Little Miss' Arrival Story - Part 2

You can read Little Miss' Arrival Story - Part 1 here.  

I think the nurse was a little concerned that I was already 6 cm because things started moving quickly.  She asked me if I wanted an epidural and when I said yes, she said she would draw my blood and get it sent down to a lab as it takes 30-60 minutes to get back before an epidural can be given.  I also informed her my Strep B test had come back positive, so she started an iv of antibiotics.  A tech came in to set up the delivery  table and asked us if we thought she should turn on the warmer yet.  P and I just looked at each other  wondering how quickly things were going to happen.  The nurse came back in and stated that they hadn't received my chart from the doctor's office (the nurse on Friday at my appointment said she was going to send it that day), so she was trying to find that.  The nurse was able to give me some Fent.anyl through my iv to take some of the edge off.  

As soon as the med was started, P and I decided we should discuss names.  We hadn't decided on a boy's name, but did have a girl's name picked out -- we just hadn't decided which would be the first and which would be the middle.  We also called both sets of parents to let them know what was going on.  

Around 3:00 my labwork came back and cleared me to get the epidural.  A very kind and gentle anesthesiologist came in to get that started.  The weirdest part of it was the giant stickers they put on my back to keep it in place.  Immediately I felt relief from the contractions and pain.  At this point P decided to go home to pick up our bags (and to pack his).  While he was gone, the nurse inserted a catheter that would stay in place until I was ready to push.  She left the room and it was just me, alone, listening to my baby's heartbeat.  I will never forget those quiet moments enjoying the last moments of her inside of me.  

I got a new nurse shortly after that as there was a shift change.  Little did I know there would be another new nurse before baby arrived.

I continued to make progress with dilation, though it was slower than I think the nurses anticipated.  I continued to feel good and baby's heartbeat remained strong and steady. The nurse kept telling me that she could feel a giant bag of water when she checked my status.  

P came back at about 5 p.m. and my parents followed him into the room for a short visit.  They had been playing golf and my step-mom had been using a pink and blue ball that day.  They dropped them off as souvenirs, check how we were doing, and then headed back home to wait for news.  

Shortly after that my doctor came in for the first time.  She checked my status and at that point decided to break my water to get things moving.  I heard her say the fluid was clear, and then she jumped up and said there was muconium in it. I was bummed to hear this as it meant there would need to be staff from NICU there at delivery, and that I wouldn't likely get the immediate skin-to-skin time that I wanted.  I also worried it would result in a NICU stay.  

Around 6:15, the nurse checked me again and I was fully dilated.  I felt an urge to push, so she said I could start.  She asked if we had taken the birthing classes, and when we answered no, she said she would teach me how to push.  It was basically pushing really hard toward my bottom with her holding one leg and P holding the other and me grabbing onto my thighs.  Not exactly a flattering or comfortable position.  It also didn't help that Little Miss' foot was pushing on my left rib cage.  Every time I pushed, I felt her foot and imagined her "kicking off".  I would push for 4 counts, 3 times in a row with each contraction and then rest.     By now, my contractions were coming about every 2 - 2.5 minutes.  P gave me a goal of having the baby out by 7:00.  

That goal quickly became 7:15, then 7:30, then 8:00.  As time wore on, I got very tired, and was getting discouraged as well.  I had gotten sick a couple of times, was sweating like crazy and generally felt like I couldn't push anymore.  P and the nurse kept encouraging me, telling me I was doing a good job.  I remember at one point the nurse saying she could see dark hair on the baby's head, and then when the doctor came in, she said she saw blond hair.  I felt like I was being duped -- where they really seeing the baby's head at all?  During this time, I was also feeling ripped off as the epidural was not creating the comfort I had hoped for and believed would come from it.  I was feeling every single contraction rip through my uterus.  (I had always thought I would want to try labor without an epidural and so I somehow think the epidural not working so well was fulfilling that thought).  I kept telling the nurse that I could feel everything, but there was nothing that could be done at that point.  

Around 8:00, the doctor said "let's get ready for delivery" and at that point, they turned on the big spotlight, and converted the bed into a delivery bed, along with rolling the delivery tool table closer to the bed (the room we were in was gigantic -- probably 700 square feet).  I remember turning to P and saying -- "was that seriously just the pregame?"  I felt like I couldn't go anymore, and stated it several times. I was put on oxygen and I kept pulling the mask off as it was hot and annoying.  I was screaming and grunting through every push and contraction, and the contractions were coming so quickly that it felt like once I got through pushing 3 times, another contraction was upon me and I was having to push again.  There was no resting.  

Around 8:15, I saw a concerned look on my doctor's face, and I mentioned it to her.  She said she had been massaging my perineum to help it allow the baby's head through.  She said she thought we might have to move on to a c-section.  At that point, I said "do whatever you need to" and actually started to ask for a c-section just so I could stop pushing.  I was absolutely desperate to have this baby out.  I was also telling P that all of the women who told me an epidural was awesome and took away all of the pain had lied to me.  I could tell he was getting concerned about how much time it was taking as well, but he continued to encourage me to keep going.  I remember the nurse and doctor asking him if he wanted to look at the progress, but he repeatedly passed.  The doctor said she wanted me to push for another 15 minutes before anything was decided on the c-section, as the baby, was stable and doing well.  

Finally, around 8:40, the doctor said she was going to try doing an episiotomy and asked me for my approval.  I again told her to do whatever she needed to to get the baby out.  Once she completed the cut, I pushed twice, baby was out, P was being asked if he wanted to cut the cord (he declined, but then was convinced to), they were showing her to me, and then she was rushed over to the warming unit where the neonatologist and NICU nurse were waiting to exam baby.  As soon as she came out, the doctor said "It's a girl", but I don't think it registered with me as I was just so relieved that she was out.  

P followed her over to the warming table and we were asked if she had a name yet.  I think P and I both knew individually right away what it should be, but I wanted us to be able to discuss it first and come to agreement.  While he was over there, I watched from afar as I delivered the placenta and my doctor stitched me up.  I asked the doctor and nurse how big they thought she was and they estimated about 7 pounds.

After about 10 minutes, the neonatologist came over and told me that even though there was muconium in her fluid, baby girl was healthy and doing well (he had a heavy accent, so I really don't know much of what he said, but was happy to hear when he said "no NICU").  They had suctioned her, examined her lungs and put her on some oxygen.  I found out later her 1 minute apgar was 8 and her 5 minute one was 9.   After a few more minutes she was brought over to me and I got to hold her for the first time.  It was in love at first sight as I held my long awaited for baby girl while being stitched up.  After a few more minutes, they took her down to the nursery to be cleaned up, weighed, foot printed and such.  P went with her.  By this time the doctor had finished up, given me a hug, and the nurse had offered to bring me a box lunch since I hadn't eaten since noon (other than a Popsicle or two throughout the afternoon).  Again, I was left alone in the room, but this time without the sound of my little girl's heartbeat.  I had just given birth, and I couldn't believe it.  

As a side note, I thought from the very beginning that she was a she.  Having lost my mom as a young child, and my grandma shortly after we found out I was pregnant, I just had a feeling that I would be mom to a little girl.  I think it's why I never felt pressured to finalize a boys name.  P even admitted he thought it was a girl too, though throughout the pregnancy he stated he thought it was a boy.