I answered and was told that I could come on in, to get there when I could. What?! Seriously?! I'm getting to go to the hospital? Okay!
That's when the real nerves sat in. I was about to have my baby.
Ronnie and I loved the boys bye and sat out to the hospital. On the way we stopped at McDonald's so Ronnie could have something to eat since hadn't eaten anything all day either.
We arrived at the hospital around 11.00. We were quickly whisked into the room by a nurse and I was promptly given instructions to get into a lovely hospital gown.
Last pregnant picture.
Once I was changed and in bed, the nurse arrived to start getting me prepped. I was so happy that it was Donna, the nurse who was with me when I had Elijah! The doctor came in once I was on the IV and explained that the antibiotic needed to be in me for four hours before delivery to prevent a longer hospital stay and since she felt that I have fast labors she wasn't going to start pitocin just yet and wouldn't break my water until around 3.00. I said that would be fine. She checked me and I was only around 2 cm dilated.
So for the next three hours Ronnie and I hung out in the room waiting for the action to get started. Finally around 3.30 the doctor came back to break my water. I was only around 2.5 cm when she did that, but once my water was broken, I really started to feel some contractions.
The contractions really affected my back. When I would get up to visit the rest room, I would feel better, but as soon as I had to get back in that bed, my back hurt so bad. I mentioned this to Donna and she asked if I wanted the peanut ball. I had no idea what she was talking about so she said she'd bring it to me and see if it helped. I found out that this is a peanut ball:
The problem with the peanut ball was that the external heart monitor wasn't picking up baby girl's heart rate too well. Part of it was that she was moving and part was that I was bouncing all over the place. Because of this, I had to get back in the bed for a bit so we could be sure she was doing okay. Once I hit the bed, the contractions felt 10 times, 100 times worse than before. When everyone left (but Ronnie) and I had the chance to focus on my body and nothing else, I started thinking about the epidural.
Soon after it was time for Donna to go home so she introduced me to Sue, who would be with me through the night. Right after shift change, I asked to be checked. When I was told I was 5.5 cm I opted for the epidural. I felt that I had too far to go and that I was hurting too bad to make it without one. I was disappointed in myself because I had really wanted to deliver without one, but I just couldn't hack it.
It seemed like it took forever for the anesthesiologist to get to my room, but she was there rather quickly since she had just left a C-section down the hall. Ronnie was told to sit in a chair across the room because too many daddies had passed out during the administration before. This made me nervous because he had always been right there with me before. But Sue was great at helping me do what I was supposed to. I was sitting on the bed with my legs crossed (as well as they would cross with my big belly in the way) and leaning onto Sue. Let me say, this was the worst, most painful experience of my life. The lady stuck me with some numbing stuff, then tried to insert the epidural. She couldn't get it to do right. Then she stuck me again and jabbed around in my back. She pulled out and stuck me again. More rough pushing. Oh my word, I thought I would die! I don't remember if she stuck me a forth time or not, but she was pushing and talking my ears off about crap I didn't care about. Then she hit a nerve, literally, and my leg moved with a sharp pain and I screamed. Then she did it again and again. Not having control of a moving body part is such an odd feeling. She asked if I had ever had trouble with an epidural before and I told her no about the time she got it to work.
During that process my contractions were coming faster and harder. Before she got it in, I told her and Sue that I needed to push. Baby Girl was coming and I needed to push her out! NOW! I had to sit in that position for a couple more minutes while the anesthesiologist finished up. Once she did, I was told I could lay down, but I couldn't move because I was in the midst of a crazy contraction and had I moved, I believe the baby would have shot out of me! When the contraction was over, I turned in the bed and the nurse checked me. I know it sounds gross, but she barely touched me and announced, "You're complete!"
The doctor was called in and was working on getting dressed in her scrubs while I was told to not push. Hardest thing in the world is trying to hold back a baby that wants out! Finally I was told that I could push and I did with all my might. Her head came out, then her shoulders on the next push and finally the rest of her on the last push of the contraction.
Melia Pearl was born at 8.01pm on July 19, 2013. She weighed 8 lbs. 9 oz. and was 21 inches long.
The doctor placed her on my chest and her daddy cut her cord and we have never been happier!
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