Towards the end of my pregnancy I swear I started to go mental. Even though the last nine months had, for the most part, gone by without a hitch, I had endured two previous miscarriages and was beyond terrified that something would go wrong with this pregnancy too. As soon as I hit 36 weeks gestation I became convinced that this baby needed to get out now. I had it in my head that the longer he stayed in there, the more likely something would go wrong. I tried absolutely everything to move the process along {6 mile walks anyone?} but still, no dice.
I finally resigned myself to the reality that this boy would show up when he was good and ready and settled in for a few more weeks of anxious waiting.
I showed up to my 39 week appointment dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced. I know, any other woman and this baby would have been born already! However, it was no huge change from the previous week for me. I'd been dilated to a 3 since week 36, and a 4 since week 38. My blood pressure had been high for the previous 2 weeks but I never thought it would be an answer to my prayers. The other doctor, since mine had the courtesy of being on vacation, shook her her head, Just to be on the safe side let's get you delivered, I'll go check the schedule and see if we can get you in today. Tomorrow for sure if not.
Um, okay!!!
7:00 am the next morning we arrived at the hospital. I didn't sleep a winkle the night before, my brain had been racing all night and I was highly overstimulated knowing that motherhood awaited me in only a few hours. Everything was for real this time.
I showed up to my 39 week appointment dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced. I know, any other woman and this baby would have been born already! However, it was no huge change from the previous week for me. I'd been dilated to a 3 since week 36, and a 4 since week 38. My blood pressure had been high for the previous 2 weeks but I never thought it would be an answer to my prayers. The other doctor, since mine had the courtesy of being on vacation, shook her her head, Just to be on the safe side let's get you delivered, I'll go check the schedule and see if we can get you in today. Tomorrow for sure if not.
Um, okay!!!
7:00 am the next morning we arrived at the hospital. I didn't sleep a winkle the night before, my brain had been racing all night and I was highly overstimulated knowing that motherhood awaited me in only a few hours. Everything was for real this time.
Oddly relaxed {maybe it was the sleep deprivation} they hooked me up to my monitors, the student nurse stabbed my arm a few times until she found the right vein {what is it with student nurses?? yeesh}. Our RN turned out to be the nurse who was so good to me during my gall bladder episode a few months before and I wanted to cry with joy for the happiness of it all. Judy, if you ever read this you are a saint, a saint I tell you.
Turns out I'd been having contractions all along and came into the hospital having regular contractions {apparently you can not realize what contractions feel like} so the Nub would have probably made his appearance early anyway.
The morning passed by pretty quickly. Paul and I sat around, we watched the olympics, people showed up to wait with us. The contractions were getting stronger and closer together and I was progressing rather quickly. I met the doc who would be delivering the Nub {tall, funny!} and felt reassured that it wasn't going to be a case of the blind leading the blind when it came down to business.
The morning passed by pretty quickly. Paul and I sat around, we watched the olympics, people showed up to wait with us. The contractions were getting stronger and closer together and I was progressing rather quickly. I met the doc who would be delivering the Nub {tall, funny!} and felt reassured that it wasn't going to be a case of the blind leading the blind when it came down to business.
Judy instructed me "not to be a hero" so boy howdy, around the time I was dilated to a 6 or 7 I sure enough hopped on that epidural train and rode it all the way to the station! Bless the nurse anesthetist who did such a good job. I had some serious fears that it would only work on half my body and that giving birth would turn out to be some weird exorcist experience involving green vomit and my head spinning around. Lucky for me, and everyone else around, that wasn't the case.
Around 1:30 pm or so the good doctor finally showed back up and broke my water. How come no one told me how gross that experience is? I was shocked. And grossed out. And of course could not stop talking and apologizing about how grossed out and shocked I was. By this time I had quite the audience with the in-laws and my mom joining Paul and me in the delivery room. My dad was in transit.
Around 1:30 pm or so the good doctor finally showed back up and broke my water. How come no one told me how gross that experience is? I was shocked. And grossed out. And of course could not stop talking and apologizing about how grossed out and shocked I was. By this time I had quite the audience with the in-laws and my mom joining Paul and me in the delivery room. My dad was in transit.
The contractions were so strong at this point it felt like a giant vice clamping down on my uterus every minute and a half. The spectators looked at me with sympathy and grew quiet every time I clenched my forehead to wait it out. Nub's heart rate was dropping considerably during the big ones so they hooked me up to the oxygen. Everyone was ushered out of the room for the nurse to check me again, a nine! I started to cry, talk about being slapped in the face by the reality of the situation. 15 minutes later Judy pronounced me a ten and we commenced pushing.
25 minutes after that, at 3:22 pm, the Nub in all of his healthy pink perfection greeted us with a lusty cry.
Then we all cried together, and the world was just right.
It was a great day for a birthday.
25 minutes after that, at 3:22 pm, the Nub in all of his healthy pink perfection greeted us with a lusty cry.
Then we all cried together, and the world was just right.
It was a great day for a birthday.the Nub • 8/13/08 • 3:22 pm • 6 lbs 11 oz • 19.5 inches long
DeliveringTale by mother, Kalli. Read more of Kalli on her blog.
