November 5th, 2010, 3:05AM.....My water breaks. I had gotten up to use the bathroom and then headed back to bed. Just on the brink of sleep I felt like I peed my pants. Interesting, so I laid there for a second to see if I was right and sure enough, there was more. I grabbed Bob's arm and said "Honey, I think my water just broke." We got up and I started to call the doctor. Well the silly doctor wouldn't answer so at 3:45AM we headed to the hospital.
4:30 AM Finally checked in the hospital and in my fancy hospital gown. Anne, our nurse came in and hooked us up to the monitors. Blue band for momma's contractions and pink band for little Lily's heartbeat.
5 AM Anne checks my dilation and I am 3 CM dilated and 100% effaced. We are on our way.
7 AM Contractions start to pick up. Totally manageable, but ooooooo, those hurt. I have to be monitored every hour for 20 minutes. Anne gets off of her shift and Jaton takes over. (Bummer, I liked Anne. I kept on thinking too bad I won't still be in labor by the time she goes back on her shift tonight at 7...boy what did I know). Bob had a great time figuring out the monitoring system and keeping me laughing while playing with the fancy bed.
8 AM Jaton makes me get out of bed to walk the halls. If I am going to have this baby naturally, I am going to have to work for it. Bob and I did the rounds, walk 20 paces, have a contraction, walk 20 more, have another contraction. When I got back to the room I had this yummy lemon icy. That was good.
9:30 AM Contractions are still coming, but not consistent and not progressing. I ask for a birthing ball and that was a good decision.
A new nurse Kathy comes in and tells me that the doctor has ordered me to start on Pitocin in order to increase my contractions. Bob and I tell her that we do not want to do it and ask her how long we have. She tells us that we can wait until 12 noon but after that it is no option.
10-11:30 AM Contractions slow and stop for about 45 minutes. Bummer, looks like Pitocin is the next step. So much for contracting naturally!
12 Noon Officially hooked up to the IV and Pitocin.
They started me at a 2 dose and were going to slowly move me up until I became consistent. Bob and I asked for a mobile monitoring system so that I could still walk the halls. We named our Christmas tree Pitivy. We thought it was cute and brought back memories of our dear friend Armando and Shafemo (his christmas tree).
1 PM Only 4CM dilated, 100% effaced and baby is at -1 station. We have a long way to go.... Bob looks at me and tells me that I can do it. We will just do it together.
2 PM Pitocin at 6. Bob and I headed out for another walk and found this awesome outdoor sitting area. We sat in the sun and had contractions. I remember thinking, "Is it margarita time yet?" That would make these so much better!
3 PM Contractions are picking up and coming in sets of 2 or three at a time. So painful and radiating through my back. Still we walked. I remember having a contraction and then telling Bob that I was nauseaus. We took another ten steps and....we entered the throw up stage. Here I was in the hallway with nothing to throw up in and I almost threw up in the fake plants. No, better to throw up where someone can clean it. The worst part is that I had eaten red jello and so at first everyone thought the worst. Nope just red jello. Note to self "Don't eat red jello" Also note to Bob "Take nausea warnings seriously." This just keeps getting better and better.
4 PM 10 on Pitocin. Still not progressing but contracting all over the place. Back labor...check. Nausea....check, Dilation.........Nope. How am I going to do this?
5 PM Now we are in it. I am officially in horrible pain. Getting through contractions with the helps of my wonderful husband, a heated rice sock and a rhythmic OWWWWWWIIIIIIEEEEEEEE, OWWWWWWWIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE. It helped, no kidding! Here I am thinking the Pitocin is finally working but then the nurse comes in and puts it at 12. I was loosing my confidence minute by minute. Why won't she come out?
7 PM Horrible pain, tears, crying for pain meds, exhausted. Our first nurse Anne came back on shift and found me still in labor. Even she was tired for me. She checked my dilation and I was still only at 5 and 1/2! ONLY! So frustrating. She upped the Pitocin again to 14.
8 PM Definitely cannot deal with the pain anymore. Give me something now! Unfortunately, it takes a solid hour at minimum to get the anesthesiologist in for the epidural so I got the narcotic Stadal to help "Take the edge off." Unfortunately, all that it did was put me in a hangover stupper while I could still feel the contractions. So I would sleep for who knows how long, and then wake up in horrible pain. Poor Bob felt like a spectator, but he was so strong and hung in there with me. I was on oxygen and just waiting for the epidural. Please come soon. The nurse turned off the pitocin so that I wasn't contracting every minute during the epidural insertion, but still miserable.
9 PM THE EPIDURAL ARRIVES!!!!! YEAH. I have never been so happy to see that Dr with that big needle. Praise the Lord...RELIEF. Still only at 6 cm, but maybe I can progress now that I can just relax. After 9 hours of pain and 2 more throw ups I can finally smile.
10 PM Dr. Maydew comes in and tells Bob and I that the Baby is still only at 7 CM and that it a C-Section is most likely in the future. I was so disappointed and frustrated. I cried and cried. My nurse Anne new that I did not want to do a C-Section so she looked at me and said "Bethany, if you will work with me for the next two hours we are going to move you into a new position every 25 minutes and get this baby out naturally." She was a God-Send. I remember praying, "Lord, I need a miracle!"
November 6th, 2010 12 AM I woke up with Bob next to me and I was shaking uncontrollably. I thought that I was shivering because I was cold, but after two blankets I realized that I wasn't cold I just couldn't stop shaking. What was going on? Anne came in and checked me and a big smile appeared on her face. She looked at me and Bob and said "9 and a 1/2 centimeters, this baby is going to be out soon." YEAH! Next Pushing.....
12:15 AM Okay I think I need to push. Mom and Jill on one side and Bob on the other. The next 2 hours were the best two of the whole experience. We pushed in sets of three and I don't think that I have ever worked that hard. Definitely had some interesting moments. In case all of the drama wasn't enough, I added one more bout of throwing up to the mix. Poor Bob handled it like a trooper, but I can only imagine what seeing me like that was like. But....she was coming!
1 AM Still pushing, feeling like she is not going to come out but I can feel her head and it was full of hair. Come on Lily!
1:45 AM Getting closer. The doctor comes in with all of her equipment and the extra nurses. Lily is going to come out soon. Push, Push, Push harder......Her head is out, but it is really blue. The nurses take the place of the family as the doctor tells me "Bethany we have to get this baby out now!" I have never pushed so hard in my life and.........
2PM She is out and I am given this little slimy beautiful creature. I hold her as Bob and I look at our wonderful baby and hear her squawk for the first time. It was magical.
WOW I am so glad that we made it. Lily and Bob head over to the warmer to be cleaned and weighed. I love this picture of her grabbing Bob's finger. It may have been a long day and a half, but so worth it.
Thank You Bob for being the most amazing coach and strong person for me. You were phenomenal!
Thanks Mom and Jill for being there when the going got rough and both Bob and I were at our limits. We are so glad you got to share our moment where 2 became 3!
And
Thank you Anne for helping me avoid a C-section! What an awesome nurse!
Okay now for sleep......
Amazing story of God's grace! You were such a trooper!
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