Then I got another call from labor and delivery. They told us to get our things ready because they could be calling me in around midnight. We were beyond excited. We quickly got dressed and got our bags ready. We had been ready for bed but we wouldn't be able to sleep now! I decided to hurry and eat a sandwich since I knew I wouldn't be able to eat during labor, little did I know how grateful I would be later that I ate before I went in.
12:45 rolled around and they still hadn't called us. I think we had our shoes on for maybe two hours now? We were really ready to meet our baby, okay? Alex convinced me to call in and see what kind of time frame we were lookin' at. The nurse I was speaking with at labor and delivery realized that we were ready to get going and told us we could come in right then. YAY! We grabbed our things and headed out the door.
We walked in to labor and delivery maybe ten minutes after we had gotten off the phone & we were greeted by three cute young nurses. I was hoping to get one last baby bump picture but as soon as we got there they had me sign in, change my clothes, and they wasted no time getting me started. All three of them were going to town on whatever they were assigned to do. I was getting an IV at the same time I was being asked a million questions while they were putting monitors on my belly while checking my vitals, starting the pitocin, checking to see how dilated I was, and who knows what else. They finished everything in record time and Alex and I were amazed. They worked SO fast. I was dilated to a two and 80% effaced, I think.
They started my pitocin at a two and said they could increase it every half hour. After the first thirty minutes they couldn't increase it for a reason that I just can't remember. The night went on and they continued to increase my pitocin and check me every hour. Alex was able to sleep but I couldn't. I was anxious to meet my baby and praying that I would start progressing faster. I was uncomfortable and feeling every contraction during this time but not enough to make me want my epidural. They had offered a few times but I didn't feel like I needed it yet.
Around 7:00 AM Dr. Lunt came to check on me and he decided that we needed to get things moving, I wasn't progressing much at all, I was at a 2+. There is this awful device he decided to use that places two balloons above and below the cervix, and they push against each other to help dilate you. I do not recommend this. The whole time they were placing it I was fighting the urge to say, "Hey, it's okay, I think I will just go home now and let her come on her own, I don't mind being pregnant for a little while longer." I was miserable! Alex had to lay down on the couch because he thought he was going to pass out when they were putting it in. I have never hurt so much in my life. My whole body was tense and I could not relax. My nurse was trying to talk me through breathing exercises but I was doing my best to get a breath or two in when I could. As soon as it was in they asked me if I wanted my epidural. There was no hesitation there, I needed it now! I was unable to relax my body and I was in so much pain.
The anesthesiologist arrived fairly quickly, I was so grateful! I had been really nervous about the epidural but it really wasn't bad. Alex held my hands as I curled up and I was able to rest my head on his chest. I was so happy to have him with me, even though I was nervous he was going to pass out. I was so tense and so nervous that when I was finally able to relax my head just dropped to the side. I have never felt such relief, it was heavenly. I was on cloud nine! I kept saying things like "people who don't get these are seriously so dumb! They are idiots!" I was soo happy to finally relax, I had officially been awake for 24 hours and I was exhausted.
After my epidural was placed I told Alex he could have my mom and sister come in with us. It was just a waiting game now. By 10:30 that morning I was officially at a four and I was done with that awful balloon!
They continued to check me every hour, and I wasn't making progress like I was hoping I would. I couldn't sleep so I was happy to have Alex, Sadie and my mom with me. My dad checked in on me a few times too, Kam just didn't want to come!
By 1:45 I was finally at a five.
5:00 rolled around and I was at a 5+.
7:30 PM I was finally at a six.
9:00 PM I was at a 6+ and we were twenty hours in, no thanks!
11:30 PM I was dilated to an 8 and I was feeling quite a bit of pressure and pain just medial to my right ASIS (sorry, I don't know how else to describe it!). My epidural was wearing off a bit in that spot and it was causing me all sorts of grief. Thanks Mr. anesthesiologist for fixing that up real quick! The nurses called in Dr. Lunt and we thought we were having a baby. They had been increasing my pitocin and things were starting to get scary. As I was having contractions Kambree's heart rate was decreasing. At maybe 11:10 the nurses came in with the on-call Dr. and introduced themselves. Dr. Lunt was on his way but if Kambree beat him to it she would be the one delivering my baby. I was praying Dr. Lunt would make it before Kambree decided to come. I knew him and that was the plan. This Dr. terrified me. She was a very large black woman, I thought she was just going to reach in and pull Kambree right out. After she introduced herself they left the room and said they would be watching the monitors just in case Kambree's heart rate dropped again. Just a few minutes later they came sprinting in, her heart rate went way too low. They decided to turn off my pitocin. No pitocin means no contractions, no contractions means no baby.
