Birthing Story

Friday March 25th I worked 12 hours at the office.  Considering we started at a bright and early 7:45 am that morning, getting home after 8:30 pm, that was a long ass day! 

My mother-in-law had arrived that previous Wednesday in preparation for baby Maddie's arrival and that Friday evening had dinner prepared for me.  She made ravioli, garlic bread and salad, but I was not that hungry and on top of that exhausted so I ate the salad and hit the hay. 

I was not surprised, in the slightest, when I did not get a good night's sleep. I was up just about every 20-30 minutes with contractions, or what felt like Braxton Hicks.  I didn't give them a second though, just annoyed that they were waking me up so consistently that I wasn't getting any good sleep.

Saturday March 26th I rose early since I wasn't sleeping much anyway. Lucky for us our hot water heater broke the day before leaving us with no water what-so-ever.  Yay!  First task of the day, eat breakfast then shower.  Showering was going to be a little difficult, so after much deliberation on whether I was even going to shower that day, I packed up my bags and headed to my sister's for a hot shower all the while having those same annoying contractions.

I arrived at my sister's house and she was still sleeping, can you believe it, the luxury of have 2 kids under the age of 4 and sleeping in until 9 am, must be nice!  Either way I took the liberty of grabbing myself a towel and borrowing her shampoo/conditioner and soap! :)  One issue, her shower doesn't drain!  Fabulous!  Old houses in this stupid city. Good thing they have the money for a rebuild, bad thing that hasn't happened yet... so hot shower although it might be, I was ankle deep in murkiness, oi!

Post shower, contractions in tow, I headed back the house to start the Saturday morning errands, number one on the list - buying a new hot water heater!  Off the Lowe's we go - the whole gang, Mom, Dad, MIL and me! :) Decisions to be made...hot water heater to buy!  1.5 hours later we are awaiting the arrival of Hubby with his Tahoe to haul this enormous box home.  During this stretch of time those annoying contractions got even more annoying, occurring every 5 minutes at this point - close to 11 am.  Hubby arrives, load the box, drive home, start timing contractions.

Upon arrival home these contractions are now consistently and lovingly 5 minutes apart and really starting to get annoying.  I can still walk and talk through them, but golly kill beast am I annoyed.  At this point I'm reminded that its time to call the doctor's office.  They inform me that I've probably started labor and I should head to the hospital.  Being the amazing procrastinator that I am I decided I wanted to straighten my hair and do a little make up so I don't look a complete mess when my darling girl arrives.  An hour and 1/2 later I'm ready to head to the hospital!

Walking into the hospital I'm sure people thought this lady is coming for a scheduled C-section.  I meandered through the halls making my way to the maternity wing.  Walk up to the counter and tell them I'm in labor and my doctor told me to come into the hospital.  :)  After a few little signatures here and there I was brought back to Triage to make sure I was in labor and that I was going to be admitted.  Lindsey our nurse was very pleasant, she came in, we did some more paperwork.  She checked my heart rate and the baby's heart rate, it was all wonderful and good, but how far a long am I?  Finally a little probing in the no no area and voila 3 cm. I know not impressive, but enough to be admitted and prepared for true labor!  So 30-40 minutes later we transition to the delivery room!  I'm informed that I can get the epidural whenever I so please, but I choose to take some time to walk around a bit biting through contractions prior to having to lay in bed waiting and waiting.

I had eaten so early in the morning and I was starving on my way to the hospital, but didn't stop, by the time I was admitted I asked if I could eat something and they said NO!  :(  For the next 8 hours, all I was to eat was ice chips, LAME! 

Moving on,  I took a 40 minute walking session with Billy.  We walked around the halls pausing with every contraction.  Came back to delivery for a 30 minute rest and check.  4cm and progressing.  Another 40 minute walking session la dee da, but I got tired 1/2 way through this one and asked to go sit down in our room.  As I was sitting there is all my hospital robe and Paul Frank monkey sock glory "POP", that was awkward, "GUSH" and that's gross...uhh....I think my water just broke.  Yikes!  I transition to the bed as the nurse walks in for another check.  Blood and liquid everywhere, my water has definitely broken and...I'm 5 cm.  Not only that, but contractions are now extremely painful, whhaaa!?!?  Epidural please...thank you.

