Once again, the doctors were wrong in estimating his size.
He was a whopping 7.4 lbs; Just a tad smaller than his sister was. But he was
quite a long baby, measuring 22 inches.
Labor and delivery. Ah, what a story. Allow me to share my
experience. I chose to be induced upon the doctor’s request. There is always a
slight fear of induction, because I never want it to be the case where I don’t
progress and end up needing a c-section. But thankfully that has not happened!
This time with the induction I held off getting an epidural
until I just couldn’t stand it any longer. The contractions were strong, long
and very painful. But they were endurable. However, 8 hours into labor I opted
for the epidural. And let me tell you…that experience was worse than the
contractions! Looking back now, I probably could have held off on that because
it was less than an hour later that I delivered my son. Hindsight, ya know.
Anyway…the lady administering the giant needle to my spine
had to have been in her 90’s. My initial thought: who let’s an elderly lady
near a needle?! Yes, it was a disaster. She didn’t get it at first. And then
she made it out like it was my fault. Apparently I wasn’t leaning over
properly. Well thanks for giving me those instructions BEFORE you attempted to
stick a needle in my spine! And it’s not like the contractions decided to stop
while this was taking place. Misery. Complete misery.
After that ordeal and the dreadfully old and mean epidural
lady and all the nurses left, Phil finally came back in the room and suggested
that I try to get some sleep. I thought that was a fabulous idea! He turned out
the lights and left me to get some rest. Well that lasted all of 20 minutes.
Suddenly I started to feel some immense pressure- like
perhaps I needed to go to the bathroom. And I panicked a little because I
remembered from last time that if you feel that kind of pressure, it’s time to
push. I reached for the call light. No call light. Where was that call light?!
The old lady must have moved it and forgot to put it back. I was reaching all
over the place trying to get that call light. In my effort to find it, I
managed to knock my cell phone onto the floor. Now I was really panicking! It’s
not like I can just get out of bed and get it. My legs don’t work!!
Then I remembered that hospital beds have call light buttons
on them. So I frantically push it. Nothing! It’s not working at all. I was
trying to figure out how I was going to deliver my baby in the dark hospital
room all by myself, when suddenly the nurse walks in an nonchalantly says “Well
it’s the end of my shift. So and so is here and she will be your nurse for the
rest of the night” (she probably said the girls name, and not actually so and
so). Before she could finish her whole sentence I said “Something’s happening!
I think I have to poop”. Now, I’m really not sure why I said that last part. I
knew that I didn’t really have to poop. And that’s such an awkward thing to
say!
She calmly said “Well we will have the other nurse check
you”, at which time the other nurse walks in, checks to see how dilated I am
and announces “There’s a head!”. Immediately the lights come on, the nurses get
busy preparing the room, someone is scrambling to call the doctor, and I’m
trying really hard not to push or cry.
I asked one of the nurses if I could have my cell phone to
call my husband. I thought for sure I would be delivering the baby without Phil
there. Luckily though, Phil, my mom and the doctor all came in just in time. 3
or 4 pushes later, little Phillip was born!
Aside from the painful epidural and the fear of thinking I’d
deliver by myself, the whole thing was a piece of cake. I pushed for about 10
minutes. That was even easier than with Jaelyn, where I pushed for about 30
minutes.
And that, my friends, is my birth story.
The end.
Well, not the end. Here are some pictures of my gorgeous baby boy, and then it’s the end:
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