Arrival Story

Feel free to skip this post if you are not interested in my labor and delivery story.  I really only post it for myself so that I can remember, and for posterity sake.  I usually don't share these stories (for good reason as you will soon find out) unless asked.  Without further ado...

To start out, I will flashback to 37 weeks.  I woke up in the middle of the night to painful back spasm/contraction things.  I remember having two days of sporadic back contractions prior to Eliza's arrival, and I thought this was a similar thing.  However, these back spasms were much more frequent and severe.  They came about 5 minutes apart and lasted a minute for around 3 hours.  They were so severe that I couldn't move - the baby was literally "on my nerves" making it impossible to walk or even roll over.   Even though I told Bruce this is what was happening,  I didn't feel like I was in true labor - I figured the baby would come in the next couple of days.  I suffered through the sleepless night when the spasms eventually subsided, and stayed home from church with Eliza who had a cold.  I expected to be told I had made progress at my next OB  appointment.  However, at 38 weeks, I had nothing to show for - no dilation, no progress.  Over the next couple of weeks, I felt absolutely nothing - not a single contraction and very little movement.  I began to wonder if he was ever going to arrive. 

38 Weeks. Bruce took this picture because he said I looked significantly bigger - I was not thrilled with the idea.

At my 39 week appointment, I was dilated to a 2 and 50% effaced - yeah!!  The doctor said there was a 50% chance I would make it to my next appointment, but she guessed I would have him over the weekend. (This would have been the weekend before Christmas).   I waited and waited, but still felt nothing.

39 weeks plus a few days

 

At my 40 week appointment (with hospital bag packed and in the car, just in case), I was at a 3.  The doctor said they don't induce unless I am a week overdue.  My mother in law was in town, and I really wanted to have him before she had to go home.  The doctor said she would make an exception if I wanted to be induced, she would schedule me on January 2, 4 days after my due date.  Quite frankly, I didn't want to be induced, nor do I ever really want to be induced.  The doctor decided to strip my membranes hoping that would put me into labor.

40 weeks - taken the day before delivery

 

My mother in law suggested that we go shopping - thinking that walking around would jump start things.  We shopped for food and clothes, all the while I felt nothing - not a single contraction, not a single bit of discomfort, and no pain.  At 10:30 that night, I decided to call it a day thinking that no baby was coming any time soon. 

Later, at 11:47, I felt my first contraction - it was moderate, lasting about a minute.  My second contraction came at 11:50, and my third at 11:53.  Being forewarned on many occasions that the second always goes faster than the first, and taking into consideration how quickly Eliza came once she decided she was ready, it was then I decided to call the doctor.  I explained that I only had three contractions, but they are 3 minutes apart and lasting about a minute.  (While on the phone, the contractions kept coming about 3-4 minutes apart.)  The doctor said if this pattern continued over the next half hour that I could come into the hospital, and they would begin to monitor me.  After hanging up the phone, I told Bruce that I though we needed to go to the hospital now - we shouldn't wait for the 30 minutes. 

By this time the contractions were picking up intensity, and I was worried we were running out of time.  By the time Bruce gave me a priesthood blessing, we got things ready, told my mother in law we were leaving, (I was so grateful she was staying with us), and got in the car, it was close to 12:30.  It is approximately a 20 minute drive to the hospital.  While in the car, my contractions were coming so quickly, they were one on top of the other.  I bit down so hard on my jacket zipper that I ended up biting off two zipper teeth.  It was then that I threw up, mighty glad that I told Bruce to grab a bucket (I knew this from previous experience as well). 

We pulled up to the emergency room entrance and I walked through the first sliding door.  It was so difficult to move, and my contractions were so overwhelming, I stopped and grabbed onto Bruce for strength.  A nurse came out with a wheelchair and asked what my name was.  Instead of  going through the slow process of admitting me - they immediately wheeled me upstairs and told Bruce to follow. 

By the time, we got to the delivery room, it was 1:00.  The nurse told me to put the wrap around my belly and slip on the gown.  I honestly tried, but I couldn't do it.  Bruce helped get my pants down and I laid on the bed and called to the nurse.

"Nurse??"  She must have heard the concern in my voice because she immediately came rushing into the room.  "I can't get the gown on."

"Okay.  Let me check you.  Alright, well the gown is the least of our concerns."  She turned to another nurse in the hallway and asked if Dr. Dennyson (not my doctor) was still around.  Negative.  "Is  Dr. Sendzik (my doctor) here?"  Negative.  He apparently hadn't left home yet thinking he wasn't in any hurry.  Within minutes, I had four nurses around me. 

After consulting with each other, the nurses agree that they don't need the doctor - they know what to do.  One nurse held my right leg, one nurse held my left leg, one nurse held the fetal monitor to my belly, and one nurse caught the baby.  Really, who needs the doctor anyway?? 

They waited until the last possible minute before allowing me to push.  Precisely 2 pushes later (and 20 minutes after arriving at the hospital), baby Zaby made his appearance at 1:23 am on December 29 (my due date).  The nurses decided to wait for the doctor to take out my placenta - the doctor has to do something to earn his paycheck, right? 

20 minutes after Zabien was born, Dr. Sendzik came waltzing in the room to offer his congratulations, take out the placenta, and stitch up my 2nd degree tear.   Counting back the time, my entire labor was an hour and a half - yep!  That's pretty speedy. 

It's a good thing I want a natural delivery because I may never have the chance to get an epidural.  In the words of the nurse, "You did amazing .  You were in the zone- you don't need an epidural."  I couldn't agree more!