The Birth Story! What a SURPRISE!

It all started with an incredibly exhausting day. I hadnt really done a whole lot but dragged through everything. My hubby had forgotten the Sunday School manual at church and needed me to go to Bible study and pick it up for him (since he works second shift he couldnt go himself). This seemed like such a hugely daunting task to me. I got the kids loaded up and all the way to church my eyes were wanting to close. When we got there I lugged the kids inside, went straight to the nursery and plopped into a padded rocking chair. I volunteered to be in there since thinking about talking to people and having to make my kids be quiet seemed like far to much energy. I got through church, got the book, and herded the kids outside (I almost ate some chili that smelled delish in the kitchen that was for the Christmas carolers, so glad I didnt). I got them in the Suburban and headed home. The kids talked to me on the ride to the house but I couldnt even answer them due to extreme fatigue. I immediately put the kids in bed (Blondie fell asleep in the car and I didnt even put pj's on her, just carried her in,pulled her boots off and got her coat off and dropped them on the floor and put her in bed), no teeth brushing, no prayers, just straight to bed. I then went to the living room and started getting ready for bed. I couldnt even stay awake till my hubby got home. I fell asleep. At 3am my hubby got home... He had to work overtime, I felt him get into bed at about 3:15. About 20 minutes later I felt a sharp hard kick to my bladder that made me jump. Then I rubbed my stomach thinking to myself that that really hurt. My stomach started to cramp a little so I thought, "Im awake I may as well go to the bathroom." When I stood up I felt a gush that could have just been me wetting my pants. I went and sat on the toilet and looked at my underwear. They were pretty soaked. I said to my hubby "I think my water broke, or I wet my pants." I wiped and thats when I saw pink. Then I looked in the toilet and saw that there was some blood. Mind you, I have never gone into labor on my own, Ive always been induced so I had no idea what it was like to have your water break. Also, when I get induced Im never even kind of ready to go into labor. I still had FOUR WEEKS to go! I asked my hubby if I should call a nurse and he said "Sure". I called and they said that I better go in. Now, remember I was tired out of my mind that day so the house was less than presentable if someone came to watch the kids. So while I was getting dressed (with small leakage every now and then but not really much cramping) I was picking up the house in a bit of a panic. My poor husband had only slept 20 minutes and I had talked myself into this being a false alarm. If it was a false alarm my hubby would go to the hospital spend several hours there then sleep for only 1 or two and have to go back to work for 12. I said to him "I'll just drive myself, then if its real you get up as fast as you can and take the kids to my sisters and come to the hospital... and make sure you hurry" He agreed. I got in the van and started driving. I called my mom and told her what was going on. She says "YOUR DRIVING YOURSELF?? Julie turn around and go get R!" I said "By the time he gets up, we get the kids ready, and then drop them off I would be at the hospital. If this is a false alarm I dont want to wake anyone up to watch the kids at 4 am!" So I drove really really fast. Thinking if a cop pulls me over I'll explain that Im in labor. So I got to the hospital and couldnt remember how to get to the maternity ward. It had been four years since I had used that hospital and it was then that I remembered that it was confusing. I parked on the first floor, got out of the van and all the sudden, GUSH, I was no longer wondering if I was in labor, there was water running down my legs, I knew I was having a baby that day. I was still talking to my mom and by that time was walking like a two year old who wet their pants. I was wondering around the parking garage as fast as I could trying to figure out where to go. I found some elevators and got in. A vague recall of third floor came to mind so I pushed the button. I got out and saw around the corner the sky walk that led to the maternity. Still talking to my mom and getting breathless with nervousness and excitement I made my way there, still gushing with every step. This sky walk is the longest sky walk in the world. My mom was about to have a hernia when she realized what I was walking down... ALONE... WITHOUT HELP. Julie thats so long!! I assured her I had no contractions, R was on his way, dont worry. I finally got to the door at the end of the never ending hallway and... it was locked. OH NO! I started frantically hitting the talk to the receptionist button over and over. Someone got on and I said "Im pretty sure Im in labor." Click the door unlocked. Then I was faced with yet another elevator and having a hard time remembering where to go. Finally I got to the ward, thankfully guessing correctly all along the way, I hung up with my mom telling her to call my sister, aunt, or the back up babysitter. I walked to the desk and said that I was 99.9% sure that my water broke. "YOU DROVE YOURSELF and you think your water broke?!" Yes, but I wasnt sure at home... Man, Im