On Tuesday, 10/2, my OB told me I was dilated to 4, 75% effaced, and that she predicted that Elias would be arriving that week, the weekend at the latest. The next 2 days I had a ton of contractions, just nothing to kick things into full gear. I'd time them as they'd get closer and closer and then one would throw the whole thing off and be spread out. All day Thursday it was like this. I had read that climbing stairs can get things going, so Thursday night while Omar and I were watching tv I'd climb our stairs (up/down/up/down) during the commercial breaks. He had a good time laughing at me. I had already tried spicy food and sex and I figured even if climbing the stairs didn't work, it wouldn't give me heartburn and could help my whale-like blubbery butt get a little firmer. Went to bed at midnight with some contractions but figured nothing would be happening that night.
I woke up at 3am from a dream that my water had broken. As I lay in bed I realized I was wet! I went to the bathroom and my pj shorts and undies were soaking wet. Hmm...did my water really break or did I pee myself while I dreamt that my water broke? I called out to Omar "Babe, I think *maybe* my water broke". He came in and looked at the evidence. "I dunno...what do we do?" he said. I told him to go back to bed and I would call the nurse. At that point I wasn't leaking anything so I really wasn't sure. One of my big fears was thinking my water had broken just to arrive at the hospital and be told "sweetheart, you peed yourself!" I did NOT want to be THAT girl. So, I did what any woman who didn't want to be embarrassed like that would do...I gave it the old sniff-a-roo. Didn't smell like pee. Called labor & delivery. I told them the situation, dreamt of water being broken, woke up wet, doesn't smell, no contractions. Can I wait until I'm sure it's my water or if I get contractions? "Absolutely not" they told me. Since I was dilated to 4 on Tuesday they said to get my butt in immediately. Back up the stairs I went to get Omar up out of bed. He hopped in the shower and I started packing up last minute things. I then noticed when I'd move certain ways I'd have a gush. Phew...definitely my water, not pee. I went to get Belle up and put her jacket on her. I told her that Elias was coming and we were going to take her to her Nino & Nina's house while we went to the hospital. She was so excited!
I called her godparents and it went to their answering machine. I said we were on our way. We got there, and I was then having contractions. I got out of the car and carried Belle's bag while Omar carried our barefooted/jammied girl to the door. They live in a condo which they have their front door, then 4 flights up. They then have 2 flights inside until you get to their bedroom. I rang the doorbell. No answer. Called their house phone, answering machine. Called their cell phones, voice mails. We stood outside banging on their door (6 flights below where they were asleep) and called a million times. No answer. I started getting strong contractions at this point and we'd been standing outside for 40 minutes. I couldn't take it anymore. Change of plans, Belle was going to the hospital with us. I called my parents in desperation and asked them to come get Belle from the hospital, and drive as quick as they can. They live about 30 minutes away.
We arrived at the hospital and were checked into labor and delivery. Belle was so cute sitting on Omar's lap and so excited that Elias was on his way. Thankfully my parents got there right when contractions were getting bad. I didn't want Belle to see me in pain. A nurse came in to take my blood for labs before I could get an epi. I was still only dilated to 4. As she's fishing for my vein she makes the remark "Man, I haven't missed one in almost a week". I'm still bruised terribly on my arm. Luckily she got a vein pretty quickly in the other one. I was able to get my epi at 8am. I had "terrible/give me drugs" contractions for about an hour...not bad! The anesthesiologist was a complete a-hole. He gave me this huge talk on how epi's can go bad...um, thanks man, I already have had one, just give me the drugs already! He had me bent over for a long time while he was fiddling around with his equipment. I was having a really bad contraction and needed to shift positions or hold on to something to get through it. I asked him and he barked back "NO! Look, just sit there and sit still or I'll never get this in and you'll be in pain." The nurse and I made eye contact. I could tell we both wanted to tell him to f'off, but he was the drug man and I needed drugs! I didn't want to piss him off and not get my epi, so I sat there slouched in horrible pain. By 8:30am the epi kicked in and I got some relief. I was dilated at 5.
At 8:45am I told the nurse I had a lot of pressure "down there" and either I was pooping or the baby's head was there. She took a quick look and said "you aren't pooping, and you were only to 5 cm 15 minutes ago. The baby is probably just moving down. Try and get some rest." Well, that's hard to do when you feel like you could fill the room with poop! I waited a minute to see if the feeling would pass. Nope! "Really, I'm going to either fill this room with poop or the baby's head is there. Something is going to come out!" She gave me the look like "sure lady" and agreed to check me. "Oh my god, you're to 10 and his head is right there! DON'T PUSH! I need to get the doctor! Wake your husband up!" She ran out of the room. I was on my right side and Omar was asleep on a pull out bed to my left. I was too numb to roll myself over so I just yelled "OMAR WAKE UP! COME HERE NOOOOOW!" Amazingly the man who sleeps like the dead jumped up and ran over. "What? What's going on?" He looked so confused. I told him the baby was coming NOW! Get the cameras out! Omg, wait....help me not push! He's coming!!!!"
The nurse and a room full of other nurses come in and start scurrying around. Do I want a mirror? I didn't have one with Belle, so I said sure. My OB comes in and said they called right in time, they were just putting her other patient under to begin surgery. She gets set up and the mirror is put in place. I'm asked if I can see. "Oh, yuck...that is not pretty!" I had everyone laughing. I said I didn't want to look until he was coming out. I was given the green light to push. 2 pushes and they told me to look...there was the top of his head and a ton of dark hair. It was 9am. At 9:08am Elias was born.
I watched him come out in the mirror and it was surreal. He was so much smaller than we all expected. He was immediately put on my chest. Omar cut the cord. They took him to wipe him down for a second and my OB demanded they give him back to me. I love her! We had skin to skin time and I fell completely in love. It was like looking at Belle when she was born. He looks so much like her it's amazing. He weighed in at 6 lbs 10 oz and 20 inches long. Our hospital experience was overall great. We had some of the best nurses. They were so helpful, especially during the night. We also had a "celebration meal" where we could order off of a fancy menu and they brought in sparkling cider, appetizers, soup/salad, dinner, dessert, etc on table that was set up with flowers and a gift. It was really cute.
Belle's poor godparents woke up to my million of messages and freaked out. They went and picked her up from my parents, and she spent the weekend with them as originally planned. She went to the zoo and ChuckECheese and had a blast with them. Belle was so excited when she'd come to the hospital to see us. She's still adjusting and a little clingy, but she's doing great with Elias. Elias was released at 6 lbs 5 oz. We had his first dr's appt on Tuesday and he weighed in at 6 lbs 12 oz!!! My little bruiser is growing wonderfully and I'm completely in love with him. I can't believe he's almost a week old!
Here's to my little man, my how you've grown! You still own Mommy's heart.
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