And then

We arrived at the hospital, D dropped me off at the door and went to park the car, we were off to find the labor and delivery, but got lost and I was in pain. An older woman got me into a wheelchair and ushered us to the labor and delivery unit. They sent us to triage where they monitored my contracts and the baby's heart rate. D was watching to see when I was having contractions, telling me it was a "big" one or that another one was coming, I told him I could do without the commentary. They were hurting and I just wanted him to rub my lower back. I kept thinking I was a rock star and when the nurse checked me I would be 7 inches dilated and nearly ready to push... Ha!

Much to my dismay, I was 2 or 3 centimeters and my water had not broken. Her head was down and on my bladder that's why I was feeling so uncomfortable. They told us I was definitely in labor, but it was still a little early to be at the hospital, we could stay if we'd like or head home. We chose to stay, it was snowing a bit and I was in pain now and didn't want to be at home. Around 1:00pm they admitted me and so it began (our camera is still on CST).


The doctor came in and gave us our options - wait, have her break the water, start pitocin. We chose to wait, but decided if nothing happened by 3:00pm we'd have the doc break the water. I got the birthing ball and used the shower for the pain as it was still manageable. We went for a walk around the hospital and upon returning to the room at 2:50, I tripped and felt a pop, I was on my way to the toilet which worked out nicely. My water broke, my body was doing what it was supposed to and I was ecstatic! I felt a burst of energy thinking it wouldn't be too much longer!


My mom arrived at 5:30, I not made any progress, we opted for the pitocin. I felt the pain from the contractions increasing, I didn't want to walk around like I thought I would, instead I wanted something for the pain. I was given some nubain, it made me fuzzy, but didn't do much for the pain. We opted to get the pitocin to get things moving, the pain of my contractions quickly increased, I got the epidural. I held a pillow and put my head in D's chest, the anesthesiologist would stop for the contractions, the relief was nearly immediate.

I went from 3cm to 7cm in 2 hours. Around 10:00pm D went downstairs to get the rest of our bags, the nurse came in to check me, I was at 10cm, it was "go time". I called D freaking out that it was time. He came back up to the room and the nurse gave us the news that 2 other women were ready to push, one might be a c-section and there was only one doctor on call.


Since I was doing well with the epidural and wasn't in pain, they wanted me to wait, the nurse told me if I felt the urge to push or felt the baby coming out (if only it were that simple) to call her, she was right outside the room. 30 minutes later the nurse came in and told me we could start pushing. I was shaking, no longer from the epidural (you shake), but from nerves, D helped me relax. My mother grabbed my right leg, D my left.

Soon, all the waiting would be over. Soon, we would meet our unnamed sweet baby girl, the one who had grown inside of me for 40 weeks.