Not for the faint of heart

Not for the faint of heart

Hello! Hello!
We're home now... sleep-deprived(as expected) but we're fine otherwise. This one-hand typing takes time getting used to but I couldn't wait to start getting back online anymore.

First off, thanks for all your congratulations and warm wishes. Thanks to all you bebots. Can't wait to get back to the forums - maybe within the next week or so. Can't wait to get back into scrapping too. But there are just too many things that need more immediate attention now of course so everything that I'd really like to do will have to wait.

Here I am with Angela. This was taken after I had stopped crying and had started to calm down. Maybe I should start from the beginning... but I warn you, read on only if you want to be taken for a thrilling and suspenseful ride! LOL.

If you read back in my previous posts, you'd know that I had been 3 cm dilated for about a week. I did not get to blog about my false alarm. But yes, I had gone to the hospital the day after I was first told that I was 3 cm dilated already. the contractions by then were about 10 minutes apart. When we got to the hospital and hooked up to the monitor, they came at 5 minute intervals. But when the Dr. checked how far along I was, there was no change from the day before. He gave me the option of staying in the hospital, try to walk it out then get rechecked after 2 hours or go back home and come back when the contractions get stronger, etc. We opted to go home. When we got home, everything stopped. No contractions! The next few days, I was having them now and then but nothing regular or strong enough to merit going back to the hospital. On Wednesday, I had another Dr. appt. My Dr. checked if I had progressed... and sure enough - NOTHING!!! No change! Argghh...My Dr. suggested that I start walking around more. He said that the baby's head wasn't wedged yet and the baby was still bobbing up and down. He thought that maybe that was why the cervix wasn't opening up because there was no pressure from the baby.
So, a-walking we went. DH and I walked around the block that evening. Then in the morning, the whole gang - me, DH, my 2 girls and my mom - walked to the park and let the girls loose in the playground. We walked back home in time for lunch. I took a nap. I woke up at about 1:30 pm feeling some contractions and heaviness. The contractions were clearly stronger than before. I timed them and they were starting to come at 10 minute intervals. I woke up DH and he picked up DS from school early so we would not have to worry should we need to go to the hospital already. When they got back home, the contractions were getting stronger. I took a shower. The contractions continued. So at about 3 pm, we drove to the hospital. And we could not have picked a worse time to go - RUSH HOUR traffic at the 10 freeway! Then my water broke! And I started to feel pressure! OMG! It was painful! No, it was excruciating. Then add a whole dose of anxiety and you'd have a clue as to what I was going thru right then. I was trying to breathe thru the pain and not push. It worked for a while but the pain was getting too intense that I kept telling DH to pull over already because I knew the baby was coming out anytime soon. He did not want to pull over. He started driving like a maniac on the shoulder just so we could get through. He was honking his horn, flashing his lights - anything and everything to get us to the hospital. It seemed forever particularly since I could see the exits we were passing and kept thinking, "Oh my God, we're not even close! We just passed Azusa!" DH had called the ER and asked them to make sure a wheelchair was out because he was bringing me in - one of the advantages of working in the ER! LOL! So we got to the hospital. There was no time to park the car. He just stopped right in front of the ambulance area, got the wheelchair, I sat on it and run DH did! He said that for a second he thought of taking me to the ER but decided to run me to labor & delivery. So he was running while I was screaming. Why? Because I could feel the freakin' head coming out!!! When we came out of the elevator, I could feel the baby crowning already. We rounded the corner over to the nurse's station. They had a room right in front. I was barely in the room, still on the wheelchair. They pulled down my pants and everything came gushing out. I tell you, I do not even remember pushing this baby out!!! Yes, I gave birth in the wheelchair!!! Someone was right there to catch the baby, thank goodness! But it was a sea of fluids and blood in the room. I really don't recall anything much of those first few moments because I was just crying and shaking. I was still sitting on the wheelchair, they put the baby on my chest to show me she was okay. I heard her crying. Everyone kept reassuring me the baby was fine and healthy and that we were all doing well. But all I could do was cry and cry and cry. DH cut the baby's cord. The nurses started wiping and cleaning me up. And they led me to the bed which was like a step or two from the wheelchair. They then started me on the IV, I pushed the placenta out, watched my baby getting cleaned and listened to her cry. They had to stitch me up down there because I had some tears but the worst was over! And boy was I glad and thankful to God that everything turned out well. This here is my little angel who could not wait to enter this world. And she wanted to come out in a dramatic way no less! LOL.
I've had fairly quick labors before but this one takes the cake. It took less than 3 hours from start to finish. Contractions started becoming regular at 2 pm. We left for the hospital at 3 pm. By 3:40 pm, she was out! How's that for a speedy delivery?!
DH brought the other kids over later that evening and this was our traditional family photo with the new baby picture.

*This post was written over 2 days, in between nursing and diaper changes, napping and snacking. I still have a lot to write but those will have to wait as I have to get back to mommy duties. I hope to write back soon - because I really do not want to forget these thoughts and feelings I have. I know that later on, I'd be glad that I took time to write them.