Life with the Lloyds: Birth Story

Things are finally getting back to normal around here--at least our new version of normal--so I figured its time to get back on the blogging bandwagon. First up, catching up on Nathaniel's birth story!

Saturday August 14, 2010 started out like any other day. Michael was on call the night before, so he got home early in the morning. I slept in and then got ready for the day. My friends threw me a work baby shower that day at noon, so I headed to Breadwinners around 11:45 am. The shower was great, and I felt good, although it was a really hot day and by the end of the shower I was ready to get home.

After the shower, I headed home, woke Michael up and we left for a Sunday School gathering at a friends place around 4 pm. We had to stop by the store on the way there and while getting our stuff, I had a few Braxton Hicks contractions. I didn't think anything of it and just made a mental note to drink lots of water when we got to our friend's house.

At the gathering, I felt off and tired. I was still having some Braxton Hicks, so I decided to chill on the couch and down some water. Well, the contractions kept coming. I finally started paying attention to when they were occurring and by 6:00 pm, they were about every 8-10 minutes. We went for a dip in the pool, which I thought would help things, but no such luck. Finally, around 7 pm, we headed home.

On the way home, I told Michael I was having these contractions, which were about every 5 minutes by this point. I still thought they were nothing and just BH contractions. We got home and I laid on the couch and drank even more water.

By 8:15 pm, the contractions were still happening about every 3-4 minutes and felt more like a menstrual cramp that radiated to my back with tightening of my uterus. I called a mommy friend who said that these contractions sounded like real contractions and not BH ones. So, we decided to call the on-call doctor. I spoke to the nurse on call (Emily, my doctor's regular nurse) who said they were probably BH and to lie down, take it easy and drink more water. If they got stronger or didn't stop after an hour, I was to call back.

At 9:15 pm, I called again because the contractions were still 3-4 minutes apart and were getting stronger. The doctor on call (Dr. Nokleberg) told me to go ahead and come in to L&D triage to get checked out. I was in complete denial I was in labor and kept trying to stop Michael from finishing packing my hospital bag.

We arrived at the hospital about 9:30 pm and I was checked by a triage nurse. Guess what, I was definitely having real contractions every 2-3 minutes and I was 3 cm dialated. Because I was 35 weeks and 6 days (I wasn't considered 36 weeks until midnight) and only 3 cm, my doctor wanted to wait and see if things progressed before admitting me. So, I was given some demerol for the pain since the contractions were getting uncomfortable and told to rest for a bit. The thought was the pain medicine would stop and false labor.

I was monitored and kept having regular contractions despite the pain meds, which just made me drowsy and woozy. Around midnight, the nurse checked me again and I hadn't changed any so my doctor moved me to a L&D room to continue to wait and see.

From midnight to about 4:30 am I had regular contractions that were very painful. I kept praying my cervix would dialate more so I could get an epidural or the contractions would stop. Michael was great the whole time and held my hands tight as I breathed through each contraction. I had another dose of demerol during the night as well since the pain was pretty strong.

Finally, after checking me at 4:30 am, I had dialated to 4 cm. My doctor ordered an epidural and officially admitted me--we were going to have a baby today!! Even at this point, I was still in shock! I couldn't believe Baby Lloyd was coming a whole 4 weeks early and was worried that everything would be ok.

I got my epidural around 5:00 am, and it was fantastic. The anesthesiologist did a great job and I was numb through my stomach and upper thighs, but could still move my legs and everything. The nurses changed shifts at 7:00 am and when the day nurse checked me, I was a full 4 cm and my bag of water was bulging.

Dr. Nokleberg came in at 8:00 am to check me--now 4-5 cm-- and she went ahead and broke my water. That really got things going and by 10:15 am, I was completely dialated and 100% effaced.

I started pushing at 10:15 am, all on my right side. Baby did not like me pushing on my left side or back--the heart rate would drop when I tried those positions. I pushed until 11:45 am, at which point, Dr. Nokleberg was called in to deliver the baby.

I could feel a ton of pressure in my pelvis and felt like I was pooping out a baby! I pushed through a few contractions with Dr. Nokleberg, and after even more pressure, Baby Lloyd was here!!! There was no reason I went into labor early, other than apparently he was ready to come. We are so happy and blessed he is perfect and doing great.