He's here!

Baby E, 6lbs 2.5 oz arrived this past Wednesday.

I was a bit stunned because I was only 37 weeks 2 days. I was getting ready to bunker down and prepared to carry him past 40 weeks.

(Don't read any further unless you want the FULL and LONG birth story. I'm writing it down here before I forget all of the details)

But THEN. I had some pretty regular contractions on Friday. They were regular in that they kept coming. But they were coming at weird intervals. Every 5 min. Then 10 min. Then 4 min. Then 15 min. Then around bedtime they stopped. I was pretty uncomfortable, but was happy they stopped. I knew they had to be Braxton Hicks and could not possibly be real labor. So after a quick prayer that they would leave me alone during the night, I went to bed. I slept great and no more contractions! We had a great weekend and I was looking forward to my doctors appointment on Monday. I was going to be checked and was hoping to be dilated to a 1 or more!

At my appointment I gained 2 lbs (ugh!) but was a 2 1/2 and 60% effaced!

I was excited and crossing my fingers to go into labor at 38 weeks! (I was hoping just like any other pregnant woman!)

Hubby had a short week at work and went back on Wednesday morning. He told my tummy to wait until next weekend please. Well about 8:00 I realized that I was having more labor pains. I started writing them down in order to track how long in between and realized that they were coming every 3 min without fail. But they weren't bad. So after an hour or so of doing this and that (the girls were home on spring break and just watching shows in the family room) the labor pains were still coming regularly. I thought they were about the same, but maybe getting just a little bit worse. I called mom and let her know. I tried to get hold of Hubby and he was not around. I sent him a quick e-mail.

I still wasn't convinced it was labor so I took a shower. Because if it was labor I was going to be clean and have my hair done and teeth brushed. And hey, I was fine. It wasn't really bad. Just regular.

After a shower and getting ready I decided after a few phone calls to Mom and finally getting hubby on the phone that we should at least go to the hospital to be checked.

Dad took babysitting duty and watched the girls. Mom was nice enough to drive me to the hospital. The pain was getting worse the whole way there. I was still able to talk through the contractions and they really weren't all that bad.

Mom dropped me off at the hospital where hubby was waiting. We walked to the labor and delivery doorway and they let us in. We were ushered to a room where they had me change into a gown and hooked me up to a few monitors. They also checked me and found I was at a 3 1/2 now.

Well, after monitoring me for about an hour (or less, I don't remember) our nurse informed me that they weren't sure this was it. That since I was only 37 weeks they wouldn't do anything like break my water to ensure delivery. Basically our only option was to walk for about an hour and then they would monitor and check me and if there was change they would keep me.

I had forgotten to eat breakfast that morning so we stopped by the patients pantry for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I also kept drinking apple juice that they had provided me with while I was being monitored.

Hubby walked with me. I felt like I was walking way to fast for a lady in labor. We kept walking around the labor and delivery unit and then around the postpartum unit. Around and around. We would go one direction and then go the other the next time around. My contractions kept getting a little harder and a little harder. It got to the point that it was more comfortable to walk slower during them. And then it was easier to just stop at a window or painting and be still during them. A little after this development we looped around to the Labor and delivery unit again and I noticed my midwife. I waved and she said hi and then we went in to be monitored and checked again.

Well this time I was at 4 1/2. They were keeping us! My midwife came in to talk to us and told us that she was surprised to get the phone call. To clarify, she was surprised that the phone call was for me. She thought for sure it was for another patient who was 4 days overdue! Ugh. That poor woman!

Anyway, we talked. I confirmed I was going for the epidural. She said that as soon as I got that she would come and break my water.

I was still feeling fairly good so I put the epidural off. The nurse started the IV and the penicillin because I was strep B positive. She said that it had to be in my body for a certain amount of time for it to be safe for the baby. The safe time was 5:15 or so. Funny thing was that I had never had a labor as long as that. 8 hours for my first and 6 for the second. 5:15 would make this a 9 hour labor.

Anyway the nurse got all of that started and left us alone for a while. We talked for a little bit and the pain was getting worse. The next time the nurse came in, I said that the epidural was sounding awfully good and she made the arrangements. I don't know that the pain was all that bad though. I probably could have gone a bit longer without the epidural. But she was already making the arrangements and it did sound good.

The nurse (Amanda) pushed the rest of my saline in (they have to have a bag in for blood pressure reasons) and called the anesthesiologist.

Awhile later they showed up. For the record, the epidural worked like a champ. The pain receded quickly in my left side, but took a little longer in my right. Although, it made it better in the right. I don't remember getting an epidural hurting like that before though. Weird.

Anyway, after the epidural, Amanda checked me again and said I was at a 7. Nice. We then relaxed and watched some TV. Hubby and I got sleepy and were thinking about a nap. My midwife came in and broke my water. There wasn't much water in front of the baby's head though, so my thought was that it probably wouldn't make a difference.

A while later Amanda checked me again and I was still at a 7. I was worried that my labor had stalled, and Amanda just had me roll to my other side. She said it could make a difference. And she added an electrode to the baby's head to monitor the baby's heartbeat. Because I had skipped breakfast it was a little worrisome earlier in the day and I was being a worrywart about it. So it helped me calm down. But I think I was hiding the worry pretty well :). Amanda also told me to let her know when I started feeling pressure.

After about an hour of getting sleepy and watching TV, I started feeling pressure. It wasn't the "This is it!" pressure, but I let Amanda know and she made some notes in my chart (And probably called my midwife)

A little bit after that I felt the "This is it!" pressure and Amanda came in and checked me. Complete! Luckily my midwife was just outside (nice!) and after a little visiting and getting set up we decided to push with my next contraction. One push and his head was crowning. We paused there for some stretching and I visited a little with the nurse and my midwife said something about me having another contraction because the baby was out to his ears. Wow! So I gave another push and he was out! So fast and quick! He was in a hurry! But! He came around 5:30. so the penicillin had had enough time and it was my longest labor yet. Strange huh?

I felt great and he was healthy. the girls came with Grandma and Grandpa later and visited. We also had a visit from Aunt B and her hubby.

After a long not very restful night in the hospital, we went home the next day. He is a handsome fellow and so sweet. We love him very much.