A String of Thought: Today? Really?

So picking up where I left off on Friday afternoon after my doctor appointment, I called Michael and let him know we were dilated even more and to be on standby to go to the hospital. He said ok. It really sucked that he had to close the store which means I would be lucky to see him before 2 am. I still didn’t feel right but lucky for me the pains went away. Ok they didn’t go away totally but every 20 minutes was still a bit more comfortable than every 6. I didn’t go to L and D as instructed because the pains had fizzled but they fizzled to farther apart, not away. I decided to call the L and D unit and they told me that I could come in but they would most likely check me and send me home since the pains weren’t that consistent. The gal there also told me to take advantage of that fact and rest. She said it was no fun to labor all night long so she recommended I go to bed. Good idea. I laid down about 9:30 and I just couldn’t sleep so I started reading my book again and just relaxed. I fell asleep about 10:34 which ironically was when I had a contraction. I think that’s why I can remember it was 10:34. At 11:49, I was awakened by a strong abdominal cramp which really made me grit my teeth. It was over in less than 2 seconds but quite painful. I sat up feeling like I had to go to the bathroom and it was as good a time as any to pee so why not. I sat up and I felt a small trickle of liquid. I could have sworn I peed myself. I stood up and felt another little trickle. I went upstairs and sure enough, I had to go to the bathroom which was good since I had not been able to go for the past four days. It was a relief! I had more trickles and it was after I left the bathroom that I realized that I didn’t have the “tingle” that alerts you when you have to pee. I asked my sister about it and she told me that it sounded like my water had broken. I called L and D again and the nurse there told me that it most likely wasn’t my water breaking because when that happens it is a gush or a steady trickle and not a start then stop then start again trickle. She did say that I could come in to be checked and they could test for amniotic fluid but she said that many things could cause the amniotic fluid test to come back positive. If that is the case, then why use the test? I mean really. She then told me to keep track of any contractions I may have and see if they get closer together or more intense and if they get worse or pick up then to come on it. That sounded reasonable so I called Michael again to tell him about the possible water breaking incident and he said to keep him posted. I decided to go back to bed and I started having more back pains once I laid down. I read my book for awhile and breathed through each contraction. Then I decided to time the pains. By this time it was well after midnight. I went upstairs and paced my living room and kitchen. The pains didn’t go away. I called Michael to see if he was on his way home. He said he was and he arrived a few minutes later. It was about 1:30 by this time. I decided to go ahead and make my RRL brew to see if it would really work and it would give me something to do. Michael decided to go ahead and sit down on the couch to catch a few winks in case we needed to head to the hospital. My tea needed to brew for 30 minutes and in the time it took for my tea to brew, my contractions went from being a steady every 14 minutes to every 10, then 5, then 4. It was at this time (2:00) that I realized heading to the hospital would be a really good idea. I told Michael that I still needed a few things for the hospital bag and he said ok. I began gathering the last minute things and told Michael that it was time to go. I look over at him and he was asleep!!! Hmm….I raised my voice at him and kind of yelled his name. He shot straight up and asked “What?” I said it was time to go so he got the hospital bag and loaded it up. I told Rebekah where we were going. She said she would be there soon. Good thing I decided to show her which entrance to the hospital she would need to take and let her know which floor that L and D was on! Michael and I left for the hospital at 2:28 and arrived at the hospital at 2:30. Thank goodness its just down the street! Michael dropped me off at the entrance while he parked the car. I had called L and D and let them know I was on my way so they were prepared. Sure enough, they were. I was rushed into the labor and delivery room and told to put on a gown. By the time Michael got there, the contractions were still steady at every 4-5 minutes and I was dilated at 5 cm. They also tested the pad I had put on earlier as I was spotting a bit after my internal exam and was using pads. It tested positive for amniotic fluid so they decided to keep me and alert my OB. I guess it must be my night! It turned out that my OB just happened to be the doctor on call that night. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway since he would have been delivering the baby but to have him be the on call doc was reassuring.My sister arrived at 3 am and Michael’s sister arrived shortly after that. They were going to be there in the delivery room with us. I tried to get comfy on the hospital bed but the only position that I could find was to sit cross legged on the bed. When a contraction would come, I would make my hands into fists and slightly raise myself off the bed and breathe deeply through the abdomen.First thing the nurse did was hook me up to the monitors so they could keep an eye on the baby and my contractions. Noah DID NOT like those monitors at all and each time they put them on me, the contractions would ease up but when they took the monitor off me, the contractions would pick back up again. It was around 5:30 that the nurse checked me for dilation again to see if I had made any progress. The contractions, which were back labor I might add, were still 4 minutes apart. Lucky for me, I had dilated to 7 cm and I was at 100% effaced and at zero station. I didn’t know this before now, but station referred to the baby’s position in the pelvis. Zero is right in the middle and