The Birth of My Second Love

If this was labor... I could have had a 100 kids!!

On Saturday, Febuary 7th,my phone was going off the hook. I talked with my sister in law, Cathy, she had just got back from her vacation and was surprised that the baby had not shown up yet. Then I talked with my Dad and told him that he did not need to come down with everyone else because the baby was not making an appearance anytime soon and I would call him back on Monday after my doctors appointment. Then my niece called and I told Carin I would call her back bacause I was on the phone with my Dad. Brian’s mom, Paula, called but I did not even pick it up because I was on my way to the bathroom. And lastly, Holley, my niece called to to let me know that her, Richard, my brother, Damian, his girlfriend, Helena and Harrison, Damian’s son would be coming down soon and to make sure I still felt like going out to lunch for her birthday.

We all went to lunch at the winery. Helena would softly knock on my belly and whisper to the baby to come out and play. Of coarse, the baby was the main topic and I told everyone I figured at least another week. I had not even had one contraction yet and I was not dialated or softened at all. We went back to my house and showed everone the babies room and talked more. They left around 6pm.

I watched some TV and then went upstairs to call Paula. While I was on the phone I felt some pressure low in my belly, but just assumed that the baby was moving about or gas. After I got off the phone, I realized that the pressure would come and go. Then I called Carin. As I was talking with her, the pressure would come and go so I started to watch the clock and the pressure would come every 7 minutes. I was really estatic! Most were like pressure, but a few were more like a mild cramp. After about 40 minutes, I told her I think we might have a baby soon. Brian came in and I told him I was having contractions every 7 minutes. He came back and checked on me every so often. After the third time, Brian started changing his clothes rather nervously. Finally around 10:30pm, I told Carin I better get off the phone because I had to go to the bathroom. On my way to the bathroom, Brian asked me if I was all packed and I told him no, I just needed to pack toiletries. He went and got me some Ziploc bags while I was in the bathroom. When I came out, I started finishing packing... and my contractions were coming every three minutes. Now Brian was getting really nervous. I finished packing. I went and woke up my mom and told her we were going to the hospital. She popped out of bed and anxiously got ready to go. Erin was still over and I asked her if she was ready to go to the hospital, she was the only one calm.

The hospital was only a few minutes away. When we got there, we did not know where to go and drove around the parking lot. We finally figured out that we had to go through the emergency room. I signed in and they took me down to maternity. Of coarse they were full, so I got the little room that is like a closet. I got undressed and waited for the nurse and Brian. It felt better to stand durning the contractions, which were much stronger and painful now. The nurse came in about 10 minuites later to get some information, but had to leave again to attend to another mommy. She did get Brian and he came back and helped me with the contractions. After a while, the nurse came back and finished the paperwork and checked me. I was only a fingertip dialated, but my cervix was 80% soft. She was also concerned about my swelling and checked me for toxemia, even though I told her I was fine and this is how I was for 2 months. She said I was one of the worst she had seen as far as swelling goes. The constractions were like bad menstral pains, but went away and came back every 4 minutes. We watched the monitor spike from my contractions and his heatbeat. Finally at 2:30 am, the nurse came back and checked me again. I was only at a 2. She gave me some options, either stay or go home and get some sleep. I was really nervous about leaving and something happening and not being able to get my epidural. The nurse assured me I would be fine and gave me a shot of demoral so I could relax and sleep.

We went home and I layed down on the couch and fell asleep. Mom slept in the chair, Erin sleep on the other couch and Brian went upstairs and tried to sleep, but did not do such a good job since he was very anxious. I finally started to wake up around 6ish with the pain killer gone and strong contractions every 2 minutes! Everyone got up and got ready to go back to the hospital. The pain was so bad that I threw up, luckily in the garbage can.

When we got to the hospital, they remembered me and the same man wheeled me back to maternity. They gave me the same room. I got undressed and went to the bathroom. I could barely stand it. Standing did seem better than laying down, but of coarse they needed to check me and hook me up to the monitors. The nurse came in and checked me and luckily I was a 4 and could get the epidural! She went to request the anasteologist. The other nurse came in and put in my IV. My nurse came back and said it would be 1/2 hour or more for the anasteologist and if I wanted something in my IV for pain. Of coarse I wanted drugs! This was painful! She came back and put in some stadol. What a wonder drug - after 5 minutes I felt no pain. We watched the monitors and saw my contractions spike, but I was feeling nothing.

A new nurse came in to take over the shift just as the anasteologist came in. I rolled onto my left side and he gave me some shots to numb the area. I felt nothing, but Brian looked like he was going to pass out because the needles are really long. He got everything done and taped me up so the cathader would not move. Heaven at last. Everything went numb, even my legs unfortuately. She positioned pillows around my back and between my legs to keep me comfortable.

The nurse noticed that we had a cord blood kit and decided to read the directions so she would know what to do. When they came to take my blood, she gave them the vials from the cord blood kit so they would not have to take blood twice. After that, I slept and slept and slept. I was progessing very slow, but did not care much since I felt nothing and got to sleep.

Around 12ish, they had a bigger room open up and they moved me over there. Yeah, a window! By this point, everyone came in to visit. We showed Dad what the monitors meant and he was amazed. Shortly after my nurse came in again to check me and sent everyone out. I was only at a 6. Brian asked if he could go home and take a shower. The nurse said yes, but not too long. Shortly after he left, Dr. Hayton came in and checked me - I was at a 7. She decided to break my water - did not feel a thing. She also tried to hook up an internal monitor to check my contractions, but could not get it to work. She checked me once more and low and behold, I was a 9 with some edges, basically a 10. She said I was ready to push. I panicked because Brian just left. I had the nurse dial the phone and Erin answered and I told her he had to come back now because I was ready.

My nurse went and got the table with all the stuff needed. Then she showed me how to push and off I went. I went through maybe 5 rounds before Brian showed up. I was in the middle of pushing when he walked in. Boy did he looked freaked out!! At almost every contraction, Brian would hold one leg and the nurse would hold the other and I would push. My nurse put me on oxygen since I was working very hard. Dylan was coming down the birth canal very slow. After about 1 1/2 hours, In the mirror, I could see his head peeking out with lots of dark hair. Finally, Dr. Hayton came in to check me and he was so close, but I was exhausted from the pushing. She decided to use a vacuum to help us along. She hooked up the vacuum to his head and on my next contraction, I pushed, the vacuum sucked and out he popped at 3:15pm. I actually could feel his arms and legs flaring about as he came out. Brian cut the cord and the baby let out a few cries and then just looked at all of us with his big beautiful eyes. They cleaned him up and then laid him down on my chest. He latched on perfect the first time and nursed while the doctor sewed up my 4th degree tear. Then they started to push on my stomach and I asked if they were trying to deliver the placentia, but she said it delivered right after the baby.

When she was done, Brian said he would go out at tell everyone he had arrived and asked me what name? I looked at the baby and then smiled out Brian and just shook my head yes... he could name him the name he choose a few days before. Brian named our beautiful baby Dylan Rand. He came back with My Mom and Dad, Christy, Erin and Brandon. I was so tired, I kept falling asleep and waking up. All I care about was holding my baby in my arms at long last.