Noah's Birth Story (Part 2)

You can read Part 1 HERE.


So after I got comfy in the bed one of the nurses came in and checked to see if I was dilated. I was at about 2 cm. Which was good because at my last doctor's appointment I was at about 1 1/2 cm. She then began to get everything hooked up. She strapped on the contraction monitor and then strapped on the heart rate monitor for the baby. The only problem was Noah did not want to be found. She would locate his heartbeat and I would move just the tiniest bit and he would move. We had this problem for at least the next FIVE HOURS!


I then began to get everything else hooked up. I got my IV put in and they began filling me with fluids. I also began to get my first dose of antibiotics for the Group B. Boy does that burn when it goes in! All together I received 2 bags of that stuff. After my IV was in the nurses allowed me to get out of bed and we took a lovely walk around the second floor of the hospital. We walked over to the nursery and walked up and down the hallway. Every time a contraction would hit I would have to stop. But like I said before, they weren't nearly as bad as when I was laying down. My contractions were still coming about 7-8 minutes and not really intensifying in pain.


We got back to the labor/delivery room and I started complaining to Mike that I was HUNGRY (it was around 10 AM by now). Mike went out to the hall and asked the nurse if I could eat anything. She came in and said that she would check to see if I had progressed and would give me the answer then. She examined me and then said that she had some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I was now dilated 3-4 cm and that I would now be officially admitted into the hospital since things were progressing. The bad news - since I was now "officially" in active labor I would not be able to eat anything. But I could have water and ice chips, which as we all know are VERY filling.


So since I wouldn't be able to eat anything I decided to get in the giant whirlpool tub and soak for a bit. OMG did that feel good! (Funny story about the tub that I'll write about later. Let's just say that Mike became a temp. for the hospital that day.) The water felt wonderful and the jets felt amazing! I could have sat in there forever!! I think I was in the whirlpool for a good 45 minutes but decided to get out because the pain was beginning to get a bit worse.


At this point I begin to lose track of time. I guess my focus was elsewhere ;)


I got out of the tub and we took another walk around the hospital. The contractions were beginning to get a little closer together and were starting to become more painful too. When we got back to the room I went back to bed. I was getting very tired. I tried to sleep in between the contractions and I think I did get some sleep but pretty soon I was waking up crying because the pain - IT WAS BAD! Mike took this as his clue to see if I could get something for the pain. The nurse came in and checked on me and asked if I was ready for the epidural. I think I contemplated kissing her at that point because YES I WAS READY!! She called the anesthesiologist and he came shortly thereafter. He began going over the medication with me and asking me the necessary questions. This part is a bit of a blur because did I mention the pain?? IT WAS BAD! He had me sit on the side of the bed and began to prep my back for the needle. He started putting soap back there and was just about to put in the epidural when he got a page. He then had to stop and he LEFT. That's right - he had the nerve to leave without giving me the drugs!! He said he would be back as soon as he could. Did he not realize how much pain I was in? Didn't he realize not to tease a woman in labor by coming in to do her epidural and then having the nerve to leave?? The time was now about 1 PM....to be continued.