My fairytale ending...and a new beginning

WARNING: This post is going to have lots of TMI and is going to talk about my birth experience. If you're struggling with IF issues you may want to skip this post (I know I likely would have a year ago!).

After my 37-week doctor's appointment on Friday when Dr. B. told me I was 2cm and he wouldn't be surprised if I delivered in the next week, Hubby and I went into overdrive. We finished the nursery (I'll save that for another post), I ran lots of errands, finally packed my hospital bag and got lots of food to cook during the week and freeze.

I had plans on Sunday to meet another preggo friend for a walk at 4pm and then a haircut and color at 6:15pm (my grays desperately needed to be covered!!). I ran a few final errands Sunday morning and was back home around 12:15pm. I sat down on the couch to rest for a few minutes and noticed a little dampness in my underwear. I went to the bathroom and everything seemed normal but things were a little more wet than they were 5 minutes prior (and I had just used the bathroom so I knew it wasn't pee). There was no color or odor, but it was so minimal I put it out of my mind. About 10 minutes later I had the same damp feeling again. Another bathroom check and there was a little more wetness on my underwear.

Hubby was getting ready to go into the office for a couple of hours, so I walked into the other bathroom and told him I thought my water might be starting to break. What was his reaction...a totally blank stare! I think we were both in a little bit of a shock. We decided I would wait another half hour and see if there was more wetness and then call the doctor.

He went to the office and I tried to relax. 15 minutes later and more wetness. At this point, I put on a light pad and called the doctor and left a message for him to call me back. Dr. S. was on call Sunday, so he called back about a half hour later and told me the only way to know for sure was for me to come into the hospital. I called Hubby and we agreed he would come home in an hour and we'd go to the hospital. During that time I had a few small gushes, although I use that term lightly. They were like mini-gushes; I could feel fluid leaking out but never really felt a gush.

We got to the hospital around 4:30pm, and I was in the triage area, in a gown and hooked up to the monitors by 5:00pm. Dr. S. came over and did a quick check of the fluid. Ironically, as soon as he had me open my legs I had a gush...yep, my water broke and I was in labor! He didn't do an internal to see how far along I was because once the water breaks it makes the risk of infection go up dramatically.

This whole time I'd been having contractions, but they weren't consistent and weren't very strong. They were gradually getting stronger, but nothing more painful than period cramps. Dr. S. had my birth plan with him, which he was OK with except for the fact that now that my water had broken we were working against the clock because of an infection risk. He suggested giving me a low dose of Pitocin to get the contractions to become more regular and stronger. I agreed, but still asked to not have an epidural.

I kind of lost track of time at this point, but probably around 7:00ish the nurse and Dr. S. came in to see how I was doing. I was being given the lowest dose of Pitocin but it was definitely working. The contractions were pretty regular and definitely stronger. I was having to concentrate on my breathing to get through them. We talked about an epidural but I still didn't want one. I did agree to have the consultation with the anesthesiologist just in case. We talked, I understood everything and he went on his way. I worked through another half hour or so of the contractions and decided I'd already had an IV and Pitocin so I was going to get the epidural. Lesson learned...birth plans are just that, a plan. Nothing is set in stone!

The anesthesiologist came back within 5 minutes, got me set up and did his thing. It didn't really hurt other than the shot to numb the area, and it was over within 10 minutes. Dr. S. told me I should feel the full effects within 10-20-minutes. After 20 minutes, my left side was feeling 100x better, but I could still feel almost the full effect of the contractions on my right side. I called the nurse back in and she got the anesthesiologist to correct things so I'd have equal relief. Another 15 minutes later and I finally had relief on both sides. I was still aware of the peak of the contractions because of a feeling of pressure, but it wasn't the intense, white-knuckle pain I was feeling before.

At this point, Dr. S. wanted to do an internal to see how things were progressing. It was probably 8 or 8:30pm by now. He did his thing and told me I was 7cm dilated. We were all shocked how far along I was! Apparently my body had kicked it into high gear and took over the contractions. They turned off the Pitocin and let my body (and the Woowoo) continue doing its thing.

45 minutes later Dr. S. came back to do another check and announced we had reached 9cm and I would be having a baby very soon. To be honest, I was still in shock I was labor so to hear that I would have my baby so soon was totally surreal. Thankfully Hubby was there with me to calm me down. We started placing bets as to what time he would come out. It turned into a texting game of Price Is Right with his family about the time. I predicted the earliest time at 12:17am, I figured I'd be pushing for a while.

Dr. S. and the nurse left for a bit but told us to let them know right away if I felt the urge to push, or rather the urge to poop. I started to feel some small urges with contractions but nothing like "Oh my God, I have to take a giant crap RIGHT NOW!".

Around 9:45pm, they came back in and after another internal I was at 10cm. It was go time! The nurse got the room ready, Dr. S. got his speakers and his pushing playlist ready and the baby nurse came in (yes, my doctor brought in portable speakers, hooked up his iPod and had a pushing playlist...it was awesome!!)

They had me slid down almost on my back, but with Hubby behind my head supporting my back. I grabbed behind my thighs and they had me push twice. These weren't the "real" pushes, but rather to see where the baby's head was. After the two pushes, Dr. S. announced I was having this baby NOW. And then my contractions stalled. Fabulous. It took about 2 minutes before I had another contraction and felt the urge to push. I took a big deep breath, Hubby supported my back and I leaned over my belly while pushing as hard as I could. The rumors are true, you really do push like you're trying to take a giant poop! The baby crowned with that push to the point that Hubby could see hair (even though he was at the "north end" as Dr. S. put it). Another contraction came, and another deep breath and push...out came the baby's head. The next push ended up being a half push, Dr. S. told me half way through it to not push so hard and the baby's shoulders and baby slid right out.

I couldn't believe it...basically three pushes and I was looking at my son! (Sidebar: the postpartum hormones are no joke, I just started crying as I typed that sentence...I have a son!!). Apparently the little man had to go to the bathroom because he had his first bowel movement immediately and all over me. I had no clue and didn't even care. I guess it was pretty huge because it was everywhere, so the nurse gave him a quick 15 second wipe down and then handed him to me. He wasn't really crying, just kind of whimpering, but calmed down and started to lose the blue color once he was on my chest. The feeling was beyond words. I started crying, Hubby couldn't stop smiling and the Woowoo just nuzzled into me.

I got to hold my little boy for about 20 minutes while I delivered the placenta 8 minutes later and Dr. S. sewed me up. I had two minor (first degree) tears that required a few stitches. I think they probably happened when he told me to stop pushing so hard. Oops...

The baby nurse came over and took Will to the warmer to get cleaned up, put a diaper on (we weren't sure if he was done pooping yet or not), and get a quick check. She had him back in my arms in 10 minutes where he immediately found my boob and started going to town. That was another totally indescribable feeling. It calmed me down and he seemed so content. Meanwhile, Hubby is snapping pictures and taking videos, all the while staring at Will with the cutest, silliest grin on his face.

Within in an hour or so I was transferred up to my room and Hubby and I settled in for the night. I never went to sleep, I stayed up the whole time holding Will and just staring at him. I couldn't believe such an amazing little being came out of me. It was (and still is) such a totally surreal experience...and one I am incredibly thankful to have been blessed to experience.

I finally got my fairytale ending! Now it's time for a new beginning of a whole different kind (and maybe I need to rethink my blog name?!?!).