B-Day!

The night before my inducement, the charge nurse at the hospital birth center called to let me know that they might have to cancel my appointment for the next day b/c of lack of space. She instructed me to call her the next morning to find out whether or not we'd need to reschedule.

Prior to receiving the call, I was busy packing my bag and helping to get everything at home somewhat organized for my mom, who flew in on Thursday to stay with Pumpkin while QT & I went to the hospital. After speaking to the nurse, it sounded like we probably wouldn't be able to get in after all...or perhaps not until later in the day so I stopped preparing, and we took our time going to bed.

Friday morning, I woke up at 5AM for my usual early morning potty break (ugh). Since I was awake, I decided to go ahead and call the hospital just to see where we stood. Surprisingly, they told me to "come on in!" Even though I felt like crap b/c of how little sleep I'd had, I jumped in the shower then woke QT up to let him know we'd be leaving after all.

We arrived at the hospital about 45 minutes late, but they were still able to take us. Pitocin was started at around 8:30AM, and the doctor came in around 10:30 to rupture the membrane thingamajig (they really should come up with a better name for that, no?). After that, things really took off, and by 11:30, I was fully dilated and ready to roll...and let me tell you, that was one PAINFUL hour. I was told that it was because I dilated so fast. In fact, I was already at 8cm by the time the anesthesiologist was able to get started on the epidural, and the nurse wondered whether he'd be able to get it in on time. Luckily, it worked, and boy, was I glad when that sucker kicked in!

Unfortunately, several hours of laboring went by, and we'd still gotten nowhere as far as getting the baby out. The baby's heartrate dropped precipitously with every push, and the doctor was eventually paged to return ASAP. After examining us (me & baby), she called her office to let them know she wouldn't be back and ordered the Pitocin be restarted (and sadly, also to have the epidural stopped). It turned out that the baby was in something known as "posterior" position, which means she was face up instead of face down in the womb, and thus, was having trouble getting through. Doctor C told us that I may have to go in for an emergency C-section if baby didn't come out soon since so much time had already passed, and the baby was weakening. She and the nurse tried to keep things light, but even as drugged out as I was by this time, I could tell that they were both feeling a bit anxious about my situation. As the doctor examined me, it was obvious that she was struggling with the decision to let me keep trying or wheel me to the OR posthaste. She opted to give it one more shot, and fortunately this time, she was able to get the baby turned around! After a couple more evil contractions and some really concentrated effort on all of our parts, B.G. was born at 4:28 PM fully intact and healthy! Yay!!!

I didn't mention this in my last post, but the day I woke up to find that the baby was not moving, the intensity of my reaction surprised even me. Up until that day, I'd felt pretty ambivalent about this pregnancy, but after a couple of hours of waiting for her to move and feeling nothing, I fell completely apart at the thought of losing her, and I had to have QT call the doctor b/c I did not feel capable of talking to her myself. (Incidentally, that same day, I decided that if my daughter wanted to dress up like a G-damned fairy princess, well by golly, she could!). LOL

Well, as it turns out, that feeling was no fluke. When I finally saw my daughter in the flesh at 4:28 PM, I not only felt bewildered (b/c of the drugs, I'm sure), but I was rendered speechless yet again by the sheer force of my emotions. I remember feeling nothing much when Pumpkin was born, but perhaps b/c of all that I'd already endured with this little girl, all I could think of when I first laid eyes on her was how much I already loved her, how happy I was to see her, and how I'd do anything at all to keep her safe.

It's 11PM now. Pumpkin and Beautiful Grandma came by for a visit earlier, and the look on his face when he saw his baby sister must've mirrored mine when I first saw her, haha. He was soooo happy. I'm glad for that. I hope it lasts a while. :)

As I write this, QT's off taking Pumpkin and Beautiful Grandma back home, and it's time to wake up poor little B.G. for her next feeding so I'll say good night. I'll return to post pics when I get another chance.