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Week by Week

Hailey

After endless months of pregnancy, the big day had finally arrived. I went to see my ob/gyn, he said baby was getting big, and if I hadn't had it by the next Monday, he would induce. After measuring once more, and feeling around on my tummy, he said "How about you go on over to the hospital, and we can get started today." He told me I wouldn't have it that day (it was a Wednesday), but we would get my dilation going, and hopefully contractions would follow.

It started about lunchtime. First came the dreaded I.V. It took three times to finally get it "threaded", but, it worked and then came the prostaglandin. When I went in, I was dilated between two and three. I was so anxious to meet my new baby, I thought this would be a fast process. Boy, was I wrong. After about an hour, came the pitocin. He only wanted me on a "low dose" until he saw if my body would kick in on it's own. The contractions came and they were uncomfortable, but nothing I hadn't been feeling for the past week or so. I could handle them, only hoping my body would be dilating and be ready to give birth before I knew it. After four hours on the pit, they finally checked me. Still between two and three. I couldn't believe it. Well, just getting started I guess. This is the longest stage, right? A little upsetting. I didn't know if I should worry, or just give up. Well, a little longer than expected. I read the paper, talked to nurses, waiting on my husband to get back from a food run. My friend Michelle and I guessed about what we thought the baby would be (we couldn't tell when I had the ultrasound because the legs were crossed),walked the halls, stared into the nursery, and dealt with anxious visitors and grandparents, just waiting on the bundle of joy to arrive.

After my husband made it back, it was just about time to be checked again. Was I at four or five? I knew I had to be at least that much. NO CHANGE! I started crying. I couldn't believe it. All of these contractions for nothing! The tears flowed. The nurse said she would call the doctor and find out what he wanted to do from here. He told her he was using the pit to augment my labor. That was why I could bear the pain of the contractions, but I wasn't dilating much at all. He said try to rest, because early the next a.m. he would boost the pit, and get this baby here.

At about 2:30 a.m. I tried to rest. Sleeping a few minutes at a time. I told my husband that the contraction belt wasn't measuring right because of the way I was laying. The thing never went above 26. I knew some of my pains should have went higher than that. Maybe I was just being a baby. Tossing and turning and knowing I wasn't going to get any sleep, I was up going to the bathroom, and talking to my husband all night long. Actually, looking back, it went pretty fast. The nurses were very professional, and caring. I don't think they get any better than those that I dealt with at Marion Memorial Hospital in Illinois. They were there to help, or to make you smile, or to make you feel better when this takes a lot longer than you think it should. The overnight R.N. was very sweet. She dealt with my questions, and concerns, and my constant whining. She told us she knew this baby had to be a boy because "she could just tell". She called it "he" all night long.

At 6:45 a.m. my doctor came in and asked me if I was ready to have this baby. Yes! I said. He said he would get this going, boost my pit every half an hour until contractions were strong, regular, and 2 to 3 minutes apart. But right now, he was going to break my water. This was something that I had never had done before. I had two other kids, but my water broke on it's own with both. I was a little nervous about this, but it didn't hurt. I didn't feel anything but wetness. A lot of it. I thought the water would never stop flowing. He was right though. Within 3o minutes my contractions were getting longer and stronger. I knew sometime today I would have a baby.

At about 8:45 my doc came back to check on me. I was getting a little testy now. I was dilating good. About 5-6. Oh good. I was so happy. I told my husband I was halfway there. It would soon be over. They continued to up my pit, and I had to change my position. I was getting extremely uncomfortable. My mother came in, she missed the other two births, she wasn't going to miss this one. She had came straight from work. She works third shift. I figured she'd come and check on me, then go home, and rest before the time came.

About 10:00 a.m. I started feeling the urge to push. We all knew it couldn't be time yet, so the nurse told me to breathe, not to push. I told them I couldn't help it. My body said it was time to push. My husband is trying to tell me the nurses know what they are talking about, and try to breathe. He was just making me angry. I love him, but he has no clue how powerful a contraction is, or the force that your body feels when it is ready to push. My mother is crying every time I have a contraction. She says she hates to see her baby in pain like this. She is holding one hand my husband is holding the other, my husband's aunt Becky shows up to check on my progress. The nurses are wheeling the warmer and all of the birthing junk into the room when I tell them I am really in some pain. I didn't get any pain relief before, this time I thought I wanted some. They gave me a shot of Demerol, and I told them I couldn't wait any more. They checked me at about 10:30 a.m. and said I was already to a good nine with just a little bit left at the top. I started crying with happiness. My doctor rushed back down to my room to check on me. He said he just had a feeling he should look in on me. He told me not to push. I couldn't stop it though. He was putting on his scrubs and gloves when my baby's head came out. I felt the burn of the head tearing my body to get out. My doc says "hold it!" My husband says I see our baby's head. He looked a little frightened. Afterward he told me the cord was wrapped around our baby's neck tightly, and the baby wasn't moving. The doc unwrapped the cord and firmly told me now push! Go ahead and push! I pushed with everything I had and out came the rest of my beautiful baby girl at 10:44 a.m. My husband announced "It's a Girl"! The doc showed her to me, let my husband cut the cord, and rushed her away. She was very blue. I wasn't disappointed, just hoping baby was okay. Becky taped the whole thing, so I didn't miss out on anything. I had to have a few stitches, and felt like I needed to sleep for a few days, but I was so happy my baby was finally here. We named her after my mother, and my mother in law. Hailey Kassandra. She is beautiful. I had the best doctor, and nurses. I appreciate them all. They did a wonderful job. Who knows I may use them again someday. It is way to soon to tell. My baby is doing well and I am fine.