The Labor Story

I was sleeping like a rock, when all of the sudden I felt the strong urge to pee. I also noticed that I had already sprinkled a tinkle, a little prematurely. I just assumed this was another joy of pregnancy in full term. I thought: Well, I guess peeing yourself is normal at 38 weeks? Anyway, it was about 5 a.m. and I usually felt this urge around that time....so no worries. Or so I thought. As I was doing my business, I noticed that the liquid just kept coming....and coming and NOT stopping. The urge to go had subsided, but the "urine" had not.

Finally. It did. I just assumed, again, that this was normal activity for a 38 weeker.
I tried to go back to sleep, but my Braxton Hicks contractions were keeping me from sleep. I wasn't in pain, per-say... just uncomfortable. Besides, I had these contractions the entire 3rd trimester of my pregnancy.  However, these contractions made my belly very tight, like normal except, each time I had one I sprinkled some more tinkle! Which, to me was suspicious. So at this point, I thought I should probably share this with Bryan.

I did.

He got SUPER excited and said: We're about to have a baby!!
Well, not so quick. These things take time and I'm not even sure I am in labor. I said in response to his elation.

Well, either way I'm calling Mom and Dad. Bryan exclaimed. This is our answer to all things medical in our lives; call Bryan's parents. So thankful for them.

They answered the phone; mind you at about 5:30-6ish a.m. Bryan recounted what I had told him and they sounded like two giddy school girls. They were laughing and joyfully wrestling around with the news. Bryan had them on speaker phone and they were obviously excited for the first Baise grand-daughter to be born.  I also heard Bryan's dad say to Barbara; It's dad's birthday today. 

Bryan's grandfather passed away in late 2006 and I had totally forgotten that his Birthday would have been today (October 26th). How special.

However, I was still unsure I as in labor....so Barbara advised me to call my Doctor.  I did, and she said it sounded like my water may have broken...but because this was my first baby it would take some time; especially since my contractions were so irregular and I wasn't in pain. She told me to take a shower, get ready and come to the hospital when we were ready. No rush. Little did she know that we didn't have any bags packed, nor did we even have the car seat in the car. Not to mention I was scheduled to work that day. I had to find someone to cover my shift (and I guess the shifts the entire week).

Calls were made. To my parents, co-workers etc. Breakfast was eaten and bags were packed. At this point I was still having the braxton hicks contraction and "water" trickling when they came. I also had passed my mucus plug. To which I shouted from the bathroom: Bryan come here!!! Look at this. Is this what I think it is? I think I am actually in labor! I thought maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me, but Bryan confirmed that that definitely looked like a "bloody show" or mucus plug. (I must say, I am so glad that Bryan is not grossed out by that stuff).

All this to say. I still was hunched over in the car installing the infant car seat about ten minutes later. (I know, crazy right.) I was fine. However, my contractions were starting to feel more like menstrual cramps and a little more uncomfortable. We decided to head to the hospital.

As we checked in with admissions at 8:30 am. and joked when the person checking us in asked if we'd like to go by an alias while in the hospital. We thought about being Fred and Wilma, but little did we know it was less about being famous and more about domestic violence issues and for patients protection. Whoops. We weren't insensitive, just excited. The same lady saw me smiling and laughing and thought for sure I wasn't in labor. Little did she know.

We were placed in the last room in triage to get checked and see if my water had broken and if I was in active labor. Remember, just three days prior to this (Friday, today was Monday) I was 2 inches and 50% effaced, at my doctors appointment. Today, the doctor on call (who happened to be the only doctor I had not seen on my pregnancy appointments, out of the 13 in the practice figures) checked me and I was 4 1/2, almost 5 centimeters dilated!! She also checked my fluids to see if they were amniotic ( to see if my water had broken) and yes it had! Confirmed. We were having this baby.

We were emitted and wheeled to our private birthing room.  I was also put on a pitocin drip because my contractions were very irregular, but I was definitely in labor. To be as safe as possible the doctor thought it best to help get my body going.  Let me tell you. Pitocin is NO JOKE. It definitely got my contractions going, like a freight train. Oh and they were painful. Hence why the Anesthesiologist was called in about an hour into this process. It was now about 11:00 am.

I got my LOVELY epidural. So wonderful. All that pain went away and I relaxed. Probably too much (why "too much", will be explained later). At this point Bryan's parents were here and my mom and my mom's best friend, Ms. Kim. Friends were texted, facebook status' updated and calls were made to family. The show was about to begin. Because Mady was my first, we assumed this process would take long time....so Bryan and his parents decided to go grab something to eat at around 1:30 pm. I was comfortable, but shaking a bit (due to the epidural) and my fight or flight instincts. I was a little nervous and emotional too. It all felt so fast and sudden. I was 38 weeks. I thought I had more time, but Mady had plans of her own. So my mom held my hand, I was so releaved she was there. It doesn't matter how old you are....having your mom there when you are scared just makes things seem a little better. She tried to get my mind off of my labor, it worked. Like I said...I was pretty relaxed.

As I was laying there talking to my mom and Ms. Kim, I started to feel some pressure down there. This is why I say I relaxed too much, because when the nurse checked me she said that I was at an 8 already about an hour ago....so when she checked me again she said Oh my, you're at about a 9!

Oh-kay!!! I need to call Bryan and tell him to come back up here, Mady's on her way!!

I did and he came. It was now about 2:15-2:30 pm. ish.

I practice pushed and the nurse concluded that I was a great pusher and that the doctor needed to come now and that I needed to stop pushing. Mady was about to be here.

The doctor came and I pushed for only about 15 minutes.  15 exhausting minutes. That was the most invigorating "workout" of my life!! My mom, Bryan's mom and Bryan were all there. It was such a great experience.

Mady came at 2:56 pm. She was/is a beautiful, perfect, pink, little angel. She was 6 lbs. and 6 oz. 19 inches. She was laid on my chest immediately and that was truly the best moment of my life. She was ours. She was here. She was a blessing. God was gracious to show us mercy with an easy and quick delivery. She was and continues to be an absolute gift from the Lord.

Here is our story in pictures.

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted my request.

1 Samuel 1:27