Warning: Looooong post - but so was pregnancy and labor :)
Checked in to the hospital - before the real pain began.
George and I were out on a walk Sunday (Oct 24) evening when I thought that my water broke...it was around 9:30 pm. I showered while George packed us for the hospital. I'd been meaning to pack the week before but had been putting it off because I just knew he was coming late, ha! It was a very anti-climatic ride to the hospital. I wasn't sure I even wanted to go in because I didn't want to be the prego lady that goes to the hospital 10 times before it's actually time, and I wasn't positive that my water had broken. We got to the hospital shortly before midnight, and according to the machines I was contracting every 1.5 to 5 minutes, but they didn't hurt at all, and I was dilated to 2 cm and 90% effaced. By 1 am we got the results back and indeed it was amniotic fluid...my water had broken so we were staying at the hospital to have our baby! About 2 am the contractions started hurting. I walked laps around the hospital and tried to rest some so I'd be ready for the big event. Resting didn't work so well. By 8:30 am I was dilated to a 4 and still 90% effaced and Sawyer's head was at station 0. At 11:00 am I was only at a 5 so they decided to give me some pitocin to help progress. By 1 pm I was going on 30 hours of no sleep and was at 8 cm...I was so worn out and contractions were very painful I was ready to give in and get an epidural, but with my amazing support team they helped me through the pain. And fortunately I went from an 8 to a 10 in about 45 minutes. Once I reached 10 cm I thought the hard part was over and that we were really close to delivery so I figured I could go natural. Little did I realize pushing would last SO long...2 hours felt like an eternity. I did it though, all natural and unmedicated. I felt so proud holding our baby boy on my chest and couldn't get over how perfect he was, and still is!
Holding my baby boy for the first time - pure joy.
There is no way I could have done it without the help of my amazing husband, George; wonderful sister, Sara, and incredible medical team. George was outstanding. I've always known I married a great man, but it really showed during his support through labor and delivery. I know some women get mad at their husbands, but that was the farthest thing from my mind. I was so grateful to have him there to help support me through contractions and pushing. I wasn't totally set on going natural so I was happily surprised with myself when I was able to do it. My doctor was out of town at a conference, so Laurie Hansen, a certified nurse midwife delivered Sawyer. It was fun because George knows her. When she came into our room he gave her a big hug and it made for a comfortable setting. Laurie's husband had been in the bishopric of George's single's ward. It was wonderful having someone we knew and trusted deliver our baby. Katie Gubler is training under Laurie to become a midwife and stayed with me from when I was 5 cm on and was like my personal doula. All the support was amazing...ice, water, chap stick, massages, etc. I was so tired towards the end I could barely hold my head up, in fact Sara held my head up for me. I even took naps in between contractions and pushing. George was able to help deliver Sawyer's shoulders and also cut the umbilical cord. Laurie delivered Sawyer right to my chest, and he nuzzled right in. No words can describe how I felt. What an amazing experience! It was painful getting sewn up for 45 mins...after Sawyer was already there I had no motivation to endure anymore pain. But I was amazed how great I felt immediately after. I really had amnesia after delivery...I couldn't and still can't remember what the painful contractions felt like. You would think after 12 hours of those things I could recall what they were like. I guess this is a fairly common defense mechanism that your brain does. I do remember the pushing part clearly tho!
I love when he nuzzles into my chest :)
It's amazing how you are pregnant for SOOO long, and then one day you're not anymore and you have this beautiful baby instead. It feels SO good to have him on the outside, and such a relief that he is so healthy. Sawyer did have a heart murmur when he was born, but it went away by the next morning. He was also slightly jaundice, but had good color and was eating/pooping well so he only got poked twice to check his bili levels. We got to go home 24 hrs after he was born.
Monday October 25th started out with a hail storm, then cleared up and turned into a beautiful sunny autumn day. I lost 10 lbs straight out of the gate, and this week I've lost 9 more eating like a pig hog...I like this diet plan, haha! Oh yes and chocolate tastes good again, I'm so excited!
Time from when water broke to delivery: 19 hours (plus 45 minutes getting sewn up afterwards)
Painful contractions: 12 hours
Pushing: 2 hours
Intrapartum Timeline - more for my records than anything
Oct 24, 2010
9:30 pm water broke
Oct 25, 2010
12:49 am 2 cm dilated/90% effaced/-2 station/contractions 1.5 to 5 mins apart
2:00 am contractions started getting painful
7:30 am hot pack on chest and put in IV
8:23 am 4 cm dilated/90% effaced/0 station
10:50 am 5+ cm dilated/completely effaced/0 station/started pitocin
12:24 pm 6+ cm dilated/0 station
1:10 pm 8 cm dilated/0 station
1:36 pm 9 cm dilated/1 station
1:53 pm complete dilation/100% effaced/+2 station
Lots and lots of pushing - way more than I thought
4:02 pm presenting, part crowning
4:16 pm Sawyer born!
And let's not forget having to get sewn up from time of delivery until 5 p.m....or actually maybe we should try and forget about that part!
Admiring how perfect he is.
Proud papa holding his son for the first time.
First family photo.
