I was scheduled to be induced on Monday November 9th. My mom was going to be in town to watch the kids while we were at the hospital. I would have been able to go see the kids in their Peter Pan play the Friday and Saturday before. I was hoping to get an epideral first, and then get hooked up to Pitocin (I don't think they actually do that in hospitals, but it is a nice thought, yes?). I wasn't going to feel any pain. I had it all scheduled in and planned out. Nothing to worry about...that is unless the baby came early.
At around 3:30 am I woke up with consistent contractions that were strong enough that I couldn't sleep. I had a lot of contractions during this pregnancy, starting really early (week 12ish), and a lot of times they were painful enough that I would get concerned, but they would always stop. Travis woke up and sat with me and talked. With both Audrey and Phoenix, I was up by myself in pain from contractions, but having Travis being awake with me this time made a huge difference. It was so much better. At around 5:30 I called my doctor and she told me to go the hospital right away. We dropped the kids off at my friends house and went to the hospital. My contractions spaced out and slowed down. And I basically got kicked out of the hospital because I wasn't progressing. We picked the kids up, Travis stayed for breakfast, and then went to work.
I did a short day of homeschool with the kids, pausing occasionally with contractions so painful I couldn't stand up. By lunch time I was in a lot of pain, but the contractions weren't consistent. I had a Dr. appointment at 3:30, and I still hadn't really progressed a lot, but the Dr. told me to call my Mom because I wasn't going to make it to my induction date (so much for my perfect plan!). The Dr. told me to call when I was contracting more consistently, or when I couldn't take the pain anymore. I had some hugely painful contractions on the way home, and by the time we got home I was a complete mess. These were not normal contractions...what I had experienced with my labor with Audrey and Phoenix was mildly uncomfortable compared to these. I was screaming, crying, yelling...I was a mess. We called a friend and she came to pick Audrey and Phoenix up. I couldn't say goodbye to them because I was in so much pain. They were so worried about me, those little sweeties. Travis called my doctor because I couldn't, the contractions were 1-2 minutes apart, and so painful I couldn't talk. I texted my sister to have her call my Mom to tell her to drive down. My doctor said to go to the hospital, and this time I was automatically admitted.
Within the hour from my doctors appointment to the hospital I went from being 3 cm dilated to 8-9 cm. I was so far that getting an epideral wasn't looking likely. The hospital had to do a blood test which took about 45 minutes to run through. I was the patient that was screaming and crying. I always thought that labor is very overly dramatic in TV shows and movies, but maybe all of the actresses are having sunny side up babies...in which case their screams and cries are totally understandable. I was extremely panicked at the idea of not getting an epideral, the pain I was in was indescribable to anyone except for those who have experienced it themselves. My doctor came in and told me that she could break my water and I could have the baby, or I could try to get an epideral. I told her I couldn't do it without an epideral (I was ready to beg for a c-section if that is what it would have taken). The nurse told me that as long as my water didn't break I could still get the epideral, I was worried that it would break at any time. And then the hospital room door opened. The anesthesiologist appeared. The clouds parted. Light from heaven shown down on this blessed man. I could breath. Everything was going to be OK. I had another hugely painful contraction, but I could deal with it because I knew my pain would be taken from me soon. As he was sticking needles into my back he kept saying "this isn't comfortable, this isn't comfortable" and I kept telling him "this is NOTHING!". Within 3 minutes of the epideral my pain was 50% gone, and within 10 minutes I couldn't even tell when I was contracting. The miracles of modern medicine are real my friends!
Throughout this whole ordeal, Travis was by my side, being supportive, comforting and trying to talk some sense into his crazed wife. 5 minutes after I got the epideral Travis asked the nurse what his options for dinner were. I felt so bad. Here I was on the brink of begging for death because of my pain, and I had completely forgotten about my husband's stomach! It had to have been at least 3, maybe 4 hours since the last time he had eaten! Poor guy. I still have no idea how he made it the next 2 hours without eating. Men have it so rough! I kid! Luckily, when he asked about his dinner options I was so relieved to be out of pain that I could laugh at his inquiry. I probably would not have found it so funny 10 minutes previous.
Out of the goodness of her heart, my doctor let me relax and enjoy my epideral for 2 hours. When it was time to start pushing my doctor remarked at the very unusual presentation of Felicity, not only was she face up, but she was also face first! The nurse later told me that normally that is an automatic c-section. My doctor gave me the chance to push, and after that she knew that I would be able to deliver naturally. I had to push a lot longer with Felicity than I did with Audrey and Phoenix (they were both about 10 minutes and Felicity was closer to 30). My doctor called in several other doctors/nurses to "look at the unusual presentation", and normally that would be somewhat humiliating, but by this point I didn't care at all! Felicity came out, and she was so swollen. I had several dreams later in my pregnancy that she looked exactly how she did when she was born, so I was already prepared in a way for how she looked. I wasn't sure how much was swelling, and how much was her features. I just knew that I loved that little baby girl so much. She was so tiny, and so sweet. She had a healthy cry, and everything was as it should be. I had two babies previous to her, but I was a different person then. I was young, inexperienced, and selfish. I did not have a full comprehension of the miracle of a baby. If there is anything that testifies of God, it is a new baby. They are sent straight from Heaven, and there is no denying that.
I stayed in the delivery room for another two and a half hours, waiting for my epideral to wear off enough so that I could stand. One of my close friends was working that night, and she hooked me up with a huge room (and a few sodas, snacks, extra diapers and formula...score!). It was so fun to have her there, we laughed, we joked, she held Felicity. It was the perfect ending to my long day. Travis excused himself to get a Big Mac (priorities!). I woke up once during the night and my nurse friend, Lisa, was feeding Felicity a bottle. Felicity slept through the night besides that one feeding, and she basically slept almost nonstop except for several minute intervals in which she would eat 15-20 mm from a bottle. The next morning I was so sore, my back and my legs were extremely achy, probably from everything they endured the previous day. I sat in the shower for a long time. A very long time. Long enough to wash all of my aches away. When I was putting on my socks afterwards I could lift my leg up normally for the first time in 5 months! It is amazing how fast the relief your body gets after you have a baby. No more heartburn, no more separated pelvis. I will continue with our first day together as a family in my next post.
