I've been wanting to get Ava's birth story written down, but there is never a good time when you have a baby to take care of! Since "mommy-brain" is starting to truly affect my daily performance, it is time to write this out! I can't be brief, so this is going to take a while. Here goes...
On March 5th, 2012 (also known as Ava's due date), I was super bummed that she wasn't born yet. I mean, my stomach could not stretch any further, I was beyond uncomfortable, and I wanted to meet my little girl! Plus, my grandmother was sure she was coming on the 5th...and I totally believed her. (She is known as "the oracle" in my family. This is because she knows ALL. Always. It's scary sometimes.)
(Feeling huge and so ready for baby!)
As the day winded down, it became clear that she was not coming. I had my 40-week doctor's appointment set for 8:30 the next morning...and we were going to set an induction date. I finally got comfortable (which was never easy those last few weeks) and fell asleep at midnight.
At 1 o'clock in the morning (on 3/6/12), my water broke. Yep, I had only been asleep for ONE HOUR!
Now, I had been waiting for my water to break for weeks. I was terrified that it was going to happen at school...in front of my students. I even had a whole plan with my co-worker in case it did happen! (Don't judge, middle schoolers would be evil if they witnessed the real thing.) And I had heard from so many people that when your water breaks, it's more like a trickle. Like you have to pee a lot. NOT TRUE. This was like Hollywood-style water breaking. Go figure.
I turned to Chris and said, "Um, something just happened." And I'm shocked he even heard me! He was up and grabbing bags and the car seat before I even got out of the bed. He was totally ready, and I was trying to wrap my (one hour of sleep) brain around what was about to happen to me!
We headed to the hospital pretty quickly. And luckily, the hospital was about ten minutes from the house. We were in the ER by 1:30, checked into the maternity ward by 1:45, and in my room by 2. At this point, I was having little-bitty contractions and running on adrenaline! (2 cm. dilated)
For the next hour or so, we just settled into the room. Things were pretty calm, and the contractions were slowly intensifying. My mom arrived soon, and I had my two favorite people with me! At around 4 am, they checked me again (the contractions were getting really uncomfortable at this point), and I was 2.5 cm dilated.
I hung out for a while more...just making it from one contraction to the next. Since nothing was really happening, they told me to try walking around or sitting on the balance ball. I got on the exercise ball, and after fifteen minutes or so, the contractions started getting intense! I was using the breathing techniques from childbirth class (which didn't help at all) and using Chris as a support (meaning I was squeezing the crap out of his hands). Needless to say, I said forget it and got back in the bed.
6 am rolls around, and I am not doing so hot! The back labor had kicked in, and every contraction led to me writhing in pain, babbling some random comment about not enjoying myself, and giving really sad eyes to those in the room in hopes that they could help me in some way. When the nurse checked me, I was at 3 cm...and I immediately broke into tears. How could that be?!? I decided that this wasn't happening without some help. I asked for painkillers. I knew I was getting an epidural, but I wasn't allowed to have it until I was at 4 cm, and I couldn't wait any longer. The nurse headed out to get me some meds.
And she took her sweet time. I have no idea how long it really took her to get it, but it seemed like forever. I no longer cared for this particular nurse. Her shift was almost over, so I assume she felt like my pain meds were not that important. I was so thankful when the next nurse showed up. I got the meds in my IV...and they did nothing but make me drowsy. The next hour was what I now refer to as "the black hole" in my story. I spent contractions screaming and crying, and I spent the time in between them completely passed out. And the contractions were minutes apart. So this must have looked like a psychotic episode. I would briefly open my eyes and see Chris or my mom looking completely stressed. (This was when I officially sent my mom out of the room for good...I was afraid she was going to lose it.)
Around 8:30 am, the new (God-sent) nurse checked me, and I was at 6 cm!!! Praise Jesus! (I was just trying to ignore the fact that six was two centimeters past what I needed for an epidural...not cool, people.) The epidural was ordered, and I waited anxiously in my delirious stupor.
Epidural happened at 9 am. Pain subsided. And I passed OUT! Chris and I both slept the next hour away. It was a MUCH needed nap!
At 10 am, I woke up, turned to the nurse, and said I was having HORRIBLE pain in one spot on my stomach. Apparently it was a "hot spot" where the epidural was not working. She decided to check me, and to her surprise, I was at 10 cm. She ran out to call my doctor, and I starting freaking out because I had fallen asleep at 6 cm and woke up at 10! She came back and said my doctor was on the way...it would take her about 15 minutes to get there. Time to practice pushing.
After she explained what to do, I gave one push...and she told me NOT to push again because the baby was going to come out! Other nurses came in and talked about the on-call OB just in case we needed her. (Umm, HELLO! I did NOT want a stranger sharing this experience with me! I wanted MY doctor!) So it was just me and the group of delivery nurses anxiously awaiting the doctor's arrival.
I don't remember much before my doctor getting there. Chris tells me I asked after pretty much every contraction where my doctor was. Everyone kept telling me she was almost there. Lies. At 10:15, my doctor came running in asking for gloves, and before I truly registered that she was there, it was time to push!
35 minutes later at 10:50 am, there was a beautiful baby girl in my arms. I can't even describe what I was thinking or feeling at that moment. But I do know that it was in that moment that I decided I loved her. And that every second of that night had been worth it. And it was only hours later that I told Chris I would do it all over and over again if it meant I got to keep her.
Best day ever.
