We left for the hospital at 5:25am and arrived at 5:28. (Yes, I live 3 minutes from the hospital. Love the small town deal.) When I arrived, I realized it was apparently the day to have a baby. Our L&D floor was so crowded they didn't have an L&D room left. I got the "left over/emergency" room, which was the largest one on the floor. Score! I got to the room about 6:00am and they made Richie go sit in the waiting room so they could ask me if I wanted him to be allowed back. So silly.
I sat there waiting. And waiting. And listening to nurses tending to everyone else. I started to wonder if they'd forgotten about me. At 7:15, I poked my head out the door and asked a nurse if I could have my husband come back yet. She then asked me "the questions" for which he can't be around. No, I'm not afraid of him. Yes, I want him present for the delivery.
Richie came back and, like a whirlwind, my labor started. Nurses buzzed around me, strapping monitors to my belly, taking my blood pressure, asking questions, moving things around. I started to feel anxious, wanting to both tell them to stop and tell them to go faster all at the same time.
At 7:30 they put in the Cervadil, meant to soften and open my cervix. Don't worry, they assured me, this won't put you into labor. The doctor came in and said to get some good movies and books, it's going to be a boring and quiet 12 hours. Oh, and, did he forget to mention, I can't eat or get out of bed either? And with that we were all alone.
I started to freak out that I couldn't eat or get up until 7:30 that night. No way that would work!
I didn't have too long to think about it, though, because I started to feel like I was having contractions.
We looked at the monitor and the little line was going up and down. We both thought it was odd, but proceeded on with the plan. Richie wanted to nap and I made some phone calls.
About 9:00, I woke Richie up to tell him that either I'm in labor or this non-labor hurts so badly that I've decided not to have the baby and let's just go home. Around this time my mom arrived with coffee for Richie and was going to head to work. After all, this medicine won't put me into labor.
My dad arrived with books, movies, things to pass the time.
Crystal and Joanne were going to come visit in a bit, too.
Everything was great. Except, these dang contractions that I was not supposed to be having were getting worse.
The nurse came in to check on me and I told her what was happening. She laughed and told me that, no, this medicine doesn't cause contractions. Just relax. She also gave me a pain pill to help take the edge off. I laugh at this now.
About 30 minutes passed and things were really getting bad. We called the nurse back in and, again, she said it's not labor and gave me another pill.
The doctor stopped by on his lunch break to check and I'd only dilated to 2 centimeters. No labor yet! he proclaimed. He went to check on other patients, my dad and Richie went to get lunch, and my mom came to see me on a break from work. It was at this point that everything changed. My contractions became super intense and I started freaking out a little. Ok, a lot. My mom started signing Disney songs to me (my favorite!) and helped me learn how to relax and breathe through each contraction. Richie and my dad came back to find me in full-blown labor. The doctor stopped by once more to say he'd be back after 5 and saw my "No Labor Yet!" contractions. Surprise doc and nurses, I was in labor!
He ordered Stadol in my IV. Worse. Medicine. Ever! It didn't help with the pain too much, it just made me really loopy. At this time, Joanne and Crystal pulled into the parking lot. I told my mom to warn them that if they came to see me, they'd probably never want to have children. They chose to not come up.
Soon enough, the contractions were even worse so the nurse gave me a second dose of Stadol. Oh my gosh, I wanted to die from the medicine. Forget the labor. I guess that's how it works, makes you feel so sick and out of it that it makes you forget the pain of the contractions. I swore I wanted no more of this medicine. EVER.
Somewhere that afternoon I cried to the nurse that this wasn't my birth plan. I wanted the epidural. I just wanted that needle stuck in my back to feel the relief.
She checked me and checked again and I stayed steady at 2cm.
At 5:00 the doctor came back and checked. 2cm. He broke my water, which Richie missed but it was the one thing he wanted to see. That made the pain intensify. He told me to hang on-- one more centimeter and the epidural would be mine.
About 30 minutes later I was writhing in pain. My hero nurse, Pam, decided it was time. She grabbed the anesthesiologist and he put in my epidural at 6:00pm. AH, sweet relief! I napped (and Richie napped) for about an hour, letting the rest of the Stadol wear off.
When I woke up, my mom, dad and Richie were talking, joking, watching a movie on tv. Everything was great. I was feeling much better.
About 10:15, the pain started coming back. I got really nervous, thinking the epidural was wearing off. My dad went to get Pam. She checked me and said it was time to have a baby. Once again, the whirlwind started. I looked at my dad and said, "I'm not ready. Please take me home." He reassured me that it'd be ok, and he and my mom went to wait in the waiting room.
Before I knew it, the lights were off, except that spotlight focused for delivery. I was pushing and Richie was up by my head, calm as ever. Pam and two other nurses were helping me through. In between contractions, we laughed and joked. It was very calm and relaxed.
I started pushing at 10:35. At 11:06, Isaac Edward Martin was born. He came out quiet but very alert. They put him on my stomach and he looked right at me. I asked several times if he was ok, because he wasn't crying. He was breathing and pink, just soaking in his new world. They took him to the warmer and I looked over at him. He looked at me and raised his hand. I fell in love.
He weighed in at 7lb 15 oz. They wrapped him up and handed him to Richie.
It took them longer to stitch me back up then it did for me to deliver Isaac. I'd like to forget that part, especially because the epidural had worn off. Why they don't just leave it on for a bit, I'll never understand.
Pam went to get my parents and they came in to meet Ike. They held him while Richie called his parents.
Soon I was cleaned up and one by one, we were left alone. Just me, my husband and my son.
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