when it goes into the pluses, +1,+2 etc, it means the baby is closer to the birth canal which means baby is getting ready to be born. At 6:00, the new nurse came in to introduce herself. Her name was Susan and boy was she a gem. She wasted no time in making sure I was as comfortable as could be. She gave me to washcloths that she had rolled up and explained to me that squeezing my hands would release endorphins which are the body’s natural pain reliever. She instructed me to grip the rolled cloths as tight as I could during a contraction instead of using the fist and lift method that I had been using. Surprisingly, this new method worked! By this time, the contractions were really getting intense and the best way I could handle them was by breathing through my teeth. It sounded like I was saying SHHHHH as deeply as I could. I guess the noise helped me concentrate on getting through the contraction. Michael was being a great help as well. He would just rub my knee and tell me I was doing a great job. Then he would tell me that we were one contraction closer to our baby. How right he was. About 7:58 or so, Susan told me that I should try to go empty my bladder. I had been periodically sipping orange juice and munching on ice chips and it had been awhile but I was still rather uncomfortable and didn’t want to move. She told me to try to go anyway and that would give her the opportunity to get some stuff ready at the foot of my bed. The CNA had already gotten out the baby warmer bed and all the other instruments the doctor would need and she had put them on a tray table that was ready and waiting. I decided to go ahead and try to go a few minutes after Susan had encouraged me. I also had the slight urge to pee so that helped. I think I was reluctant to go as each time I sat down on the toilet, I would have a contraction that would be a little stronger than those I would have while sitting cross legged on the bed. This time was a little different. I sat down and started to pee and went what little bit there was to go with. That’s when it hit: the sudden urge that I had to poop. I had been having the need to go for the previous 4 days with no luck so I didn’t think anything of it. That is until now. I instinctively pushed. That’s when I felt more water that was not pee start to trickle. And I had to push again. After 2 more pushes with no bowel movement, that’s when I realized I HAD TO PUSH! I shouted for Michael to get the nurse; that I had to push NOW. That’s when the room came alive. I asked Michael to hurry and he said she was on her way and to come back to the bed. I shouted back that I couldn’t get off the toilet. Michelle came in the bathroom and had me put my arms over her shoulders. She lifted me off the toilet and helped me back to the bed only this time sitting cross legged was not comfortable. Susan came in then and checked me and announced that I was fully dilated and ready to push! Doctor Hardin came in then and got what he needed to ready. Susan took my left leg while Michael took my right leg and they helped me into the “sitting squat” position. Doctor Hardin told me to push whenever I felt a contraction. Michael reminded me to take two deep breaths at the start of the contraction, and with the third deep breathe, put my chin to my chest and hold my breath like I am getting ready to dive into a pool and then push as hard as I could. So I did. I didn’t think I was making any progress pushing so when the contraction ended, I took the opportunity to lean back and “relax” and calmly told those around me to “wake me when its over.” From what Michael told me, this sent everyone including my doctor into laughing. Another contraction started and I followed the same routine only this time, Michelle took over my left leg as the nurse had to take care of something and didn’t make it back to the bedside in time and I had to push again. Michelle was a great encouragement. She kept telling me how close I was and to push hard. At one point I was so out of breath I had to relax. Unfortunately, the baby’s head was halfway out when I stopped pushing which caused some bruising for him but hey, I had to breathe! The next push I pushed as hard as I could. I remember letting out some grunting/groaning sounds which more or less sounded like I was growling at someone. Whatever it sounded like it must have helped. The next thing I know, Dr. Hardin is placing the most beautiful baby on my chest. He was crying which for sure was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard! He was perfect! Noah David Blickenstaff made his entrance at 8:24 am on July 18^th 2009. He weighed 8 lbs, 8.7 oz and was 20 ½ inches long. He is so beautiful! My sister had set herself up as official photographer and got some amazing pictures! I wanted to hold Noah longer but I was told that I tore and had to have some stitches so I let Noah get cleaned up and weighed. He also had to get his vitamin K shot and ointment for his eyes. After I was stitched up (Dr said it was a minor tear, so please explain why I have 13 stitches), I got to cuddle Noah. Michael came close to tears which my sister got in a picture! It’s one of my favorites.

Overall, having Noah is one of the best experiences I have ever had in my entire life! I know people wondered how I was able to give birth without any meds or any IV or anything and honestly it was simple. My first approach was to not be afraid of it. I am more afraid of needles than I was about having a baby. I knew it would be painful and I sincerely believe that God allows women to deal with cramps every month to give them a tiny taste of what they will experience in labor. To me, that’s what it felt like. A bad period with cramps paired with some intense constipation. The other thing was to just breathe and welcome each contraction with the mindset of knowing that each one, no matter how painful, would bring me one contraction closer to holding my baby.I held fast to that and sure enough, Noah was here in just under six hours. Just having him in my arms is enough to say that I would gladly go through the whole experience again because he is so worth it!