Labor and Delivery...

I'm not sure why, but I LOVE to hear the stories about births. I will share mine for those of you who like it too, but beware everyone there's lots of details you might want to miss.

First, I must start a few days earlier, I was having SEVERE back pain to the point I could not sit or stand for more than 5 minutes without crying from the pain. Back pain has been my companion most of the third trimester, but the debilitating pain started on Sunday. Without my AMAZING friends and neighbors, I would not have survived last week. Ryan had an unusually hectic week at work and put in 43 hours in 3 days, so I was flying solo. Thanks again to those who helped me through those days! I saw a chiropractor and a physiatrist (physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor) for my back pain, but the only real solution was to get this kid out of me!

In order for me to be induced at 39 weeks, I had to be dilated at least 2 cm. The last 3 appointments I had only been at 1 cm so on Wednesday I was praying that I could get this pregnancy over asap! I almost cried from relief that I was at 2 cm and that they would induce me the next day (thursday). They said I should expect to arrive at the hospital around 6 am the next day. My sister-in-law offered to come spend the night to help us out.

Ryan got home from work that night around 9 pm and I was already having contractions, but not regularly. By 11:30 that night my contractions were 3 minutes apart and starting to get really painful. We arrived at the hospital around 11:45 and then they sent me to triage to observe my progression because they didn't want to admit me if I wasn't really in labor. REALLY people? Contractions 3 minutes apart for over 1 hour and you aren't going to admit me? So they "observed" me for an hour and by that time I was in the most pain I have ever been in my life. (I was wise enough during labor with Sadie to get the epidural before the pain was horrible.) Although I only progressed 1 cm that hour I was still admitted and within ten minutes had my epidural going. BEST. INVENTION. EVER.

So I'm doing great after about 1:30 am and the doctor came in around 4 to break my water. Then around 4:30 am I start feeling really painful contractions in my abdomen again. I was now dilated to 10 cm and the nurse said at this point that the only pain relief would be to push him out! I began pushing around 4:50 and the doctor quickly had me start pushing whether I was having a contraction or not. I didn't understand the rush until after I delivered Boston. First, the doctor realized that the umbilical cord was wrapped around Boston's neck three times which was affecting his oxygen. Second, he was HUGE! They were worried his shoulders would get stuck, so literally I had two nurses pushing on my abdomen while Ryan and I are holding my legs and the doctor pulling Boston out. It was crazy! This 9.5 lb, baby was born after 13 minutes of pushing!

I can't tell you how much I love that fatso boy. He is totally worth 25 weeks of barfing several times a day. He is totally worth the severe back pain and other discomforts. He is so precious!