April 4, 2016
It was planned all along that I would be induced early to see if we could avoid my blood pressure escalating high at the end of pregnancy. I was to arrive at the hospital at 6:15 am Monday April 4 to be induced.
So we show up nice and early. Both of us running on 4-5 hours of sleep because who can sleep the day before you know you're having a baby?!?!
I walk into emergency to check in and lo and behold I'm not on their scheduled induction list. GAH! They sent me up to labor and delivery anyway to let them sort it all out. I get hooked up to the fetal monitors and we just wait. After 45 mins a nurse tells us that all is good but they might not be able to get us in this morning because all the delivery rooms are full and one of the beds broke. So they are down a bed and women and popping out babies left right and center. Sheesh. April is a busy month.
They left us in the room and we hang out for another 45 mins or so while they call Dr Topping and talk with other doctors to try and squeeze us in. A nurse comes and tells us that they'll get us in but it won't be till later. An hour or two. They said we were free roam the hospital though. So off we went to get some breakfast.
We had to wait a few mins for the cafeteria to open so we just sat on our phones. And go figure the first thing I see is Daniel's cousin had had her kid that morning already! Haha I was shocked! She had beat me. Probably because I few weeks before I had been rubbing it in that I was having my kid first. Oh well I knew I wouldn't be too far behind!
We got our food and then hung out in the cafeteria for a while. Then made our way to the waiting room outside labor and delivery and watched how it's made.
A little after 9 we decided to go back in a see where we were at. If we had to wait any longer we were going to go home. But luckily they were ready for us. So we had to answer all the questions and such. We had such a happy friendly nurse!
After all the questions I double checked to make sure they knew I was positive for the GBS test. She said yup! And so I suggested that they might wanna hook me up sooner rather than later. She laughed and agreed. They saw how fast my other two labors had gone.
We got set up in our delivery suite which just happened to be the same one I had Max in. Didn't look the same too me. But when in labor I wasn't really paying attention to the room. Haha
They hooked me up to an IV and then Dr Topping came and inserted the cervidel gel to get things going (10:15) shortly after the antibiotics started going and about 5 mins later I started to feel the contractions. Woot. Our nurse said the first round of antibiotics would take about 4 hours and then IF we had time she'd start the second round.
I had to stay down for a bit and get monitored for baby but at 11:00 they let me up and in the shower! Seriously the best place ever when in labor.
I sat in the shower breathing and just waiting for my water to break like it did with Max. Well I kept waiting and waiting. Part of me glad that it wasn't being like Max and that the contractions weren't too bad.
Our nurse kept coming in and checking on me and baby. Really didn't pay much attention to her just stayed in my "happy" place. The one time I do remember her coming in and saying that she was going to start round two of the antibiotics. I started coming out of my happy place as I realized what it meant starting round two of the antibiotics. After she left I asked Dan what time it was. He said 2:00.
A part of me was Ssoooooo angry. It's been 4 stinking hours and this kid has not made his appearance! What the heck!!!!! The other part of me was impressed I made it this long and far. In my head I had thought it was noon. You seriously have no concept of time while in labor.
Shortly after round two started I felt some fluid come out. Kinda like I had peed myself but I knew I hadn't. Dan let me know my water had broken and he called in the nurses who rudely shut off my shower and made me get out.
The joy was I knew that they would want to check me and see how dialated I was. Which in my gut I knew it wasn't very far. Sure enough I was 4-5cm. She got another nurses opinion. Same numbers. But they were also concerned because they weren't sure that they were feeling his head up there. It was too soft. They called Dr topping to fill her in and see what she wanted them to do. Her resident dr was in the hospital and said she could do a quick scan and see what's up.
It was kinda neat getting another ultrasound at the very very end of pregnancy. Luckily enough the ultrasound confirmed it was his head just slightly out of my birth canal. What a punk. It was now around 2:30 and I was so done. Luckily after some wiggling and moving around on my part the contractions started picking up.
