Please Welcome Autrianna Madison Quinley To The Family!
Monday afternoon we went into the hospital to have the first dose of that gel stuff to soften my cervix. The nurses said to go home and enjoy our last hours before labor. So John took me out to dinner - to the Olive Garden. That's kind of become our special place since we went there the night he proposed. I know it's special when he takes me there 'cause he hates Italian food! LOL
We had to go back to the hospital at 10 pm to get the second dose. We left for home at midnight. They said to come back at 6 am and they'd start the pitocin. When we got home we went straight to bed since we knew we'd have a big day ahead.
Well, at about 2:30 am I woke up from the contractions. They didn't really hurt too bad - but they were getting to be about 5-7 minutes apart and they were uncomfortable. I got up and walked around the house and drank some hot chocolate to relax. I went back to bed around 3:30 and woke up at 5 am to get ready to go. In the shower I felt a small gush, but I wasn't sure if it was my water or not.
We headed up to the hospital and decided just to grab some breakfast on the way there. Well, nobody was open and I was already hungry ... and we new they wouldn't let me eat once we got to the hospital. On the way there we noticed a McDonald's with all their lights on, so we got off the freeway in hopes of some food. Well, after sitting at their speaker, and then at their window for 10 minutes or so, the manager finally came over to the window and told us they didn't open until 6:30. Argh! So we stopped at a gas station and got some OJ, a banana and some donuts (breakfast of champions, eh? LOL)
We didn't get to the hospital until about 6:45 am and by that point my contractions were about 3-4 minutes apart. I was having to breathe to get through them and they hurt, but still weren't *too* bad.
The nurses hooked me up to all the monitors. They checked to see if I'd progressed past the 1 cm dialated and no effacement at my last appointment. Well, when the nurse checked I was 2 cm and was really soft, but not effaced. When she was checking the baby moved and I gushed the rest of my water. Apparently my water *had* broken, but the baby blocked it from emptying all the way. Then they got my IV in and decided to wait a bit on the pitocin to see if I progressed on my own.
My contractions started getting pretty bad after my water broke. I kept changing positions and trying to relaxe and breathe through them. Then they started the pitocin. OUCH! John and I walked the halls hoping to ease the contractions a bit, but it didn't seem to help. I could only walk a few steps before I had to stop and wait for the next contraction to pass. They were getting really painful and about every minute. I was bent over in pain and shaking with each one.
It was only about 9 am so I didn't want to get an epidural or take any medications. I figured I was going to be in labor all day and I didn't want to "give in" so early. But then the nurse checked me again. I was a "generous 3 cm" and 80% effaced! The contractions were getting too close for me to handle so I got the epidural.
I was afraid that maybe I had given in too soon, that maybe it wasn't worth it.. Boy was I wrong!! I really should have asked for that eidural when we walked in the door! LOL The anesthesiologist was great. John was able to stay and keep me focused while they put it in. It's really had for a big ol' pregnant lady to curl up that much to expose your spine - but boy was it worth it! It kicked in immediately. I could still feel the puressure of the contractions (and a bit of nausea with each one), but not pain! I was still shaking with the contractions, but some warm blankets helped. I was already really tired since I didn't get much sleep, so was able to dose off and on. There was a VCR in our room so we even popped in a video and watched that.
Then around 1 pm I started to feel lots of pain at the tops of each contraction. The nurse said "No wonder, you're in transition." I couldn't believe I was that far so soon! The anesthesiologist came back and gave me another dose for the epidural. Then around 2 pm she said, "Let's get you set up to start pushing." I was shocked - so was John. We both got nervous all the sudden. He was pacing and I was trying to believe our little girl was going to be here so soon!
Well, they got me all set up in the stirrups and everything. The nurse explained how she wanted me to push and said, "OK, let's do a practice push." So at the start of the next contraction I pushed. The nurse hurried and said, "OK! Don't push any more, I'm gonna go call the doctor." John said he saw the baby's head coming out!
My doctor came in and got all set up and then asked me to push... so I did Then he told me not to push any more - I guess he still had a few things to do and din't realize how close I was to her coming out! Once he got ALL ready, I started pushing again. It took about 5 pushes and our little girl was born!
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