Karson was 3 weeks early, and while I knew that didn't guarantee I would go early with Ella, I was a little hopeful. At my 36 week appointment, my doctor asked if there was anything I was concerned about. I explained that we don't have a ton of babysitting options for Karson. I had everything figured out-who would watch him when. But-my mom works a half hour away, and Aunt Katie, works a half hour away, and we live a half hour from the hospital. Which meant we wouldn't be able to get to the hospital in a hurry if need be, unless we brought Karson with us. She told me, as long as I was dilated, she could induce me at 39 weeks. Weeks went by, and nothing. No sign that I would be going in anytime soon. The day of my 38 week appointment, I told my Mom that I was having mixed feelings about being induced. I was planning on having an epidural, and was given pitocin with Karson after my water broke-it wasn't that. It was losing the surprise, and because the baby was measuring so small, I was concerned about getting induced early...but at the same time I was absolutely miserable! I told my Mom I was half hoping I wouldn't be dilated, and wouldn't have the option of being induced. I explained all of it to my doctor-telling her I was hoping I didn't have the option, because I didn't know what to do. As miserable as I was, I was also thankful that I wasn't dilated. My doctor and I talked a little, and decided to schedule an induction for my due date on April 9th. I was still praying I would go on my own, but I was absolutely miserable!
Every morning that week I would wake up praying I would go into labor, and every day, there were still no signs of a baby anytime soon. As each day passed, I got more and more miserable. On Easter Sunday, we tucked Karson into bed, gave him a kiss, and headed to the hospital. We got checked in, I was given meds to start dilating, and we went to sleep. Monday morning we woke up...and nothing...not dilated at all. My Mom had come to the hospital first thing in the morning, after Aunt Katie came to watch Karson. I was thankful to have my mom there for support. A few hours later, we tried a different rout...and 4 hours later, I was dilated to a 3 and having some painful contractions. Karson came to the hospital at noon with Katie. I loved having him there. He sat on the bed with me, ate my jello, and played choo-choos. I was exhausted, and wanted to take a nap, so everyone headed to the waiting room so I could get some sleep, and Aunt Katie headed to work. I asked for some pain meds, and tried to fall asleep. And as hospitals go...as soon as I said I wanted to sleep, every doctor and nurse was in the room. I never did get my nap.
At 5:00 my doctor came in to check me and I was still 3 cm. I asked if I was going to be given pitocin...she looked at my IV and questioned the nurse as to why I wasn't given pitocin...TWO HOURS AGO. The nurse thought I didn't need it...so she took it upon herself to not give it to me. My dr. was less than thrilled with her. They hooked up my pitocin around 6:00, and I promptly asked for my epidural. Which, truth be told, I half jokingly asked for the night before as well. :) My Mom stayed with me while I got the epidural. DJ doesn't do needles, and sometimes Moms are just more comforting than husbands. I should have been tipped off by the anesthesiologist when he told the nurse I was tall. If you know me in real life, I am anything but tall. My Mom and I laughed, and quickly corrected him that I was, in fact, only 5' 3"...not tall. He finished my epidural, which took a lot longer than Karson's and said it was "a little to the left...but should be ok." I (probably not so nicely) told him that should was not acceptable. He insisted it would be fine. He lied.
An hour later, my doctor checked me and I was 5cm. My water broke, and instantly the baby's heart rate started dropping. My doctor, and a lot of nurses were in my room. I was moved to my left side, and given fluids to try to stop her heart rate from dropping. DJ, Karson, and my Mom had gone to the waiting room to let me try to sleep again, and I quickly texted them to stay by their phones because the baby wasn't handling the contractions well. They were back in the room in about 2 minutes. :)
About the same time...I started feeling contractions on my right side. By the time I got a nurse in the room, I was off the wall in pain...but only on my right side. I was sobbing, and annoyed that the nurses kept telling me "your levels for your epidural are just fine." Anesthesia kept telling me to push my "epidural boost button." It only worked every 20 minutes...I pushed it about every 20 seconds praying it would do something. The contractions got more and more intense, and anesthesia kept giving me meds to help with the pain, but nothing worked. Auntie Leesh had come, and was watching Karson in the waiting room, while my Mom and DJ were trying to help me relax through contractions. At one point a different doctor came in, to update me on the baby's heart rate, and I started crying. She asked me what was wrong...I wanted to scream "um..I'm in labor and the darn anesthesiologist screwed up my epidural." But I didn't. :)
My Mom had gone to check on Karson, and a little after 8:30 my doctor came in-I was crying so hard I could barely explain to her what was going on. She was asking everyone why I was in so much pain when I had been given an epidural, and what had been done about it. Had I have been able to, I probably would have screamed at the next nurse that said "her epidural levels are just fine." I remember lying there thinking it had been about 30 seconds since the last contraction, and crying, knowing there was another one coming. My doctor checked me and said I could start pushing, have my baby, and be done. I pushed twice, and at 8:42, Ellary was born. My doctor apologized for my "crappy epidural," and gave me a hug. I love my doctor. :)
Miss Ellary came fast. From the time my doctor walked into the room, until the time she was on my chest was no more than 5 minutes. Earlier in the day, I had told the nurse, as long as baby was ok, she was to be put on my chest, and left there for me to snuggle. I had Ellary for a few minutes, but because she had come so fast, she still had a bunch of junk that needed to be suctioned out. I remember not being able to see her from my hospital bed, because the rail was in the way. Everyone in the room told me how cute she was, and as soon as she started crying, she was promptly put back on my chest. Not more than 10 minutes after she was born, my Mom & Karson came in to meet their new Granddaughter, and sister. Karson crawled up on the bed with us, and gave his sister a hug and kiss. A little while later Auntie Leesh came in to meet Ella. DJ was holding Ella, when I started feeling sick to my stomach. I said I wasn't feeling well, and then a few seconds later told everyone I was going to throw up. Someone grabbed me a bucket, DJ grabbed my hair (while holding Ella) and my mom and Leesh blocked Karson from watching me throw up. I kept telling the nurse I was throwing up because of my reflux, and because I had not had anything but juice, water, and jello in over 24 hours. They quickly brought me something to eat. :)
Ella started acting hungry, and my Mom, Karson, and Leesh headed home. After all the problems I had nursing Karson, I was very much looking forward to nursing Ella. She quickly earned the nickname "barracuda" at the hospital, because she has such a strong suck, and always wanted to eat! After she ate, she got a bath. I brought my own soap and lotion for her from home. They gave her a bath in our room, and when she was handed back to me, DJ and I couldn't stop smelling her. She smelled just like her big brother! She fussed & nursed non stop until about 2am, she finally calmed down, fell asleep, and slept for 4 hours. She made it known from the very beginning that she just wanted to snuggle. DJ and I took turns-he slept while I nursed her, and I slept while he held her on his chest. We both were exhausted-but agreed putting her in the nursery just wasn't an option. After all-I didn't go through pregnancy and delivery to let someone else snuggle my little girl. :)
