Still crazy after all these years
November 6, 2003
After another extra long pregnancy, I am several days past my original due date of October 28. (Why my doctors kept giving me these random due dates, I shall never know.) But my doctor promised me if I had not gone into labor by myself by November 3, I should call to schedule an induction. Which I promptly did, following a non-stress test on Halloween. Sigh.
On the evening of November 5, the hospital called to confirm my induction. They said we were all set to go, unless things got too busy in the labor and delivery ward. In that case, they'd call around 5:30am to let me know that I would have to be delayed. Fair enough. My parents came to take my son overnight and we went to sleep.
The next morning, as we were preparing to go to the hospital for the ungodly hour of 7am, the phone rang right before 6am. It was the hospital, and they were indeed too busy to take me in the morning. They advised me to check in again later to see if they had cleared a bed. Frustrating? Uh, yes.
We called twice more, until the last time, which I begged and pleaded to be taken into the hospital to end this marathon pregnancy. One of the nurses finally took pity on me when I told her my original due date and said she'd see what she could do. She called back a little later, saying to hurry and come in while there was still an open bed. I was going to be the only induction that day; everyone else supposedly got cancelled.
So off we sped to the hospital. I was admitted around noon, and my IV was inserted, then I was started on a lovely pitocin drip. I was having mild contractions, but not too much was going on. My doctor briefly mentioned I might have to go home, which just about did me in. But he ended up having to leave early, and one of his partners took over. Dr. D took one look at me and commanded me to walk, because he was going to deliver this baby tonight. Ok. I appreciated his confidence.
So I walked for an hour or so, maybe a little longer (at which point the nurses ushered me back into my room because one of the other ladies in the ward suddenly went into respiratory distress - not fun). Once I was done walking, my contractions had gotten stronger and when Dr. D checked me, things had really moved along. He broke my water, I got my epidural, and a few hours later, I was ready to push.
I must say that knowing what was happening this time made things so much easier. I had gotten my epidural later in the proceedings this time, so when I had to push, I was still pretty numb and went at it with gusto. Three or four pushes and out popped my baby girl, at 10:07pm.
I can't believe she is already two years old. Happy birthday, little pumpkin :) I love you!!
As a footnote to her birth, we spent my baby girl's first night in the labor and delivery ward instead of the maternity ward, because there were so many babies that had been born or were being born that day. Quite a baby run. I think it was around a full moon.
The reason that this was posted a day late is that we had the big birthday party here at my house yesterday. I was too tired to function much beyond watching Desperate Housewives after that. But she had a good time and got lots of great gifts, and I think everyone had enough to eat. A good day, overall.
After another extra long pregnancy, I am several days past my original due date of October 28. (Why my doctors kept giving me these random due dates, I shall never know.) But my doctor promised me if I had not gone into labor by myself by November 3, I should call to schedule an induction. Which I promptly did, following a non-stress test on Halloween. Sigh.
On the evening of November 5, the hospital called to confirm my induction. They said we were all set to go, unless things got too busy in the labor and delivery ward. In that case, they'd call around 5:30am to let me know that I would have to be delayed. Fair enough. My parents came to take my son overnight and we went to sleep.
The next morning, as we were preparing to go to the hospital for the ungodly hour of 7am, the phone rang right before 6am. It was the hospital, and they were indeed too busy to take me in the morning. They advised me to check in again later to see if they had cleared a bed. Frustrating? Uh, yes.
We called twice more, until the last time, which I begged and pleaded to be taken into the hospital to end this marathon pregnancy. One of the nurses finally took pity on me when I told her my original due date and said she'd see what she could do. She called back a little later, saying to hurry and come in while there was still an open bed. I was going to be the only induction that day; everyone else supposedly got cancelled.
So off we sped to the hospital. I was admitted around noon, and my IV was inserted, then I was started on a lovely pitocin drip. I was having mild contractions, but not too much was going on. My doctor briefly mentioned I might have to go home, which just about did me in. But he ended up having to leave early, and one of his partners took over. Dr. D took one look at me and commanded me to walk, because he was going to deliver this baby tonight. Ok. I appreciated his confidence.
So I walked for an hour or so, maybe a little longer (at which point the nurses ushered me back into my room because one of the other ladies in the ward suddenly went into respiratory distress - not fun). Once I was done walking, my contractions had gotten stronger and when Dr. D checked me, things had really moved along. He broke my water, I got my epidural, and a few hours later, I was ready to push.
I must say that knowing what was happening this time made things so much easier. I had gotten my epidural later in the proceedings this time, so when I had to push, I was still pretty numb and went at it with gusto. Three or four pushes and out popped my baby girl, at 10:07pm.
I can't believe she is already two years old. Happy birthday, little pumpkin :) I love you!!
As a footnote to her birth, we spent my baby girl's first night in the labor and delivery ward instead of the maternity ward, because there were so many babies that had been born or were being born that day. Quite a baby run. I think it was around a full moon.
The reason that this was posted a day late is that we had the big birthday party here at my house yesterday. I was too tired to function much beyond watching Desperate Housewives after that. But she had a good time and got lots of great gifts, and I think everyone had enough to eat. A good day, overall.