Well it appears the membrane stripping at the 38 week appointment was just enough to push me over the edge. The rest of our day Monday, December 8 was pretty uneventful: Brad went to work, and I ran LOTS of errands (maybe I sensed they needed to get done!), we had a low key dinner at home, and did some final hospital bag packing. We went to bed around our normal time, around 11 pm.
I woke up around 1:30 am (on Tuesday, December 9) to go to the bathroom, and realized I had what felt like annoying period cramps. They weren't intense at all, but it was just strange enough that I opened my app and started logging them as contractions (honestly at the time I wasn't even sure they were contractions). I didn't wake up Brad as somewhere in the back of my mind I figured if they were contractions, he needed to rest as long as possible as we'd be in for a long rest of the night/next day. I realized as I continued logging over the next hour that although not intense, they were coming about 5 minutes apart, which did have me slightly curious.
At 2:30 am, one hit hard enough to prompt me, without even thinking about it, to wake up Brad. He was amazing and sprung right into action - getting our bags in the car, suggesting things to make me more comfortable, massaging my back, etc. The contractions stayed 4 - 5 minutes apart and quickly grew more intense. Brad called the doctor around 3 am, and she told us if over the next half hour the time in between contractions started to feel uncomfortable as well, we should come in. That took about 15 minutes, and after a hot shower, we were in the car and on our way at approximately 3:30 am. (Funny moment: at the suggestion of the dad class, B put a trash bag and towel down in the passenger seat in case my water broke on the way to the hospital. When I got in the car, a huge air bubble from the trash bag popped up, making us both crack up a midst the pain and nerves.)
We arrived at the hospital around 4 am and my contractions were coming about 4 minutes apart and were so intense I was dropping to my knees with each one (that's special to do in a parking lot and elevator, let me tell you). We got to the triage area and I was hooked up to an IV and fetal monitors. Baby girl was doing great in there, and my numbers were looking good, too. They asked if I wanted an epidural (I hadn't decided prior to labor if I'd want to try to go natural or not) and it was like asking an Eskimo if he likes snow. Holy crap YES I wanted an epidural! They said I had to get a full bag of fluid before they'd give me one, so we started the fluids right away. In the meantime, they checked my progress and I was dilated to three. THREE. From what we'd learned, women usually progress a cm an hour, and that meant another 7 hours of this before it would be all said and done. I was pretty discouraged to say the least.
At about 4:45 am they got us into the delivery room where the anesthesiologist was already there waiting. I have never been so happy to see someone I'd never met before in my entire life. I think I told him I loved him six times. Staying still for the epidural was incredibly difficult but he was wonderful about letting me work through the contractions and he worked fast. I was starting to feel the effects by 5 am. (Another funny moment: Brad reminded me after it was all said and done that from the time we arrived at the hospital, I apologized profusely after almost every contraction, as they were at a point of making me scream in pain. I guess I thought the screaming was supposed to come with pushing, not with contractions. What a Hollywood inspired myth.) The last few contractions that I felt were a little startling, as I felt an INTENSE need to push with them. The nurses kept encouraging me not to, and I didn't, but man that is a strange sensation. Immediately after the epidural they checked me again, and they had an answer as to why I wanted to push - I was dilated to EIGHT. In about one hour I went from three to eight cm, and the nurses quickly went to call my doctor, letting me know we'd be pushing soon. I remember Brad and I looking at each other like "what?!" It was supposed to take way longer than this and I think we both had a moment of "I guess it's really happening - I sure hope we're ready".
Dr. Castilla arrived about 5:45 AM and got everything set up and ready to go. At this point, I was feeling basically nothing except a very light pressure when a contraction came. The labor room was calm and very peaceful, and it was the doctor, one nurse, Brad and me. Lights were low and at my request, the nurse set up a mirror so that I could see what was going on (FYI, this is GREAT motivation to keep pushing). Hollywood really does labor a disservice. Dr. Castilla announced we were going to start pushing, explaining how she wanted me to push, and then Brad grabbed my left leg, while the nurse grabbed my right. We started at 6 am.
It's worth noting that we were diligent in our baby prep, taking birth classes among others. We learned all about distraction techniques, massage, breathing, using medicine balls, music, etc. And we had the chance to use NONE of it. Not that I'm complaining this went so fast, but I find it very funny.
With each set of pushes, baby's head was getting more and more visible, which is equally thrilling and frustrating. Dr. Castilla realized baby's head was not quite going to fit and so a little cut was made to make some more room (she did encourage us to avoid the mirror for that moment). The pushing continued, until it became very clear that we were very close. One more push and she'd be out. I started my final sequence of pushing and out came her head, another push and out came her little body - our baby girl arrived at 6:49 am.
Almost immediately she started crying, which is the most amazing sound I think I've ever heard, and both Brad and I started crying, too. Her birth APGAR was 9 - so healthy. They toweled her off, and set her on my chest - words cannot describe how incredible it felt to have her there. She calmed down quickly when she heard my voice which only made me cry harder. Brad cut the cord, and we banked her cord blood. After a little bit of bonding time, they took her to get her weight (6.81), give her vitamin K and get her next APGAR score, which again was 9. Dr. Castilla did tell us that when she came out the cord was around her neck (she thinks it had likely been that way for awhile!) but thankfully, it wasn't wrapped tight and she was able to cut it off right before her body came out. She asked us if we had a name, and even though we had a few we were deciding between, I think we both knew which one to choose: Eleanor Claire Kiesling.
Brad held her and then in what seemed like no time, we were in a wheelchair being taken down to recovery, our new family of three. On the way, Brad got to push the lullaby button (at Scottsdale Shea, when a baby is born, a lullaby plays all throughout the hospital) which seemed to make it officially official. We got to our recovery room right at shift change, but quickly got settled, preparing to spend the next couple of days in our home away from home. Calls were made and texts and emails were sent, and soon the world knew that a special little person had joined the party. All in all, it went more perfectly than I could have possibly hoped for - we are truly blessed.
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