Two years ago, our lives changed for the better. After nearly 36 hours of labor, Oliver was born via c-section at 3:06pm.
The weekend of August 1st, 2nd and 3rd were tax-free in North Carolina not to mention it was back-to-school time. As a retail store manager, even one who was nine months pregnant, I was scheduled to work. A number of customers offered to help me up off the floor after measuring their child's feet. Several of my "regulars" commented, "Haven't you had that baby yet?" My due date was the 1st and it came and went without nary a contraction. On Saturday the 2nd, I worked half of my shift before heading home as I was having mild, intermittent contractions. They continued, albeit sporadically, on Sunday.
Neil and I headed to bed Sunday night wondering when the contractions might intensify or come at regular intervals. Although we wanted to, we hadn't been timing them. I got up to go to the bathroom - again - around 4am Monday. Nothing out of the ordinary. But as I tried to go back to sleep, the twinges seemed more regular and a bit longer. I pulled my watch out of the drawer of my nightstand. About 30 seconds this time, maybe 45 seconds the next. Five minutes would pass then maybe ten minutes. My excitement grew and I smiled to myself as I envisioned Neil's face when I would say "It's time."
I decided to let him sleep until 6:30am before waking him to tell him. As if he could sense my anticipation (or maybe my fidgeting), he woke on his own around 6:15am. I smiled at him and told him that I thought I was in labor. His grogginess lifted quickly and he, too, became excited. This was the moment we had been waiting and preparing for with regular visits to the OB and classes to learn about natural childbirth. And, finally, it was here!
We waited until around 8am and I called the OB's office to describe the length, intensity and frequency of my contractions. The nurse suggested I come to the office to be checked before deciding whether I should go to the hospital. We grabbed the bag we had so carefully and thoughtfully packed and made our way to the doctor's office to see the midwife.
Four centimeters. Wow. I hadn't guessed I would be that far along towards the goal of 10 centimeters. We got back in the car and drove around the corner to be admitted to the hospital. It was Monday, August 4th.
Our doula arrived later that morning. She had also been our Bradley Method instructor. We walked the labor and delivery and postpartum floors around and around and around and around. All three of us would pause every so often for me to lean into the planter in the middle of the hallway and breathe deeply through the next contraction. I wore my sock monkey slippers and had a blue housecoat over my hospital gown.
My progress was slow. I was still four centimeters when the midwife broke my bag of water to help me dilate. It didn't take long for me to reach six centimeters. And then we walked and walked some more. But progress was still slow. At the next check, I was only seven centimeters and I was exhausted. We had been at the hospital nearly 12 hours.
Our doula had brought me some chicken noodle soup to eat, at some point, sneaking it past the nurses. I wanted to have the energy to push this baby out. The next major suggestion from the midwife was pitocin to help make the contractions stronger and hopefully help me to dilate. Pitocin is evil stuff - right up there with magnesium sulfate. Dealing with labor hadn't been too bad...until the pitocin. It probably didn't help that I had been awake for over 24 hours.
I was proud that I hadn't had any pain medications. I really wanted to have a natural, vaginal birth. But after 30+ hours, I consented to an epidural. Perhaps if I could get some rest and relax a bit, I would finish dilating. When talk of an epidural began, my first request was to turn off the pitocin until the epidural took effect. The midwife smiled knowingly and agreed to half the dose until the anesthesiologist finished his work. It wasn't long before I fell asleep. Neil took advantage of his opportunity for a well-deserved nap.
An hour or two passed and the midwife returned to check my progress. Nine centimeters! We thought we had success until I started having a contraction. The midwife noted that during the contraction my cervix had gone from nine centimeters to seven. It was time to call in the doctor and talk about getting into the OR for a c-section.
The OR was a busy, chilly place. It took longer to get me prepped for the surgery than for the actual surgery to occur. Right before the doctor began to cut, Neil was brought in to sit by my head. He wasn't there but about five minutes when the doctor asked if he wanted to see his baby boy being born. Neil stood up and saw Oliver for the first time. Tears flowed as smiles grew - he was
finally here! It was 3:06pm on Tuesday, August 5th, 2008.
It was the longest 34 and a half hours and yet it was the shortest 34 and a half hours. But it didn't matter. We were a family - Mama, Daddy and Ollie.
And two years later, we still are.
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