Mason's Birth Story

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were the longest 3 days of my life I think!  I did all I could to relax.  On Tuesday morning I woke up with a cold- very unfortunate.  I slept all day trying to feel better but I was still pretty stuffy and it was hard to breathe.  Tuesday evening before we went to get induced we had the Vesely's and Jones's over to eat, it was nice to have friends around to ease the anxiety!

We went to the hospital at 8pm and got checked into our room.  The gown they gave me to wear was massive!  I got hooked up to my antibiotics (because I have Group B Strep and have to have them) and my IV, and also two monitors- one to monitor my contractions, one to monitor Mason's heart rate.  I didn't know those monitors were going to be hooked up, they were very uncomfortable and kept moving around when I'd try to get comfortable sleeping, and also because my belly was straight out in front and it was hard for things to stay in one place.  My nurse's name was Suzannah and she was really nice.  Very thorough with her explanations of what was happening and everything she was doing.  Mom and Dad got to the room around 8:30pm and we just sat and talked in the room for a long time.  It wasn't until 9:30pm that the nurse put the first pill thing in to soften my cervix.  Each time she came in to check on me she would say "You're having contractions... can you feel anything?" and I hadn't felt a thing!  I thought "Is this it?? Is this the hype of labor and I'm not even feeling it?!" (little did I know... keep reading) so since I had been contracting she checked me to see how dilated I was - still 1cm and 80% effaced (bummer).  At 1:30am they put the second cervix pill in me to try and get me to dilate/efface more.  At this point I'm still not feeling contractions or any pain really.  Every once in awhile I'd feel a dull pain but it wasn't a big deal at all.  She checked me again at 5:30am... 2 cm, and 80% effaced-still!  So, because nothing had progressed naturally where it needed to be, they started Pitocin at a low dose (a 2).  I knew going into labor that if I had Pitocin I was more likely to have an epidural because I knew the contractions were going to be more intense, but at this point I was still on the fence of epidural/natural delivery.

Once Pitocin started I felt the contractions get more and more intense as time passed.  They still weren't crazy painful but I definitely felt a little pain.  After I had been on Pitocin for a little bit, Suzannah checked me and I was at a 3.5cm so Dr. Lehnert came by at 6:30am and broke my water (that was painful and I just happened to have a contraction during the middle of the water-breaking, also unfortunate!)  After he broke my water I still could feel pain getting more and more intense but still very tolerable.  I practiced my yoga breathing to manage the pain, so when it got more painful I had a breathing pattern down.  I got a new nurse at 7am named Kelly who was also really nice and great.  Around 8:30am Tyler noticed that my IV had a kink in it and said "Oh let me help you with that" (famous last words)... since my IV had a kink in it, the Pitocin that I was supposed to be getting in doses was all backed up!  Right after he undid my IV I had the MOST painful contraction (compared to the other ones of just dull pain), it caught me off guard and was intense.  I threw up twice during it, it lasted a solid 4 minutes.  Miserable!  (THIS is the start of labor pain, I thought)  Kelly was confused because the last time she checked on me I was content and had a pain level of 2 on a scale from 1-10.  Then she walks in and I'm writhing, throwing up over the side of the bed and squeezing Tyler's hand/arm/leg/whatever I can grab.  My mom just happened to show up at this time in the room and tried to make conversation with me, I responded with "I don't really want to talk right now."... so mom went in the corner but her phone was going off and I was "Put your phone on silent!"  The atmosphere was intense to say the least, I was trying to cope with the contractions with everything I had.  The nurse checked me after that big contraction and I had dilated to a 4cm.  After she checked me I said I WANT AN EPIDURAL!  My goodness, the contractions were not letting up and they were a minute to a minute and half apart, lasting about 30 seconds each.  They kept getting more and more intense too.  It took an HOUR AND 45 MINUTES for the anesthesiologist (Dr. Belk) to arrive with the epidural.  Most painful 1:45 of my life, it seemed like I couldn't catch a breath before the next contraction started. I knew that I would have contractions during the actual insertion of the epidural because they were happening so close together.  I ended up having 3 the whole time he was there.  The nurse/doctor to tell you to stay still while the needle is being put in so the epidural is put in properly.  That was so hard!  It didn't take him long to put the epidural in but I had a contraction while it was happening anyway.  He numbed my back first, so the epidural needle was painless.

Ha!  Right after I got the epidural.  So happy to have a break from the pain!

I leaned back onto the bed and felt immediate relaxation.  The atmosphere of the room went from very intense to very relaxed in a matter of seconds.  Relief!!!  Soon after I got the epidural my sister came in and talked to me, I was so much happier at this point.  After the epidural had numbed my lower half Kelly checked me and I was at a 9.5cm and 100% effaced!  She said we would start pushing soon and I'd probably have Mason before noon (this was around 10am)!!  We waited until I was fully 10cm before we started pushing, but it didn't bother me any - "Oh I'm having an intense contraction?  Can't feel it!".  After waiting about 30 minutes we started pushing (so at 10:30am).  Kelly was coaching me through it, she was wonderful!  It took me awhile to figure out how exactly to push.  She had my legs in stirrups but since I couldn't feel them they were a little useless!  Tyler was on my right side and Kelly had my left.  After pushing a few times I realized that I could actually feel the pressure of a contraction coming on so I knew when I needed to push.  We pushed for an hour, waiting for contractions to come each time before I could push.  She also gave me an oxygen mask so after every push I put the mask on my face- I was addicted, it was so nice being able to breathe!  Since I had the cold it was hard to take those deep breaths (the breathing pattern for pushing was deep breath in, deep breath out, deep breath in, hold it, and push for 10 seconds).  During this hour Mason's head started to come out and they could see his beautiful blonde hair!  She asked me if I wanted to touch the head- gross, no- and if I wanted a big mirror so I could see the progress of what was happening down there... another no!  Ew no way just get him out I don't want to see what's happening!  Around 11:45am Dr. Lehnert and his crew came in, Kelly and Tyler still had my legs and Dr. Lehnert was at the end along with a few other nurses who handed him what he needed.  Before every push I kept saying "Yall ready?":) We pushed for 45 minutes and Mason was born at 12:31pm!  I ended up having a second degree tear, but no hemorrhoids (I did poop on Kelly once, oops).

When they took him out he was so purple.  He pooped on Dr. Lehnert.  Tyler cut the cord.  Mom was taking pictures.  I thought I'd cry a lot but I was so overwhelmed with emotions that I only cried a little- I couldn't believe I had just delivered a baby out of my body!!  It was amazing, hearing him cry (loudly) and seeing him for the first time.  I loved him immediately.  After they cleared his lungs, they put him on my chest with a blanket.  He was crying and wiggling and it was the sweetest sound!  He weighed 8 lbs, 13 oz, and measured 21 inches long.  I couldn't believe all that baby was crammed in my belly!

Tyler was by my side the whole time and we were just in awe of this creation God had given us.  People who give birth talk about how much they love their baby after, but I rarely hear of the dynamic between the husband-wife.  After going through the delivery, I am so much more in LOVE with Tyler.  He was a wonderful support person, and just incredible all around.  Watching him look at Mason and the overwhelming emotion he felt too made me so thankful that God had put us together.  I can't even describe the feelings I have for him now!

We tried breastfeeding within the first hour and weren't very successful.  We also had to stay in the delivery room until 2:55pm so they could make sure everything went ok.  Kelly rolled me in a wheelchair to our post-labor room (Room 5125) and that's where we stayed until Friday afternoon.