Pre-Labor…
I was admitted late Friday night (9/26) to the hospital after one of my bags of water (yes, there are two) starting trickling out. Talk about God’s timing, Bob had gone out that night for the first time in forever for Paulie’s birthday at the Tonga Room. We had even discussed him staying out late since I would definitely be asleep after chowing down on a double cheeseburger, baked potato and sourcream AND chili, chips and cheese from Wendy’s. (Not to mention the fruit punch I had to slyly pull away from the papa-to-be less he finish it before I had a sip) Once my water broke, I called Rex since he was close by to see if he could take me to the hospital since Bobby was up in SF. As I was getting dressed I heard someone come in, turned around and it was Bob. The minute dinner was over, he had a pang in his tummy that wouldn’t go away, begged off of the bar hopping and headed home to arrive exactly the minute that I needed to go.
The weekend was spent first wondering if my waters had broken (yes), pulling out the cerclage (which the attending doc was happy to wave around and showing me – ewwwwww), and taking triple shots of terbuteline to stop contractions and double shots of steroids to help develop the baby’s lungs, and a continuous drip of magnesium sulfate (no side effects thank goodness! – it really pays to have high tolerance) …. The weekend was all about stopping contractions, keeping me strapped to the bed – complete with many barbie-goes-to-the hospital (IV, multi bag drips, catheter and the ever-present pink water jug) and praying praying that the baby would stay in until he was big enough to be delivered.
Bobby and I were set on thinking that I was in for more bedrest, in the hospital, for another few weeks. So it was an utter shock when my doctor (who was on duty that Monday) came in bright and early at 7:30 am and said hey …. it’s a great day to have a baby.
After reviewing the monitoring strips, she had detected that every time I had a contraction, though they were mild for me, the baby’s heartbeat would dip alarmingly. So after an ultrasound that reminded me of the little red booths (like outside of Payless, something like the horsey rides) where for a quarter you could watch Woody Woodpecker cartoons, it was determined that the baby was somewhere in the 5lb range which gave him a good chance at surviving without things like a ventilator, or additional oxygen, we decided to proceed with the labor.
The fun begins …
At noon, I was put on pitocin to START the labor. And nothing happened for 4 hours. We watched the monitor for contractions, watched cable and hung out. Pastor Kevin came by, we laughed and prayed and watchted the monitor some more. I sent my family home, thinking it would be hours yet and around 4, Paulie and Lu went to get something to eat, Mama Mijo took off and Bob and I were alone together. A jaunt to the bathroom started real teddy bear crushing contractions, but we rode the waves together with Bobby coaching and me clenching til almost 6 pm.
Nurse Laura comes in and says that she wishes she could stay for the birth but she got off at 7, and it seemed like it would be a while. Not 5 minutes after she left, I had a tearing contraction along both sides of my tummy (before they had just been on the left side) and we called her back. She decided to check for dilation and I was at an 8! She jams outta the room to get Dr. Burrs, she has to double check the dilation and the circus begins. Within 10 minutes the entire delivery team is in my room except for the pediatrician who had gone to dinner. By this time, I’m beginning to go outta my head with the pain and the need to push. Dr. Burrs takes one look at me and says incredulously – Are you pushing?? Stop! Stop pushing right now. Hello, what am I supposed to be doing?? She says – Blow out the birthday candles. Whaaaaat?!?! Bobby and I look at each other and look and her and yell – We didn’t take that class! We don’t know what you’re talking about. Nurse Laura comes to the rescue with puff puff blow.
I can’t believe that I’m waiting for the pediatrician to finish her manicotti when there is something trying to come outta my body. Finally Dr. Scobel arrives and everyone is primed for labor. I look around and Carla, my midwife is there too. Thank goodness someone called her in. It’s like having every member of your dream team with you at the crucial three pointer of your life.
Now everyone’s a coach and giving me non-stop directions, lift this, move that, grab these, push here, breathe here. So one big push, and it’s fierce. Another big push and everyone’s cheering and coaching ….. So now everyone in the room is primed for the next big push and it’s like slow clap with a life of it’s own – except I’m the only one who can get this baby outta me. STOP. So I take a big breathe and tell everyone to RELAX, that it’s gonna be a minute. The whole room stops, looks up at me and bursts into laughter. I guess usually they have to tell the mother-to-be to relax and here I am telling them. After our little rest period, I bear down and push like there’s no tomorrow. When you feel that slip and slide of something coming it’s awe-ing. I don’t have words. But obviously I have lungs as I screamed nonstop until Ryan pops out – and it was caught on video tape courtesy of the digital daddy.
So no epidural, no c-section, total active labor time 1 hour and 44 minutes. Robert Ryan makes his way into the world on Monday, September 29, 2003 at 6:44 PM weighing an amazing 6 lbs, 7 oz at 19 inches long needing no oxygen, no ventilator (amazing stats for a “32-weeker” – 8 weeks premature) This kid comes screaming into the world with a loud cry and a full, full head of hair. He’s perfect.
Not only did I have a short short labor (guess it’s a trade off for the hours and hours of bedrest and incompetent cervix) my nurses went home on time. I’m still in shock, and keep asking Carla if that’s it, that’s all there is to it. She says, yup – it’s all beginning now.
And it’s a blast.
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