Part 2 - Labor and Delivery

This is my second attempt at this post. My stupid cat jumped on the keyboard and shut the window down as I was writing the last sentence. So here goes.....

The two pics are in the delivery room just before I go undressed. The bathroom is that beige door, the baby table is there in the background on the left and I am standing at the foot of the bed. For those of you who know me, I was all belly, with no weight anywhere else.

I had forgotten how warm it was when your water breaks. My water broke at home with Isabella. So after they broke my water, they hooked me up to the wireless monitor and I started to walk around the halls of the birthing unit. Within a half an hour, the contractions started. And boy did they start. I had to go back in my room because they were so bad. Sometimes they tell you to walk around out in the halls until you can't stand it so that the contractions get heavier. I didn't need that. So I had my own way of dealing with the pain and that was to move during the contraction. The nurse tried to tell me other ways to get through it, but I had my way. She learned that pretty quickly too! Anyway, I asked for demoral (spelling?), and of course, that made me throw up. I had gotten sick with Isabella so I wasn't shocked. Then I got in the shower. I sat on a chair stark naked, not caring who saw what! The sucky shower head had no pressure and not a lot of water came out. SO it covered one area of my body at a time, and I really wanted it on my back. I was getting very cold. I was already shaking because of the pain, then cold shakes on top of that were making me very cranky, so I just wanted out. The pain was getting very intense with only 50 seconds or so in between each one. The nurse wanted me to get on the bed so she could check me. It took what seemed like forever to make it over to the bed from the bathroom. I would sit on the bed and get ready to lie back and another contraction would come and I would have to get up again, to move through it. I went in at 3 cm and 40%. When she checked me 50 minutes after my water broke, I was 6 cm and 75%. I was amazed that I went so quick. You always here how your second ones goes fast, but I never imagined I would be one of those women. Anyway, I decided to go a bit longer without drugs. The nurse suggested I lean against something with my but stuck out and sway. That would turn him around if he was in the wrong direction. That only hurt too much and I really didn't care. Isabella was in the wrong direction and a doctor came and put his whole arm inside of me and turned her, so I knew they could do the same with Zach if need be.

Anyway, after 20 minutes, I said, "I need drugs - NOW!"

They laughed. The nurse in her calm manner said I will get him to come as soon as he can. I don't remember how long it took him to come, everything was running together. He gave me my epidural. But something was wrong. I could feel the needle in my back. The nurse assured me that it looked fine, but I could feel it and it was really uncomfortable. She called the dude back and he took it out and had to put it back in in another spot. Instant relief. She checked me again and I was 8cm and 90%. Only 20 minutes since the last time! She figured I would have the baby in the next hour or so. I fell asleep. I woke up to another nurse and mom making calls. Chris was out for a smoke (I was hoping he would have stopped by the second baby). Anyway, my nurse was gone on her break. I was feeling major pains in my back. I knew this meant that Zach was turned the wrong way. I said this to the nurse and the said his heart rate was fine, but she would check me anyway. So this was now 2.5 hours from when I went in. I saw a look of surprise, disappointment and concern. I asked her what was going on, was he ok. She assured me that he was ok, but that to her I wasn't 8 cm anymore. She got the doctor on call to come and assess. In layman's terms - When Zach dropped, I started to swell up and now I was only 6-7 cm again. Dr. Bartallis told me that I was going to have to have a section. I said ok and he left. My doctor, Dr. O'Shea came in and I immediately began to sob.

He said "You did fantastic. Look how far you have gotten in so short a time. You didn't think you could do it! Dr. Bartallis is great and I will be right there with you explaining the whole thing. You are in the right place. If this had been 50 years ago, you would stay in labor for days and you and the baby might not make it."

I love that man. He needs and award for bedside manner. He made us feel so at ease. So it took about another hour before they came and got me. Chris got his hospital scrubbies on and that hat and mom went out in the waiting room with my grandfather. He was out there the whole time. I still cry about how much he cared.

So there I am with Chris sitting next to me. Dr. O'shea took the pic for us. I remember falling asleep a lot I was so stoned. I would wake up to the table being jerked one way or another. It is crazy what they do to your body.

Anyway, I remember Dr. Bartallis saying "Sure no wonder he wouldn't come out, he was too big!"

I laughed. And fell back to sleep. They took him out and hung him upside down and brought him over on the table to give him some oxygen and clean him and weigh him.

Then I distinctly, remember hearing 9 lbs 12 ounces! I woke right up and looked at Chris. We started laughing. Dr. O'Shea said he came out with a backpack on ready to go to school. I really wanted mom to be there. I let Chris go out and tell her the news. The nurse took Zach out to show them as well. They cleaned my up and I remember thinking, are they tearing the skin off of me or something. Anyway, I went out in recovery and they brought Zach to me. I was still pretty groggy so the nurse had to help me hold him to latch on. He knew exactly what to do, and I guess I did second time around too.

I hope you all enjoyed the labor story. I will do a very short recovery story next, another time. Please leave comments.