Birth Story

So I actually slept Monday, April 23. Much to my surprise. I thought I would not sleep at all, but surprisingly, I did.

We leave for the hospital at 5am on Tuesday, April 24th to check in to the hospital at 5:30am. No one on the road. Quite creepy. On the way there I asked Petey if he enjoyed our first pregnancy experience. We both agreed that it was the best experience we have had. I think we spoke too soon.

We get to the hospital right at 5:30am. I take a moment before I walk through the double doors of Labor & Delivery (L&D) to catch my breath. I know that the next time I walk out, I'll be holding my son. Very surreal.

So I go up to the desk of nurses and tell them we are here to induce my labor. They send me to the room where I would deliver my son. They start hooking me up to monitors, put in an IV (they had to do the IV twice), fill me with Pitocin and take my blood. I asked for an enema and they gave that to me as well. The IV hurt like heck because they put it in my hand - I would have prefered in my arm instead.

Then comes the questions - Breastfeeding? Yes. Circumcision? Yes. Rooming In? Yes. Who's with you during Delivery? Just Petey. Etc.

I also found out my blood type. Another mystery for 28 years. Of course, now I don't know the baby's, but all I know is that it's compatible with mine. Me and my mother are not compatible. Go figure!

So we wait. 6am, 7am, 8am, nothing happens. The nurse (and TCC nurse trainee) keep checking on me and upping the dosage of Pitocin every 30 minutes. The highest they said they would go is 42. Eventually I would make it to 24. Haven't seen the doctor yet. She must be busy. They check me - I'm at a 1, almost a 2, but my cervix is still WAY up there and needs to drop. Sigh. I think it's going to be a loooooooong day.

9am - The grandmothers and aunt show up. Nothing exciting going on in our room, just watching TV. I'm starting to have regular contractions, but they really don't hurt, I can just tell I'm having them.

During this time, the nurse keeps making me move from one side to the other. They couldn't get a good reading on GT and had me keep laying on my side and moving the monitors. She mentioned something about the Dr. breaking my water to find out what is the matter. Fortunately, we didn't have to do that.

Nature took it's own course:

10:30am - I had a contraction and felt a kick (or punch or headbutt) from GT. Then I start to pee on myself. I tried to hold it but realized I couldn't. "Oh crap, my water broke." I said. Mom and Petey are in the room and I start to freak out. Mainly becauase I'm "peeing" all over myself and can't stop. (Sorry, I wasn't a bed wetter so this feeling was scaring me a bit.) I call the nurse and they come in like 5 minutes later. "Congrats...Good Job...Way to Go" they say. That was a little annoying. I'm soaking the sheets, bed and myself and the nurses are waving their pom-poms in the air. They said the fluid is clear which is a good sign. They pat me on the back and leave. I guess they knew what was coming next.

Oh, lordy the contractions started. And now that I didn't have a "cushion" I really felt like there was a baby inside. And the contractions hurt like hell. Hurt hurt hurt hurt. They kept asking me on a 1-10 scale, what was I at. I kept saying a 7 because I'm sure there was something worse out there, but these still hurt like no other. I couldn't catch my breath before another one started. I tried to do my breathing and thought I did a good job for as much pain as I was in. But still the nurse put an oxygen mask on me so GT could get some better air to his body.

During a major contraction, I did tell Petey that we are only having one baby. I really meant it at the time.

1 hour and 45 minutes of pain. The nurse offered some drugs to "take the edge off" but I didn't want to take them, because of personal reasons. I could tough it out. They kept saying the pain doctor was on his way. It seemed like he was taking his sweet ass time.

12:15pm - the pain doctor finally shows up with my epidural. I immediately sit up and hold on to Petey. I'm ready to go, whether or not anyone else is. I thought I would be having contractions during this time. If I did, I didn't notice. I was too concentrated on getting the epidural. He starts the process but can only get the catheter up half-way because he kept hitting a nerve ending. He said it was fine, just be careful because it could come out. I said okay (breathlessly) and he finished taping it to my back.

Finally I get some rest. Nothing really hurts. I can tell I'm having contractions by the way my uterus tightens but they don't hurt. Petey and the family goes and eats lunch while I took a nap. I slept for about 15 minutes when the doctor shows up to say hello and tell me I'm doing well. Or at least I thought.

12:30pm - Doc tells me that GT is not handling the labor well. He heart rate declines when I have a contraction. And since labor isn't any easier, he could ultimately cause him to go in distress. She tells me she is going to watch him for an hour and see if it gets any better. If he doesn't, they will have to do a c-section and go get him. In my tired, drugged state the information really doesn't sink in.

