We got to the hospital and I told them that I was there to get my Blood Pressure monitored, since that was the original reason we were going to the hospital. The nurse told us to wait and she'd come get us. Here I am sitting with a towel in my pants about to go into labor just waiting patiently for a nurse. Your Pops asked me why I didn't just tell them that my water broke and the truth is I just didn't want to make a big deal out of it.
Do I still try to down play everything and act like everything is fine? Do you do it too? If you've picked up that habit from me, then I want you to know that you don't have to put on a show. You can cry when you feel like crying and let out a good scream when you're frustrated. It's good to ask for help when you need it and to be the center of attention when you deserve it. There's this perfect balance of strength and vulnerability that I have yet to master but I'm going to try my best to help you to. I want so much for you to be strong enough to say " I won't" and secure enough to say "I can't."
But I digress..
When the nurse finally came to get us I let her know that my water broke, and they got us set up in a room. I was only dilated 1 cm so I was given this pill to help move things along and start contractions. Ahh contractions! I was scared. Your Pops went to get us food and I just laid in bed watching TV, waiting for the contractions to start. I would like to say that the anticipation was the worst part but it wasn't. My water broke at 4 pm and the contractions started around 10 pm.
The next thing I remember was the doctor telling me it was time to move to the delivery room and get my epidural. I couldn't believe that it was almost all over, it seemed to go by so quickly. I guess drugs do that to you. Once we got to the room, I showered, changed, and then got that heavenly medicine. Apparently this woman can not handle sleep meds because I fell right back to sleep and I have no clue what was happening around me. Pops says that I got checked a bunch of times and that I would wake up then pass out in the middle of it. Oops. The one thing that I do remember though, is when the Nurse informed me that I was 10 cm and it was time to start pushing! Whattttt?!?!
It seemed so fast. It was 6:30 am and you were coming. I watched a lot of birth story shows during my pregnancy, so I was ready for the pain and me screaming things like "Get this thing out of me!." But that didn't happen. Because of the epidural and my apparent low drug tolerance, I didn't feel a thing for most of it. The numbness made pushing nearly impossible but eventually it started to wear off and a ton of pushes and an hour and a half later you were here.
According to him:
Your mother and I had been going to hospital every day for about a week. Things were getting close and they were worried about your mom's blood pressure, so it felt like I'd get off work, we'd head to the hospital, and then just sit there for a few hours while they monitored your mom. Then the doctors would be like, "Ok, head home. Come back tomorrow." We kept hoping that they would just induce your mom already since we were already spending so much time there. One night, they finally did schedule your induction so we were excited because we finally knew the day you were going to arrive. Except I guess you didn't get the memo. So the very next day we were getting ready to head in to have your mom get monitored again and I walked in the kitchen and your mom's pants are completely soaked through and there's a big puddle on the floor. She's like, "I think my water might have broke." Talk about the understatement of the year, right? So we got our things together and headed for the hospital.
When we got there, your mom told the doctor we were there for blood pressure monitoring so they put us in the waiting room. I was like, "Why didn't you tell them your water broke?" and your mom didn't have a good reason, I promise. But eventually we got set up and began the longest wait of my life. I was so excited for you to be born but it seemed like time was moving so slowly. Your mom sent me off to get some food and I was in such a rush to get back because I was worried I was going to miss it. I got back and eventually they moved us to a much nicer room and they drugged up your mom pretty good. She passed out and I tried to get some sleep in the chair. It was like the night before Christmas though, I kept waking up to see if it was time yet.
After a year or two, the doctors woke us up and told your mom it was time to get pushing. Your mom did a good job, but did I feel useless. I was just standing next to the bed being a spectator while your mom did all the hard work. When you finally got your head out, it was funny, you tried to scream and the rest of you wasn't even out yet. Then you were here and you looked like you'd been severely traumatized. So I figure it's a good thing babies don't remember being born. The doctors asked if we wanted them to take you and give you a bath and we were both like, "No you're not taking our baby anywhere." You were so tiny, I was afraid I was going to break you. But I held you in my arms and I just fell in love with you immediately.
