We went to an early dinner with our families, I guess celebrating the arrival of our little bundle, my nerves were all out of whack though! I was contracting but also just butterfly-bellied, scared but excited...it was the craziest thing I have ever felt. Jason and I went home to finish some things, loaded up the car then proceeded to contact the hospital. Our doctor said to call first, just in case they were busy, which they were...we called at 8:00pm and were told to call back at 9:00pm. At 9:00pm we were told they would call us when a bed became available and what was the latest we would be willing to come up there. My only response to that was "well there's a reason why my doctor insisted that this begin tonight so I guess there is no limit to how late," but oh the waiting game!!! We finally did get a call around 10:00pm (I found out after the fact that my doctor had called up there and had asked what the heck was taking them so long!) and it was off to the hospital we go. They weren't lying, it was a mad-house there! Medical emergencies and babies galore, you take your pick and they were everywhere! We get checked in and I get all hooked up to everything, it was kinda scary, this was my first time to ever be admitted into the hospital. Around 11:30pm I get a pill called Cytotec and was told to get some rest, they would be back to check on me around 2:00am. They gave me some medicine to help me sleep and it did work, at 2:00am they checked me and my body was reacting to the pill as it should so they let me sleep until 4:00am at which time they planned on starting Pitocin, a drug used to induce labor. 4:20am I was getting my first dose of Pitocin, and by 5:00am I was in labor...let me tell you about this little drug called Pitocin, IT DON'T MESS AROUND! Around 7:00am my doctor came to check on me and shortly there after she broke my water for me, what little I had.
I guess let me back-track a little, last week when we went in for our 40-week check-up my doctor noticed that my body was not producing much amniotic fluid anymore, and that the lining of my placenta was beginning to break down. She said it's nothing to be too concerned about at that time but when we went in on Monday she noticed that there was even less amniotic fluid so that concerned her. She said basically my body was beginning to shut down like it was about 41-42 weeks pregnant and I was only 40-41 weeks pregnant. So this is why she insisted on the inducing, even though she knew it wasn't what I had wanted, I had told her from the very beginning, "this is what I want, if you think that anywhere along the way we need to do something different then just be upfront and honest about it" and I completely trust her opinion.
So, she breaks my water and I was told things should move very quickly from here on out. Well...the only thing that moved very quickly were the contractions. They started out fairly mild, then mild went to OMG really quick. I had my support system there, Katie was awesome, kept constantly reminding me how awesome I was and how proud of me she was. Jason, oh sweet Jason, I held his hand some tight and wrapped my arms around him so tightly at times, I know he had to wonder where the strength came from at times but he was amazing. However, even with the support of them, I wasn't getting a break from the strength and quickness of the contractions and by lunch time I had had enough. I tried my hardest to get the all-natural birth I had always wanted but with the amount of Pitocin they were giving me and the strength of those contractions, it just wasn't possible. By noon I had my epidural and was sleeping and feeling much better. Shortly after lunch my doctor came to check on me and said I had made some progress, she said she had patients to tend to from 2:00pm-4:00pm and would be back around 4:30-5:00ish to check on me. You could imagine my surprise when she walked in around 3:45pm. I could hear her talking to the nurse, saying things like "this isn't good," or "this isn't what I wanted to see" so I knew something was up. Of course I'm as calm as can be with the epidural but still could feel my heart start to race, especially when she began asking where Jason was at. He had stepped out for a moment and she wanted him back.
So...it started off pretty simple, but she explained that the baby was beginning to struggle during contractions. Basically he wasn't breathing properly during contractions and was trying to over-compensate after, his baseline heartrate was beginning to rise and it was concerning her. She said we could monitor him and keep it going for a couple of more hours if we liked, or we could end it right then and there. I probably shouldn't have just made the decision without talking to Jason first, but I did. At that moment, I think the only thing I really heard was her concern for the baby and the oxygen levels she was seeing. In my mind, there wasn't really time or a need for discussion, just a decision that needed to be made. Jason is great and keeps telling me that it was my decision to make and no one else could have made it for me, but I do see after the fact that maybe I should have asked everyone to step out so I could talk it all over with him. Anywho, so they ordered the c-section and everything from that moment on was really a blur. I remember my sweet doctor apologizing over and over again because she knew it wasn't the delivery that I had wanted, but I just kept saying it's ok because in the end the health and safety of the baby was all that really mattered to me. Everyone stepped out and gave Jason and me some time, really just some time for me to ball my eyes out. Jason was great during it all, I don't know that I could have asked for a better partner in life to be there for me during this all. It was hard, because on one hand you're dealing with the emotions of everything that everyone had just told you, but on the other hand you are worried about the health and safety of your child. All things aside, I'm glad I made the decision I did. No one made it for me, no one had to talk me into or out of something, it was a decision I made and looking back I'd do it again a hundred times over to get the same result.
I remember everyone coming back in, Katie, Jason (he had to run to inform the parents on what's going on) my doctor, my nurse, other nurses, the anesthesiologist, and my brother. My sweet brother, I didn't want my mom, I knew she'd start crying and I'd be even worse, I didn't want my dad to see me like that, so my brother was my request. In all my times that something horrible has happened in my life, I can always remember my brother being there to bring a smile to my face. He walked in and immediately made me smile asking "you ain't had that baby yet!?" I was rushed off to the operating room; Jason, Katie and Trey were all taken to my post-op room to wait. You know, in all this, the funniest thing I can remember (even though I was still balling my eyes out at this point) was going into the operating room and my gown being raised up to my chest where the sheet was and I can remember sitting there...for at least 10 minutes with all my business laying out and nothing being done...just me, hanging out there. There had to be at least 10 nurses or other staff in that room at that time, you wanna talk about a time when you put all your pride aside...well that was my time! Anywho, they prep me and at the last possible moment they bring Jason in. I remember a lot of pressure, my body was moving around but it was really funny to feel your body move like that and wiggle around but you really can't do anything about it. Anyway, it didn't last long, because next thing I know I can hear everyone talking to my son, saying his name, then the cry...oh that sweet cry. In that moment, anything and everything that had happened and mattered that day didn't seem to really bother me anymore! I had a beautiful, healthy, baby boy.
So everyone, it is my pleasure to introduce to you:
HUDSON ALEXANDER JAMES
Born June 28th @ 4:54pm
Weighing 7 pounds, 8 ounces
Measuring 20 inches long
I'm a little puffy-eyed...
Here's a happy moment :-D
Most of the photos I have of him he's a little lacking in the clothing department. From here, Hudson was sent to the nursery, with Jason, for measuring and checking on everything with him; I was sent to post-op to just wait...I think I sat there for about an hour and half before they sent me to a room. I do remember Jason coming back in for a moment to let us know that Hudson had been measured, he asked for guesses...of course they were the 8+ pounds...Jason said "7 pounds, 8 ounces" and my response was "are you sure they measured the right baby?" We had planned all along for an 8+ pound baby, where the heck did this lil' 7 pound cutie come from?!?!
I was finally able to see Hudson around 8ish so I could begin nursing him. The families were all there, it was very hectic and I don't remember much, just that it was a crazy night and I was STARVING!!! Since I had surgery, I was strictly limited to a liquid diet, that can't begin until morning...ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! It is going to be a long night...
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