Birth Story #3

Wade. Wade has a great birth story, which is one of the main reasons I decided to start documenting my children's birth stories.



I don't remember Wade's due date. He was born on March 16th. Round about the Ides of March. I should have known there was going to be something interesting about this little leprechaun. He definitely played tricks on me.





Since we now had my due dates correct, I felt a little more confident that I would meet this baby BEFORE his due date. I didn't want the Meconium scare, and I am sure my Dr. did want that either. (LORI SMETANA. St. LORI. LOVE HER SO MUCH!) Lori had done just about everything in her power to get that baby to come. We did some stripping of the membranes, (I think twice) and we were definitely on track to get this baby to come ON TIME. The problem was, Peter had a business trip. TO MISSOURI. (I think that is where it was!)





I wasn't due for a few more days, but for some reason I had made the CRAZY decision to get my membranes stripped the day Peter left on his business trip. Note to self: Don't do things to induce labor on the day your husband leaves for a trip. Now that I have gotten this far, I am pretty sure Wade was born 10 days early, so, he must have been due around the 23rd. I wanted this baby to come early because WHO DOESN'T!?!?! There is not a woman I have met on this planet who doesn't want her babies to come out early. Those last few weeks of pregnancy are JUST NOT HAPPY for anyone.




So, my husband was gone, kids were at school, mild contractions had started. Ten minutes apart. not hard. Just regular old contractions. Panic set in that my husband was out of town, and logistically, no matter what, was NOT going to be back for 3. Contractions kept me up most of the night. Probably because I was insanely nervous they would pick up and partly because it really is annoying to have contractions at night. Day two was going by, and I called my Dr. to see if she could check me to see if these contractions were actually getting me somewhere.





They had gotten me about a centimeter. Not much. I was frustrated, and getting tired. I had had another restless night of sleep. I knew my husband would be home in one more day, but not until that evening. I decided that these contractions were going to GO SOMEWHERE, so, the next day, I went on a big gigantic walk. It seemed to work, and my contractions picked up to be about 6 mins. apart. Now, if you are keeping track, I have been having contractions for 3 DAYS. All the while my husband has been out of town and I had been quite nervous for those three days that they were going to pick up and this baby was going to be born WITHOUT his daddy around. My contractions were picking up in speed, but were irregular. Sometimes 6 mins, sometimes 8 mins. but by the end of this three day period, I had had enough. I told Peter to meet me at the hospital on his way home from the airport, and he met me there at about 8:00 p.m.







We got checked in, but because I hadn't changed much in terms of dilation, the Dr. (poor Dr.) didn't know what else to do because I was a VBAC patient and she couldn't give me Pitocin. I begged. I begged and I pretty much had a nervous break down telling her that I was so tired that I didn't know what to do with myself and that I really needed to be checked in so I could have this baby. I think my panic definitely rang true with her. I was NOT going to let her send me home. It was time to have this baby FOR SURE. She checked to make sure they had a bed open, and she said they were going to give me a sleep induction. Basically, my body was so worn out, it had caused my contractions to be irregular. Putting me to sleep would do one of two things. Knock my "false labor" contractions out so I could rest. Or let my body rest enough to re-set with contractions and wake up with transition contractions.



Lori (sweet Lori) signed off on the decision, and said she would be there at 6:00 a.m. to deliver my baby if I was still having contractions. Normally, they might send you home with your sleep pill, but since I was in such a panic, and they had an open bed, I stayed there. Peter went home for some shut eye, and promised my he would sleep with his cell phone glued to his ear. Sure enough, 5 a.m. rolled around and I was awakened by intense contractions. Ready to go.




Lori called in my epidural, and this time, this time. . . I wanted to kill the poor Dr. who was giving it to me. He poked me at least 4 times and none of them worked. NOT A ONE. Okay, ONE did. The very last one. But I distinctly remember that I was thinking very angry thoughts in my head about him. . . and when he was finished he said, "Next time, let the Dr. know that you have very tight connections in your back and they need to start 3 or 4 spaces up." Duly noted sir. (JERK).

Peaceful Leprechaun






Angry Leprechaun

Of course, no chances were taken this time with the the "strength of the epidural" and I was given it FULL ON. Sure enough, about 1 hour after my water was broken, Wade joined us. And really, I don't remember any pain or anguish. Just happy talking and laughing. Getting the right amount of dosage on that epidural is so, so, so nice. I think he was born around 8:30 a.m. and my, it was just such a pleasant experience. (Epidural and all).

Sleepy Leprechaun- Those eyes were so swollen they didn't open for 3 days. Serious.


Peter hates this picture of himself. And finally, some long hair for me!