Birth Story...Part 2

So the last thing was I was given oxygen...the doctor had me lay on my sides, and had to wheel the tray table over the bed. I had to prop my leg up on top of a pillow that was placed on top of the tray table. This apparently was going to help open my hips and help the dilation. If that didn't work, then c-section it was. 

I got the second epidural and was informed this would take me all the way through labor until the end. NOPE. WRONG. After another couple of hours I was starting to feel my toes. It was 1 am, and the epidural was wearing off. I told the nurses and they said they would call him back. I don't know if they never called him back, or if he just never came in. All I know, is that during the last 4 hours of labor I. FELT. EVERYTHING. Any mother who does everything all natural. WOW. God bless them, cause it is hard. They gave me Fentanyl through my IV to help ease the pain and I'm pretty sure it did nothing. 

I was shaking, I was crying. Patrick was doing his best to talk me through the contractions. The nurses were rubbing my back through them. All I know was that they hurt really bad. I was shaking so hard that I had to grab onto the bedrails to keep from flailing all over. Not from the contractions, but apparently the shaking comes when you're getting closer to birth. So while I had no pain meds, propping my hips up like that was helping. 

And just when I thought it couldn't get worse...I got sick. Nauseous, throwing up. Glorious. The doctor came in at about 2 am and was SO excited that was puking! I'm pretty sure she was on crack, until she explained that that meant things were moving along great and we were getting closer. I felt good for awhile, then got sick again about 4:30 a.m.

After 3.5 hours of AWFUL contractions, I finally asked the nurse when it would be time to push. She said, "You'll just feel like you're ready. It will feel different, like you HAVE to push." I said, "Well get that doctor in here, cause it feels like that right now and I need to push."

The doctor and nurses all came in, got everything ready and push I did. And let me tell you after having those awful contractions, finally being able to push felt wonderful. Like I was being productive and could actually do something with those awful pains. The one thing I will say about having no pain meds, was that I was in control and I would tell them when I was ready to push again. 

Unfortunately, my child had an extremely large head and I had to get an episiotomy. Not bad, and I didn't feel a thing. That's like a freaking cake walk compared to contractions. So any pregnant woman or someone who will someday be a mom reading this...don't even worry about that. It got to the point where I was so exhausted from being in labor so long...25 hours at this point, that I asked them to use the vacuum because I had no energy left. They used it, and a couple pushes later he was out! 

My little man was born at 5:16 a.m. on December 20th.

They placed him on my chest right away and it was the craziest feeling. It was so many emotions and thoughts at the same time. Not only "OH MY GOSH I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER!!!!" to thoughts like this is my baby, I made him, does he look like me or his dad? I just laid there staring at him the doctor finally said "You can touch him." I didn't even realize I hadn't touched him yet! I was just so in awe that I didn't even move when they placed him on me. 

It was by far the most surreal moment in my life, and there's no words to explain that moment when they lay your baby on your chest. Speechless. Patrick was right there with me telling me how proud he was, and we were both just staring at this little human that we brought into the world. It truly was amazing.

I swear I grow more and more in love with this little man each day and my heart is so full. I'm pretty sure it's accurate to say that I am obsessed with my child. I love him so much and am so thankful that God gave this little human to me to take care of while here on this earth. So lucky, and so amazed.