On March 5th, my due date, Zack and I started implementing all of the old wives tales to try to naturally start labor. I really did not want to be induced, and we were running out of time (March 8th at noon was when my next appointment was, and we'd have to schedule inducement then). Having never even felt a fake contraction, I just knew this kid wasn't coming on her own. Well, on the 7th I started having cramps and what I thought were braxton hicks. I still don't know if that's what they were or the real thing, but that doesn't really matter since they were the real thing quick enough. Anyways, I pretty much spent the day on my "labor" ball, and told Zack to be alert, just in case. Although part of me still wasn't convinced. When Zack got home that night we had dinner and went on a long walk. Afterwards I took a bath, and wasn't in there long before I made Zack come help me out. We timed contractions for about 45 minutes, and they were averaging 3 minutes apart, which kind of freaked me out because it seems they came out of nowhere and you are supposed to go to the hospital when they are 5 minutes apart. And man, they got painful. Fast. I called the doctor and they told us to come on in. So we finished packing up, called my mom and said goodbye to a very confused Duke. All of this is already a blur to me. The main image I have before leaving the house is Duke sitting, pretty much cowering down by the couch.
The drive to Seton was uneventful, albeit painful. I'm not sure if I was in denial or what, but I just kept thinking this isn't going to be real, they aren't going to admit us. We were admitted around 11:30 pm. The on call doctor was male, Dr. Cosentino, but I was already expecting this, and turns out we loved him. Now it doesn't help that I'm writing this weeks after delivery, but I think even if I was writing this right away, many of the details would be fuzzy. I do remember right after we got to our room I met the nurse, Kerri, whom I absolutely loved. Oh also the girl that showed us to our room was Alice, so I suppose that was a good sign. Zack had to go get us actually checked in since apparently we skipped that step (we went in the wrong entrance and the officer at the front desk had to escort us to where we needed to be. Oops). So, Kerri is getting me all hooked up to the monitors (fetal and contraction), and she introduces this ugly fat nurse, whom I dislike before she even gives me a reason. I freely admit that I have a prejudice against nurses, doctors, etc. whom are really ugly and out of shape. I can't help it that I want someone healthy working on me- I just have more faith in them. So, fatty was screwed before she messed up. Anyways, Kerri said she was training from a different section of the hospital, and would be in and out all through my labor and would be present at the birth. At this point it was whatever. But then fatty goes to insert the IV into my hand. Yeah, pretty sure I could do that myself, but it takes her forever, and I kid you not she says oops several times. I'm bleeding from my hand at this point and just glaring at her with all of the hatred I could muster, which must have been a lot because she left the room after that and we never saw her again. Pretty sure my good ole' pal Kerri saw what was going on, because she made it clear to the next nurse that she needed to carefully read my chart.
Ok, so we meet the doctor, and now it's time to talk about pain options. Actually, he examined me first and I was only 2.5 cm dilated, and still having strong, steady contractions 2-3 minutes apart. Zack could see them on the monitor, but Kerri made it clear he wasn't allowed to comment on their strength. I could see nothing. At this point I'm leaning towards an epidural, but I'm still scared. They tell me they will support whatever I decide, and I actually believe them. They even get out a labor ball for me. Well, at about 12:30 I'm really tired and we're just playing the waiting game. I decide to get the short-lived pain killer through the IV. This gives me about 45 minutes of sleep, so I get another dose. Another 45 minutes later and I wake up to awful contractions. The doctor is back to examine me and we decide to bring in the anesthesiologist. She easily answered all my questions and addressed my concerns, so I'm sold. The epidural didn't hurt at all. The numbing shot in the spine hurt for less than a second, and mainly it was a shock more than anything. And then my contractions magically disappeared. This was at about 2:30 am. Now it was time to break my water. I think I was 4-5 cm at this point. So, the doctor breaks my water (and I can feel pressure and move my legs, which is so weird and awesome because I just couldn't feel pain), and turns out there is meconiumpitocin will be necessary (this makes me very happy, as I was worried about this side effect of the epidural). I think I was also checked for dilation again, but I don't remember.
7am is go time. It happens really, really fast. I mean, I seriously wake up and they are getting me in position to do some practice pushes, and then like that they are real pushes. Dr. Cos comes in to check things out and is like ok, it's go time this should be fast (he just got done delivering twins across the hall from me). A nurse had one leg, Zack had the other and my head and I had my forearms under both. Well, it wasn't as fast as he thought because Alice's little head just wouldn't stick. It would come out a bit, then go back in. Her vitals and mine we're great, so they let me push for what seemed like forever. Now, I couldn't feel pain but I could feel pressure. It was the hardest thing I've ever physically done in my life. At the peak of a contraction, I would take a "cleansing breath" and then a huge breath and hold and push with everything I have while the nurse VERY SLOWLY counted to 10. Then I'd take another breath and do that again. And one more time. If I ever have another kid I'm going to practice holding my breath to build up lung capacity. Sheesh. He told me upfront I was in good shape so he was going to make me do all the work, which I was grateful for because I didn't want him to have to use forceps or a vacuum- freaky. Finally he had to give me an episiotomy so her head would catch.Once her head was out I had to stop pushing, he worked her shoulders out then it felt like the rest of her just fell out. I got the first glimpse of my purple, screaming baby at that moment. It was shocking and amazing. Everything else happened really fast, but I believe Dr. Cos handed her to the fancy baby doctor, who assessed she was in no immediate threat and she was then placed on my chest. This bloody, purple/white screaming amazingly perfect baby- and she was mine. Zack came over and I was crying and he was crying and it was awesome. Then they took her away and I didn't get to see her for a few minutes, since they had to get 25 cc's of fluid out of her! and do all the measurements. But Zack stayed with her the entire time. I was busy delivering the placenta and getting stitched up at this point. But once I was done and they were done with her they brought her back to me to feed her, and it was so easy and natural that I'm still in awe. Overall we had a pretty ideal labor and birth experience.
Zack was the best support ever. He was telling me encouraging things the entire time, and giving me ice chips at every pause between pushes. When I had a particularly good push, which the doctor clearly let me know, I would get 3 ice chips. It was funny and cute. What I'm trying to say is thanks for your support Zack- through the entire pregnancy and the birth of our daughter. There is no way in hell I could have done this without you. I love you.
So here's Alice Kay Steele, born March 8th, 2012 weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces and 20 inches long.
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