Week 40:
My due date (May 22) arrived! Now, keith and i had been preparing for James to possibly come early because they say that people tend to mirror what their mothers did and my mom was early and so was Keiths mom. Well that didn't happen but thats okay. We had our doctors appt the next day (23rd). At that appt she told me there wasnt any change and she was confident id probably give birth in the next week but to go ahead and schedule an appt for the following Tuesday (1 week over due). Plus had to schedule an appt that Friday to do a routine stress test that they do for overdue babies just to make sure he's ok. We went to that appt and they just hooked me up to the heart monitor for 20 minutes. He was all good! just taking his sweet time.
Week 41:
Yep still pregnant and on my way to my drs appt. They tell me im about 1 cm dilated and the dr said to get something on the books to be induced if I wanted. The next available was Friday night (it was now tuesday). The dr kept telling us they like to induce first time moms at night so you can sleep through the night and give birth in the morning. ok, yeah right. like i would be able to sleep in a hospital room, hooked up to IVs and having contractions. She said we could call the next day to see if anything opened up sooner but in the meantime we were booked for friday night. At this point keith and i were just anxious to get things going and now that i had decided on being induced, I was just ready to do this! This waiting was much harder than I ever thought it would be. The combination of being anxious, having been off work for almost two weeks waiting for his arrival and not being able to sleep bc i was uncomfortable turned me into an emotional mess. I was just ready for him to come already! Keith called the next day (wednesday) and spoke with another dr and said we would be open to any time openings, not just at night and he kinda stretched the truth and said i was super uncomfortable and wanted the first available. Well, turns out the had an opening from 3am-7am the next morning! That means they call in that time frame and say to come in bc my bed is ready. Keith and I were pretty excited. We both went to bed that night and attempted to get some sleep but that didnt really happen. Weirdest part....at 3am that morning, i started having contractions! This baby has impecable timing. At 430am the hospital called and said to come in.
Thursday May 31:
We get to the hospital at about 5:15 and at 7am they hook me up to the monitors and IV and the nurse says "did you know youre having contractions?" I did and figured I was going to the hospital anyway so perfect timing! The doctor comes in and tells me I will most likely give birth late that night and the contractions were going to start coming on real strong and fast once they start the pitosin IV. I had been told by many people to get an epidural as soon as possible especially if im getting induced. around 10am I was really feeling the contractions and thought if I had to deal with this ALL day, I might as well get the epidural bc you have to sit perfectly still to get it and as the contractions started getting more intense, I dont think id be able to sit very still! Got the epidural (amazing. They should give these to people who dont know how to relax. seriously, so great you cant even feel your legs) . Mom, dad and janet got to the hospital and iw as able to hang out with them for a few hrs but then my contractions started getting pretty bad. I was kinda scared to press the epidural button even though they kept saying "you cant OD" long story short, at 8:30pm the dr came in and said i was fully dilated and she'd be back in an hr to start pushing. she told me not to press my epidural from now until then which was no problem bc I hadnt pressed it in ab 20 min anyway! (again, for some reason kept thinking id OD and hurt the baby or something).
approximately 9:15pm
Im dying. literally I think im dying. these contractions are coming every minute and its no joke. I was squeezing Keiths hand so hard he was bruised and had to tell me to use the bed rail bc i was breaking his hand. Come on Keith, deal with it, I'm about to push a child out of me. The nurse comes in and says "well did you press your epidural button??" NO lady, the dr told me not to! well the nurse is like "do it...press it...seriously..." and held it in front of my face. Uh....ok? at this point, I press it once and told her "i need to start pushing right now, im telling you....i need to start pushing" they kept telling me I should feel constant pressure and then id know i was ready to push. well, I never felt CONSTANT pressure, just CONSTANT extreme pain and i knew I had to push. So she nonchalantly gets the dr and the dr comes in and says "ok so you'll prob be pushing for 1-2 hrs" OH HAIL NO LADY. Clearly she doesnt know me bc in my head im thinking "this baby is coming out NOW if I have any control of it" So from the time I pressed the epdiural botton to when i pushed was ab 5 min bc I was NOT waiting any longer. next thing i know the dr says "well, ok then. this baby is coming now." I told you.
Next thing I know it was like a Nascar race and my car had pulled into the changing station. the dr turns around and the nurse puts this gear on her, nurses come out of the wood work, a mirror comes out of the ceiling, the table comes apart, stirrups come up, all within like 15 seconds. The doctor is yelling to Keith "grab her leg!! hes coming! KEITH LOOK! LOOK! You can see his head!" (poor keith is terrified to look but he did. thanks to the drill sergeant dr) Basically I pushed as hard as I could and 7 minutes later James Lee Wander was here! All 8lbs 1 oz and 22 1/4 inches of him.
He wasnt crying and so they were trying to get him to cry and getting all the gunk out of his mouth and nose. Meanwhile Im constantly asking "is he ok is he ok???" they were very calm and assured me he was and said his ambilical cord had been around his neck twice so he was just "stunned." Looking back, everytime I was laying on my left side (you have to lay on your sides with an epidural) his heart rate would drop. I think it was bc the cord was tightening. Thank god I didnt know that at the time.
They got him to cry and cleaned him up and placed him on my chest. I couldnt believe it. 10 minutes ago he was in me. now hes sitting here staring at me with one HELL of a head of hair.
Arent I pretty?
Things they dont tell you about labor: the aftermath HURTS. Alot. The next day through the next few weeks was very painful. Why has no one told me that would happen??? and why had I thought I would just casually stroll out of the hospital feeling amazing? Which by the way I walked out of the hospital, turning down the option of having a wheel chair. I thought I felt fine but by the time I got to our car...I was crying and limping as if I had just been shot in the ass. Word of advice: get a wheelchair.
Going home outfit compliments of Grannie!
