Labor & Delivery

OK, here is the story about how Gavin was brought into this world...I really wanted to write this down so that I have it in this journal, so if you don't want to hear a L&D story then I suggest you skip this post!

It started Thursday morning when I had a routine appointment with Dr. Jaki. She checked my cervix and I was 4cm dilated. She asked me if I wanted her to "stir things up" meaning strip my membranes, and I said of course. I was ready! So she did and we left! We continued our day with some shopping and lunch at Dayle's...and I started to get pretty uncomfortable. By the end of the day I was feeling the contractions a lot more than normal, but still not "painful." We ordered Pizza Hut for dinner and I had about 5 pieces of pizza...and then it began! About 8pm Thursday night I was having stronger contractions but not painful enough to go to the hospital. So I just waited and waited and they did not go away...they got so strong that at 7am Derek was up and packing all the stuff to head to the hospital. I decided to take a shower to feel better and the contractions went away! Ha, like the previous 2 months, they always went away, so I thought this was yet another false alarm. I got up, ate breakfast and told Derek he could go to the gym because I felt fine...about 10 minutes after he left for the gym, BOOM the contractions were back and they HURT! Of course, right when I tell Derek I am fine, I need him back ASAP! So he comes back and we head to the hospital.

As soon as we get there they put the monitors on me and baby and the contractions are coming every 4-5 minutes. The nurse asks me if I want an epidural and I tell her "yes, eventually when things are too painful" HA! About 3 contractions later I am calling her to tell her that its time, and I would like that epidural! So the anesthesiologist comes in and puts in the epidural...not painful at all, and like that my legs are numb...so I wait for my abdomen to become numb as well so I will stop feeling the contractions...and that never happens! We wait and wait and the numbness never reaches past my thighs...and of course the anesthesiologist uses the "Hmm this is really rare and never happens" speech (which I have heard before) and he decides to take it out and put in a new one. I tell him "Whatever, just do what you need to do to get me some pain relief!" So he puts in a new one and it works for an hour and a half...It was a great hour and a half with contractions that I did not feel!

Next the Doctor comes in to break my water in hopes to speed things up. She does and she also starts some Pitocin to speed up the contractions that had slowed down. All of the sudden I start to feel my contractions again...then I start to feel my thighs...then I start to feel my feet! SERIOUSLY the second epidural has completely worn off...so the anesthesiologist gives me a bolus does of medication and turns up the epidural as high as it goes. Nothing. Absolutely no pain relief and I can move my feet...felt like I could get up and walk! OK. Now the doctors are starting to scratch their heads because "This never happens, and its really rare, less than 10 percent of the time." Blah blah blah, again I have heard that before (The cyst found at 2o weeks and the preterm labor) So I just realize that I am going to do this without pain relief...and I will call is natural because I felt EVERYTHING!

From this point on things get a little blurry...I remember with each contraction I would squeeze Derek's hand and cry...and eventually it would be over and I could focus. Derek was amazing. He held my hand and kept telling me I was doing a great job...and believe me that's all I needed to hear at that time...I didn't want any massages, or any pep talk. Just needed to hear that I was doing great.

At around 4pm they checked my cervix and I was 10cm...it was time to push. For an hour and 50 minutes I pushed and pushed. It seemed like the contractions were every minute and I needed to push with every one! Derek was the counter and he would count to 10, three times with each contraction and I was really focused on his voice. I know that there would be something I needed to focus on, and that was it. His counting was my focus. He held my right leg, Mom held my left leg, and Dayle held my head. Those 2 hours seemed like forever, but finally at 6:10 pm Gavin was born!!!

Once his head was out I looked down and saw how HUGE it was! Then one more push for the shoulders (OUCH!) and he was out! The first thing that the Dr. said was "Hes so big!!!" and I looked at him and thought there was no way that was my baby! He looked like he was a month old already! The doctor put him on my chest and he let out his first cry...such an amazing sound! He was healthy and that's all that mattered!

All the pain that I went through has escaped my memory...I really don't remember it because it is all worth it! Gavin Donovan Moore is perfect...nothing better than that!