Labor and Delivery

Hi Guys!

I have been meaning to get this on the blog, but have had literally NO time. Babies are hard work and when they are sleeping I have so many other chores that by the time I sit down to write, J is awake again. (More on that in the next post - What Maternity Leave is Really Like)

All in all, labor and delivery was very fun. I know it is different for everyone and what you are about to read isn't meant to scare you. If anything, I want you to see that, through the pain and the time spent in labor, it really is a wonderful process and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

This is a LONG one... so let's jump right in:

April 5th: *Cue Law and Order Sound* DUUUUUN DUUUUN.

Labor Begins. Sidenote: April 5th was Jaxon's due date...so that's pretty awesome. 

11:45 pm -- I had just made it up my stairs and climbed into bed when I felt period cramps. Period Cramps. That's what the first contractions felt like. I tried to brush it off and not get too excited. And in all honestly, I really didn't want labor to start that night anyways. I hadn't really slept the night before and I wanted to feel as rested as possible before my labor began. All the LOLZ.

11:50 pm -- Ummmm, okay. These cramps are not going away. I guess I should just try to sleep through them...just in case this is labor. Again, I want to be a little rested so that I have the energy to give birth. 

Midnight -- Wishing the contractions away isn't working. And, because they are about 7 minutes apart, I am not able to sleep through them. Bummer. I decided that I should go lay downstairs on the couch. 

I did this for a few reasons. 

                     #1. I thought sitting up might help ease the "pain" of the contractions. Again, period cramps, people. Not pain. Period cramps

                          #2. I wanted to labor as long as possible without Brandon knowing so that I         could surprise him when he came downstairs in the morning. 

         #3. I was also in complete denial that this was actually labor. 

April 6th: Dun, dun, dun, dun, duuun. Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun,  duuuuuun. *SVU* <---- #i'mdelirious #teamnosleep

12:15 am -- I have now settled myself on the couch downstairs. I've got my dogs to keep me company and I am ready to do this thing. I thought, since I was sitting up, I might be able to sleep. Nope. No.

12:15-5:00am -- I have now labored for about 5 hours down on the couch. Contractions are now coming every 5 minutes and have most definitely gotten stronger. Think period cramps and then someone comes up and punches you in the uterus for funsies. I would say the pain was about a 4/10. So not bad. 

Ps. Still in denial.

Also, most hospitals will NOT admit you unless you are at least 4cm dialated. (Most women need to reach 10cm before they can give birth.) I was not going to be the person that went to the hospital 4 times just to be sent home. If I was in labor, which I didn't think I was, I was going to stay at home as long as I possibly could. 

5:00-9:30 -- My body started cleaning itself out. If you're new to reading about labor and delivery this means pooping. All the poop. I know, it's gross. But no one talks about this and it is a sign of labor. Good to know. 

I had to go to the bathroom pretty much every hour on the hour. When I could lift myself off the couch, it took me about 15 minutes to walk the 10 feet to the bathroom. 

Why, you ask? Contractions. At this point, my contractions were so bad that I could barely walk or talk through them and they were coming every 4 minutes. Pain level: 6/10.

Attention: IF YOU ARE AT THIS STAGE, LEAVE FOR THE HOSPITAL! 

I didn't. Not me. Nope, because I'm still in denial that this is actually happening. I know, super cute, right? 

9:45am -- Down the stairs comes my wonderful, well-rested husband. He's sleepy and doesn't notice quite yet that I look like I've been hit by a train. He prances over to get his coffee and makes his way to the couch. Clicks on the TV and then says, "Good morning, Baby...How did you sleep?" 

Then he looks. I'm almost certain he knows immediately, but just to help him out. I respond, "Don't get too excited, but I might be in labor."

"Really?! Have you been having contractions?"

"Yes."

"For how long? How many?"

"Since 11 last night...so 10ish hours." 

He then asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital to which I responded no. My thought being, I should only go if I'm actually in labor. Denial. 

10:00 am-- As he sat on the couch and I sat on my birthing ball, I switched into active labor. My pain went from a 6/10 to an 8/10. Just like that. Brandon knew immediately that it was time to go to the hospital. I had other plans. 

10:10 am-- Bath time. Still in denial, I figured that I would be like all those super hip moms that labor down in the bath tub. I ran my bath water, got in. Three minutes later, I got out. It did not help, not for me at least. (This probably would have been wonderful before I switched into active labor.)

I realized that we should head to the hospital when I was fresh out of the bath and instead of grabbing my towel, I had to get on all fours and make cow noises to get through my contractions. Praise Jesus that Brandon didn't walk in on that. What a sight. 

While Brandon was putting my already packed hospital bag into the truck, along with checking to car seat and making sure the dogs were going to be ok before we left, my brain told me that I needed to bring everything I own with me. I grabbed one of my huge duffel bags purses and promptly threw in everything I could find in my bathroom drawers. Gotta be prepared people. I mean, who knows. I might use the hair crimper I bought in high school and haven't used in 7 years. Yep. Need it. 

10:30 am-- Brandon finally pushed me out of the door and we were officially on our way. 

10:45 am-- Stop to throw up in the Home Depot Parking lot. Check. 

             Have an audience of bums. Check

             Throw up again while Brandon catches me before I fall in my pile of vomit. Check.

11:00am  -- Stop at Dutch Bros so that we can get "a big cup in case I need to throw up again". Which roughly translates to, Brandon really wants a white mocha. Can't blame him. Contractions 3-4 minutes apart. 8/10 for pain. #dutchbrosislife

11:25 am -- One very long truck ride later*, we arrive at the hospital. It felt like the movies, he dropped me off in front (because I couldn't walk) and went to park the truck.  

