We got to the hospital without too much drama. Logan only ran one red light, not because we were in any hurry, but because he just wanted to be able to say he had. I kept thinking I would get nervous about what was going to happen, but I never really did. We weren't sure where to sign in when we got there but after asking around we finally were shown the right desk. The nurse who was having us fill out paper work was a major ronch. I was so so worried all the nurses would be this way. Luckily everyone after her was great! After giving them all our info and trying to explain the midwife dilemma we were lead to our room.
*Side note* I guess you all need to know the midwife dilemma as well, it will be important a little later on. So, JVMC started allowing midwives to deliver at their hospital June 1st. Obviously, I did not wait that long. My wonderful midwife Julie Jones had doctors working at JVMC who would act like they were my doctor - they would make notes on the charts, script out my meds, and have their name all over my bands - but Julie would still get to be there with me and help coach me along during delivery. At my last appointment with Julie she wasn't sure which doctor would be the actual one to help us out. So when the grouchy nurse asked me who my doctor was it was kind of a long tale.
Ok, back to the story.
When we got to the room we started all the prep work. I changed into my attractive gown, peed in a cup, got hooked up to the monitors and finally the nurse checked me. (4 cm and 80% - woo hoo! That meant I wasn't getting sent home!) I was there to stay so she also stuck me with an IV. All of this took about 2 hours. Around 9:30 pm the nurse told me I should go take a walk for about an hour. So off we went to explore the hospital. I can still remember many of the spots I had to stop and breath while waiting for a contraction - which were STILL all in my back.
An hour later we headed back to see what kind of progress I had made. (6 cm and 100%) They hooked me back up to the monitors for 30 minutes and after my contractions slowly started to slow down a little - they went from being every 2-3 minutes apart to every 3-5 minutes - she told me to head out for another walk. Just as we were getting ready to go Julie showed up. Hooray!! After saying our hellos we left for our walk. Although the nurse had told us to go for another hour I was done after about 1/2 hour. We went back and I wanted to be checked again. In the back of my mind I had decided if I wasn't to an 8 I was going to get some drugs because things were starting to hurt. I was only 7 cm. Instead of going for the drugs though I decided to try the fancy jetted tub because I had heard good things.
It was wonderful! I was able to get a little rest and I wasn't in as much pain anymore. I'm not really sure how long I was laying around for but after a while the pain started getting worse. I finally decided I had to get out and see where things were. I was 8 cm. That's it?! Things were getting a little difficult. Drugs were looking pretty good. Julie told me to try sitting on the big ball for a little bit to see if that would help. As I was getting up to get on the ball I felt a strange gush of fluid. My water broke - eww. So glad that didn't happen anywhere else but at the hospital. After being a little freaked out I finally sat on the ball and just felt myself leaking and leaking. I'm not really sure how long this part of the adventure lasted either, but the ball did help. Around 3 am I was ready for some relief. The pain was still all in my back and even with Logan pushing on it pretty hard, things were getting a little too difficult.
I did not want the epidural, so I just asked for a very low dose of something they could put in my IV. I ended up getting a little fentanyl to help me relax between contractions. And relax I did. I pretty much fell asleep between each once. It was a great way to get my strength back up to be able to get through each contraction. Around 3:30 am they checked me again (during a contraction!! Ouch!) and I was still only 8 cm so they decided to give me some pitocin to speed things along. It sure worked. I was 10 cm and ready to push within half an hour. They called the doctor at ten to 4 to see where he was and he was not really close yet. So Julie decided she would be the one to deliver my baby. (Yahoo!) She started telling me to push, and boy did I push.
At 4:27 am, right as my little goon's big head came out, the doctor walked in. He commented on how well we all were doing and sat back to watch the show. They sucked some gunk out of her nose and mouth and then Julie had me reach down and pull the rest of her little 6 pound 9 1/2 ounce body out. So weird! They sat her on my belly and my first thought was she sure looked like me. Logan cut the cord while we were trying to get her to cry and then they took her away. As I was getting stitched up from a little tearing, the NICU nurses came in and were checking out my baby.
They told me she had inhaled some fluid so they were taking her to the NICU for some x-rays and to start on antibiotics to prevent pneumonia. They brought her over to me so I could kiss her goodbye and I told Logan she was Bridget. He said he already knew she was and then he left with them.
You all know how the rest of the story goes. Two weeks we waited to bring her home. Finally, May 21st, we drove back to the hospital one last time to finally take home our baby. This time I was nervous.
She loves giving me looks like I'm dumb... She is also so dang strong already!
something that was inside me come out and be a
real, living little person. So weird! I will forever be
grateful for all that pain I had to go through to get my
little girl. It sure was worth it, just like everyone told
me it would be.
She is my little lizard, always playing with that tongue of hers.
It will happen.
And until then, I will keep praying for you to be able to
receive your own little miracle.
4 comments:
She's so cute. Keep the pictures coming:) I love to hear other peoples birth stories. I already knew some of it, but thanks for sharing the rest.
You're awesome Cass! I was waiting to here that story! Good job on not getting an epidural! Thats my plan on the next one. ;) She's too dang cute! Congrats! I wanna come visit!
We are always up for visitors!! Come on over! :)
I like hearing birth stories too. Its always super interesting to see how different they all are. Thanks for sharing! Glad the fentanyl helped you, it made me totally sick, I hated it.
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