No Rush to the Hospital

It wasn't really a special day. Nothing new had happened to have me predict what that evening would hold. I cleaned the house and went for a walk, and was planning on going to a friends house for dinner that night.

I was past due with our baby boy, James. I was feeling restless, but not to bad. When I woke that Saturday morning I was a little wet, but didn't really think anything of it, I mean I am over due with a baby sitting on my bladder.

I showered and got on with my day. I noticed that I was leaking all day long, so I decided that I would call the doctor's office. I was told to call the hospital to see if they had a bed that I could use. I did... they did.

I wasn't contracting and I felt really good, so I took my time getting ready. We dropped off our drinks at my friends house and left to the hospital.

I remember Steve saying this was not how he pictured going to the hospital with our first one. He wanted to be rushing down the road, honking and swerving to get to the hospital on time.

It wasn't like that.

We walked in and I was checked, and my bag of water had torn... not broken completely, but enough to be leaking amniotic fluid, and had been for a while. So I was admitted.

After some discussion it was determined that I had been leaking for more than 24 hours. Now because there was a risk of infection I was given penicillin right away, and it was suggested that I be put on pictocin as well to hurry things along. At that point I hadn't yet started having contractions.

They must have cranked up the pictocin because I remember seeing one nurse in the room, and the next thing that I new there was a whole team of people in there. I had passed out. I think it was just to much to fast. And I got an epidural.

The epidural was nice, except I could feel every contraction on my left side, until it was fixed.

The hours passed... and passed... every time I was checked I had only dilated a half of a centimeter. I labored through the night and in Sunday morning things still weren't progressing very fast.

A doctor came in and broke my water completely and there was meconium in the fluid.

A little before lunch time {about 16 hours after we got there} I was checked again and was still only at an 8, I was told that I could labor for another 45 minutes before they would prep the OR for a C-section.

The nurses came in and said that I could do a couple practice pushes, and that must have opened me up a little more because soon I was in full pushing mode.

My friend EmilieAn came in to help with the labor and to be my extra support. At one point Steve was holding my leg and dropped it. I was so worried that not only could I not feel my leg but now I couldn't see it either!

I pushed for about 2 hours. I was able to push even with an epidural, but I couldn't tell what progress... if any was being made.

Finally!!! I was told that he was crowning and to stop pushing for a minute. I was so confused... but I later found out that James had his hand on his head when he was born so I birthed his head arm and shoulder all in one.

After a few more pushes he was out. The cord was cut and he was placed on my chest. He didn't cry at first so they took him to suction him out a little more because of the meconium, they wanted to make sure he hadn't aspirated any. After everything was cleared away he was given back to me.

I looked down at my chunky little baby. He was 9 pound, 10 ounces and 22.5 inches long. He was a huge baby. He came with rolls and big checks and big blue eyes. I remember looking at him and him looking at me. And there we were just trying to figure each other out. Time stopped and at that time I don't remember there being anyone else in the world except he and I.

Sunday afternoon on a sunny day in December, James made me a mom.

It is the best job that I have ever had, and I'm so glad it started with James.