(3:00) I managed to some how get back in my "happy" place and just breathe through those contractions and of course curse Dan under my breath at the same time. More fluid started leaking out and they checked again and I was 7. Dan made the mistake of looking down there and got a bit queezy seeing blood. He did look a pretty shade of white though.
He actually let go of my hand this time and attempted to go for a quick walk but only made it to my bathroom. My nurse felt pretty bad for him and grabbed him some water and ginger ale leaving me alone for a bit. A few dry heaves later and he was feeling a bit better. Honestly, I got a good chuckle between contractions! Oh my sweet hubby. Luckily after getting that out of his system he was ready to go.
(3:15) The next I remember them checking me I was at a 9 and was told to hold off on pushing. Well lucky for them I didn't quite feel like pushing just then. So I didn't cuss at them. Daniel was awesome sticking by my side. The worst contractions are the ones right before you start to push. He was right there making me focus on him and breathing.
Finally after about 5 mins of that I was ready to push. And I let them know that. There was no way I could hold off anymore. Dr topping suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was standing to the left of my feet telling me it was okay to push. To the left of my feet? Wasn't she suppose to be down in my nether regions? I was so confused until I looked down and saw the resident all prepped and ready to go. I figured nothing can go wrong with two doctors and just started pushing.
Dan and the nurse were holding onto my legs. They kept telling me too but seriously I can never figure out how to handle that on top of pushing out a human being from my insides. But hey what's one more thing? Luckily pushing went super fast 3-5 pushes and Evan Daniel made his appearance in the world! (3:25) He is also my first kid that once his head came out it still hurt until the rest of him came out. And he was tiny! So how I felt those shoulders I don't know.
He came out and the resident dr was holding him up so I could see but also close enough I could grab him. So since he was so close that's what I did. I just grabbed him and cuddled right onto my chest. Those are the best snuggles you can get!!!
As he came out we also found that he'd knotted his umbilical cord. We got pretty lucky that nothing went south with that. Dan got the pleasure of cutting the cord this time too.
In all my snuggles I got to have I got to watch him as he did the "breast crawl" and latched all by himself onto me. The joys! I am so happy I get to breastfeed.
I only tore slightly (1st degree) it did take forever to stitch just because the resident was doing it. But I got to hold my baby Evan the entire time.
They let me hold him forever! Pretty sure I didn't give him to them for about an hour and a half. Once I did that's when we got his measurements. 7lbs 6oz. 19&3/4 inches long.
As always the first shower after baby is nice and relaxing. The nurse helped me out a little. I was a bit shaky.
After my lovely shower they wheeled us up to our private room! Hallelujah!!!! The poked and prodded us for the next 4 hours as always. Everything stayed good and I got my IV out. But not before my parents brought the other two boys around. Sean knew right away who he was and max just wanted to hit him. It was a fun visit to see all my boys together. I am so blessed!
We got to go home after 24 hours. My blood pressure was holding and Evan was healthy and their mat floor was super busy so they were trying to kick out who they could.
Crazy, but so wonderful being home and being a family of 5. We did have to make a quick trip into the ER on Thursday evening due to my blood pressure jumping. The ER Doctor there was a weiner and didn't fully comprehend how crazy my body gets after babies. He just sent me home with a prescription for labetalol (which didn't work with max for long). Luckily they gave me some labetalol before heading home which did drop my BP into safe/high ranges. First thing Friday morning I called DR topping and filled them in on what happened and my BP numbers and she changed that prescription right over to adalat. Which I am happy to say is holding me right where I need to be.
I am so blessed to live in this time of modern medicine which has honestly saved my life each and every time after all my boys have been born. I love my doctor and her concern and care for me. If anyone needs a good obgyn check out dr topping. She is fantastic!!!!
I love being home and cuddling my lil baby and being able to play with my other boys without a big belly in my way. Now bear with me as I flood FB and Instagram with all the wonderful photos I take of my boys! Life is good!
