Friday, June 12, 2009

My Labor Day

Everyone has their story and I am pleased to say that mine started out frustrating and ended up being FANTASTIC! We were supposed to go in at 7am on the 2nd to be induced. I woke up at 5am and called the hospital to make sure they could still get me in...sure enough there must have been a full moon or something and they were full. After killing time shopping and hanging out with family fir the day, they finally called late in the afternoon and said to be there at 5pm for induction...how exciting...and nerve racking!

As Eli and I walked into the Hershey Med Center I couldn't help but feel the emotions! How many times I had made that same walk into that same hospital wondering if I would ever have a baby of my own and now here I was walking into the hospital with my best friend in the whole world about to meet the new addition to our family, it was both a surreal and an exciting moment.

They checked me in and told me that I had made no progress since my last doctors visit a week ago. Apparently Gwyn was very comfortable in there and had no plans of leaving anytime soon. Without going into too much detail they began with a few treatments to get me going without using pitocin right away since I really wanted to avoid it as much as possible. I labored naturally through the night with back labor...which SUCKED! I actually didn't know it was back labor until one of the Docs asked me where the pain was, I just thought that was part of labor! Finally by about 1am I was dilated to a 3 and they broke my water.

Anyway, the funny part of the story is what happened from about 3 am to 6 am. Many of you know I was considering a natural child birth. Natural in my mind went something like this, me waking up in the middle of the night telling Eli my water broke, going to the hospital and labor taking its natural course. Once I realized I was going to have to be induced and pitosin was more than likely going to be part of the process I started to rethink the situation since pitosin isn't really a "natural" experience anymore. So keeping that in mind, Eli and I were laying there talking when at about 3am we could hear the woman in the next room screaming for her life. These are thick hospital walls too, I couldn't believe it! After 3 hours of blood curdling screaming we hear the baby cry and think, phew we don't have to listen to that anymore! Then suddenly we hear one final ear splitting scream from the woman next door....it was the "repair" shot!!!! The one I had dreaded above labor and delivery and everything else. I took one look at Eli and hit the nurse call button. Epidural please!!! At this point going through labor for 12 hours, experiencing what pitosin does to your body and enduring back labor for that long with no sleep was enough for me. The thought of trying to push after being so exhausted sounded crazy. I got the epidural, at this point I was dilated to a 5 and slept for a couple of hours and than sister and her husband came by to say goodbye since they had to leave to go back to Boston. So sad they would miss the birth.

They left and I was eating a popsicle, chatting with Eli and all the sudden the door flies open, the entire nursing staff and doctors come in since the baby's heart beat had dropped suddenly and disappeared. They put me on all fours, gave me oxygen and realized I was at a 10...time to push! What a shock, no one would have thought it would go that fast! Eli quickly called my mom and said to come NOW! I pushed for 2 hours and Gwyn made her appearance.

It was really sweet, she cried a little until Eli went and held her hand and talked to her and she was quiet right away. Such a sweet baby who is already a daddy's girl.

Sister and her husband turned right around and came back to see Gwyn then officially left for Boston and my mom made it to the hospital just in time. I was so glad they got to see her.

Moral of the story, a great husband, screaming lady in the next room, epidural and pleasant company make for a fantastic birthing experience!!! I had such a high!

4 comments:

Becky said...

Oh Jen!! Do you remember what I told you when you visited us in the hospital? I said "You can't go natural if you have back labor it is so horrible!!" I feel for ya! I was in labor for 26 hrs before my epi, ALL back labor. Worst thing ever! On to the baby..SO FREAKING CUTE! Love her chubby cheeks. Love the name and love you guys! Congrats!!!!!!!!!

Chris, Erica, Avva, & Alle Kinnersley said...

Congrats Jen! I loved your story- it brought tears to my eyes. I am so excited for you and Eli.

Rochelle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rochelle said...

My last comment didn't make sense! I'd like to blame it on Connor's typing but he's already alseep, but I do have Damon here sharing the chair with me. What I was trying to say was that I'm glad you got the epideral. My sister in law's sister just had her 4th baby...naturally, but her labors only last 30 mintues! So, for the rest of us I vote for the epideral! Your story made me cry. I can't even tell you how happy I am for you and Eli. There is nothing like child birth, you can't describe it, just something so special. And how precious that Jess was close enough to come back and that your mom made it! My mom made it just in time for Damon too. It was the best. Its the best to share it with those closest to you! Love the sweet pea jammies in the pic with Eli! And all that black hair! I saw Morgan and she told me how cute she was with all that black hair!!! Love how you spelled Gwyn.