Andrew's arrival details

I'm finally getting on here to give you details. So if you don't want details of how Andrew came, you can probably stop reading now.

I had an induction scheduled for Friday morning at 8 AM. When we got to the hospital I was already having contractions. I'm going to guess they were some where between 10 & 15 minutes apart. The L&D nurse figured I had been having them all night but they weren't enough to keep me awake. I didn't tell her that I really didn't sleep and didn't remember them coming until we were on the way to the hospital. And even then, I had contractions before that were as close if not closer but they didn't last.

By the time I got back to a room and changed it was after 8:30. They made Eric wait in the waiting room until I was ready. My doctor came in around 8:45 and broke my water. And all the things I heard, even though one of the doctors in the practice said they weren't really true, happened. I wasn't allowed out of the bed once they broke my water. I know I got up a few times with Kathryn to use the restroom and just walk around the room a little. But not here. Something about the umbilical cord getting in the way... or something. I didn't quite understand.

They started the drip at 9. Almost immediately the contractions went from all over contractions to contractions that were all concentrated like menstrual cramps. Oh they were so much worse. The worse part was that I couldn't really tell what was happening. With Kathryn I could feel her head starting to descend. This time the contractions were concentrated in such a spot that I had no idea where Andrew was.

I guess it was a little after 10 and my contractions were getting really close. Like so close there was one that lasted for a few minutes with only a little time in between for me to catch my breath. I had a student nurse that was helping out my L&D nurse. She was rubbing my leg trying to get me to calm down (I was good and kept my mouth shut... I should have told her to stop. Eric almost said something to her knowing that I hate to be touched when I'm in pain and especially if I am already hot & sweaty. But I was afraid I was going to bite her head off if I did open my mouth.) She told me that since I was only around 3 cm dilated when they broke my water and they had only upped my drip twice, that I probably had a few more hours to go. I had already told Eric that Andrew would make his appearance before lunch.

I'm not sure if the student nurse called the L&D nurse or if the L&D nurse saw my contractions on the monitors, but she came in not long after that. She could tell my contractions were really close and asked if she could check me. Please!! oh please check me and tell me that I'm not going to be going for much longer!!! I was at 9 cm. She called for the doctor and to get the baby station ready asap. So after an hour on the drip I was fully effaced and dilated. Yeah that student nurse wasn't really sure what was going on. But that's okay :)

The contractions were getting closer and more intense. And we kept waiting on the doctor... and waiting. I was beginning to think she wasn't going to make it. Dr. Gordon finally got there and the L&D nurse said "I just let her smell the pitocin and she's ready." I think that was around 10:15ish. They got me situated and Dr. G said you can go ahead and push. My problem was that because of where the contractions where I really didn't feel like I was pushing. I didn't think I was doing anything. I was wrong. Andrew made his appearance at 10:31.

The labor & pushing happened so fast that Dr. G wasn't able to do the episiotomy. So Andrew tore me pretty good on his way out. Not to give too much detail but he tore me in two directions. I think the cutting with Kathryn was much easier. But I pushed for twice as long with her so there was a little bit more time.

I'm recovering well. Still have a little discomfort, but it has only been a week. I can't remember how long the stitches bothered me with Kathryn, but I know that I have a lot more this time around. I am tired. Little Andrew seems to be restless at night. Even if he is "asleep" he is tossing and making noises that keep me awake. Partly because I'm still a little concerned about his gaging sounds from the extra fluid. He seems to gag a lot so the nervous mother in me stays awake with him at night. I'm not sure if it has to do with him lying flat in the pack-in-play or not. A lot of the day he's either being held or in the swing so he isn't completely flat. I may get out the sleep positioner we used with Kathryn to see if that helps. Plus at night he seems to want to eat more often.

For example, he's been soundly asleep since before 7 and it is now 9:20 and I haven't heard a peep out of him. (Yes I have checked on him at least three or four times in that time period.) Last night he made noises and whimpered from a little before 11 PM to around 3 AM. He got back up right as Eric's alarm was going off... and then about 15-20 minutes later Kathryn was standing at the side of my bed saying "Hi Mommy". It was 6:30. I'm looking forward to nap time this afternoon.