The torture... I mean, labor

Rob is playing with our sleeping angel until she wakes up, so I'm taking the time to tell the birth story and give an update. I'll try to get back to check, but I don't know if it'll work.

Things are going so well, I'm hopefully, adjusting to being a mom. Olivia is such an aggressive eater that I've already gotten my milk, even though she's only 2 and half days old. The nurses were really impressed since she's a first baby. We're kinda going about 2 hours, sometimes 3 hours between feedings now, and she's still meeting her diapers, so I think that's pretty cool.

Anyway here's the trauma story!

I went into labor really early Wednesday (I think) and it was slowing down so I went to bed. I was supposed to be induced wed. morning at 9. I wanted to get some rest, but when I woke up around 7 I was having regular contractions and I wasn't sure what to do. We called my doctor and she said go to the hospital to make sure it was true contractions since I'd had stalled labor before, and she thought that they'd either discharge me, or I'd be in active labor.

Well I was in active labor and I was having 4 minute contractions and I was dilated to a 3. They let me walk around and I went to the waiting room to wait for our families to show up. Then about an hour later when they wanted me to be back on the monitor I was still at 4 minutes, and still at 3 cm. They decided to break my water to see if things could get going, but once they break your water then you're restricted to the bed.

I thought I was progressing really well, and my contractions were getting stronger and longer, so they let me contract forever! The resident doctor (not mine) was supposed to check me every hour per request of my doctor, but he never checked me after my water broke!!! Finally a nurse checked me because she felt bad that I was in labor for 6 hours and had no idea where I was in dilation. I was a 3.5!!!! I was not making any cervical progress at all, and no one knew for so long!!!! My doctor ordered that I be put on Pitocin around 2 in the afternoon or so.

I kept on going with no pain relief, but the contractions were getting so long and painful. They had turned my dose up and I had contractions that never valleyed, and were less than a minute apart for 8 minutes!!! It was awful so they turned me back down, but I was getting exhausted. I went to 2 or 3 more hours no drugs, but when they checked my I was still only 4.5 cm!!! At that time I knew I'd never make it if I didn't get the epidural, I needed the sleep.

I got the epidural around 6 or 7 and promptly started laughing until I fell asleep. I slept for an hour, talked to my family and had some visitors, and then I watched Boston kick NY's patootie! At the end of the game we talked some more and I got checked every couple of hours. At 1 am I was finally a 10 and ready to push. My epidural was wearing off, so I got a new bottle, but they kept the dose very low so I could feel, but the problem was I couldn't tell where my pushing muscles were. So I pushed in 3 different positions, and with all kinds of help from my doctor, but I felt like I was getting no where!! I was getting really discouraged, and I had been pushing for 3 hours when the nurses and my doctor started talking about interceding and doing a vacuum extraction. I couldn't bear to hear those words when I so wanted to go natural and I had already gotten the epidural.

My doctor was awesome though, she never stopped believing in me. She came back told me that they had ordered the vacuum for 5 am, but she thought I could do it. When I was pushing on my side I had managed to turn Olivia in a position that was easier to get her out, and so I could get on my back and make real progress. My doctor was guiding me with her hands, and Rob was coaching me really well. On top of all my encouragement, I could finally see a small piece of Olivia's head, and that really got me going. By the time they brought the vacuum in and called the OB surgeon who would do a c-section or forceps delivery if necessary I was ready to deliver my baby. Nothing was going to stop me. I was pushing to 5 counts of ten during every contraction, and just waiting for then next one to start. I really got a second wind. I had Olivia crowned and out within 7 pushes and about 20 minutes. She was perfect and cried out right away.

Rob took her pictures and some video of her exam and I waited to nurse. I just kept saying, "How did you trick me? I was so sure that you were a boy! How'd you trick me?" And then I cried and cried because I finally had our baby, she was real and healthy.

When we nursed for the first time it was like we were old pros, and I was so excited. Then my family and Rob's family all came in and held her, got some pictures, and then everyone went to sleep. It was the most exhausting and beautiful day of my life.

Now we're just getting used to each other. She took to Rob right away, and she's very alert. She loves looking around when she's actually awake!

I'm finally a mom after all this time, and I can't wait to start getting into a pattern so I can get to know her better. She's our little "Chipotle," (like the burrito restaurant) because she looks like a burrito all wrapped up in her blanket. We're so happy and we feel like our family is finally a little more full.

Now all we have to is buy some pink clothes because all she has is yellow, green and blue!