Ok, maybe hell on earth is being too dramatic because the story ends quite happy. Thats why there is all these cute lil pictures throughout the post because he is quite the sweetheart! Sooo....
for better or for worse, here it goes....
It started when I was just a couple days early of my due date and it was time for the eviction of the little man! So on a cool evening in February we met my mom and dad for what seriously felt like "my last meal" before being a mom of two, at Pita Jungle to hand Britta off to my mom and dad before we went to the hospital for the induction. It was delish and it really was a great last meal!
As we got checked into the hospital I was starting to feel contractions - welp, he got the notice and was helping out in the cause. We had a the "luxury suite" of the labor and delivery room, quite exciting. I decided to walk it out before they hooked me up to pitocin since I was contracting on my own anyways. We walked, talked and then it was time to settle in for the night. Then the waiting.... I watched tv as long as shows permitted, then I watched Hunger Games- quite delightful at 2am. Early morning brought on pain.... but I was strong and wanted to hold out till I was farther along. Gunnar took a shower, and around 5am I asked for the good drugs through my IV (ohh, love those drugs). Then, a few hours later the drugs failed to take the edge off as much as I would have liked. So around 9am I got my epideral.
Yay, epideral.... I had high hopes. My last epideral brought on tears by a mean anesthesiologist, this time he was nice and it was easy peasy. Too bad it didn't work in the area that needed it most.... maybe I should have asked for the mean one...
I felt better for awhile but then I started feeling serious pressure. A good sign I knew but not so much fun... So finally they broke my water around 10am and instead of my bag of waters pressing down on me it was my sweet baby boys head! Much better yet actually horribly worse for me! Then the party started...
My contractions were not letting up and there was no breaks in-between them. Just pure contractions over and over like a never ending wave. This was when I called Gunnar to stand by my side. It was time to enlist him in our endeavor. It was about this time when I realized, this epideral is working on my stomach and legs... that was it. It was going to be a bumpy ride!
Now it was time to push.... no seriously "I need to push!" is what I told my nurse even though last time they checked I was only a 4. So she checked me and quite shocking to her (not to me) she said "OK! We are having a baby!! We'd better call her doctor NOW, he might miss it!"
The entire 20 minuets waiting for him was excoriating! But I was bound and determined to wait for him. I wanted MY doctor there, not just his resident but HIM! If it wasn't for the best nurse in training coaching me through each long long contraction I wouldn't have been able to make it. All that time was quite a blur. I remember kinda freaking because my hands were tingly and numb and I quite anxiously said "I can't feel my hands! I can't feel my hands!!" then in a sweet tone my nurse said, thats because of your breathing, lets give you some oxygen and it will go away. You baby doesn't need it but It will help you"
After that there was lots of sweating and breathing. My sight was seriously blurred and all I could manage focusing on was the ceiling and keeping that baby in till my doctor was there. He was NOT going to miss it! I finally knew and now understand why they call it the "ring of fire". That was one of the worst parts! Now I completely understand why they call it labor because it is hard painful work bringing these lil people into the world!
Swiftly and mercifully Dr. Nelson finally came in and he was all business. I'm sure he noticed really what was going on and there was no messing around. When I saw him come in it was all I could do but not yell "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN??!" I knew better, no one yells at Dr. Nelson.....
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| Oh yea, looking a lot like I just had a baby! |
The next thing I remember is being told ok, lets push! I, being quite relieved because my doctor was here and all was well and I could finally let my body work and push this babe out! Push one: holy crap!! THAT HURTS!! There was yelling and I have to say I was quite proud of myself afterward that there was no explicits... go me. There was a small thought of mine that said "yea, I don't want to push again..." then the nurse said "ok, you can either wait for the next contraction or just push whenever you feel like it." Part of me wanted to wait, I'd rather not feel that pain again! But something deep inside of me reared it's head and said "Let's get this baby OUT NOW!" So two more horrifying pushes and all of it was over. On the last push, Dr. Nelson told me to reach down and grab my baby. So I reached down grabbed under my lil man's armpits and placed this little ball of skin on me! Everything was forgotten (ok, not really but kinda) and he was just quiet and a little whiney but so yummy! Through sweat and tears he was here and this part was over and now.... I had a newborn. It was all worth it, we just may have to wait a long while for me to forget the pain... either way, our family had a new addition and he is ours to teach and love. We had a newborn!
Now the fun really begins!
