Brooks and I just hung around the house and played. Contractions still 5 minutes apart, but no stronger at all. I was getting kind of annoyed. Either do something or go away. When Chris got home around 4pm, I decided to take the dog for a walk and see if anything would come of these things. We walked for about 45 minutes and although they increased in strength a little during our walk, as soon as I arrived back home they fizzled out again. I took a nap around 6pm and they stopped altogether. Fantastic. This could go on for days.
Around 7:30 Chris' brother JD and his wife Pamela came over for supper and we enjoyed spending time out with them. I had noticed my contractions were picking up a little (and I mean just a little) during that time where it felt better to pause for about 20 seconds at the peak of them but still didn't require any relaxation or even the need to close my eyes. JD and Pamela left around 8:30pm and we put Brooks to bed. I texted our friend EdithEllen (our babysitter) to tell her to keep her phone close by. I was still convinced I wasn't in labor and wouldn't be for a long time, but I thought I'd give her a heads up .... just in case.
Around 9pm Chris, the ever planner, suggested going to bed. If this did turn into labor, we both should rest now while we could. I agreed but wasn't really tired so I quick checked e-mails and facebook and made it to bed around 9:15. Contractions were still about 5 minutes apart, but as soon as I laid down they really picked up in strength. Chris was laying next to me just timing contractions but I informed him I needed his coaching now. I actually had to work to relax through these. Contractions were only about 45 seconds long, but each one was much stronger and harder than the previous one. Now I knew this was labor. By 9:30 I realized things were moving faster than either of us expected. Chris called EdithEllen to tell her we'd leave for the hospital in about half an hour. He quickly grabbed the last few things for our hospital bag.
In about 10 minutes time, contractions went from 5 minutes apart and lasting 45 seconds to 2-3 minutes apart and lasting 1 minute 15 seconds. Chris called EE and told her we'd leave as soon as she could get here. He was now running, putting bags in the car and getting his shoes on. In the meantime I starting shaking and feeling very nauseous! I was hitting transition. And I was in my bed at home!!! I wasn't ready to have this baby here!
Chris saw what was happening and helped get me to the car. We were ready to leave before EdithEllen arrived (figuring Brooks would be ok alone for a few minutes - he was sleeping), but thankfully she pulled up just as Chris was backing out of the driveway. He gave her a few quick instructions and we were off. Fortunately the hospital is only about 5 minutes away but it was the longest 5 minute drive of my life. We were about 3 blocks from home and pulling onto Minnesota Ave (which is still very busy at 10 o'clock at night by the way) when a contraction came and I demanded that Chris stop the car. I just couldn't do it with the bumpy roads. He quickly pulled into the turning lane and stopped the car. He held my hand through the contraction, and then informed me that we couldn't stop anymore. We HAD to get to the hospital.
I couldn't believe how strong and fast these contractions were coming. I didn't have any urges to push so I knew this baby wouldn't be born in the car, but each contraction was still harder than the previous one. I was a bit scared at how intense this could get.
Chris called our midwife, Teri, while driving to tell her what was going on. She said she'd meet us at the hospital. We pulled up to the Emergency Entrance around 10:15pm. There was a lot of pressure from this baby so I hobbled inside and they quickly got me a wheelchair. We were there about 5 minutes before a nurse came down and wheeled me up to labor and delivery. In the short walk we had to stop two or three times for a contraction. Oh, they were so strong!
When we arrived on the labor and delivery floor they initially were going to take me to an exam room. Not because they needed to make sure I was really in labor (clearly, I was) but because there wasn't a regular room ready. I told them to just leave me in the hall .... I could have this baby anywhere!
Within a few minutes, they said the room was clean and ready. They wheeled me in and the floors were still wet from mopping. Guess I couldn't question if it was really clean. I stood up from the wheelchair and Chris and I labored standing next to the bed. Contractions were still coming every two minutes and lasting at least a minute. The nurse was very accomodating and simply worked around us as she checked the baby with the EFM. Oh yeah, the baby. Honestly, because I was so focused on these intense contractions I forgot why they were happening in the first place. Baby sounded good. I changed into a gown and declined a vaginal exam. I was having this baby whether I was a 4 or 7 ... it didn't really matter.
We labored in the room for a while and then I had to use the bathroom. It felt good to pee, but contractions were coming even stronger and harder now. In fact, if I had 30 seconds between them that was a long time. And they didn't seem to have a gradual start, a peak and then taper off. They just peaked and stayed there for the duration of the contraction. I continued sitting on the toilet. It didn't feel very good, but I was pretty sure these contractions would be painful in any position. Chris put a pillow behind my back and supported my head. The only way I could cope was to moan through each contraction. The stronger the contraction, the louder I moaned. So needless to say, it was pretty noisy in our room. After laboring on the toilet for some time, I told Chris I couldn't do this anymore. I just couldn't. He and Teri both reassured me I was doing great and that I could do it, but it was so hard! If only I could get a break. If only I had a bit more time between contractions. But by the time I could utter "I need a break" another contraction hit.
Chris suggested standing back up - perhaps that would feel better. I stood up & gravity seemd to take over. After a few minutes my water broke. Then I started pushing at the peaks (or what would have been the peaks) of contractions. Soon enough I was pushing during the entire contraction. I was still standing and it was quite uncomfortable pushing in this position. I didn't feel like there was enough room for baby to come out. Teri asked if I wanted to go back to the bed (I'm still in the bathroom, remember) and I told her I wouldn't make it.
During my whole pregnancy I was determined to push this baby out squatting. If Brazillian women could do it, darn it, so could I!! So I squatted down and well ... that was even more uncomfortable than standing. Then Teri said squatting puts a lot of pressure on the perineum and suggested hands and knees instead. So on my knees I went. I leaned forward into Chris' lap and pushed!! I still didn't get a break in between contractions and they were still quite painful, even when pushing. Since there wasn't a gradual start to them, I didn't have a chance to take the two cleansing breaths that I teach my students. In fact I was thinking, I don't teach ANY of this! All I could do was listen to my body and make it up as we went. Just goes to show that you can't always script your birth.
Teri did a quick check and found a cervical lip, which she moved out of the way. And then this baby came fast. I mean, really fast! I literally felt him slide down the birth canal. The pressure was overwhelming. Teri told me to do "little pushes" and I did my best to comply, but he really wanted to be born. Within a minute or so, at 11:30pm our baby's head emerged. Tremendous release! (I believe there was a total of five minutes of pushing!) I sat back up on my knees and grabbed my baby. Oh how sweet to be holding this miracle in my arms. Chris checked and announed it was a boy!
I was in shock! I couldn't believe how fast this labor went. (just hours earlier I was having dinner with my brother & sister in law!) I couldn't believe it was over and he was in my arms. I couldn't believe it was a boy! But he was perfect. He looked just like Brooks. And he was screaming. A beautiful newborn cry that told me everything was ok.
Teri told me that since I was bleeding quite a bit (later I found out due to a partial placental abruption) she wanted to give me a shot of pitocin in my arm to avoid starting an IV. I agreed and then we all walked to the bed, my beautiful baby boy in my arms. We were able to leave his cord intact and have skin to skin time right away. It was perfect. The rest of the room just faded away as I laid there holding my baby boy. He eventually stopped crying and I was fascinated as I looked into his eyes, so bright and so full of wonder. Within the hour he latched on and nursed like a champ. We didn't have a name for him since we sincerely thought this was a girl, but that didn't matter. Not now, anyway. Later we decided to call him Carter James. It fits him well :)
