Happiness to me

Pictures at the end.  Big long story first…

(First picture taken right after getting my IV and getting settled.  I have NO idea why I don’t look like I’m exhausted and grumpy.)

I have to laugh at myself that I look upon this experience so positively at the moment.  I’m just going to say that the last few months have not been very easy for me.  I’ve been a complainer, and I’ve been praying for the day my ribs would stop hurting.  But anyway….Here’s the story, and if you want, just skim through the pictures.

As my due date rolled around, the doctor told me he wanted to induce me the 28th of November, had I not gone into labor by then. I really wanted to try to wait till I went on my own, but I respect and understand why they didn’t want me to go past 41 weeks.

  On my due date, the 21st, I had my 40 week appointment, and the doctor stripped my membranes. At this point I was dilated to a 2 and 100% effaced.  The doctor told me he didn’t think I would last 2 more days.  Apparently, our little man had his own plans.

As each day went by, I found myself getting sick to my stomach each night as I thought about labor and delivery. This particularly made me eager to be done with the whole process.  The night before my scheduled induction, my parents came up to stay at our house so they could stay with the kids since we were supposed to leave at 6:30 in the morning to get to the hospital by 7.  I couldn’t wait to be done!

That night was super rough with rib pain, and I remember crying as I was icing my ribs because I was so tired and so done.  I finally fell asleep around 1:30 a.m.
At 2:30 a.m., I woke up again, but realized my rib pain was gone and I was having contractions! They started about 6 minutes apart, and I got up to try to have gravity help me, and to try to ease the pain.  I got into the tub about 3 a.m. with contractions 4-5 minutes apart.

As I was trying all my relaxation things; massage, bath, exercise ball, etc.  I was SO frustrated that nothing was helping the way it had with Lillie’s labor.  I really wanted to have an un-medicated birth, but I was getting grumpy as the pain increased and I couldn’t seem to get on top of it.

After my bath I tried watching TV to distract myself and kill time.  I was excited that we would be going to the hospital earlier than planned, but I didn’t want to go too soon.   At 4:45 my mom asked why I hadn’t left yet with contractions now being 3-4 minutes apart, and after finally being ready to go, we left at about 5:30 a.m.  Just before we left, I asked Darrell if he would think less of me if I got an epidural.  He assured me that he wouldn’t, yet kept trying to encourage me in going natural.

In the car, I had to do deep breathing to get through the pain, and I finally found something that helped me get through contractions, and thankfully helped me become more positive by the time we got to the hospital.

When we got to the hospital at 6:00, I was doing the steps to check in, and mentioned to them that I was the 7:00 induction.  This allowed me to completely skip triage, and the nurses got me situated, even though they were joking and apologizing that they weren’t ready for me yet.  As soon as I got changed and my IV, my nurse checked me and told me with delight I was already dilated to a 5.  This seriously helped my positivity increase a lot as well.  She then told me she was going to call the doctor to get him coming and on his way.  She told me he wasn’t supposed to come in until 7:00, but she felt she should let him know to get on his way.  He walked in just before 7 and joked that I was going to be his fastest induction ever.  He said he was going to break my water, but checked first that I didn’t want an epidural.  When I told him I didn’t, he broke my water.  At this point I was dilated to a 6.  The next 20 minutes didn’t seem to be any different than before, but then the pain of contractions started to move to my back, and Darrell become an integral part of pain control with massage and helping me. About 7:30 I asked to get up and walk around, but after just being up for a minute and doing the exercise ball, I felt like I needed to push.  I told the nurse I didn’t want to push too soon, but she went ahead and checked me.  She said I was at a 9, but if I pushed, I’d have a baby.  My favorite part was when she ran to the door and yelled down the hall “Get me Haskett! Get me nurses!”  It just kind of made it feel like a movie with the excited rush. 

My doctor got into the room about 7:44, they got everything situated up and told me to push with the next contractions.  Once the contraction came, I pushed maybe 4 times, and at 7:48 a.m. our little man was here! It was unbelievable and wonderful!!

As I sat there after it was all over, I couldn’t believe how quickly it had all gone, and how awesome it all was.  I also am overcome by how many of my prayers were answered along the way.  From the moment I knew someone was missing in this family, to getting pregnant, getting through everything, I know the Lord heard me and helped everything work for the right.  Despite fears, concerns, and pains, I am glad I had the reassurance and peace from my Heavenly Father that I needed to cling to being positive and being faithful, and turn away all the doubts I had.