Its time!!! (ok, it was time...I am writing this in hindsight).
I kind of had an idea last night that my contractions were more persistent then they had been in the past.
Overnight I continued having the odd contraction which is a big difference to previous contractions that would stop when I lied down.
In the morning I opted to go with Dwayne to the city early 'just in case'.
I envisioned walking around the mall trying to get these contractions stronger and effective. I never made it to the mall.
Instead we checked into the Sheraton across the street from the hospital where I hung out while Dwayne did some much needed office work.
At about 2pm Dwayne came back to the hotel where I mentioned the contractions were getting stronger though they stopped when I would sit/lay down. But man, if I stood up after sitting I would get a real dozy of a contraction that would last up to 3 minutes.
At around 4pm we headed to the hospital for a check. My contractions were still 'stopping' when I would sit but they were close together, long and strong when standing. Because we were just across the street we figured if they sent us away it was no big deal.
While hooked up to the monitor my contractions once again stalled. Ho humm...looks like we may be sent back. Once the monitor came off they picked up again and man, they were intense (they curled my toes!!). I swear though, the nurses thought I was making it up.
The doc came in to check to see if we were dilated and low and behold...I was 6-7 cm dilated!! Shocking - especially when I could literally stop the contractions just by lying down (until now that is).
We made a quick dash to get me into a room so that I could be doused with antibiotics (recall I'm Strep B positive and need antibiotics).
Literally once my foot was in the room my contractions progress to the point that I wanted to push. But, alas...no pushing...I need the antibiotics first. Quick check...yup 10 cm dilated - but no pushing yet.
Another 45 minutes later we finally got the antibiotics in. FINALLY I can push.
9 minutes of pushing and out SHE came. Its a GIRL!!
She weighted in at 8lbs 9.9 ozs and measuring 55.5 cm (21.85 inches) long.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL!!
No name yet. This isn't something that you can decide lightly you know. This poor girl can be scarred for life if you mess this up. So we're going to take our time (ok, ya ya...we've been lazy thinking up names. No need to waste time if you don't know the gender right?? I mean, your only wasting 50% of the effort when you don't know if its a girl or boy).
**Gory Details to follow**If your still reading this then your obviously ok with the idea that I suffered immense pain.
If you calculate the timing of the above events it pretty much equates to the fact that there was NO TIME for drugs. They did give me (or try to give me) gas...for anyone considering gas...its sucks. Plain and simply. Its this huge nozzle that goes into your mouth and for me, my mouth was as dry as dirt. Not a good combination. Then, when I would try to breath through a strong contraction (the ones that make me wiver in pain) I would breath through my nose rather than my mouth. What a waste of time. About 50% of the contractions I would attempt the gas and the other 50% I just spit it out.
So, in a nut shell...I felt it all. It hurt. But more disturbing was when she came out and I could feel myself tear in each seperate spot. Yup, felt a tear there...oh, another tear there... it goes on.
In the end I tore in 4 places but the doc assured me as far as tears go it wasn't bad. Now, writing this in hindsight (1 week later) tell that to my still sore neather regions that it could have been worse. Yikes. For what its worth...I would do it again and again for this little bundle.
On another note...I also puked during labour. 4 times. I tried to warn them...in fact for a while I was telling Dwayne my stomach wasn't feeling great. He tried to get me to drink juice or other stuff but I kept saying I didn't feel great so no thanks. It didn't help that I had Indian food for lunch. Yummy going down...not so good coming up. Poor little baby girl...her first kiss was from her mom with Indian food puke breath!!
First night with our new bundle was surreal. I simply cannot describe how humbled and in awe of her I am. I only got about an hour of sleep but I wasn't really tired that first night. I just stared at her and touched her as much as possible.
Yup, ever since we had her people have been asking if she's got a bike yet. Even Dwayne laughingly says its far too early for a bike (this from the guy who bought his nephew a chariot when his mother was only 3 months pregnant). Alas Grandma Helen decided its not too early and has proudly bought Livy her first bike. Now she just needs to learn to walk.