Saving grace walks in for my epidural, thank you thank you thank you. As he is going through his spiel and explaining the risks and the possibilities of it not working and so on and so forth, I'm curled over the side of the bed, back bare staring at a stark white face of my husband, whom I'm pretty sure was on the verge of shitting his pants.  I on the other hand was gritting my teeth through the pain of the contractions hoping the doc would finish what he was explaining and get the damn thing in already!  A flush of cold fluid down my back, no ringing in my ears, pain is subsiding...Mmmm....all is good in the world.  30 minutes of the doctor monitoring my pain levels, asking me how the contractions feel - pain is not completely gone, but feeling much more like the contractions from before my water broke, so that's a good sign right?  Right.

30 minutes later, what the hell just happened.  Contractions are back in full force and I am panting, gritting my teeth, baring down on the medical bed handrail using all my will power not to scream out loud and scare just about everyone in a 5 mile radius!  What was that doctor saying again?? There is a 5 percent chance that the epidural won't take?  Am I that 5%??  So SHITTY!!  Doc, get back in here let's do this thing....AGAIN!  Nurse comes in for a check quick before doc comes in again.  7am dilated, NOT happy!  Doc comes in, I'm so apologetic for being part of the stupid 5%, he's all like "What are you apologizing for?" through the pain I sob, "I don't know...I'm sorry" (I'm a freak). 

Same process, sharp pain, pressure, rush of cold fluid, no ringing in my ears, tape tape tape (apparently I have the longest back ever) and.....huh?  I had a contraction?  I did not feel a damn thing!  Yay, results = (singing) FABULOUS!!! Doc back on good side :) and he departs room with a satisfied grin!

Lindsey my Triage/Delivery nurse was coming to the end of her shift at 7:30 PM and switching out with our final delivery nurse, whom we loved - she was so funny and totally knew what she was doing - Sharon! I'll be requesting her for my second baby ;) I actually don't know if you can even do something like that, but hey - we can try! Anyway she comes in to check and see what the progress looks like....OMG 10 cm, let's get ready to push!  Is this really happening? Am I really about to vaginally birth my daughter???  Am I about to be a mom???  Yes, yes I am...

Mrs. Steele to the right of my head, Billy to the left.  Sharon the nurse holding my right foot and my sister holding my left! And PUSH 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...7...8.....9.....10 and AGAIN!  My mom screaming hysterically in the background wanting to take pictures, but not wanting to look running back and forth from behind the nurse to the other side of the room.  My dad behind the curtain, "what the hell is going on over there?"  Billy takes a look around the room, "Anyone need to get some air???" I hear his say in a slightly panicked voice.  Everyone looks at him as if he's nuts.  A couple minutes pass, another cycle of contractions and pushing and he exclaims, "Umm, I'm gonna go get some air"  he was about to pass out.  My macho, butch husband was about the pass out during the delivery of our daughter, can you even believe that??

and PUSH 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...7...8...9....10!! And breathe....I asked the nurse, "Am I pushing right? I can't tell I can't feel anything"  Apparently I was pushing right cause an hour later my wonderful OB Dr. Grade arrives, takes a look at the ordeal down there and saddled up right away.  Dr. Grade's hands in preparation for catching Billy asks, "should I start the taping this, is this happening right now?"  And...PUSH 2...3...4...5....6...7...8....9...10 and AGAIN 2....3....Ahhhh relief!  She has arrived, tears flowing everyone but from my eyes because I'm in total shock.  Screaming, healthy baby girl arms stretched wide Billy hands off the camera and cuts the umbilical cord. She is official born at 9:51 PM on Saturday March 26th.  They swaddle her and put a cap on her slightly deformed head (weird) and place her on my chest.  As I look down at her mouth wide tears still not flowing, but amazed at what has just occurred. The birth of my first daughter, Madison.  I love you!






I'm going to finish the story there for now, but it doesn't really end there...(clean up starts now! yuck!)