making my very sweet, helpful, wonderful husband look really bad. They took me to a room, I got into a gown, and laughed at the sopping, dripping pantie liner that I had put in my underwear thinking it was going to "help" catch the water. Ahem. I got all hooked up, and yes they were sure my water broke. They took me to a labor room. I got an IV in without the support of my husbands hand, my own fault. Kudo's to the hospital and nurses, I told them I was a hard poke, they believed me (which no one ever does), very carefully looked for a vein. One nurse tried once, decided she didnt think she would be able to do it, asked the other nurse if she wanted to try, she said no, so they went and found someone who was a good poker. This nurse looked very carefully, poked me and after moving her stick around a little was able to get it in!! I was SO VERY PLEASED! My hubby got there soon afterwards, we were still both in shock. My hubby says to me "You werent allowed to go into labor till the 1st" Thats when he had more vacation time. "I know!" More shock filled silence. They started pitocin on me since my contractions werent picking up at all. The contractions finally started but not hard. So the nurses upped the dose, the baby was starting to show signs of stress. Soon contractions were coming on hard and strong. One nurse said that I could get the epi at any time. I didnt have to be dilated to a certain number. She just wanted the contractions to pick up a bit more. Well, I never saw that nurse again, her shift changed. Another nurse comes in and introduces herself, I ask about the epi and she said she wanted me to be dilated to a 4. Aww MAN! I whispered to my hubby that I missed my chance, I should have asked the other to send the request. So I labored for about four hours, deciding that as much as I would love to be a super strong woman and not use an epi I just simply am not that strong, nor do I at all enjoy the pain and shaking, and more pain that it involves. I remember going to the bathroom, getting a contraction (my hubby was in there to help) I said to him "I haaaattteee thiiiiiiis...." Finally they checked me, and decided to call the anastesiologist! More tips to the hospital, he was there within minutes. He was such a friendly, funny guy, and I remember having him as my epi man with Blondie! I liked him back then too. When he walked into the room he said "thats the epi look!" He got the epi in in short order. Like always I could feel on one side and not the other. Prior to this they were hurrying my labor because my blood pressure was 150/105 and possibly higher (thats one that I asked about). Once my pain was somewhat under control my blood pressure also went down a little. Baby was still under stress, her heart rate would be ok, then drop, then go back. They called the anesthesiologist back and he messed with things. I went from being able to feel, but pain was bearable to not being able to feel at all. And I mean my leg would fall off the bed when the nurses were helping me roll over and the only way I knew it wasnt on the bed is because I saw it hanging there. SO very strange. Ive never had an epi so strong. The nurses kept laughing and saying my legs were like noodles. They helped me straddle a bean bag chair while laying on my side, to thin me and make me dilate, then checked me and I was a 7. The doctor came in and they had him check. This was 30 seconds after they checked me. He said "shes ready" the nurse was like "No way!" He told me to push, so I did. He said to my hubby "See that" Surprise was crowning! The nurses were in shock. "Ive never seen someone go from a 7 to pushing that fast! NO WAY!" They were SCRAMBLING! The bed wasnt ready, no stirrups, the doc didnt have his coat thing on, the NICU wasnt there (Surprise had pooped in me, so the NICU had to be there to get her cleaned out fast). In about 2 minutes they had it all ready. I gave one more push, the doc said to watch, I bent my head up and was able to watch my daughter be born. They put her on my stomach and I was laughing and wanting to touch her. She was purple and they warned me that they didnt want her to cry at first because they had to get all the gunk out of her mouth so she didnt suck the poop into her lungs. A nurse was vigorously rubbing her with a towel and others were cleaning her out. I heard a few squaks and then some lusty cries as she was brought over to the NICU people. We almost forgot to take pictures because the whole pushing thing was so low stress. One of the nurses said to me with excitement "This is my favorite delivery by far! Who delivers like that?!" It was easy! Not the before epi contractions (at all) but everything else. She weighed in at 5 lbs 10 oz and was born at 10:57 am. They brought Surprise over and I looked at her tiny face. Her head was covered in thick black hair! And she was SO alert! She just looked around with gigantic beautiful eyes and took everything in. Soon she had to have all her stats done and I was sure she would be asleep when she came back but she wasnt! We held her and loved her, I nursed her, and snapped pictures, then when I had feeling in my legs again we got moved to our room.
********End of part one******** The sad part to come******* I ended up with ANOTHER baby with low blood sugars**********Booooooo***************************************