Order of Events:
Sunday Morning 2/26: contractions starting in the early morning hours until 11:30am, they were 4-5 minutes apart and then just stopped.
Sunday Night 2/26: contractions started again at 11pm. They went from being 20 minutes apart then to 4-5 minutes apart at 6:30 on Monday morning. William got home about then so when a few of them were particularly strong, we decided to head to the hospital.
At the hospital we got settled into a labor room because triage was full. We were monitored for about 3 hours. I was checked twice and was told that I was 4cm and 75% effaced. Because my cervix made no change in that amount of time, they decided my labor wasn't "strong" enough and I was sent home. When they sent me home it was like 12:30pm and my contractions were 2 minutes apart. I decided it was incredibly ridiculous but that I was starting so we headed to get lunch. Jonna joined William, my mom and I and we headed to PF Changs for my last meal (if I only knew it would be my last meal for a day and a half). After eating we headed out for a 3 hour mall walk. I was determined not to go back home. During that time my contractions strengthened and I even had to stop and sit down many times. But they were more like 4-5 minutes apart and my fear that they had "slowed" kept me from going back to the hospital. I got extremely tired and my lower body was beginning to swell so I went home to take it easy. I felt so defeated.
My dad joined the labor party and my cousin, Meredith, brought us some delicious food. After dinner, I felt as if my contractions were dying off and accepted defeat that maybe I was in false labor. I went to take a bath and get ready for bed. William laid down ( he had been awake for more than 24 hours) and told me to tell him when it was time. My mom and I sat on the couch prepared to time the false labor until it turned to something else. Within minutes I was gasping for breath and shaking almost uncontrollably. I went back to my room to change into different clothes or get back in the bathtub or something and it was then that I decided I was ready to go back to the hospital. I woke William up and let's just say that starting then I don't think I have been able to wake William up easily (this continues to be a little "issue").
We got to the hospital and I checked in again. My contractions were 5 minutes apart and I was dilated 5 cm. Finally... progress. Although not much. The doctor that sent me home earlier that day was still on call... thank the lord he admitted me. Once we were admitted and got settled in my contractions were starting to get really strong. William was also exhausted. We turned off the lights and tried to get some "rest". Around 12:15am on Tuesday I lost it. I was hysterical, so tired, in tons of pain and getting concerned about William's lack of sleep. It seems crazy, but if William would have been well rested I would have held out longer for the epidural. He was really in no shape to help a screaming pregnant lady though (absolutely no fault of his, gotta love his job). So anyways, after the epidural I obviously felt a ton better. I was so nervous about the epidural and the catheter... but really they were no big deal. Then again, I'm fine with needles and take medical procedures well... if you don't, you might not have liked these as much as me. And my thought about my first catheter? I wish I still had it! I mean seriously, getting up to pee is so annoying... Anyways, moving on. At 1am I was finally 6cm (or so they thought). At 3am I was 7cm (again so they thought). At 4:30am my water broke on it's own. That in itself was such a big relief. It meant I was seriously in labor. Unfortunately when they checked me again then they realized I was only 5cm dilated. They had checked me during contractions prior to this and apparently that gave them he inaccurate readings. That's when the doctor started me on pitocin. The doctor was beginning to realize I wasn't progressing appropriately. Around this time, in typical pitocin fashion Levi started having decelerations in his heartbeat after contractions. So from then on out I was told how to lay and spent the rest of my time until delivery on oxygen (which is quite drying). Levi was fine as long as I was laying on my side and had the oxygen on... so that's just how we kept it.
We went through a nursing shift change and a doctor shift change. At 8am a different doctor from my practice took over my care. He coincidentally was also my previous doctor's father. So at 8am he checked me and I was back at 7cm... for real this time. Basically from that point on he let me labor and checked me a few more times. At 10am the nurse checked me and I was 9 cm. My epidural was starting to wear off so I definitely could tell when each contraction was coming and going. Then at 11:00 the doctor checked me again and I was 9.5 cm with a rim of cervix left. I was cautioned that didn't mean I was almost done. I was getting really uncomfortable and exhaustion didn't describe how tired I was. At noon he came and checked me for the last time. I had made no progress. He said it was baby time and said we were going with plan B. C Section. A few minutes before this I had asked William if he thought we should choose c-section if it was offered... but boy was I glad it was a "choice". I was very nervous about being numb enough... the last few times I was checked I felt it which really surprised the nurse anesthetist so she started giving me the big drugs immediately after the doctor said go.
Reasoning: Why did I have a c-section?
3 reasons: My cervix did not thin out the right way. It is supposed to be like a big thin rubber band and stretch out... but mine was thick. Doctor said... stretching a big thick rubber band is pretty impossible.
My cervix was bruised. Levi was beating his head into it over and over. He should have just been pushing on it... but he wasn't staying far enough down.
Levi has a big head and I'm a little person. They must have asked me 10 times how tall I was during labor.
About the c-section:
It was so fast. Everything. From the time doc said c-section until I was holding Levi was about 1hour and 30 minutes. It really wasn't all that bad though. I was nervous, but that's to be expected. But I've had surgery before and knew that doctors would make sure everything was fine. William did great. I was worried he would pass out or something. He took some pictures and went to watch them clean up Levi and weigh him. I remember the doctor saying, Wow, look at that red hair. I was shocked! Before leaving the OR I made sure to ask the doctors "So when exactly can I eat and drink?". I was HUNGRY to say the least.
The worst part about Levi's birth story is how little of it I actually remember. It has taken me 4 days to write this because I have basically had to ask William to retell it like 10 times. Also, my medicated state kept me from holding Levi for quite some time after the birth. I was terrified that I would drop him. William picked up the slack though and basically wouldn't let anyone else hold him for several hours.
Some funny things:
William could have named our baby anything he wanted... because I definitely don't have any recollection of the birth certificate lady coming.
My cousin Meredith came to visit that first night... but I asked William 3 days later when she was going to come visit.
If you read this entire post... you get a gold star!
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