This is not really a birth story, but more an overview of the day Abel was born. It was a long, draining day, followed by an exhausting weekend. But all of it was so worth it, the torment of labor and the downsides of things not going as planned sliding off my back into a puddle in the past; the overwhelming joy of finally meeting my baby filling all the holes left by the the pain and letdowns.
It started early Friday morning. We arrived at the hospital around 7am and were told all the labor and delivery rooms (LDRs) were full and that we’d have to wait. And so we did, in a little room filled with other moms and their partners, watching Animal Planet and hoping the nurse was coming for us next.
Finally at around 10am we were taken to our LDR and I changed into a gown and got into bed, where I was hooked up to monitoring and IVs and so forth.
The nurse discussed with me why the doctor requested I be induced and I said I didn’t really know. She asked about an epidural and I said I didn’t want one. She looked at me like I was crazy, like everyone that is induced gets one. After a time she went to get the doctor, who came in to chat with me. I advised I’d like my water broken before anything else and she obliged.
Casey walked with me while I did laps in the hallway and sat and talked with me while I walked around the room, beginning to feel stronger and stronger contractions not long after my water was broken. At around 1pm, the contractions started to get strong enough that I decided I needed to get back in bed.
By 4:25, I was in the transition stage. The nurse checked me an hour later and I was 9cm and said soon I could start pushing.
At just past 6pm, I was given the go ahead to start pushing. I did the best I could and made some progress, and at just after 7pm was told I was probably about half-way there. However, at around 8pm, things seemed to come to a halt. The doctor said she thought Abel was “sunny side up” and that his head was stuck in my pelvis. I asked about my options, though I already knew, and admitted I was exhausted and all I wanted was to meet my baby. The c-section was ordered.
I was brought into the operating room around 8:25, after enduring almost a half an hour of excruciating contractions, and by 8:50 I was prepped and ready and Casey was brought in. He held my hand as I shivered and just a few minutes later, at 8:54pm, baby Abel was delivered.
I could hear him cry and I choked up, the nurses saying it was a boy and that he had a cute dimple on his chin. Casey was brought over to meet him first, where he took the first pictures and saw him get weighed (7 pounds, 15 ounces).
Finally they brought him to me and I got to see his sweet face for the first time, in a state of disbelief that he was finally here.
Our first family portrait was then taken, followed by Casey and Abel going to the recovery room.
Eventually I was brought into recovery as well, where I nursed Abel for the first time and we spent about an hour before being brought to the room where we spent the rest of the weekend.
More to share followed, but this post is long enough. I can’t believe our little guy is already a week old, but I’m determined not to let the fast flying time get me down or allow me to miss anything. This is an amazing time in our lives and I’m going to revel in it.
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