The birthing center is only 3 minutes from our house which was good because I was so cold and shivering so hard through the contractions. And once we got there Bryan had to have the nurse up front ring us in because it was after 10 so I had to wait. Then when I got out of the car I had another contraction and just had to stop and breath through it. Thankfully the nurse noticed and got me a wheel chair.
They got us inside and into the back room to check to make sure I was in real labor. This is not the process that I'm fond of. Checking for dialation is thee worst part. I don't remember it ever hurting so much. I cried through the whole process, sobbed is more like it. The poor nurses felt bad for me too.
We were admitted and headed back to our room. Since I had previously had a c-section the nurse told me that I had to have an IV and I had to be monitored but she said that since she's the nice nurse she was going to give me the wireless monitors so I could still walk around and soak in the tub with the jets if I wanted.
I figured I'd wait to soak in the tub and opted to walk around with Bryan. He was being such a support that I really just wanted him to be near me. I remember that every time I would have a contraction I would just hang on him. He asked me to put my arms around his neck but I just couldn't do it. I had to let them hang down over his arms as he held me up.
It was almost midnight by this point and the contractions were becoming very intense. I could still tolerate them to where I had a break in between them and could talk and walk. But that wasn't going to last much longer.
The monitors kept slipping every time I had a contraction because my round belly was all baby and there was nothing for the monitors to hold onto when it went from round to squarish so I had to head back into my room. It wasn't a big deal since I could still walk around and now I had a tray to lean on while Bryan rubbed my back during the contractions.
By this point they hurt. Like nothing else I've ever felt before. I was nearly crying through the contractions because I just couldn't get past the pain. And I honestly think that the pain is different for everyone. God bless those that can get through labor without any medications because that was not me.
At this point my very kind nurse, Ashely, asked if I wanted to try a medication through the IV. She said it may not last for very long and would only take the edge off. The most it was suppose to last for was an hour but she hadn't ever seen it last that long. I agreed to it because I didn't necessarily want the epidural so if this took the edge off then I was willing to try it.
She gave me the medicine and it took the edge off of two contractions. Two! And by the third I was starting to feel the intense pain again. By this time the anasthesiologist came by to let me know that he had to be in the building on call since I had the c-section before. I remember him telling me that hopefully I wouldn't have to see him again after he made his introductions.
My eyes were closed to help me focus on the contractions while he was talking. And I remember that after he had finished talking another contraction came on and it was so bad, so intense, and so very painful that I told Bryan to tell him to come back! Well, turned out he hadn't even left the room. He was still filling out paperwork to the right of me! (haha)
I remember asking about the epidural. I asked my nurse if it was possible for it to be turned down once it was time to push so that I could feel what I was doing and also if I would be able to sit up more once I would be pushing instead of laying flat on my back. Yes, on both accounts. She said each anesthesiologist was different and gave the epidurals differently. Some were a lot stronger than others but this guy was good.
He got to work pretty quickly and as I was getting my epidural put in I remember thanking God that the pain was almost over. I just couldn't bear it any longer.
He was good and fast to get it all over and done with and I was thankful. Because, believe you me, I would have been one of those screaming mothers in labor because of the pain if I hadn't been able to get it.
Oh my word contractions hurt.
You will never be sorry your wrote all of this down. You think you will never forget any of this but time does tend to make you remember this less and less. Reading this made me remember the births of my children back in the dark ages when pain was something you dealt with - but I ended up with babies at the end of it so it was so worth the pain, and yes there is no other pain like labor, but I am told kidney stones are similar. Praise God your precious baby girl is here and this part is behind you ;) love you!
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