Birth story.

This is the full fledged version. If you aren't comfortable reading about lady-bit dialation, click here for the less elaborate story.

Our baby's due date was March 8th, 2011, but as detailed here and here, in early February we learned that there wasn't a whole lot of amniotic fluid left for our sweet boy. We were teetering on inducing early due to the dry conditions. When we went in for a scheduled ultrasound on Monday February 28th, again with our hospital bags in the car, we learned that although the amniotic fluid 'gauge' still wasn't yet on empty, the obstetrician on duty didn't understan what our doctor was waiting for... The baby was doing well and was full term. It was time to get the party started before that situation changes!

I was in disbelief. Before texting my mom I asked the doctor 3 times for confirmation that we weren't leaving without first having a baby. She laughed and told me over and over again that yes, two were checking in but three will be checking out. Tom got the bags from the car and did the paper work to get me admitted. I called my mother and alerted the rest of the troops with this teaser.

They gave me cervidil to help rippen my cervix before inducing labor (which we decided to wait until the next morning to do). We spent the remainder of the day playing cribbage, watching "Bringing Baby Home" a Quebec video for new parents (Tom told the nurse that we were 'cramming', she laughed so hard!) and making a few phone calls while the ripening procedure took place. We were told to head to bed early in case the cervidil triggered natural labor during the night. {Someone should have also reminded me that this was the last time in a looooong time that I would have the opportunity to sleep for 10 hours straight!}

I had so many emotions - excited, a bit nervous, anxious, a bit nervous, excited - I blogged from my hospital bed to help sort them out.

I was wondering how in the world I would get to sleep with so much to think about... But God granted me the sleep I desperately needed, even with the screaming labouring woman in the room next to me that arrived too late to get her planned epidural... And I was ale to sleep???? God is good!

In the morning they took the cervidil out and discovered I dilated to 2 cm over night - pretty good for having only mild cramps if you ask me! I took a shower and brushed my teeth. I opted for breakfast but they needed to order it so it would take a few minutes... In the mean time they started me on an induction drip (8:00am) at the lowest possible level (we'll call it 1 unit per hour) which was going to be increased every 20 minutes as needed until things got rolling. They informed me it usually takes about 12 hours, so be in for a loooong day.

Immediately after they started the drip, the mild cramps I had the night before intensified. As a 'favor' the doctor on duty (who was finishing her final rounds before heading home) decided to break my water knowing that her colleague may not show up for a few hours and she didn't want me to not progress much until after he arrived and broke it...

Immediately after THAT, the intensified mild cramps started getting ugly... Just around this time the nurse upped my drip to 2 units per hour (8:20am). Things started to really get intense and tears started flowing. I wasn't exactly crying, but water was pretty much pouring out of my face. Breakfast arrived but I was in no mood for eating (and THAT says a lot). It was time to start implementing some of those pain management techniques we learned about... Tom was AMAZING. Strong, confident, and so supportive.

We swayed. We implemented counter pressure. I breathed. We coped. And when we could, we texted our mothers to let them know how things were progressing.

My plan had always been to labour as long as possible without meds, but I knew that this particular hospital had a high epidural rate and that natural labours following inductions are even less common. Either way, I was all for walking, moaning, breathing, and counter pressure (WOW counter pressure worked wonders for me!) for as long as I could. My body started to take action to make way - voiding all that wasn't needed.

I asked our nurse when I should thinking about using some of the fun stuff, like the whirl pool, to help ease the pain of labour. I wanted to plan my 12 hour day accordingly and not use up the fun stuff too soon.. She looked at me and said "Now. If you'd like." It was only 9:30ish! I reminded her we may be at this for 12 hours and I wanted to wait as long as I could before using these tricks... She looked at me and said that based on the way I was progressing, this probably was not going to take 12 hours. I was 5.5 cms (3.5 progress in just over an hour!)

So in the jet tub I went. It was GLORIOUS! The warm, vibrating massaging, and loud hum drove out most the contraction pains. I was doing it! I was labouring!!

Unfortunately, the nurse then said to me "If you were also thinking of getting an epidural, now's the time."

Crap.

I hadn't even thought of that yet... But now it's all I could think about! Should I? Shouldn't I?? I told Tom that he was going to need a pretty big carrot (reward) to get me out of that tub...

Then the nurse came back to helpfully inform me "Remember, after you decide I need time to call him and he needs time to get here."

Oh dear.

Now the pressure was on. Wait a minute, it's only 10:00 AM! What happened to our 12 hour day? Why is she so sure this was going to happen sooner than later?

I talked to Tom about it (in between contractions, that is. There was NO talking during contractions, just deep breathing!) and although I was still coping really well I was nervous about what was to come. There's this 'transition' part of labour that everyone talks about being so horrendous... I didn't want that! I still had energy, but was sure this was going to take a few more hours and I doubted I'd have energy left come the pushing part... So I decided to go for it and she made the call. I got out of the tub and headed back to my room. By this point I had advanced to 7cms.

Another nurse came in to my room and started giving me this really awesome pep-talk about how far I'd made it already and that she thought I could do it med free! Really?!? I started to consider it... Then my original nurse informed me she had already made the call. Crap. I looked up to see a man standing in the doorway of my room. He had a bandana on his head and his arms were crossed. The slightly annoyed look on his face seemed to indicate that he was NOT going to come back - this is your chance, preggo, or you're on your own. Disappointedly, and under pressure, I said let's do it.

I must admit, sitting PERFECTLY still during excruciating contractions is not my cup of tea.

Then it was done, pain medication started and I was told it would take affect within a few contractions. Everyone left. Except the nurse. She checked me again - I was at a 9.5!

I kid you not. I seriously sat through getting a needle in the back during what would have been transition.

I kid you not, the epi didn't have time to fully take effect before Jonathan was even born.

The nurse asked for me to give a 'little push' to see how ready the baby and I were - she nearly freaked when I pushed, "Do NOT push again until told to do so, I need to go get the doctor!"

It was 10:50am. She called for the doctor... He had visited me earlier (you know, like an hour and a half earlier) and saw I was in early labour still so he thought he still had lots of time... The nurse was now scurrying around prepping the room for delivery. I was in disbelief. What happened to my 12 hour day I was planning? What if I wasn't exactly ready to become a mom yet?? Why are these people SO convinced a baby was going to be arriving soon??!!?

In hindsight, the timing of the epidural was perfect - it took the edge off the pain of delivery but I still had feeling so I knew where/how to push. My nurse coached me through pushing (which is quite exhausting, really) and Jonathan was descending quickly. The doctor started to direct me on what to do, but all I could think about what taking a little break! What's the darn rush about?! It's only quarter after eleven!!

At 11:16am, Jonathan emerged from me and into this world.