Somewhere between 8 and 9 am, the doctor started the Pitocin, broke the water, and the anesthesiologist gave me an epidural. All was well.
Somewhere around 11:30, I started really feeling the contractions, which was odd - I had been numb earlier from the epidural so we knew it had worked. The anesthesiologist authorized a little boost of medicine. Within just a few minutes, I started to feel ill... which was the first sign my blood pressure was dropping pretty quickly. Clearly I was not tolerating the "boost" very well. Once Eli and I were stable again, I was able to rest because the boost did seem to work to lessen the discomfort.
Somewhere around 1:15-1:30, I was so uncomfortable that it was time to call the anesthesiologist again. He decided to administer a different drug along with a dose of epinephrine to keep my blood pressure steady. It helped lessen the discomfort a little. At this point, I was still very frustrated by how much I hurt given how much medicine had to be coursing through my body!
We waited about 15 minutes for the medicine to take effect. Then, my family stepped out so the nurse could check our progress. Before she left, dad said, "When do you think we'll have a baby?" The nurse says, "4:oo or 5:00." Dad says, "You mean 2:00?" The nurse says, "No, I really think 4:00 or 5:00."
Family steps out of the room, assuming for just a moment. Time check is around 1:45. Nurse checks our progress, looks at me and Jonathan, and says, "I think your dad was right. You're going to have a baby around 2:00."
The next few minutes were a blur... I forgot to mention that there are a LOT of babies being born back to back. All the doctors and nurses were swamped. My doctor was in the OR. The nurse yelled down the hall that she either needed a doctor or help, because we were having a baby. I truly thought Jonathan and this sweet little nurse were going to deliver Eli by themselves!
The doctor made it to the room in time for the last push... hmmmm, maybe I really should give Jonathan and the nurse credit for delivering the baby! They did pretty much everything!
The good news is that second little boost of meds in the epidural got me through the delivery!
Whew! What a whirlwind of a morning, but a sweet sweet reward by the afternoon!
Here I am the morning of his birth, playing the waiting game!
And here's Eli! Welcome to the world little man!
1 comment:
what a great story Sarah (minus all of your pain of course).... he is absolutely precious!! my first thought was he looks just like your dad!
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