We were scheduled to be induced Monday morning, thanks to some high blood pressure and a lot of begging and pleading with the doctor (hello...uncomfortable Mama!). Kris and I arrived at the hospital at 7:30 a.m. When my nurse first checked me, I was still only dilated to a 3 (no change from my previous appointment on Thursday). They started my IV and got my blood drawn, and then inserted some tiny little pill inside me to help soften my cervix and start me dilating more.
At 12:00 Nurse Vickie checked me again and said I was a 4. Dr. Tran showed up at 12:30 p.m. and broke my water. Bring on the fun!! Contractions started about 1, and it was all gravy after that. Okay, not all gravy. I was planning for Pitocin and an epidural. Guess who didn't get either!? At 2 p.m. I was in so much pain, I really thought I might not survive. I remember thinking there was no way I would be able to sit still for an epidural. Nurse Vickie was supposed to come in at 2:15 to start my Pitocin, but when she didn't show up, Kris called the nurse's station at 2:20 and told them I needed something for the pain. (I KNEW there was a reason I brought him along!:) )
She came in shortly after that, checked me and I was a 5. I heard her say something about Pitocin, so I thought she actually gave me some (in which case, I wanted to beat her head in...I was DYING!), but it turns out she didn't (she said I probably wasn't going to need any). She gave me a shot of something that made my head fuzzy, and took a little edge off the contractions.
I don't remember much after that, other than the CRAZY pressure that I was feeling, and my poor nurse trying to get the internal monitor on Emily while I was writhing in pain. Kris says it was only 20 minutes from when I was a 5 until I was screaming about the pressure and pushing a baby out. I heard somebody say that Dr. Tran was there, and that made me feel better (although seriously, getting the baby out was really the only thing to help me feel better!). I got told, "No screaming" by Nurse Vickie, and all of a sudden there was a baby on my chest.
Really, I don't know how she got there...I don't remember pushing hardly at all. The night before, Kris gave me a blessing and it talked about how I would have the physical and mental strength to get through labor. I wondered all night what that meant - now I know! I was really blessed to be able to do all that work with so much pain and so little medication.
Emily is a sweet little baby...it was love at first sight! She has the cutest cry and smells like she just came straight from heaven (which she did, of course!). Annie got to come for a visit last night and she just kept saying "Baby" and "Soft" and giving her little pats. She's going to be a great big sister.
Emily Jane
8 lbs. 3 oz.
20 1/2 in.
Monday, November 15, 2010, 3:03 p.m.
