New Arrival

Welcome to the world, S!

(I am so glad that you finally arrived!)

Well, this birth was easier in some ways and harder in others. I had secret hopes that it would be a piece of cake, seeing as S is my fifth baby. Despite the fact that I was being induced, I had my fingers crossed that it would be fast and nearly effortless. OK, perhaps that was a tad bit unrealistic, but hey . . . if random women can all of a sudden find themselves with an urge to push when they had no idea they were in labor, why shouldn't my pitocin-fueled labor go just as quickly?

Actually, it didn't take very long. We checked into the hospital bright and early (5 am) and they had my room all ready and waiting. The first hour or so was just getting ready and giving my medical history (again-- wasn't that what the preregistration was for?). We had the nurses' shift change during that too, which slowed things down a little. Then they hooked me up to the first bag of penicillin. The plan was to give me the first dose, wait two hours and then start the pitocin.

Terence and I watched Harry Potter for hours-- there was a marathon going on (whichever station it was we were watching.) I know we pretty well got through the first two movies before the labor starting demanding all of my attention.

And demand all my attention it did! Just like I expected, being hooked up to the IV for the pitocin and the penicillin as well as having to be continuously monitored meant I spent nearly the whole time in bed. Unlike Kaycee, I had no desire to get off the bed and even sit on a ball or anything right next to it. For whatever reason when I started to hurt I wanted to just freeze and not move at all. I had back labor (joy!) so after a while they repositioned the bed so I could kneel on the lowered front and rest my head and arms on the higher part while Terence rubbed my back. That worked pretty well for a while, but I was still only dilated to maybe a 5 and not fully effaced. S was still floating even, her head not engaged in my pelvis yet. At this point I started to get worried that this was going to be a LONG labor.

Then my OB came in and broke my water. Holy moly! I have never, ever seen so much fluid from my water breaking. Neither had the nurse. There were literally waterfalls pouring off the bed. It completely saturated my bedding and left a lake on the floor. It died down to the normal trickle, but then several minutes later it gushed again! It was kind of a problem because the stocks of hospital linen were low (I guess the hospital had been overrun by deliveries the day before by everybody who had wanted an 11-11-11 baby). So they didn't have a full set of bedding to change for me.

By that time I didn't care. S's head dropped down and the pain level ratcheted up several degrees. This is where I started to lose my sanity and any sense of being stoic. I cried a lot. Terence demanded that I breathe with him and I couldn't really comply. (My nose had already been plugged from my stupid cold and the crying made it worse.) The nurse checked me and I was an 8 and my irrational fears at that time was that I was going to be stuck at an 8 forever. Just like with K, at this point I asked for the epidural. Actually, every time one of those contractions came I begged and pleaded for them to give me ANYTHING to make the pain stop. But both Terence and the nurse kept telling me I was so close. I would screech, "I can't do this anymore! Please don't make me do this anymore!" and the nurse would say, "But you are doing it!" I thought I was going to lose my mind.

It had to have been one of the longest hours or so of my life. (It may not have even been quite an hour.)

Finally, my OB popped back in to see if I was ready to push yet. She checked me, and even though I was dazed by panic and pain, I remember her saying that I was still at an 8. I nearly panicked. Then there was some discussion between my OB and the nurse about pushing aside the bit of cervix left (I think?) and the next thing I knew they were telling me to push.

One and a half pushes later, it was over. S was born!

The recovery was not as easy as I had hoped for going natural though. I was still so miserable and in pain right after that as soon as the cord was cut they gave me some kind of painkiller through my IV. It made me very loopy and tired through delivering the afterbirth, but I distinctly remember being sewn up. The stitches had never, ever hurt so badly before. I guess there wasn't time for an episiotomy this time and I tore in two places, pretty badly. Yuck.

All things considered, I am very proud of myself for coming through this labor naturally! I am especially grateful to my husband for sticking by my side and determinedly helping me through it. But if I were going to do this again (which I'm not) I would opt for the epidural. I have nothing left to prove to anyone (even myself) and I've decided that even though being numb afterwards is the pits, natural birth is not always the easiest either.

Anyway, we are home and settled in and I am doing my best to function on the bare minimum of sleep. Thank goodness for Terence's help! Five kiddos is a lot to stay on top of. But S is beautiful and a miracle, and I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for blessing us with another healthy baby!