Thank God for the Epidural

At 39 weeks I was induced.  My baby was coming (or that's what I was told). The night before my induction, I couldn't sleep.  I know, I know...I should have been sleeping after all the next day my whole life was going to change. The baby I'd been carrying for 9 months, but had been dreaming about my whole life was FINALLY going to be here.  Really, do you think YOU
would have been sleeping?!  At about  5:30-6 in the morning I got up, showered, did my hair and makeup, packed my last minute things, got my husband up, made sure everything in the nursery was ready, quadruple checked to make sure we had everything, and called the hospital to check us in.  It was finally time to head to the hospital.  All I could think was the next time I walk through my front door my little baby boy would be in my arms.

Upon arrival I was checked (and shocker I was 0 dilated & 0 effaced).  The nurse started the pitocin, and I felt great.  I was visiting, checking facebook, and making phone calls.  Having a baby was going to be easy....yeah right!  Well by 8-9 that night I was dilated 2 cm...YIPPEEE!  NOT... at 10-11pm they decided to stop the pitocin to let me sleep. Whole lot that did, by 3am they were back in there starting it up again.  (Really do they think I slept AT ALL during the whole 4-5 hours they gave me).

When the pitocin started again, boy did it start.  Contractions came on strong...baby time?!  Not quite yet, at 9am my doctor (and when I say my, I mean MY doctor!) came in and decided to break my water....then the real fun began.   I was having severe contractions within a couple  hours.  I had told myself I wanted to get to 5-6cm before an epidural, but an epidural was not out of the question.  Well, we decided to try nubain and NEVER again.  That made me so loopy I felt like my body was floating.  Finally after about 2 hours of not speaking to my husband, I asked for the epidural.  I was sure I was giving up to soon, but the nurse said "No dear.  You are at least 6 cm if not more.  You've done great!"  (I would like to say now, that a nice, cheer you on, loves her job nurse is the best...I'm so thankful for the nurses I had).

It was time for the epidural and I was wondering how I was going to do it.  I was having contractions one right after another, how was I going to sit still?  My husband couldn't bear to watch, so he stepped out, and my nurse (thank god for her) helped me. I kept breathing and by some miracle, the contractions stopped long enough for me to receive that big, long, gift from god needle!  [WARNING:  this part still bothers me to this day!]  After my epidural had been placed, the anesthesiologist informed me that he had dropped the second half of my numbing medication on the floor, and since I was sitting so still he just finished instead of getting more. ( YES, you read that right....only half the numbing medication was given.)  To be fair, within a few minutes I didn't care because well, I felt NO PAIN :)

I have to tell you, that labor is called labor for a reason. It is not easy, its hard...but it is SO worth it in the end. You just have a hard time remembering that or focusing on it at the time.  So anyway, I feel no pain and keep waiting to hear those three little words "time to push" but they never are said....