Caius is here!

~~My Labor Story~~

Monday July 23, 2012
I put in a full 8 hour work day, working from 12:30pm til 9:00pm.  All day feeling very "crampy."  I pushed through the day, taking it hour by hour since it was freight day (the hardest day of the week for me at work). I wasn't hungry all day but forced some lunch down at around 3.  When I got home I got right into the bath tub.  The bath helped the cramping a lot.  I came downstairs and layed on the couch not wanting to eat any dinner.  At 11:20 pm, as I was laying on the couch and heard/felt a "pop." It was the strangest feeling.  It sounded almost like a cracking knuckle.  I wasn't sure what it was at first but had an idea.  I went and used the restroom and the liquid just kept-a-coming.  Strangest feeling ever!  At that point I started to panic. I was still about 3 weeks early and I was NOT prepared.  I dug out the paper that my doctor gave me about what I should do when I went into labor.  It said if my water breaks call labor and delivery and go right in.  I called labor and delivery and asked the nurse how long I had to get in to the hospital.  I still needed to get the rest of my "to go" bag ready and shave my legs. I was not going to go in for 2 days with hairy legs!  So we got the last few things into the bag and I quickly showered and shaved my legs and we were on our way to the hospital!  We checked in about 12:15am on the 24th. 

Tuesday July 24, 2012
After checking into labor and delivery, they took me to my room.  As soon as I got to my room the contractions started.  NOT fun!  That was a unique feeling, the weirdest pain.  The nurse checked me and I was only 1.5 centimeters and 70% thinned. Not the progress I was hoping for.  Just 6 days before I was 1 centimeter and 70% thinned.  I layed in the bed for 4 hours contractions getting stronger and closer, so I thought.  The nurse checked me at 4:00 am and I was only dilated to a 2.5.  At that point the nurse said I could finally get an epidural.  She originally told me I had to wait until I was dilated to a 3.  I was pretty much begging at this point.  I needed an IV first and it took them 30 minutes and 2 tries to get it to me.  Apparently their were 4 babies born at once so they were short handed.  I finally got the IV and then the anaesthesiologist came.  I was so scared for the needle and what I had heard of epidurals.  I started joking with the doctor and before I even knew it, I had my epidural.  It really did not hurt one bit and I didn't even feel it go in.  Relief started in a few minutes.  And there I sat, slept, tossed and turned, contraction after contraction for 16 hours (total).  I was not progressing fast.  I was hooked up to so many medications that the nurses were laughing.  I had my saline IV, 2 types of insulin, pitocin, and an antibiotic.  Lots of medicine!  Since I wasn't progressing the nurses kept turning up the drip of pitocin.  Every time they would turn int up, the baby's heart beat would drop and stress him.  So they had to turn it up very slowly. Early afternoon my family had come and said hello and hung out for a while.  Then at 4:00 pm the phone rang in my room.  The nurse came running in waking me up and handing me the phone.  It was Dr. Horsley.  He told me that since I had been in labor for so long and that my water had broken there was a specific window that we had to get the baby here.  He could let me labor for a couple more hours, but I was only dilated to a 5 and he didn't think I would progress enough to have a vaginal birth.  He wanted to take me to the OR for a cesarean.  It was 4:00 pm and he said the baby would be here within the hour.  I was a little scared but knew I would do whatever I had to do to get baby Caius here safely.  At 4:30 I was wheeled into the operating room.  My new anaesthesiologist started giving me all kinds of medication through my epidural.  At that point I started to shake.   I have never felt that way in my life and it was really scary for me.  I was shaking violently and could not make myself stop.  Jody was right by my side holding my hand keeping me calm and helping me breath.  I was really scared.  I didn't know what to expect and I wanted my baby safe.  At 5:10 pm Caius entered the world.  We heard him whimpering and then they held him up around the curtain.  What a beautiful baby!  7 pounds 15 ounces and 20 inches long.  A good sized baby for being nearly 3 weeks early! 

I made Jody go with the baby while I got put back together.  That was an experience in itself.  So much pressure!  I felt like they were pushing all of my guts into my rib cage making me want to throw up.  But no, I got more medicine for that.  After I got stapled up, Jody came back and we sat together in recovery for about a half hour with the baby.  It was a great bonding time for us all.  I was a little delirious at that moment.  Then they wheeled us all to the Mother and Baby floor to our room.  All of the parents got to peek at the baby in the nursery.  Later they came to our room to hold Caius. Everyone was so excited!

 Proud Grandpa

Grandma in love!

What an amazing evening.  One I will never forget.  We have waited so long for this miracle baby to join our family and we are now feeling complete.  I cant imagine life without little Caius.  Jody is such an amazing daddy.  The pride on his face when he saw Caius for the first time will never be matched.  We are both so thankful for this bundle of blessings. 

Side note:  I know Jody's mom and Doug's pictures are not shown.  They were taken on a different camera and I will be adding them as soon as I get them.