The Baby Post Pt. 3

So I didn't expect this to be 3 posts long, but apparently I have a lot to say on the subject.

I agreed to an epidural. So the nurse called the anesthesiologist and he was there maybe 20 minutes later. When I saw the guy, I didn't have much faith in his accuracy. He had big sausage fingers! I've known several people that have had bad experiences with epidurals. Headaches, leaking spinal fluid... enough to scare a person!

And to top it off, try having major contractions while someone tells you "not to make a move while I stick this huge needle into your back"! Not an easy task. My labor and delivery nurse was great and talked me through the whole thing and I made it through.

Once we got the process started I felt better about my decision. The epidural took about 10 minutes to take full effect, but right away, I started feeling kind of tingly in my toes which slowly moved its way up my legs. And then the pain was gone. I do have to say epidural definitely do their job.

I had to be continually hooked up to the monitor now, and I believe they put in an internal monitor to have a more accurate reading of the little guys stats. I was so weird to see my contractions start and stop on  the monitor, but I felt no pain.

They started me on the pitocin, and shortly after they were done with me, I was out cold. And I mean OUT. I finally was able to get a restful, rejuvenating sleep. My nurse would periodically check up on me, and up my pitocin level to keep things rolling.

My contractions were getting longer, stronger and closer together. I finally woke up for good around 4- 4:30 PM and they checked me one last time... I was fully dilated!!!!  About 5-6 hours of not fighting the contractions, because of the epidural, I was able to relax my body for some serious progress to happen! HURRAY!!!

But the weird thing is, I wasn't allowed to push yet! WHAT!!! I was all geared up. Even though the epidural numbed the pain, I could still wiggle my toes and semi feel the pressure of my contractions. My nurse said she wanted me to wait until I felt the urge to push. Having known what that feels like from when I was pushing when I shouldn't have been, I knew what to feel for.

The irony was once my nurse left, I started to kind of feel the need to push, but silly me, I didn't call her back. Both Jason and I were so excited that our little guy was almost here. And I finally had clarity of thought to tell Jason to take pictures of us before the 2 of us became 3.

In the back was the little couch Jason slept on, pretty comfy!

They really should make a more flattering hospital gown!

So when the nurse finally came back to check on me, I said I was ready. So we got another nurse to come with all the delivery stuff, and they had me start. If I thought anything to this point was surreal, actually pushing was so weird yet it was so natural.

My nurse helped me get the swing of pushing. Since I could kind of feel when a contraction was in full force, I got to choose when to push. I would let them know and the would help me lift my legs into a super ab crunch position, tuck my chin, take a deep breath, and bear down. I could usually get 3 pushes in per contraction.

I pushed for little over an hour. They said I was such a great pusher, they had to stop me a couple of times or we would be having this baby before the doctor could get there. And that was when I was super grateful for the epidural because the thought of having the great urge to push and not getting to would be really hard.

So my back up doctor finally showed up (my midwife had previous family obligations that day that she couldn't be there). They got the bed all prepped, all the equipment for the baby was ready, and then the room got really full. Ridiculously full of people. 9 people, the doctor, our L&D nurse, her assistant nurse, the replacement L&D nurse (it was right during shift change), 2 nurses manned at the warming bed station for the baby, and some random L&D nurse that was there the night before when we were admitted and she wanted to be there. And finally Jason and me. It seemed really chaotic, yet I was so focused.

Jason was by my side to start with the pushing , but gradually like a car crash you can't help but watch, Jason witnessed to birth of his son. At one point I wasn't sure how much longer I would have to push and they all told me to reach down, I felt head and I felt hair. That motivated me more...

So at 7:22 PM on February 8th, 2013, Ezra Tennyson Myers was born. They had to cut the umbilical cord immediately and whisk him away because he was born with meconium (meaning he pooped before he was born). So they cleared out his lungs and made sure he was doing ok because meconium can cause lots of problems if it is inhaled. but little Ezra was a good boy and soon enough he was placed on my chest to get acquainted.

Ezra's first picture

Sure Jason got to hold him first, sure I didn't get to see him pee on the nurse while they were taking care of him, but the moment I got to hold him, it didn't matter. This was truly the most surreal moment of all. This little guy had been with me for the last 9 months and now I was finally holding him.

He weighed 6 lb. 2.8 oz.
19.5 inches long
13.6 cm for head circumference

And he is perfect!