Air Force Wife ~ Country Mommy: Gabriel's Birth Story

*****Coming once I have a chance to sit down and type it*****

**37 weeks with Gabriel**

May 16, 2012:

I already have been having high blood pressure and have been told to look out for all the warning signs. Well, at almost 38 weeks, I started having a bad headache that Tylenol wouldn't fix. Which was a big flashing red "No-No". So I called my doctor and we decided that since I live an hour away(not including traffic) from the hospital that I should be induced. So, I call Jonathan, get Daniel ready, finish packing all of our bags, and get it all in the truck. We get Jonathan to our friend's house and get to the hospital around 3 or 4 pm. I finally get put on cervidil later that evening and am about 1cm dilated. If that much. The contractions weren't all that bad, but were there. So I was hopeful. Especially after the labor that I had with Daniel, which I was given cervidil then as well.

May 17, 2012:

Got through my first round of cervidil....nothing. Maybe a tiny bit effaced and maybe a full 1cm, but that's it. So I get started on another round of cervidil. Of course, it doesn't help that my blood pressure is sky high which means I can't walk. So this little stinker is just floating around in there instead of having gravity help work him down. Still hopefull though because I went through 1 1/2 rounds of cervidil with Daniel and then BAM there he was. Why wouldn't it be the same this time right? Hahahaha Thank you again God for those little humbling moments where I know you're up there laughing at me and saying something like "Haha Little did you know!". The contractions started to get pretty bad so I asked for some meds to help finally. I ended up getting two shots of pain meds. They didn't last long, maybe an hour and they didn't completely take the pain away. But I hadn't slept since the night before we came to the hospital(which for those of you keeping track, was 1 night and 2 days ago), so it was enough to let me at least half way pass out. All I really remember was feeling drunk and all wishy washy feeling.

That evening I was allowed to walk for a little bit and shower. Praise the Lord. Only being able to walk from the bed to the bathroom(about 15 steps, no I didn't actually count lol) was definitely not enough.

Late that night/the very early morning, I finally get my epidural and pitocin. Sweet heaven. Pain free and boy did I pass out. Of course I didn't finally pass out until around 2 or 3 am(morning of May 18). And I had to wake up every hour or two so that I could rotate onto my other side. But hey, it was better than nothing. At this point I was about 2cm(again, if that). Hope of him coming quickly was quickly dissolving into lots of prayers that he would at least come at some point. And without having to have a c-section.

May 18, 2012:

Morning comes and I ended up not sleeping that much. But what little I did get was wonderful. Of course, now my biggest issues are that my blood pressure is even higher and my left leg is total dead weight. I can't even begin to feel that darned thing. But hey, I also can't feel the contractions so I'm not about to complain. At least my body is somewhat finally starting to cooperate though. I'm actually dilating! I finally made it to about 4cm, which meant they could(and would) break my water. Hope finally making it's way back but still sending many prayers that he just comes at some point.

Finally, it's time. A little after 1pm and I am fully dilated and effaced. They ask if I want to start pushing or wait and let him work down further. Let me say that again...they ASKED if I wanted to start pushing! DUH! Let's get this little bugger out of there! So, we set out on our task and start pushing. With much help from Jonathan because that left leg... Yeah, it's still dead weight. So he had to pick it up, hold it, and then put it back down for me. Poor thing, I just don't know how he survived hehe. It feels like it's taking a while because I can't really feel the contractions and it seems that Gabriel dug himself into the upper right side of my uterus. Great. But I'm not about to give up now. So, I keep pushing. Doing really good and while they think I'm at the long waiting point, my doctor says she will be right back, but for me to keep pushing. My nurse advises that she stay, but she says she will just be a few seconds. So, I push again. One time and he's about to fall out. So my nurse frantically tells me to stop and calls for my doctor. Doctor rushes back in and gets set up just in time for me to be able to pop him out.

Gabriel Solomon was born at 1:58 pm May 18, 2012 after only 40 minutes of pushing. He was 7lbs 14oz and 19in long. So much for my big baby theory hehe. He looked like an exact replica of his big brother and took to breast feeding just as well as big brother had. And we were all so happy for him to be here.

May 19, 2012:

Time to go home right? Wrong. Yeah, blood pressure still too high, taking meds for it, and now my wrist is swollen and in pain where my IV port had been. Great.

May 20, 2012:

After my blood pressure goes down a little bit and much begging, I got to go home! Finally. I ended up having to see my doctor every week for about a month or so. I also had to keep taking the blood pressure meds the whole time. And my wrist stayed swollen for a good month or so as well. It was slowly going down, but I couldn't do anything with that hand it seemed. It just hurt way too bad. Which made breast feeding quite difficult. But other than that I was feeling great! Not sore or anything from the actual delivery or anything. Which was a very welcomed surprise(even though it was the same way with Daniel). But hey, just about everything other than the quick actual delivery had been different, so why wouldn't that? I guess God saw fit to be merciful. And I was oh so thankful that he was =)