baby story... part 2

Ok so my mom and I were off to the hospital!
We entered through the emergency room and they took us up to labor and delivery.
It was exciting to know that we were staying, this was it!
I got checked in and put in a room, instantly my contractions started intensifying!
My nurse came in and checked me and I was about 3 centimeters dilated, for laboring all day and the entire night before I was a little bummed, only 3 centimeters? 
Really?
My doctor wasn't on call and I was scared. Only a few weeks before I didn't want him looking at my hoo-ha and now I only wanted him! The doctor on call was close to 80, tall, not very sociable. I crossed him in the hallway while I was walking my baby out me and he looked stern and serious. What I didn't know then was that I had one of the most experienced doctors at St. Joseph's hospital, he used old school techniques before rushing you off to the OR, and now I am thankful for that.

I decided to hold off on the epidural, even though I had promised my grandma that I would have one. This was her eighth great-grandchild and she had never seen a birth, she wasn't even present for her own because they gassed her back then. I didn't want things to slow down so opted out of the epidural, for awhile at least.
The further into this whole labor thing I got, I started questioning the epidural at all.
Did I really NEED it? Was I going to be upset if this was my last baby and I wasn't entirely present both mentally and physically for this birth?
What I was feeling with each contraction, getting stronger and closer together, was this intense feeling of empowerment and control.
Feeling my body work in a way that I've never felt before, it was amazing, yes painful of course but beautiful and wonderful. I could feel everything.

I had never taken any class on natural child birth, I had just been reading and asking my mom and sister in-law Kellie a million questions. Honestly if it hadn't been for Kellie I probably would have never even considered a natural child birth.
I mean C'mon?!
I take tylonal for my headaches, why the heck wouldn't I take something while I pushed a watermelon sized human out of my privates?!
The weeks prior when I was at my brother's house, I was amazed and intrigued by Kellie's birth story with my nephew Ezra. She did it all natural and at home, talk about intense. I wanted Kellie there so bad but my labor went into overdrive and they were only in valley by the time I started to push.
Anyways back to me... :)

waiting for another contraction

contraction face

so here I am now 8 centimeters and totally in control of my contractions, I was so proud of my self. My nurse said this was as bad as it will get, so I kept going.
I lasted about ten more minutes and then asked for the epidural but the anesthesiologist was in a c-section!
Holy crap, I only had one choice and that was to finish what I had started!
Around 5am I was dilated and ready to push.
It took me awhile to get the hang of the pushing. Feeling everything was so intense, and then the pain intensified as the baby got closer. At one point I yelled "I can't do this anymore! just reach up there and get the baby!" but the doctor totally didn't go for it.
I pushed for about an hour, but that seemed like 5 days.
There were noises coming out of me that I had never heard before, I didn't know I was capable of this! I sounded like a viking man killing a beast while getting my toes chopped off.
It was horrible sounding but I couldn't stop.
Then they saw the head and I got it together and started pushing like a mad woman and then the doctor yelled stop! STOP? Wait what?  Ok... Let me explain something to you, when you have a baby coming out of your vagina, stopping is close to impossible, but obviously my doctor wouldn't have a clue being a man and all.
Then we got back into the game, he yelled to up the pitocin and realized there was none and there was panic on his face, I was going to do whatever he told me to do. A nurse rushed in and took over for my mom, she grabbed my leg and the bed tilted back. it was the most awkward position ever, how was I going to push a baby out while my knees were at my ears and my butt was pointed up and then BAM! Holy shit the doctors hands were inside of me turning and maneuvering my baby out of me and I could feel it all!!! I felt like I was being ripped open and then in an instant there he was.
At 6:21am Monday, September 10th Owen was born weighing 8lb15ounces and 21 inches long. He had a full head of dark hair and a huge body and he was amazing.

What NO ONE talks about when you have a natural child birth is the after birth. I can see as how this wouldn't be much of a topic to bring up having experienced this now, but you need to know! It was horrible. You have to push the placenta out and then if you have a crazy doctor like I did, you feel him stitching you up!? Ok what the heck, I put my foot down and he novocaine'd it and went on his way. The after birth totally sucks, you have this beautiful baby on your chest but yet you're still working! No one warned me about that, but now I know.

I didn't realize until after Owen was born at how serious the problem was, his shoulders had gotten stuck and the doctor literally had to reach in there and get him out. So I gave birth to an almost 9lb baby and a pair of man hands, pretty much. I have to say over all it was beautiful and amazing (more so after it's all over). My body did what is was designed to do and I was present for all of it, quadruple chins and all, and it was truly amazing.

 

and then we went home...

I'm so in love with both of my boys.
More posts will come, eventually. I'm too busy falling more and more in love :)

A huge thank you to my mom, sister and grandma. Thank you for all of your encouragement, love and support during and after! You were all wonderful labor coaches and I am thankful to have had you women there.