Our Birth Story Part 2!

Continuing on from the previous post....
When we arrived at Gaston Memorials beautiful The Birthplace we were all so anxious... 

We couldn't wait to get Hannah out!  We grabbed the suit case, our snacks and anything else we may need and headed towards the front doors.  We rode the elevator up to the second floor and walked to the front desk, we told the security guard that "I was checking in!" It took about 45 minutes because all the nurses were busy with other patients (which really didn't bother me I was just glad to see the light at the end to the tunnel).  When the nurse came and got us, she asked Kyle to stay behind, other than peeing in a cup again, getting the needle in my arm and changing into a gown, she also asked me some personal questions (like have I had sex with anyone other than my husband) and obviously someone had done these things and that the baby daddy wouldn't have know and so the nurse wanted to ask me while I was alone. Whatever not a big deal to me, so when Kyle gets to the room we get our things put "away", I honestly felt like I was on vacation for a couple of days (the rooms are so nice, the nurses too). 

So they really didn't get an the pitocin started until maybe 11:30 and then if I remember correctly they increased the amount every hour or so.  It wasn't long after they started it that I started feeling some serious affects from it.  The CONTRACTIONS..... Oh yes, those I am pretty sure I will NEVER forget (not completely anyway) and WOW!! It was the worst pain I think I have EVER gone through, no, really EVER!

I am going to try my best to describe what it felt like... For me, they started at the top of my belly (yes the very top) and would shoot downward towards my vajayjay.  It felt like a stabbing pain, my stomach would get SUPER hard (like a rock) and then soften up after the contractions. They had increased the pitocin so much that I was having contractions so often like every 2 to 3 minutes and they would last about a minute to a minute and a half (if not longer).  I couldn't even move, its like any movement would trigger one.  That was when I was begging for the drugs.  The sweet nurse came in a gave me Stadol. It completely knocked me out, I was in and out of sleep for the rest of the afternoon.  The doctor came by again around 6 p.m., they stopped the pitocin and she checked to see if any further dilation had occurred.  But unfortunately I had only dilated to 2 cm and Hannah still hadn't dropped.  She tells me that if they baby doesn't come by 6 p.m. tomorrow night then they would do a C-Section.  I absolutely did not want a C-Section, not that I had anything against them I was just afraid of the "healing" process.  So that night me and Lydia walked around the Birth Place, and we walked, and we walked, and we walked.  I guess it was about 2 a.m. when we finally went back to the room to get some sleep.

It was so awesome to see while we were walking around all the doors with blue or pink ribbon on them.  Or to hear the cry of a new born baby thinking that was going to be us in our room very soon.  It all seemed so surreal.  We went to bed and it seemed like no time before a nurse was in there waking us up to start the pitocin.  I guess I was so worn out or maybe the nurse gave me more pain meds I really cant remember for sure but I fell asleep until the doctor came in and checked me I was still dilated to 2 but by God's grace that child finally DROPPED!!! The doctor then decided to break my water (I wont go into those details but WHOA! is all I can say) and that's honestly when the "big daddy" contractions started (OUCH!) by 11 I was begging for more drugs, the nurse gave them to me but they didn't touch a single contraction.  The contractions were so intense at this point, I do remember it felt like I couldn't catch my breath before one started up again. The nurse then came in and asked me "are you ready for your epidural now?" I didn't even have to answer, poor Kyle said "YES! Yes, she is!" (I laugh about that now). So, I don't remember much before getting my epidural but I do remember the EXTREME RELIEF after it had kicked in.  I could feel my stomach tighten up and loosen but there was no more pain!! YIPPEE!

The nurse checked me I had dilated 1 cm in like 30 minutes, then at 12:30 she checked me again and I had dilated to 6! I think it was about 3:00 p.m. when I started feeling this "pressure" downstairs, if you will. I said something to the nurse and she said "okay, well tell me when you feel like you have to poop" Hmmmm.... I told her I did feel like that.... She then responds with "tell me when you REALLY feel like you have to poop" I said ma'am I REALLY feel like that.  So she checks me and she says "OH! I guess we need to call the doctor, because its time to push!!!" OMG! Again I will spare you of the dirty details but know that I forgot to push the sweet little button to inject more epidural goodies in me so I felt EVERYTHING, it was terrible! Ladies, don't be afraid to get an epidural it actually sped up my labor because it relaxed me! I wont make that mistake again!

So after about 45 minutes of pushing, out comes my sweet little miracle Hannah Grace Ledbetter.  She had the loudest screams I thought Id never hear, wow totally ear piercing! But that was also the sweetest cry you could every want to hear.  My little chubs was born at 3:58 p.m. weighing in at 8lb 8oz.  20 1/2 inches long, with a perfect cap of hair. And I will forever remember that day, but I remember so many good things about it, and trust me those good things definitely outweigh the bad! I mean look at me almost 2 years later I will have another (probably my last) but regardless I wouldn't have it any other way!