On Tuesday, July 20th, I had my 39 week check-up. I was beyond miserable and not getting any sleep and just really ready for the baby to be here. So, Dr. Snook and I discussed some options and we decided to go forward with her stripping my membranes. We scheduled an induction to take place on Thursday, July 22nd. Dr. S told me that in about 50% of women, labor begins within 24 hours of stripping the membranes...I was hopeful. I called Jeff and mama on the way home and told them to get ready...baby is on the way!!
Mama quickly wrapped up at work, gathered her things, and started on the six hour drive to Orlando...we didn't want to take any chances of labor beginning and her not being here. Jeff and I both were in awe of the fact that our boy would be here within a matter of a few days, and we knew it for sure...no more speculating when it would happen.
To those who know me well, it's well known that I love Mexican food. So, in hopes that some spicyness would move things along more quicklly, we went out for some Mexican food on Tuesday night. Around 9:30 pm, I started having some mild contractions that were about 10-12 minutes apart. They weren't very intense, but they were steadily coming every 10-12 minutes. Mom and I were up most of the night...I think I got about 30 minutes of sleep between 1:00-1:30 am. Around 3:00 am, the contractions started coming every 4-6 minutes; still not very intense, but coming more frequently. So, around 5:00 am, we all piled in the car and off to the hospital we went. I was exhausted, but hopeful that we'd meet our baby boy that day!!
Well, we weren't that lucky. The triage nurse checked me upon arrival, and I was only 3 cm dilated. They had me walk the halls for two hours only to return and be checked again and then sent home because while my contractions were regular and coming every 4-5 minutes, they weren't strong enough to cause my cervix to continue dilating. We spent the rest of Wednesday afternoon trying to rest and get ready for the following day which was my scheduled induction.
Thursday morning rolls around, and I jump up at 4:00 am to get showered and ready to go to the hospital. I called the nurses station at 5:00 am onlly to be told that they weren't ready for me and to call back at 7:30 am. I was bummed, but tried to go back to sleep for a little while. At 6:51 am, my phone rings...it's the hospital telling me they're ready for me. My heart fluttered and I began getting nervous and anxious. This was the day...I was going to meet my baby boy!!
We arrived at the hospital just before 8:00 am and were placed in Labor & Delivery room #13...lucky #13!! My nurse was Tiffany, super nice girl who was also expecting her first baby...a boy, due in early September. Tiffany got me hooked up to everything, the anesthesiologist got me connected to the IV, and off we were. The pitocin drip started around 9:00 am, and then we waited, and waited, and waited, and waited some more. I was so hungry as all I'd had to eat was some toast at 5:00 am. Well, I was not allowed to eat anything except popcicles and ice chips...I ate about 5 popcicles and a ton of ice chips that day!!
Throughout the day, the nurses would check me only to find that I was not progressing at all...I was still 3 cm dilated. Dr. S was slated to come by and break my water in the early afternoon, but low and behold, she wasn't needed...my water broke on its own at 2:30 pm. That was the oddest sensation ever...I felt as if I needed to go to the bathroom, but I couldn't get up before the nurse checked me...I was not looking forward to her checking me, and then, shazaam....my water broke and labor officially began. I should have put my name on the epidural list as soon as my water broke, but I didn't. I waited and had to endure a little stint of "real" contractions (because what I'd been having up to that point was like a walk in the park comparitively speaking!). Anyway, fortunately, I only had to endure serious pain for about two hours and then it was my turn for the needle.
Well, time came and went, and shift change was upon us. I was so worried that I wouldn't get a good overnight nurse...the triage nurse from the day before was HORRIBLE, and I was terrified that I'd have her again. Thank the good Lord, I got a super nice nurse instead of that bad one from the day before.
Anyway, on with the story...I labored for the entire night with only slight progress...by 5:30 am when Dr. S came around, I was only dilated to 8 cm and still only about 80% effaced. Time for intervention...the baby was stuck per Dr. S. I have to admit that while I really wanted to deliver Harrison naturally, I was relieved when she said we had to do a C-section. That had been the longest night of my life and the lives of my beloved husband, awesome mother, and sweet sister. They were all such troopers...there wasn't enough places for everyone to sleep, so they all had to take turns sleeping on the pull out chair/bed and the floor...I felt so bad for them!!
Okay, so Jeff got suited up and the nurse got me prepped for surgery, and off I go. I was wheeled into the OR at 6:31 am. It was an odd feeling...I'd never been in the hospital before, much less had surgery. The team of doctors and nurses got me all ready, they called Jeff to come back and be with me, and away they went with the C-section. At 6:53 am, I heard the best noise in the world...my baby crying!! My eyes filled up with tears, Jeff was grinning from ear to ear under his face mask, and I was just praying prayers of thanksgiving for the wonderful gift God had just given us!! It was the most awesome feeling in the world!!
Harrison arrived weighing 7 lbs., 6 oz., and measured 20". He was face up, so that's another reason I'm glad I had a C-section...his little face would have been badly bruised if I'd delivered him naturallly. And, that explained the serious pain I felt in my lower back prior to the epidural and even after the epidural...his spine was bumping with mine, and it was not pleasant!!
After getting stitched back up, Jeff, Harrison, and I headed to recovery for an hour. I was able to breastfeed my little guy immediately, and he was a natural...he knew exactly what to do. God is so amazing...he forms us and gives us instincts we need for survival...why are we always so amazed at His work???
I guess it was around 10:00 am, we finally got to go to our home away from home for the next few days...room 1328. Mama and Stephanie got to see us for the first time and see our precious baby...what a wonderful time. Too bad Stephanie had to hurry off to get some rest before going to work later that night.
The next few days in the hospital are a bit of a blur to me...I was severely sleep deprived and on pain meds which made me be a crazy woman. I could not/would not sleep...it was reallly crazy!
We were discharged from the hospital on Monday, July 26th. We arrived home around 5:30 pm and officially started our journey as mommy and daddy.
I have to say a huge thank you to my mom...without here, I think that Jeff and I would have crapped out the first night home. She did so much to help us get home from the hospital and get settled into our new lives as parents. Jeff's mom came down on Wednesday, and we are super thankful to her as well. God is so good and continues to provide for us and give us such precious gifts in our baby and our mothers. We are blessed...too blessed to be stressed (a quote from my mama!!)
I'll have more updates in the coming days. I think this post is long enough to last a few days. :-)
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