Dr. Lunt arrived around 11:30 and broke my water hoping to get my body to go into labor on its own since we had to turn off the pitocin. By 1:00 AM I was still at an 8 and I had been in labor for 24 hours.
3:00 AM and I was at a 9+. We got to start pushing, that was music to my ears. I pushed a few times and it was hard work. I was beyond tired at this point. I had to stop pushing because Kambree's head was turned to the right. She was stuck. They decided to have me change positions every half hour until she was turned the way she needed to be. Right side, left side, sit up, repeat.
By 7:30 AM Dr. Lunt was feeling a little skeptical. I was at risk for infection and I had been in labor almost 31 hours. They had me try pushing again, but her head was still turned and pushing wasn't going to help anything. Then he gave me a choice. I could go in for a c-section right now, or I could wait two more hours & then I would have to have a c-section. I truly did not know what to do. I asked Alex, my mom, and Dr. Lunt for advice but they all said it was up to me. I did not feel like I was in the right frame of mind to make this choice. I had been in labor for 31 hours and I had been awake for 49 hours. I was a mess to say the least. I was so against a c-section and I had come so far. Then they gave me some time to think about it, while I was deciding they decided to have me roll onto my right side, and put my left leg up on this really high holder so that my left leg crossed over my body. This was miserable, since that spot on my right side was wearing off the epidural again.
This made my choice nice and easy. I gave up. I told Alex to get my leg off that awful thing and a c-section it was. Things moved really quickly after that. They wheeled me into the other room and quickly got me prepped for surgery. As soon as I got in the room my nurse told me I had made the right decision. That made me feel soo much better, why didn't they just tell me to get the c-section instead of asking me! I remember it being really cold in there, that or I was really nervous. I don't think I really knew. The anesthesiologist kept asking if I was cold or nervous and I kept saying cold, I didn't want to admit I was terrified. He quickly got some warm blankets and covered my arms and he wrapped one around my face and pressed really firmly against my cheeks. Then he just talked to me, he really helped calm me down. I remember them strapping my legs down because they kept falling off the sides of the table. I had no control of them! Alex joined us pretty soon after that, I have never been so happy to see him. I needed him with me. They got started and I knew when they were cutting me open. There was a drape between us but I knew exactly what was going on. I wasn't feeling pain but I felt pressure, what a weird sensation. Suddenly I started feeling really sick. I felt like I needed to throw up but I wasn't able to use my stomach muscles and I was lying down. I started throwing up anyways and the anesthesiologist quickly started using suction. Thank goodness for suction! I threw up during the whole procedure, it was miserable. What felt like forever later (Alex said it was less than five minutes) I finally heard Dr. Lunt announce that we had a girl. I remember thinking I was really glad it was a girl because her nursery took me way too long. They quickly brought her over to show me and all I could do was nod my head. That was truly all I could do. I hate thinking about that. After nine months of waiting and 31 hours of labor, I finally got to see my little girl, and all I could do was nod my head. They rushed her out to get her taken care of and I told Alex to go and be with her. I don't really know what happened next, all I can remember is that I could not breathe. I was hyperventilating and they were pushing on my stomach so hard. I felt like I was getting the breath knocked out of me over and over again, and puking in-between. After a while they stopped and they said they were suctioning out all the blood they could, and then they were sewing me up. I was done! Even though I was still throwing up. The anesthesiologist kept telling me that I needed to tell him when I was going to puke so that he could have the suction ready. How was I supposed to do that? I nodded my head when I saw my baby, how was I supposed to tell you when I am going to puke. I remember being mad at him, and then I don't remember much after that. I do remember them switching me back over onto my hospital bed and then I finally fell asleep.
I woke up quite a bit later that afternoon in my hospital room. Jan Heward was my nurse and I couldn't have been happier to see a familiar face. I found out that both Kambree and I had gotten a bacterial infection in our blood, and that she would have to be in the NICU for ten days. They also told me I wouldn't be able to see her unless I got myself out of bed and into a wheelchair. At that point I thought I was never going to see her. After everything I had been through they wanted me to get out of bed. I had to wait until I got a little bit more feeling in my legs even though I wanted to see her right then. With a whole lot of help I finally was able to get into a wheelchair. They couldn't get me up to the NICU fast enough, I was dying to meet my little girl. I got to meet her around four that afternoon and it was truly one of the greatest moments of my life. Alex wheeled me in and I was trying so hard not to cry, I was so, so grateful to finally have this sweet baby girl in my arms. I was completely smitten, and so happy to be a family of three.
I loved reading this story! You are the cutest and such a trooper and such a good mom. Love you.
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