Luke's Story

So Tuesday night (December 29Th), I finally started to pack my labor bag right before going to bed. I got tired of it and thought, "I have 12 more days to do this," so off to bed I went. As I was getting into bed, Matt leaned over and placed his hand on my belly. He told me that he thought I was contracting. I brushed him off and got out of bed to use the bathroom (curses of pregnancy . . . shrinking bladder.)

I was getting ready to get back in bed when I looked at Matt and said, "I just pee ed my pants!" Matt disagreed and thought that my water broke. All the information that I had read about having your water break talks about it fluid smelling sweet (which this definitely did not) and would have a pinkish tint (which I didn't have.) I called the L&D triage nurse for my hospital to ask what I should do. I wasn't having any contractions and I had an appointment with my nurse practitioner in the morning. She told me to put on a pad and if I continued to have any more fluid to call her back right away. Well, after 5 minutes my pad was soaked with more fluid to follow! I called the nurse back and she told me to come in. I was thinking "Crap! I have to finish packing that labor bag!"

So off to the hospital we went. We had to go to the ER since the hospital doors were locked and they ran me up stairs to L&D as fast as possible (never mind that I wasn't having any contractions yet.) After I got checked in, the midwife check me out and told me that I was dilated at a 1-2cm and that since my blood pressure was high I could get an epidural as soon as my blood work came back (which was 2 hours later.)

In the meantime, my contractions started to become more regular and more painful as time went on. I begged to have something to tie me over until I could get my epidural. I was given Morphine which did absolutely nothing. The only thing that made me feel better during my contractions was to be up walking when I had them, but since my blood pressure was I high I had to stay in bed.

I finally got my epidural (Horrah!) The nurse was telling me that she thought I would be delivering in the morning to try and get some rest (this was at 3 am.) Well, I tried and I tried, but I couldn't. Either it was the epidural or labor, but I was shaking intensely and couldn't stop. So I watched movies and talked to Matt's MD sister Malinda to pass the time.

They started me on pitosin at 6am because my epidural made my contractions irregular. They decided to check me and found out that I was dilated at an 8. They told me to let them know right away when I felt the urge to push. Not even an hour later, I was ready to push. They checked me again and I was dilated at a 10 rearing to go. After 40 minutes of intense tiring pushing, out came Luke!

It was quite the day! I thought that since this was my first baby that I was going to be late (nope), have a 20+ labor (nope), be unable to push and have a c-section (nope again.) Either way, we are just glad to be home with our little boy!