I woke up at 7AM when my nurse Karen came back for shift change. I had a different nurse during the night, but Karen requested me back to be her patient that day. (which I was super happy about). She took the Cervadil out and told me I could take a shower before they started me on pitocin. I had a totally relaxing shower, and took my time getting ready. I knew it was the last time, for a long time, that I would have a worry-free- take as long as I want-wash my hair 6 times if I feel like it- shave my legs- kind of shower. I even blowdryed my hair and put a little makeup on. It was, after all, the day I would meet my son face to face after dreaming of it for so long!!!
After I was all cleaned up, Karen hooked me up to the monitors, started my IV, and at 9am the pitocin drip began...
Marie, James and I played cards while every 30 minutes Karen would come in and turn up the drip. I sat on a birthing ball and was out of bed as much as possible because I knew once I asked for an epidural, I would be bed-bound. As the contractions began to get stronger, James would sit behind me and rub my back as I tried my best to remember all the breathing techniques I'd learned from the childbirth class we had taken the week before. (Nothing like waiting until the last minute, huh?) Around 12:30 Dr. McKinnie came in to check my cervix. (We were really fortunate that she was the on-call dr. that day and would be able to deliver PJ) Those birthing balls really do work.... I was dialated 4 cm and completely thinned out. Up to this point I needed no pain medication and I was so proud of myself for dealing with it all. Since I had made such good progress she decided to break my water... WOW! I went from 0 to 60 in a matter of seconds. As soon as I felt that warm fluid, I also felt the most intense pains I have ever felt in my life. Karen told me to tell her when I was ready for an epidural.... James helped me get through that contraction, and I told him he better get the nurse cause I was not going through one of those again... When Karen walked in, my words to her, verbatim, were, "Hell to the naw. I need an epidural!" Off she ran to get the anesthesiologist. She came back with him in under 2 minutes! I signed the consent and next thing I know, the bed is being raised super high and he is getting everything ready. I had another contraction during this time, and James was so great at helping me get through it. I rounded my back, and held on to James as the anesthesiologist told me everything he was doing. Lots of pressure... but no pain... He told me that he was going to send a test dose through the catheter to make sure it was in right, and that I was probably going to feel really itchy starting at my toes, and slowly moving upward. He assured me that this was NOT an allergic reaction... BAM! Medicine goes through and instantly my body relaxed and I was pain free. Epidurals are heaven sent, and now I definitely see why they are so worth it!!!! I laid down in the bed and felt so relaxed I shut my eyes for a few brief moments... My mom and dad got there shortly after I got my epidural. I bet they were happy they didn't have to deal with all the contractions/epidural stuff!
Marie, James and I played cards while every 30 minutes Karen would come in and turn up the drip. I sat on a birthing ball and was out of bed as much as possible because I knew once I asked for an epidural, I would be bed-bound. As the contractions began to get stronger, James would sit behind me and rub my back as I tried my best to remember all the breathing techniques I'd learned from the childbirth class we had taken the week before. (Nothing like waiting until the last minute, huh?) Around 12:30 Dr. McKinnie came in to check my cervix. (We were really fortunate that she was the on-call dr. that day and would be able to deliver PJ) Those birthing balls really do work.... I was dialated 4 cm and completely thinned out. Up to this point I needed no pain medication and I was so proud of myself for dealing with it all. Since I had made such good progress she decided to break my water... WOW! I went from 0 to 60 in a matter of seconds. As soon as I felt that warm fluid, I also felt the most intense pains I have ever felt in my life. Karen told me to tell her when I was ready for an epidural.... James helped me get through that contraction, and I told him he better get the nurse cause I was not going through one of those again... When Karen walked in, my words to her, verbatim, were, "Hell to the naw. I need an epidural!" Off she ran to get the anesthesiologist. She came back with him in under 2 minutes! I signed the consent and next thing I know, the bed is being raised super high and he is getting everything ready. I had another contraction during this time, and James was so great at helping me get through it. I rounded my back, and held on to James as the anesthesiologist told me everything he was doing. Lots of pressure... but no pain... He told me that he was going to send a test dose through the catheter to make sure it was in right, and that I was probably going to feel really itchy starting at my toes, and slowly moving upward. He assured me that this was NOT an allergic reaction... BAM! Medicine goes through and instantly my body relaxed and I was pain free. Epidurals are heaven sent, and now I definitely see why they are so worth it!!!! I laid down in the bed and felt so relaxed I shut my eyes for a few brief moments... My mom and dad got there shortly after I got my epidural. I bet they were happy they didn't have to deal with all the contractions/epidural stuff!
(Epidural in and feeling no pain... my last photo with PJ in my belly!)When you get an epidural you have to flip around to different sides so that the epidural numbs everywhere, and not just in one spot. I laid on my back for a bit, flipped to the right, flipped to the left and WOAH! What the heck was that! I told my nurse that my body felt like it was starting to push... She decided she would check me, and oh my goodness, I was 7 cm. I dialated 3 more cm in about an hour! A short while later, the urge to push got even stronger... She checked me again and I was 9 cm! She began to prep everything for PJ's arrival. I couldn't believe it was happening so fast. At around 3:30 she checked me again and I was 10cm... ready to push!!! HERE WE GO!!!!!
I felt like I was pushing for an eternity... everyone was so great though! After about an hour an a half of hard pushing- with James, mom, dad, Marie, and Sheena by my side, and my sissy on the phone- at 5:08 pm on December 12, 2007 Patrick James Hartman was born.
I got to hold PJ for about an hour before they took him to weigh him and bathe him. During that time I probably counted his fingers and toes a hundred times. I tried to nurse him, but from all the excitement he wasn't hungry just yet.
PJ getting all checked out by the nurses and just before getting his bath.
Our wonderful nurse Karen holding PJ after his bath
We stayed in the Labor and Delivery room for probably close to 3 more hours while the epidural wore off. We finally got moved to our Mother/Baby room around 8PM. The night was kind of rough because it was a little difficult to get up and move around. You don't realize how sore your muscles are from twisting your body in ways you didn't know were possible while in labor, especially when you have an epidural and you don't feel your leg nearly wrapping around your head...But oh boy, it hits you later on. It was like that first soreness you get when you start working out again- the one that takes you 3 or 4 days to get over- only this soreness was 20 times worse. I also had a lot of bleeding, so all night long nurses were coming in to push on my belly and make sure there were no clots... None of those things mattered though... I was so happy!
I don't think I ever slept that night because I was in complete awe of the little miracle I had just given birth too...
1 comment:
I am so excited to read your birth story and really see everything from your point of view. I love it! You've made me want to go back and write mine out. Should I?
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