I was 38 weeks along, and had been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia a few weeks before (although later they decided that maybe they were wrong and I just had hypertension. I could have told them that since I only had high blood pressure and there are other symptoms that would have indicated pre-eclampsia. I'm still tiffed at that) and so my doctor decided that they should induce me. I was admitted on Monday May 4th, no where near close to being in labor. They started the induction process with trying to soften my cervix, and I was not allowed to get out of bed at all because they had me on an anti-seizure medicine which basically made my muscles too weak to walk. Finally after a whole day of trying to soften, they decided I was at a 2. WARNING: this next part is really weird. They stuck an uninflated balloon up my cervix then they inflated it and pulled it out which got me to a 4, just the right number to start the pitcocin. So they hooked me up and it started. The contractions began and were not too bad at first, I had my mom and Nolan there. Then a little while later they broke my water, probably around 3pm on Tuesday, which really got the contractions going and painful. They just became more and more painful and then it started to feel like it was a never ending barrage of contractions. I asked for an epidural, which didn't come until an hour later. They got me set up and jabbed the needle in, which I flinched at, and then I felt a cold wash go through me, but no relief from the pain. They told me to wait for it to work, but it never did, so they gave me some more, which still didn't work. Eventually they gave me a button to push to give myself some more, but I could only use it every 10 minutes. I pushed it on the very next contraction, and then threw it away from me because it was useless. Finally they decided that the epidural just wasn't going to work because I was progressing too fast, so I just started to cry waiting for it to be over. Sometime around 7pm, my sister called saying that she just got off of work and asked if she could just come then, being in the middle of contractions I just didn't really care, so come she did. Finally around 7:30 they told me I was at a 10 and could start pushing. So I pushed and pushed, and then he was almost here, and when I tried to take a break, it hurt more not to push then to push so I kept going. When he started crowning they told me to stop, and let him come out more slowly, they also used their fingers to stretch out my cervix to help prevent tearing. I was actually amazed at how much control I had over those muscles to get him out. Then his head was out, and the rest of him just slid right out. Oh my gosh, what a relief! It was over. I tried to push the placenta out, but I was too tired so I gave up, and just looked at my little boy. I counted his fingers and toes, and just looked at him. Everyone was already at the hospital when he came out, so basically my room was full after he came out. I was completely surrounded by the people I love, to welcome this new little person into the world. Then they stitched me up, and let me nurse him, which he took to immediately (indicative of what was to come). We stayed in the hospital until Thursday night, the worst experience of my life basically. So terrible that I hate to talk about it. But we had some nice visits from friends and family, and disgusting food that was almost inedible. It was such a relief to go home that I cried. We stopped at Jack in the Box on our way home, and then took a picture of Oliver in the bassinet to show how small he was.
I love my little man!
