A few people did ask, so here it is:)
I was due on Friday June 21. However, due to the size of babies I make, we had an induction set up for Monday June 17. Just a few days early to save some poundage.
So, I had my last day of work Tues June 11 & Jason's last day of work was supposed to be Thurs June 13. My plan was to enjoy our last weekend as a family of 3 before going in on Monday; just giving Lila some 1 on 1 time, as well as letting me say a final goodbye to pregnancy. I wanted to savor the weekend, enjoy my Lila and rub my belly a little more.
I also wanted to get my hair and toes done one last time before baby because it would be a while before I have time to do it again! So my first official day of maternity leave my only task for the day was a pedicure. I have heard that a pedicure can "send you into labor" but I just didn't buy into it. But toward the end of my pedicure, I started to feel very sick. I had to ask him to stop working. I was very dizzy and had tunnel vision and sweats! I pulled out my barf bag I carry in my purse during pregnancy, but thank the stars I didn't have to use it. I sat up and was able to feel better after some soda and fanning from the ladies who work there.
I was embarrassed and felt AWFUL. After tipping extra, I left, immediately followed by smudging my damn big toe paint. GRRRR!
By that evening, I started feeling cramping and contractions but they weren't "timeable". Everyone says they need to be 5 min apart to go in. My doc says that, my mommy boards say that, my paperwork, my books; they all say wait till the pains are 5 min apart.
So I didn't sleep Wednesday night. I was literally looking at Jason's face, debating which side to punch while he slumbered peacefully as I shook in the bed in sporadic pain.
Thursday morning came. I noticed I was walking funny and was more uncomfortable than I've ever been. I continued to have contractions but they were anywhere from 20 min to 20 sec apart. So I figured I needed to tough it out and wait till they were "timeable." Just trying to be the non-annoying patient.
Now, I'm not totally stupid, so I told Jason I thought he should call in to work. He was hesitant as it was his last day of work before paternity leave and he didn't want to look suspicious. Luckily, he did call in. He drove me to my hair appointment that I kept even though I very nearly canceled & then to lunch, where even the waiter asked if I was ok! I was still having the same type of sporadic pain. Sometimes it REALLY hurt and I had to stop what I was doing and sometimes I just tried to distract myself from the constant soreness with baths, tv, Facebook, etc. I just kept telling myself I just need to make it to Monday.
At some point about 4pm I reached the end of my rope and called my doctor. My doctor doesn't work Thursdays. Her nurse began by asking "how many minutes apart are your contractions?"
I told her I don't know, but I hurt. She said to go to the hospital, which I knew she would, just to cover their ass.
So I told Jason "get all your previously-prepared hospital bags and lets go."
He looked at me blankly and started to pack a bag. He had never prepared one as told... even though I was 39 weeks pregnant. Anyway, we ran around the house throwing things in bags like fools, all the while saying how pointless this was and how they would just send us home.
I cried all the way to the hospital about the weekend I wanted and how I wouldn't have it if it was baby time. I also cried because someone was stabbing me in the gut. Or so it felt.
I still figured I would be checked and be at 3cm and sent home, told to return at 5am Monday for my scheduled induction.
When I walked myself upstairs (ok the elevator!) and calmly told the nurse at the labor and delivery desk I was there to be checked "real quick", I could almost feel the label being stamped on my forehead "over-anxious mom-to-be probably wasting my time."
She pointed me to a room and told me to change. This was at 5pm when we got to the hospital. She took her time asking me questions, and "Taylor" from admitting took his time reading consent forms to me. At this point I noticed I couldn't sit normally. So about 5.15 the first nurse finally checked me. It took her a minute. She looked at me oddly and said "ummmm, this is going to sound weird to you, but I am feeling you at 10cm and your water is bulging. I need a second opinion because you don't look like a woman at 10cm."
She came in with another nurse. This nurse checked and said "yep, you're complete. We just need to break this water and have a baby!"
WWWHHHAAAATTT???!!!!!
Wait! I have Lila in the room! I didn't plan this! My hair is still wet from getting it done today! How can I be fully transitioned?!!!!!!! WAIT! What about my EPIDURAL??!!!! I'm supposed to be induced because of my big huge babies and I have heard you cannot get an epidural that late!
So people start flooding the room, attitudes immediately changed and started taking me a lot more seriously. Pace was picking up and I'm still asking what about my epidural. The nurse tells me she's calling my doctor and that an epidural will slow this way down because they haven't done any initial bloodwork and it would be at least an hour. I told her I'd wait the hour! She looked at me in a way that told me what I already knew... I wasn't getting pain relief for this. They did offer narcotic pain meds in my IV. Ya know, the one that was being jammed in my arm by an apparent noob. I told them no. I cannot take narcotics for THIS task. It just makes you sleepy and loopy and it makes baby that way too. It doesn't numb you. So I declined.
I asked where my doc was and in she walked. In flip flops. Turns out she lives really close. At least she cares.
She suited up and I mentioned the epidural and she just told me no and that I've already done the hard part. I knew it was over when she came in. She and the nurse took turns coaxing me to relax my legs and just push. Finally I did, because it was hurting so badly I didn't know what else to do. There was nowhere to go and there were now 4 nurses with hands on me nicely, but firmly explaining there's only 1 thing left to do.
In 3 contractions (9 pushes) she was here. 9lbs, 21 inches. Born at 6.04pm, just 1 hour after I stepped into the hospital, took a bathroom break, took my time moseying up to the 3rd floor, completely unprepared for birth.
I did it. I'm proud of me. I'm still shocked. Unintentionally, no medicine to start contractions, no medicine to soften me up, no pain meds. Just my body doing what it knew to do. Pretty cool. I'll take my "natural childbirth badge of honor" that I never thought I'd have.... and still recommend that epidural:)