My mother comes in about 5 minutes after the doctor leaves and I tell her what she said. About 15 minutes after that, Petey comes back from lunch. So much for nap time. I tell him what the doctor said that they might have to do a c-section. He's trying to understand why, and the doctor returns.

1:00 pm - GT isn't doing well with the contractions and she wants to go ahead and move forward with the c-section. She tells me that she's been delivering babies for 20 years and has always gone with her gut reaction and her gut said to do the c-section. I let out a big sigh and say okay.

Petey is upset and I start to cry. I cry a lot. He goes out to share the news with the family. The grandmothers & aunt come in and give me a big hug. Buckets of tears are shed. It was a mix of emotions. Scared, disappointed, tired, anxious.

I was immediately dissapointed (and still am) that I would not go through the pushing and working of delivery, all to feel that accomplishment at the end. I felt cheated out on the "normal" delivery and at least wanted to experience some of that. The only part I got are contractions.

I assumed that the c-section would be done in an hour or so, but the minute I said okay, they were scrambling. The pain doctor came in and gave me some more drugs, and he didn't leave my side until after George was born, which was nice. The nurse gave me some sort of medicine to stop/slow down my digestion. It tasted like Twang salt. They shaved my belly hair and got me all prepped to go. It was a blur of activity in the room.

1:30pm - The nurses wheel me out to take me to the Operating Room. Petey is walking next to me. I wave goodbye to my mom and my mother-in-law. I again cry. I cry because I'm scared but mainly because when I come back down that hallway, I would be a mother. "Officially" be a mother. It reminded me of my wedding day, walking down the aisle.

1:40pm - We get into the operating room and they move me over to the other bed. I'm pretty much just a slab of meat, I can't feel anything or do anything to help them. They send Petey out while they sterlize me. I see him in the little room off of the OR, watching over me carefully.

He says at that moment he gets scared. The doctor is in there with him scrubbing up and it took every bit of energy for him to not scream at her and say "The two most precious things in my life are on that table, please take care of them!!" He told me that she noticed his fear and she told him that when she was finished, he was going to follow her in to be with me during the c-section.

While he was in the room, I was still getting prepped. I did ask when he would be back with me and they said soon. I also noticed that they had a radio on and George Strait was playing. I thought that was appropriate, really, but a little strange.

So I ask when my husband will return and they all say "Soon." I was getting anxious as I know he was too. The nurses continued to prep me and up came the obligatory blue drape practically right over my neck.

10 months of hype, anticipation, excitement, fear and all I get to experience is a damn blue drape.

1:50 pm - The doctor and Petey return and take position. He's wearing his scrubs and mask and sits right next to my head and holds my hand. He's just focused in on me. I ask him if he is going to look and he says no. He just wants to make sure I am okay.

The pain doctor (sorry I don't want to type out anesthesiologist all the time) says that the doctor already made the first incision. Oh, okay, thanks for letting me know. Especially since I can't feel a thing.

So all I hear is silence with country music in the background. My eyes are locked into Petey's. They are both filled with fear. Fear of the unknown.

I start to talk and say things like "It's going to be okay," "We have people watching over us," "The baby will be fine," etc. Both our eyes fill with tears when we hear:

2:09 pm - "Hello! Aren't you a little conehead!" And then I hear a cat start to cry. A wave of relief passed over me that the baby is okay. The nurses take the baby, clean him up, weigh him and get him under the warmer. The nurses comment on how big he is. One nurse said they thought he would weigh 9 pounds. They weigh him (I'm guessing because I can't see anything) and say "2:09 p.m...8 pounds 5 ounces...20 inches long"

I didn't sob buckets like I thought I would. I was waiting for confirmation that the baby is fine. Petey was telling me that he has dark hair and big dark eyes. Typical, I thought.

Petey didn't want to leave my side. He didn't even cut the umbilical cord. He just wanted to stay with me and make sure I was okay.

The baby is wrapped up in a blanket and Petey is holding him. He brings him to me and I think OH MY GOD, this is my baby!

2:20pm - They finish sewing me up and move me to another bed. They put the baby in my arms and wheel me back to the recovery room where my family is waiting for me.

During the trip, I stare at my baby. I introduce myself to him ("Hi George, nice to meet you finally, I'm your mommy.") and then a wave of emotions come over me.

And I finally start to cry.

George Thomas Hendricks

April 24, 2007

2:09 p.m.

8 pounds 5 ounces

20 inches long