*Please whatever you do, don't put the car seat behind the pregnant person. Because when they are having contractions, they will want to lean their seat back to ease the pain. I couldn't, it was fun. #sarcasm

11:30 am -- After walking down the longest hallway in the world -- think The shining, but x100 -- we were checked in and waiting to see if we could be admitted. The nurse informs me that I am 5-6 cm dilated and admits us. YAAAAAAAS. 

12:00 -- It took about 30 minutes to transfer us to our birthing room. Not that much time. I am fully prepared for my epidural. I wasn't sure that I was going to get one, I didn't want to commit to one but I didn't want to rule it out either. I had never been in labor before, so I was open to either way.  BUT OMG. I wanted one. I knew it. B knew it. I was ready for it. 

My nurse comes in. I let her know that I was ready for an epidural. She has to check my dilation again. 

Let me reiterate. 30 minutes. It had only been 30 minutes. She checked me, I was 8cm. She then proceeded to let me know that even if I got an epidural, that at this point, it wouldn't be effective. She told me that I was progressing too quickly and that by the time the epidural took effect, I would have already given birth. She suggests a different type of pain reliever and scurries off to get it. 

 Next thing I know, a nurse walks in with a table covered with a blue sheet. She promptly lets me know that it's the "birthing table". 

Um, excuse me?! No. Nope. Where is my pain management?!?

 I just stared at Brandon. And he stared right back at me. This was really happening. 

My nurse comes back in and gives me Fentanyl. I felt immediate pain relief. It was marvelous. I was ready. 

The timeline on this is a little blurry for me, because, guess what?! Fentanyl lasts for 30 minutes and then all the pain comes back. All of it. 

Noon- 5pm I went through contractions. About every 3-4 minutes with pain relief that wore off every 30 minutes. And here is the kicker, you can only have the Fentanyl once every hour. Yay! 

Now, this is the part that I do not want to scare you. It's really not bad, you get through it. You have a baby. It's wonderful.  

But, my contractions were so bad that I was passing out after each one. I was holding my husband and my sister's hands and they were reminding me to breath while I was having each contraction. If it wasn't for them, I swear to goodness, I would not have remembered how to breath. I had lost control of my body and was relying on others to help me through the birthing process. 

My labor had stalled at 8cm. I was not progressing. My water had not broken. I had stalled for the past five hours. At that point, my grandma told me to get an epidural. Why hadn't the thought crossed my mind? Oh yeah, because I was thinking to hard about breathing in and out. 

Apparently, the first nurse thought I would have given birth shortly after I had arrived at the hospital. That is why she suggested not getting an epidural. Then she got off. Her shift ended and a new nurse came on. The new nurse thought it was my choice to not have an epidural. 

So that little miscommunication cost me 5 hours of pain. NBD. I got my epidural. Moving on. 

As soon as I got my epidural, everything was much better. My labor was stalled, but I was able to enjoy the birthing process. I noticed that my entire family was in the room with me. Um, hey guys. Sorry, didn't notice you in between passing out. 

It was awesome, it was like a freaking party. 

*This picture is clearly after the epidural.*

*Brandon's smile*

11pm -- Let me remind you, I haven't slept in a full day. I asked if my family would wait in the waiting room, so that I could try to sleep before baby came. Yes, if you get an epidural, you can sleep through labor. High 5 for drugs. 

11:30pm -- A nurse comes in to let me know that my baby's heart rate is dipping during every contraction. They think that it is the Pitocin. They take me off of it and tell me to get some sleep. Ummmmmm. Really?! I get that it's your job to let me know what's going on. 

But did you just tell me that my baby's heart rate is dipping, but I should get some sleep?! Ah. 

So, no sleep for me. Instead I lay awake watching my baby's heart monitor. I really didn't mind though, I was really too excited to sleep anyways. Rookie mistake. -- Get your sleep, people. 

April 7th: 

1:30am -- A nurse comes in to check on my. I have now fully dialated to 10cm. My midwife broke my water bag and she thinks that I am ready to push. She asks me to push like I am pooping. Ok, easy enough. I give her what I thought was a marvelous push. She looks as me puzzled, and rolls in a giant mirror. 

They had asked me before if I had wanted a mirror to which I replied, "Uh, no gross. I don't want to see down there." 

Get a mirror.

She has me push again, using the mirror, I can now see that I am not pushing correctly.Not even a little bit. I can see his head, but it is not even close to coming out. 

Fast forward to 3am --  The mirror is a game-changer. I was able to change the way I was pushing. Picture this: I had my mom holding one leg up and my husband holding the other. I had all the ladies in the room. My MIL, my Sister and my grandma. We were rocking out to Journey Pandora. 

I thought for sure, if I put that station on, that the Final Countdown would come on and that would be that. 

We made it through a few songs and I applied the lyrics to our situation. 

"I've been waiting for this moment, all my life...." 

"Don't Stop Believeeeeennn..."

"I can't fight this feeling any longer...."

" I tell myself that I can't hold out forever, I say there is no reason for my fear..."

"Ohhhhhh, we're halfway there....ooooooh oh, livin' on a prayer..."

"Sleepless nights, losing ground, I'm reaching for you..."

"Take me home tonight. I don't want to let you go 'til you see the light."

I mean, you really can't make this stuff up. I am now convinced that all songs are about giving birth. 

3:15am -- Our baby boy came into this world to Hotel California.

Jaxon James Smith  

8 lbs. 2 oz. 

21 inches

And then they delivered the placenta and stitched me up and blah, blah, blah. If you want to know more about after-birth. Let me know. :)

XO - Megs