Sienna Grace

On Wednesday, October 25th I went in for my 39 week appointment. I wasn't expecting much. Earlier that morning I had been having contractions for about 2 hours, but they went away and by the time I had my appointment at 3:15, I wasn't feeling anything. Well, when the doc checked me, she said I was dialated about a 4 and around 80% effaced. We talked about if nothing were to happen, I would be induced that Thursday, but she said she had a strong feeling that it was highly possible I would go into labor that night. Well, after I left, I was cramping pretty bad, but I figured it was because of the cervix check. I got dinner for us, went home and around 6 started to feel even more crappy. We called my mom to warn her just in case. At around 7 I started having pretty intense contractions, and I was pretty sure that this was "it". We called my mom who came and got Carter, who was pretty upset to leave which didn't make it easy to say goodbye to him. I continued having contractions every 2-4 minutes. I talked to my OB at around 8:40 and she was insistant that we got to hospital. I got admitted around 9 for observation, just to make sure I was actually in labor, which I was.
So, we got all set up in the room, my parents showed up and the process began! I tried to go as long as I could without an epidural. I really wanted to avoid the epidural headache I got with Carter, so I was pretty anxious about getting one. Between 9 and midnight, the baby's heartrate would dip a little with each contraction. They turned me a couple of times and then they wanted to put the little monitor on the baby's head. I didn't have the epidural at this point yet and just let me say, I don't think there is anything worse than having that long thing crammed up your vag. It took 3 different nurses to get that thing on her head. It was sooooooooooooooooo painful!!!!!!!! At the same time as them doing that head/heart monitor, they broke my water. Baby girl had had a bowel movement, which typically isn't a very good thing because they can breath it in after they are born. Great, one more damn thing to make me nervous. At around midnight, I decided that I would get the epidural. The guy who came to do it was really understanding of my anxiety and the procedure went great! I was so relieved. I was actually really looking forward to the rest of my labor knowing that I wouldn't be getting a headache! I continued to labor, my parents went home and all seemed to be well.
"Seemed to", being the key phrase. Every 10 minutes or so, the nurse would come in, look at the monitor and then try and reposition me, just like earlier. This went on for about 4 hours. At 4 o'clock, 3 nurses came in and I knew something just wasn't right. They started talking to me about a c-section. I was like, "what???" As soon as they started talking about this, I started shaking uncontrollably. It must have been the crazy hormones, because I could not control them. They got my doctor on the phone and she told me that it was pretty much imperative that we get the baby out. I was sooo nervous, there are no words to even describe it. Within 10 minutes of talking to my doctor, she was at the hospital. And she doesn't live close. It made me even more nervous at how serious the situation really was. Keven had just woken up and I told him about the c-section. He wasn't prepared for it either.
So, they start shaving me :), and talking to me about the how the procedure was going to go. I sign some papers and then they wheel me into the O/R. It was so bright and cold and I was going out of my mind with fear and anxiety. I just wanted her to be okay and I was so afraid something was going to go wrong.
At 4:59am, Sienna Grace came into our lives. She weighed 6lbs 4oz and was 18 in long. She didn't come out crying right away, which freaked the hell out of me. I think I probably asked 50 times if she was okay. The medicine they gave me to get me super numb has a horrible affect. I got super nauseus and was dry heaving like crazy. Tears started and I still kept asking if she was okay. They stitched me up, I had minimal blood loss and then I got to lay in recovery for 2 1/2 hours while the medicine wore off enough that I could bend my legs.
I know this was a REALLY long post, but I really wanted to share the experience. I have now gotten to experience each side of having a baby. My first was pretty unpleasant because of that headache, this one was,...well, worse. Recovery has been very slow. I can't bend over to hug Carter, I can't even lift him for 6 weeks. Getting up really hurts and I am afraid to poop! ;)
I know it's what was for the best, but I really wish that I could have just had a normal delivery. I was optimistic because the epidural went so great, but it wasn't meant to be. Anyway, we are a complete family now and I am just ready to get on with life and get better.