birth

Thursday midnight I started feeling strong pains.  Mike had returned from his Thursday night soccer a little later than usual because some of the Irish lads had taken him out for a pre-fatherhood celebration (though he was on a 2 drink max with the prospect of having to coach me through labor on the horizon).  We set off to sleep, but I soon rose, in much pain.  Silly me, I thought it was extreme gastrointestinal pain, and didn't imagine that active labor had begun. This despite the fact that I was 4 days past my due date of September 30th.   For the next 4 hours I dealt with it on my own, between pains researching 'extreme gas while pregnant'.  None of my yoga moves were helping relieve the pressure and pain like they usually did when Louie would get into an uncomfortable position, and I was convinced something was very wrong.

At four AM I woke Michael.  "We might have to go to the hospital",  I told Mike.  "I think there's a problem."  When he got the full story, he convinced me to let him time the pains, even though I was fairly certain it was not labor.  Sure enough, contractions were in full swing, ranging from 3-5 min apart, lasting 45-60 seconds.  Still though, none of my yoga moves helped me deal with the pain, they only made it worse.  We labored for 4 more hours at home and at 8AM I was convinced we should get to the hospital and see if something was wrong or if I was in labor, and how far along I was.  We called a car service and took a slow ride to the hospital, 4 blocks away.  As we walked into the delivery wing, I was still partially convinced they would tell me I had bad gas.

But they confirmed my active labor, though let us know that baby hadn't 'dropped' and I was 3cm dilated.  They gave us the option of walking around hospital and seeing how things progressed or getting a room then.  We went for the room, so we could walk and labor in privacy -- and also because there was no guarantee that a delivery room would be available exactly when we wanted it if we walked around.  (A lot of hospitals in Brooklyn are closing and our hospital -- Maimonides -- was bearing the brunt of extra patients).

Once admitted, we labored for another 4 hours, but baby was still at as high a station as he could be and I was only 4cm.  It was at this point that I decided to take the epidural so I could rest and let my body continue with the contractions -- hoping that in a few hours it would be time to push.  No such luck.  Though the epidural allowed me to rest (thank god, as I'd been awake for 30 hrs straight, in active labor for 12), baby did not drop and contractions did not get stronger.  They gave me pitocin to augment contractions, and that did strengthen things - but still did not help enough to get baby low enough to start to push or further along delivery.  After several hours of this we had to begin the conversation about a possible C-section.  We decided to give it a few more hours, but little louie was putzing along, not that eager to give up his cozy spot inside.  At this point we decided to go ahead with a c-section, for various health reasons that would be complicated the longer delivery took..so far it had been 20 hours of active labor, about 10 since waters had broken.

C-section surgery was crazy and wild - I was alert the whole time, Mike by my side.  Though I was in no pain, it was a lot to stay calm through…but about 20 minutes into surgery Mike and I heard a loud baby's wail and the surgeons and nurses cheered, said 'Get that kid a lunchbox, he's ready for Kindergarten!'.  Mike and I, amazed, tired and overjoyed -- smiled, kissed, cried and began to relax.     He was born.