I woke up with a little cramping that lasted about 20 seconds. Twenty minutes later, another, then another nineteen minutes after that. The felt like the worst menstrual cramps I've experienced in the past.
I woke up Preston and he knew just by looking at me that it was starting. We called my doctor's office, but waited to call anyone else in case it was false labor.
The nurse said to stay at home until my contractions are 5 minutes apart. I was surprized, I thought I could have my whole labor at the hospital, so I could get drugs :)
I layed on my bed, having contractions every 18, 15, 12, 10, then 7 minutes. The pain was like nothing I'd experienced before. Everything was squeezing between my hips, but centered at the bottom of my uterus. I could feel my cervix thinning... at least, that's what it felt like.
It hurt so much! I'm the kind of person that grins and bares the pain, but this was making me cry out in pain. I was trying to stay quiet so I didn't freak out Gracie. We talked to her a lot about what was going to happen, so she knew I was going to be in pain, but actually hearing me was different.
We called Shanna and Morgan to spread the word. My mom called, I talked to her for a couple seconds, until a contraction came on, then I just handed Preston the phone when my mom was in mid sentence. I NEVER interrupt people, so that was weird!
I called my nurse Kendra at 8am, she said to look for my water breaking (either a gush like when you have your period, or just a trickle, but lasting more than just a second), a bloody show (blood, obviously), or my contractions being only 5 minutes apart. None of that happened by 11am, but my contractions were so painful, I made Preston take me to the hospital, even though my contractions were only 7 minutes apart.
I had a contraction as I was walking out the door, then 3 more on the way to the hospital.... we only live 3.3 miles – about 8 mins - away. I was so happy once we got there.
They tried to get an IV started, but I hadn't eaten or drank anything since the day before, so my veins kept collapsing, they had to poke me 6 or 7 times.
My mom, sister, and brother showed up... I was so happy! My mom held my hand and coached my breathing, since I didn't take Lamaze (we were living with dad and I didn't have the freedom to just pick up and go to Estes whenever I needed, so I didn't even look into taking the class).
I started crying when my dad showed up, I needed him there! Holly, Shanna, Sheryl, Becky, and Brenda came too. It was nice to have them at my side!
They were all taking pictures, but I'm not smiling in most of them, my contractions were getting really bad! They gave me Fentanyl, put in a catheter, and started with the epidural. I had 5 or 6 contractions by the time he finally finished. But the whole process wasn't a big deal.
He cleaned off my back, put that "tape" that was like saran wrap, numbed the surface area (felt that needle of course), then I didn't feel anything until he was positioning the catheter up my spine - it felt like a shock down my left leg, but it startled me more than it hurt. I didn't look at anything, but afterward I saw the needle, it's not THAT big.
After that, the contractions felt like I really needed to pee... no pain. They gave me my own pain button to get more meds when I needed it. I was feelin' great!
I got up to 8cm dilated and 90% effaced when Dr. K decided to do a C-section. Olivia's umbilical cord was wrapped around her shoulder, causing her heart rate to fall too much during my contractions. I was calm and confident in Dr. K, so I didn't think anything could go wrong, but everyone else was freaking out a little.
They wheeled me to the OR and put me on the little table (I remembered from when I had my D and C in 2005, the table is tiny), but because by now I was numb from the chest down, they had to roll me to my side and put rollers on me to slide me over. I freaked out when they rolled me, I thought I was gonna fall and my arms flung out to the side and almost hit a nurse. It's a VERY weird feeling being limp and helpless and well over 150 lbs and having people pick you up :)
They put the sheet up in front of my face and after that, all I could see was Preston dressed in scrubs, filming everything behind the curtain. All I could feel was pressure somewhere around my belly button-ish.
They talked me through everything they were doing, then, during the most pressure, my baby girl was born.
Olivia Monroe Harmon
6 lbs even, 20 inches, born at 8:35pm on Wednesday, February 27th, 2008 :)
She didn't cry until they got her over to the little heating table. She let out a small cry and I lost it... that was MY baby :) They brought her over to see me for just a moment, she's so beautiful :)
Look at my albums for more pictures.
For all of them, go to:
http://picasaweb.google.com/amanda.harmon13/BabyOlivia
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