The Birthstory: Part 2

On my way to the hospital, I noticed that I was starting to have more contractions and they were a lot stronger. I think I had three contractions in a 15 minute car ride. I got to the hospital and didn't know where the labor and delivery entrance was so I just went in the ER. No one was at the ER desk when I got there and I had a least two more contractions in the ten minutes before I even saw someone walk by. I stopped a nurse and asked for help and she let me know that everyone was "busy right now so you need to wait." 5 minutes more of waiting and I was not very happy. A security guard walked by right as I was doubled over and offered to take me to the labor and delivery area. THANK YOU!

I got to L&D at 6:26 am. The triage lady was very nice and reassuring and told me about all of the reasons for false labor and lots of times it turns out to be nothing. My contractions were about 5 minutes apart on her little chart so she sent me on back to get checked and I was certain I just had a UTI or something and they'd give me an antibiotic and send me back home to rest. The nurse checked me and I could tell by her face that it was not good.

Me: Am I dialated?

Nurse: About a six or a seven.

Let me summarize this: I DROVE MYSELF TO THE HOSPITAL WHILE DIALATED TO A SEVEN! And I had NO idea that I was in labor. Am I an idiot?

My doctor was luckily at the hospital for a scheduled C-section so he was there to check me right away. I only had time to hurry and call Josh and my mother-in-law again to tell them to come to the hospital because I was dialated and would probably be here for awhile until they could stop the contractions. (Again-I'm not very bright about this labor stuff). My doctor checked me and declared that I was an 8.

Me: Ok, well lets hurry and get some medicine to stop everything.

Doctor: No, we can't stop it now, you're too far. We're having a baby right now.

Me: (Freaking out now) WHAT?!?! I can't have a baby! He's not ready yet!

Doctor: I know, but we can't stop it at this point.

Me: OK, well then lets get the IV going so that I can get an epidural.

Doctor: There's not going to be time for an epidural.

Me: (giving a serious death glare) Oh, THERE WILL BE TIME FOR AN EPIDURAL.

Doctor: (somewhat amused). Ok...we'll see.

Have I mentioned that I hate to be wrong?

They hurried me off to the delivery room and it was just me and the nurse. After about 15 minutes i told her I was feeling some pressure so she checked me again.

Me: What am I dialated to?

Nurse: Well, there's not really any cervix, just a bag of waters. Um...is your husband coming soon?

Luckily Josh got there 2 minutes later, just about the same time as the doctor and the team of about 20 pediatric nurses/who knows what, who stayed there for the ENTIRE delivery. Why is it in the movies they always show a woman with a towel over her and the doctor carefully raising it to deliver so no one sees? Because at my hospital it is not like that AT ALL. Here world, enjoy the view!

ANYWAY. Needless to say, I did NOT get my epidural. I was pretty proud of myself through the contractions. I had complete control and bit on a washcloth when they got bad and I really didn't make a sound at all. David's heart rate kept on dropping when I contracted so I made sure to control my breathing which seemed to help his rate stay up. Overall, it wasn't too bad and I thought I could totally handle the rest with no problem.

Then came the pushing and holy burning. I pushed on 2 contractions and seriously wanted to die.

Me: Just pull him out!

Doctor: Wow, you are just not stretching AT ALL.

Me: WELL THEN JUST CUT ME ALREADY! I DON'T CARE JUST GET HIM OUT.

Doctor: (amused? Annoyed?) OK ok. just let me numb you a little. (I found out later he was embarassed to be cutting a 30 weeker, which I though was pretty funny).

So he cut me and one more push and David was out at 8:13 am. And instantly the pain was gone. So crazy how I was in the worst pain of my life (up to that point) one second and the next it was completely 100% gone.

David came out screaming and I started sobbing that he was too little! And he shouldn't be here yet! But he was doing good so they let me hold him and then everyone left except for me and the doctor and nurse.

In case you're wondering if there is anything more painful than delivery a baby au natural, the answer is yes. The doctor got to work on removing the placenta and surprise! It didn't want to be removed. He kept on pushing and pushing and it was oh so very very painful. I could see he was concerned and he mentioned that I was bleeding a lot so he didn't want to wait to let the placenta take it's time to leave. So out came the tools. And the digging and the scraping of my uterus AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. For 45 minutes. I honestly had thoughts that I was going to die right there on the table and no one was going to even know it.

I had no pain meds at all. At one point I reached up and kicked the doctor's shoulder, it hurt so bad. Everytime he would take out his hand and the spatula/rake/meat grinder I would pray that he would have the placenta and be done, but nope. They eventually gave me a sedative which did nothing for the pain, just made me too loopy to kick the doctor again. Seriously, it was 45 minutes and it was horrible. Delivering a baby was nothing compared to this. Finally it came out and later I heard the doctor talking his notes into his tape recorder. He said that a complete D&C was performed. Oh, well THAT explains the pain. Because most people are under complete anethesia for a D&C but I got to experience the whole thing!

Eventually Josh came back and let me know how David was doing. I didn't get to see him untli later that night and couldn't hold him again for a couple of days. But he's here and he's healthy now, so we have a lot to be greatful for! And next time, I'm not going to question contractions-just get to the hospital.