It all started after my doctor's appointment on Tuesday, Dec. 29th. I started having some very nice contractions about 7pm. They started coming so regular that I was just waiting for my water to break anytime and just knew we were having this baby soon.
I finally laid down in my bed about 6am, early Wednesday morning. They had slowed down enough that i was able to sleep until about 9. The contractions definitely didn't stop ... but they came about every 10-20 minutes. By 3pm, they started coming pretty regular again and much closer. Later that evening, they were definitely getting more intense and even closer together.
By 10pm, Wednesday evening, I didn't know how much more I could take. I only had a couple hours of sleep in the past two days. My body was so worn out.
At 1:30am, Thursday morning (Dec. 31st), we decided it was time to head to the hospital ... even though my water had not broke. My contractions were lasting at least a minute, and were about 3 minutes apart. The car ride was sooo miserable. I was not able to labor sitting down, so being confined in the car seat was horrible. Luckily the 20 minutes drive went by fast.
We checked into the hospital @ 2am.
The worst news I had heard my entire pregnancy ... was when the nurse told me I was still at 3cm and 75% effaced! I was like HOW?
Within 10 minutes, she was ready to send me home ... saying that I was still in early labor, and could go like this for a couple days. She wanted to talk to my doctor, and see what she thought first. My doctor's concern was that i was not sleeping/resting. So she wanted me to have a pain shot of stadol ... either take it at the hospital, and see if I've progressed ... or I could take it and then go home.
I honestly did not think I could take a couple more days of these contractions, so we decided to stay and pray that I would make some progress.
Then my nurse said something to me ... that no one should ever say to a preggo lady having contractions. "You don't look like you are having to 'breathe' through your contractions!" Bryan and i both about had a cow ... I was like I having been doing that all night!
At 2:30am, she started an IV with stadol in it. The nurse thought it would hold me over until about 6am. Within 10 minutes, I was out.
By 3:30am, I was up again ... with even more intense contractions. Of course, they want you to lay in bed with a monitor for the baby's heartbeat and another for the contractions. This was not working for me, so luckily they let me up so walk around some.
@ 5:30am, I had finally progressed to 4cm. Yes! At least, this meant I was in real labor and was not going home.
Nurse Change ... Thank Goodness! My next nurse, Ms. Trudy ... ahhh she was the best!
My doctor was still concerned about me not resting at all ... she was worried that if i did not rest at all, that I would not be able to push this baby out when it came time. I was so worn out, that I wanted to sleep ... but could not. I figured that if I didn't rest and relax, that I was highering my chances of having a c-section. In the end, Bryan and i decided that an epidural was necessary.
So at 7:30 am, i received an epidural. Right afterwards, the nurse checked me and I was at a 6! They wanted to give me pitocin, but we said no ... because we were already progressing enough. and they said usually once you get an epidural, since you get the chance to relax, that you move quickly!
@ 8am was when we finally called family and said this was it!
My Doc came to see me at 9am. She broke my water and said I was already at 7 and 100% effaced.
Jill came about 9:15am ... ready to be a supporter.
We had just received word that papa was in the er because of chest pains. Mom and Dad showed up about 10am, then went to go check on him.
10:30am- 8cm. We started guessing times that he would be born. I guessed 1:19pm (that was the time I was born)!
11am - Bryan's parents arrived from Kerrville.
Dr. Coronado was trying to figure out if she could go eat lunch. So they checked me again at 11:30am- 9 1/2 cm. This is when it became real. Wonderful Nurse Trudy said she would be back at 12 to check and see where we were.
Bryan and his parents ran to get something to eat!
Noon- 10cm! Woo hoo! They said we would start pushing at 12:20pm.
After 38 minutes of pushing, he was here!!! Jill was able to deliver him as planned with the assistant from Dr. Coronado. and Bryan, Mom and Nurse Trudy were wonderful supporters!
As soon as he was placed on my belly, the tears began to flow. I could barely see him ... I was just so excited that he was finally here! I was a momma to this beautiful baby boy!
Another wonderful thing ... Ms. Trudy had an iced Dr. Pepper by my side within 10 minutes after he was born! Yum Yum
Even though, things didn't go exactly as I wanted them to go ... we have a beautiful and perfectly healthy boy here, and that is really all that matters!! :)
yeah, i am obviously proud of my little man!
He has already changed so much to us, even though these pictures might not show it.
