time passed, the nurse came in and told me that baby's face was up originally, and that she had turned to the side on her own. The nurse said she would go ask the doctor if he wanted to just have me wait and see if she would turn all the way face down on her own or the doctor would want to go ahead and take her out now. They decided to have me wait and see if she would move on her own. I was a little nervous and asked what would happen if she doesn't turn on her own- would it be a problem? The nurse said not for dr judd. He has delt with it so much that he would definately be able to get her out, which was comforting to again hear that this was not a big problem and that I would not have to get a c-section.
The baby did not turn on her own, and the doctor came in around 9 and we got started! He checked me one last time and said that she grabbed his finger! Everything was a little surreal for me at that point, but I did love hearing that my baby was ready to come out, because I was sure ready to finally meet her! I threw up one more time right before we started. I remember the nurse putting one of my feet in the stirrups and telling brady to put the other one up. The next thing i remeber is dr judd telling me to push. I pushed as hard as I could for 10 seconds. then the doctor got some forceps to try to turn the baby. Those didn't work and he got some bigger forceps, did an episiotomy, and then turned the baby. He had me push again. I pushed as hard as I could for 4 seconds and he said okay stop pushing. He pulled her out. I felt her head come out and immediately heard a cry. It was completely surreal, I couldn't believe it was my baby. He pulled the rest of her body out and she was crying. It was the best sound in the world! i could feel her head on the back of my thigh, and i was thinking, show her to me! i want to see my baby! he said she was a blondie:) He let Brady cut the cord!
She was taken off to the side and they cleaned her and gave her a shot. While they were weighing her she turned and grabbed the cage thing that was holding gloves on the wall and pulled herself over to it. Right from the beginning she was a feisty one. I was in my bed watching from a distance. I could not wait to see her and get her in my arms! Finally Brady brought her over to me and we got to look at our little angel! She was wide awake and so peaceful and calm by that point. Maybe she was happy to finally be with us too! She is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
