Wesley's Birth Story: the conclusion

So, it's been a while since I've had time to sit and write, and my intention is to finish up the birth story while Wesley naps.

So yes Lori, tomorrow has finally come! :)

I left off at the point where Derek had been told that he had 3 days to stay home with me while the boat went out without him. Tuesday went by and it was wonderful. Derek and I enjoyed some quiet time, just us the whole day. Nothing changed, I felt a few consistent contractions throughout the day, but nothing to call the hospital for. Wednesday was much the same. That night we decided to go rent a movie and have a quiet night at home. If nothing else I was just going to enjoy the time I had with him, because that's what God had given me! However, things changed quickly that night. The movie was definitely not my taste so I had fallen asleep. Towards the end though, I woke up with some pain in my lower back. But more than that, I just didn't feel good, something wasn't right. So we called my midwife who was on call that night and she asked me to come in, again for monitoring. After I was all hooked up and in the bed they checked my b/p, 160/100. Now that may not seem as incredibly high to you as it does to me, but consider the fact that my pregnancy b/p was always around 80/60. So this was almost double my previous b/p's. Joanne came in and checked me and told me that I was not in labor, but they wanted to keep me overnight and they were going to consider inducing the next morning, if they found me to be preeclamptic. So begins the longest hospital stay I hope to NEVER repeat.

Indeed the next morning after another sample, the determined I was preeclamptic so they started the induction process. They started me on an IV of magnesium sulfate. This was probably the worst part of the whole experience. The first day it didn't bother me too much. I just had to keep a fan blowing on me at all times because I felt like steam was coming from my pores without it. They inserted a cervidil to try and get the labor process started with as little help as they could. Later that afternoon when they found that nothing had progressed yet, they inserted another. Throughout the day I felt well enough for visitors, and was grateful to have them, but by the evening I could tell that the next day was going to be different. The longer that "mag" was flowing through my body, the worse I felt.

That evening before Dr. D. and Joanne went home they came in to check me again, and when I was still not progressed, they decided to get a little more forceful. They decided to insert a catheter to try and force my cervix open because I had to be AT LEAST 3 cm before they would start the pitocin drip. After the catheter was in I had a HORRIBLE night. I got sick a lot, I guess from all the meds, and stress, and nerves. But I have to say that the entire time I was there, I had the most amazing nurses! Abbie took such good care of me at night, and Amy was equally amazing during the day!.

The next morning I had finally progressed to 3 cm and so they were able to start pitocin around 12. From 12 on the contractions started and progressed to very intense pain, and around 5:30 they suggested that I think about getting an epidural because my b/p was increasing along with the contractions. I will never be sorry I agreed! :) Joanne came in to check me a couple of times, and even with the strong consistent contractions, I wasn't progressing any further. She was convinced that I had to have a c-section or Wesley was never coming out. As much as that was the farthest thing from what I WANTED to happen, I trusted my caretakers and new that they had only my best in mind. Dr. D came then and said, "I have a few more things I want to try before we resort to the section". I will never forget hearing that, because that one statement said so much to me. She was telling me that she KNEW that I wanted to do everything I could to have him as naturally as possible, and she wanted to help me in any way she could. So later that night when she finally came to me and said, "It's going to have to be a c-section." I had full confidence that we had tried every possible way, and this was the best way for both of us.

From there it's all your normal "Baby Story" type thing. They got everyone ready, me, Derek, the nurses, Dr., anesthesiologist. Everything was set. My mom, dad, and Allie all got to stand in the window and watch as our son was born. Derek stood next to my head and took pictures as they pulled him out. There in the O.R. Abbie took our first family portrait, and there I kissed my baby boy for the first time. Because of the mag that was still running through my IV and because of exhaustion, I don't remember much from the experience in the O.R., but I do remember the important things. Like the huge gasp from Derek as he saw Wesley for the first time, the first cry that brought tears to my eyes, and the feel of his cheek against mine when they held him down for me to kiss him for the first time. I will never forget that feeling.

And now because I've finally written the story, I'll never forget a detail.