I mentioned in the post on Cole's birthday that I realized I never wrote out my complete birth story. So here it is:) *Warning...long detailed and definitely TMI!*
Cole was due March 2, 2010 but he didn't want to come out on his own. So they set a date to induce me on March 8. We had an appointment at St.Ann's to be induced at 5am. We woke up at 3:30 excited and nervous. We knew things would never be the same after that day!! Once we were there and checked in. I remember a deaf couple got there shortly after us. We felt so bad for them because she was in labor, but the registration desk couldn't do anything for them until the interpreter got there. So once they got them squared away, and had us pay them a nice chunk of money, I was shown to my room. I joked with the nurse that I am a wuss and I will be accepting any and all pain medication to help me through this:)
I changed into the lovely gown and they checked my cervix. I was only dilated to 1cm so they were trying to decide the next step. I had apparently been contacting almost every 2 minutes and didn't even know it. The nurses tried for about 45 minutes to get a hold of my dr to see what the next step would be. They were talking about putting some balloon up in me to help me dilate. I did not want this, but guess I had no choice if that's what Dr.T decided. The nurses joked that he was probably at the gym working out. (You will see in pics he looks like a body builder:) They finally got a hold of him and he wanted them to break my water. While I waited for them to do this, I remember talking on the phone with the teacher I worked with like it was any other day. The resident came in and broke my water. Let me tell you... that felt weird!! It didn't hurt, just very weird! I just felt this gush...and again...and again. It was gross! Once they broke my water the contractions hit and hit hard!
Around 9:30 I was around 3cm I got an epidural. It wasn't as bad as I thought. They maded Jared leave because their new policy is no one but the patient and the nurse/anesthesiologist were to be in the room. My nurse was awesome. I started crying before they started because I didn't know what to expect. She held my hand and helped me breath. This nurse was with me the whole time and was just amazing. Once that kicked in, I couldn't feel my right side at all!! My left side wasn't as bad. By now my family had all started arriving so people kept coming back. I couldn't feel the contractions and was happy.
Man I was huge:)
Around 11:30 my Aunt and Uncle were visiting and I starting getting horrible back pain and I could feel all the contractions on my left side. They had me lay on that side to move the medicine to that side. That didn't work. I remembering crying and couldn't figure out why I was in so much pain all of a sudden.They had to call the med guy and give me another boost of the epidural. It finally kicked in and I was feeling better. From there, things progressed very quickly!
By 2:30 I was already 10cm and they wanted me to start pushing. I kinda freaked out a little! I couldn't believe it was time!! I did really well pushing at first. They figured I would deliver within the hour. Little did they know, my body didn't want to cooperate. I could slightly feel when a contraction would come and I pushed with all my might with the nurse. I remember we had left the tv on and Tyra Banks show came on talking about "Sugar Daddy's." The nurse and Jared were laughing and asking if they should change it. I wasn't quite in the right frame of mind, and just wanted background noise so I had them leave it on:) I need to remember next time to use the cd player!!
I started feeling off and was having trouble breathing. They gave me an oxygen mask to use in between pushes which seemed to help. I needed a shot of phenergan because I started feeling really nauseous. Then about an hour or so into pushing, I started feeling EVERYTHING. My epidural wore off again on both sides. I couldn't believe it. I started crying and screaming and telling them I needed something for the pain. I can't explain how painful it was!! I was pulling myself on the sides of the bed. I remember thinking there was no way I could push through the contractions. The anesthesiologist rushed in and tried giving me a "boost" directly into the line into my back. NATTA!!
I hardly got a break in between contractions and they were horrible. I can't explain the pain I was in. I just wanted the baby out and at the point could care less how they did it. Dr.T came in and said "let's get this baby out, now!" I didn't argue with that:) They set up everything, all while I was screaming through the pain. I remember them trying to get me to do the lamaze breathing but I couldn't concentrate on anything other then the pain. I wasn't mentally prepared for this. I think if I would have prepared myself for the chance the epi wouldn't work, I would have been better.
I literally couldn't push! The pain was off the charts. Finally Dr.T got on my stomach and started pushing him down. Then they had to use the forceps and vacuum to get him out. He just was too comfy where he was. I really don't remember the "ring of fire" or even him coming out. It was all just a blur of commotion. I just remember Dr.T saying " LOOK, LOOK, he's here, look at him!!" And then I stopped crying and couldn't believe our baby was here. He was beautiful! I did it...barely, but I did it:) They cleaned him off and put MY baby on my chest.
At this point I could care less they were delivering the placenta:) That sounds weird, but all I could think about was how he was finally here and screaming! Oh it was the best sound in the world. He was perfect. His little cone head was so cute. I loved this little boy so much already, and we just met! Jared cut the cord and then got to hold him too.
When they were stitching me I could feel it all. I kept sticking my hand down there (not sure why) so the nurse had to basically keep swatting it back:) They finally gave me a numbing shot and that helped a lot. I had a 2nd degree episiotomy and a seperate tear. After they had me all cleaned up my family got to come back and meet him. I loved watching everyone "oh" and "aww" over him. I was filled with such a pride that this was our son.
When they had me get up to try and go to the bathroom it was horrible. The pain was just horrible. I couldn't go. They threatened to put a catheter in, which I didn't want. So once I was in my room, I was able to pee....best feeling ever!! At one point I was in the bathroom waiting for a nurse to come help change my pad and mesh panties and get an ice pack in there, because I had no clue what I was doing. Jared had left to get something in his car and here I was sitting on the toilet with Cole crying in his little crib thing where I couldn't reach him but could see him (their policy is the baby always has to be in sight of someone, so when they were done bathing him they wheeled him to the bathroom door where I could see him). I was saying "Jared, hello, anyone??" The door was closed and after about 20 min a nurse came in. I just started laughing telling her I didn't know what to do. We both got a kick out of this. Poor Cole:)
So, at 4:53pm on March 8, 2010 Cole Ryan was born. He was 8lbs 4.8oz and 19.5 in long. His little cone head only lasted about 4 hours before it was back to normal. I was in A LOT of pain, but in heaven with my baby and husband by my side. I'll post my recovery issues in a whole new post, because if you've made it this far ... you deserve a metal:)
He scratched his little cheek:(
