Birth Story

I was hoping for a labor and delivery that matched my pregnancy, fairly uncomplicated and just a little uncomfortable. That my friends is not what I got! I had a doctors appointment a few days prior and was told that I was still only 1/2 cm dialated and 0% effaced. Basically meaning that this baby wasn't coming out anytime soon. So Brett and I adjusted to the fact that although we were hoping you would come out on your own it wasn't to be so and that about seven days after my due date I would be induced.

Fast forward to Saturday February 27th, 6:30 am. As I am just waking up I feel a huge gush and fly out of bed faster than my huge body had moved in a VERY long time. I rush into the bathroom and yell to Brett, "I think my water just broke." He of course responds with, "What? Are you serious?" I knew it could be one of two things. Either my water had in fact broke or I just lost complete control of my bladder in one day. Fortunately for me it was not that later. So I called the hospital while still sitting on the toilet, for fear that if I got off I would flood the bathroom and they told me to take my time but to be at the hospital at least within an hour. So I hopped in the shower, did my hair and make-up, finished packing my hospital bag and off we went. Now this whole time I am expecting to start feeling contractions ... but nothing doing.

We get to the hospital at 7:30 a.m. and immediately I am admitted into a birthing suite. And let me tell you, Waconia has the most amazing birthing unit anywhere as far as I'm concerned. I look forward to having another baby just so I can go back! So where were we ... oh yes, I've been admitted to the suite and the nurse does a check to see if I am making progress. NOPE! Still 1/2 cm dialated and 0% effaced. So they insert a pill that is supposed to soften my cervix basically to help you come out. By this time Nanny and Grandpa and Grandma Patty have arrived. To help speed things along Nanny, Grandma, Daddy and I all go for a walk. We walked around the whole hospital and admittedtly got some strange looks. It may have been the large woman in a gown and slippers waddleing the halls ... in other words I was no beauty pagent contestant. We get back to the room and now I try the hot tub. LOVELY! It felt so good because at this time my contractions have indeed started. Well you were still taking your sweet time so they started me on a pitocin drip. This stuff REALLY gets the contractions moving. They started coming every minute and a half to two minutes and were lasting about 60 to 90 seconds. No break for me. During this time the doctor on call comes in to check on me. Unfortunately it wasn't my doctor because Dr. Mohling who I refer to now as "Doctor Big Hands" almost had me in tears and I'm sure you can guess why!!

Finally at around 4:00 in the afternoon I was dialated to a 3 and they were able to give me the epidural. It hurt to get but boy did it take the pain away. Also made it impossible to feel or move my body from the chest down. Now the details for me start to get a little foggy but as we it was difficult for many hours while we waited for my body to do what it needed to do. You were not happy unless I was lying on my back and I couldn't sleep that way so needless to say it was very exhausting. At around 12:30 the next morning I was able to start pushing. Now my epidural had already started to wear off on my left side and I had to get another narcotic to help numb the pain. The nurse and daddy grabbed my legs and I pushed and pushed and pushed. It is very hard to push when you can't feel anything mind you. I tried really hard and the nurse said that was pushing in the right spot and all I could think was thank god, cause I have no idea what I'm doing. Unfortunately you did not like the pushing. When I would push your heartrate would drop dangerously low, and when the nurse started looking concerned it didn't make your mommy or daddy feel too warm and fuzzy. After 20 minutes of pushing and your heartrate dropping the nurse suggested that mommy labor down for an hour. Basically just let my body take over and do what it knows to do.

After that hour was over it was time to push again. Now right about this time I got a new nurse. This poor girl really got the short end of the stick because for the next 3 hours I was not an early person to deal with. Luckily you were able to handle the pushing this time but unfortunately my epidural had worn off on the left side once again and I literally felt that I could not continue. The pain was worse than anything I will probably ever experience again. I pushed and pushed and pushed and you little one would just NOT COME OUT!! Then my savior arrived in the form of "Doctor Big Hands." He came over to my shoulder and told me that I was doing a good job and that he needed to deliver a baby in the next room and to try as hard as I could to make more progress before he came back. Thank goodness they gave me more painkiller because otherwise it just wasn't going to happen. So after a little while Dr. Mohling comes back and tells me that I've done good but he is going to have to help me get you out. He then pulls out forceps and I am wondering where on earth he is planning to put them because they are not going near my bottom ... I was wrong! However he gets them in place and with two more pushes you arrived!!