Birh Story Part 4

I was relieved that morning had come.  At least I wasn't expected to be sleeping.  The contractions were coming pretty regularly and I felt like I had made progress through the night.  Well, I hoped I had made progress what with all the cramping and such that kept me in a fitful sleep all night long.  Although they told me I could eat (clear liquids, yum!) all I could manage was a couple bites of jello.  I had no appetite.

When the nurse checked me, I was at a 1 or so.  I begged them to let me walk around and contract on my own - no pitosin!  Since I was having contractions, they agreed.  So Terry and I began to walk up and down the halls.  I remember Jennifer and Kevin joining us for some of the walking.  I don't remember how long I walked.  Honestly, by this point I had pretty much stopped watching the clock.  I had no shortage of "supporters" that I remember clearly.  My room was something akin to Grand Central Station at 4pm on a Friday afternoon.  I won't names because I would forget someone and they would get their feelings hurt (assuming they ever bothered to read this blog - which is a BIG assumption).  When I went back to the room and labored the TV blared and Jennifer was screaming at the political person on the TV and ranting about her conflicting political views.  My husband in his infinite wisdom (no sarcasm) turned off the television.  Ahhhhhh.  Sorry Jen, I don't mind your political views, just not when I am in labor.

People began to talk around me as if I wasn't there.  Maybe it was because, in a way, I wasn't.  I had retreated into myself.  I wasn't talking except to ask to be moved to the labor suite where there was a big tub.  I just wanted to get in the water!  After what seemed like HOURS, a suite opened up and they agreed to move me to it.  I walked down the hall to the suite, by this point I was so turned around.  I really didn't know where we were - which is completely unlike me.  They just had to check me before I could get into the tub.  Geez!  Luckily all the guys stayed outside the room until I got settled.  I don't remember where I was when they checked me - maybe a 3?  It was around noon-ish, maybe.  Again, I wasn't really watching the clock.  I crawled into the tub and Terry sat behind me on the wonderful birth coach perch (a seat behind the tub where he could put his feet in the water and reach my shoulders but wasn't actually in the tub with me.  He was wonderful, by the way.  He was with me the whole time!  I didn't eat all day, I am not sure if he did either.  I need to ask.  But I digress.

Once I got in the tub, my fan club filed into the room and set up camp playing cards or something on the table in the room.  There was a couch, a couple chairs, a table with chairs, and maybe some other seating so I had room for a crowd, and really - I didn't care.  I didn't realize it at the time, but the nurse snuck in and attached the pitosin to my IV while I was in the tub - sneaky!  In retrospect, that irritates me - a LOT.  But whatever!  I was in and out (to go pee) of the tub for a very long time.  Finally they told me I had to get out - so I did.  When I came out into the room, all the men had vacated, thankfully, and the women were left.  They put the baby monitor on me and wanted me to lie in bed, but I was in a lot of pain.  Being in bed was so bad!  The contractions were non-stop.  They kept increasing the pitosin - the EVIL pitosin! 

I asked for the birthing ball and sat on that for a while with Terry behind me rubbing my back.  Funniest part of my labor story.  As I am sitting on the ball leaning forward on the bed with my backside exposed, the door to my room opens.  A man and a woman I don't know are standing there dumbfounded. "Uh, I guess they moved her."  She says as they stand and stare at me as I glare back at them.  Really?  How many people just wander into labor rooms without knocking??!!  Fortunately, Terry was modest for me and was covering my business "just in case".  He is a really great guy. 

After the birthing ball I moved to the bed.  The contractions were worse than ever.  I was holding on to my clinging cross (best gift ever for labor).  I had my helpers there too, Mom, Jennifer, and Lana.  At one point they were watching the contraction monitor.  Everytime I was building a contraction, they would say, "Here comes a big one" or "that wasn't very big" or something else annoying.  Finally, I couldn't take it any longer, "I don't need a play-by-play" was all it took and they respectfully stopped.  I also remember Jennifer sitting on my bed talking to Misty (cousin) giving her updates.

In any case, I knew I wasn't going to have any strength left to push the baby out when the time came if things continued on this track.  I asked someone to call the nurse and get me a little something to take the edge off. 

And then I waited . . .
and waited . . .
and waited. 
No really, I waited.  I promise.  I was so patient, then I was less patient.  I made them call again.  Finally she showed.  Apologizing because she was helping some other woman deliver - lucky heffer, wish I was delivering - just give me the shot!  But I was nice, no really, I was nice.  She gave me an hour's worth of Stadol to see how I would react to it.  At this point I was able to rest between contractions.  And by rest I mean completely fall asleep for 1 minute at a time until the next spasm began.

I could tell when the end of the hour was nearing.  No, I wasn't looking at the clock, I could feel the pain more intensely.  I told them they would have to get the nurse to get more meds, but they had to check me first - ugh!  Whatever!  I had been poked and prodded so much by this time it was no big deal.  The midwife checked and said I was a 8-9 - a WHAT?  If I let her break my water then I would probably be at a 10 or close.