I never even made it that far.
Scarlett Elizabeth was eager to meet us (or she overheard me say that I really did not want to be pregnant the week of her due date, because of the forecasted heat, and was being a dutifully obedient daughter).
I was due last Friday, July 1, but she decided she didn't want to share her birthday with Canada after all.
Because I was pretty positive she would be late, I kept putting a few things on my baby to do list off. But a few days before I went into labour, I started getting the nagging feeling that I should probably get the diaper bag mostly together, and at least make a list for the hospital bag.
Saturday, I had this constant niggling that I would be going into labour soon. I had a few outward signs, for which I will spare you the gory details, but no contractions other than my usual braxton hicks.
I had tons of signs with Mia that I would go early, but ended up being a week late, so I tried to talk myself out of my instincts. Wisely I decided just to finish everything on my list (getting last minute baby things, dusting...), juuuuuuust in case. We told both of our mothers I was suspicious, but that it was probably nothing.
Gordon ended up hurting his back helping move a friend that evening, so I joked that of course I would go into labour now, when he was barely able to walk. If you recall he had severe food poisoning when Mia was born, and was pretty much an invalid. Seemed like the perfect storm.
I went to bed and woke up to a painful contraction at 1:15. A few more followed about 8-10 mins apart, but were too uncomfortable to sleep through. Plus I was starving, so I got up, had a snack, and walked around hoping they would go away. Gordon still happened to be awake... Guess he didn't trust my instincts very much or he would have gone to bed early!
At about 2 the contractions started coming every 5-6 minutes, so I decided to lie in bed and time them while catching up on Downton Abbey.
After another hour, they still hadn't let up and were every 4-5 min, so we decided to call my sister in law to see if she could come over and watch the kids. Normally I would have kept labouring at home until I was close to needing my epidural. But it was the middle of the night, and we weren't sure how many people we'd have to call before someone was able to come over. Luckily she picked up the phone, and being supremely awesome said she'd be ready for Gordon to pick her up.
I jumped in the shower to relax a little and by 4am we were driving to the hospital.
We decided to park residential and avoid paying for parking, so we must have been quite the sight making the trek from the car to emerg. The waddling labouring woman and her limping husband with the bad back.
At 430am they told me I was 3 cm. So I decided to go walk around and do some stairs for an hour, while leaving Gordon to rest. I called my mum at 530am, and she told me she was coming up right away.
At 6am I went back to the unit and was 4 cm. I still didn't want to be admitted yet, and be subject to undue intervention if things went slow, so Gordon and I went to the early labour lounge and tried to rest as much as I could for another hour, in between the contractions coming every 3-5 minutes. At 7am, I was 5 cm, and admitted at 730.
I was definitely thinking about getting my epidural in the next hour, but I jumped in the shower again to try and keep happy during shift change, and to give my nurse a chance to get sorted first, because I know what getting a new admit at shift change is like!
The OB came in with some encouraging words, and I was told there was going to be a c-section at 9am, so I could get my epidural before then or wait until after. I was definitely getting one before!
Except then there was an emergency c-section, and I knew my happy epidural dreams were postponed for at least 45 minutes.
1.5 hours later...
Contractions were strong. Every 2-3 minutes. I was just humming and breathing my way through them, and also wondering about this poor woman who needed an hour an a half section.
My nurse was awesome. She basically stood guard outside the OR, to make sure the anesthetist came straight to me after.
At 1020 I was starting my happydural dreams, but was only 6cm. I was a little annoyed that those 3+ hours of labouring only moved me 1cm, especially since it wasn't the epidural that slowed me down. They said Scarlett was still pretty high, and I knew from my labour and delivery days that she was probably not putting enough pressure on my cervix despite the strong contractions, meaning slow dilation.
I asked them about breaking my water which they did at 1120, and was still only 6 cm.
At 1220, I was 7cm, and they thought she was descending crooked, and my contractions had eased up a bit. They wanted to wait another hour and possibly start some oxytocin to get things moving again. I had a nightmarish experience being on the drip with Isaac for 6 hours and only at 3cm, with no epidural. But since I was 7cm, and had an epidural, I figured we might as well get the show on the road.
My epidural was only working well on the one side, and with every contraction I was having lots of painful tailbone pressure, but only on the right side. They didn't want to start the drip until I was comfortable so I got a top up, which made my legs pretty dang heavy and I turned and repositioned myself a few times trying to find a sweet spot where Scarlett's heart rate was happy and I was comfy.
An hour later at 120, they started the drip on the lowest dose and I was still only 7cm.
By this point I was exhausted. I had been awake for 12 hours with only two hours of sleep before that. I had barely eaten anything-a couple pieces of toast and a muffin. I was mildly discouraged. After 5 cm, I progressed really quickly with both Isaac and Mia, so this wasn't living up to my 3rd labour expectations.
I started feeling the contractions get stronger again, and an hour later at 220 the OB (who by the way was fabulous) checked my progress. Thankfully he said I was a "9.5" and then 10cm with the next contraction.
I regretted just finishing a reese's peanut butter cup then, because pushing always makes me feel nauseous.
I started pushing at 230, and after just a few contractions the OB was called in for delivery. My track record for pushing time with the other two was 2.5 hours, and 45 minutes, so I felt like a rock star.
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| Gordon thought we needed a selfie of the moment |
Unfortunately I tore along all my old scar tissue, so required 45 minutes of stitching.
And that ladies is the real reason I get an epidural. Can't beat being comfortably numb for a few hours after that.
Gordon and I had a 3 girls names to choose from, but when I looked at her, I saw Scarlett. I didn't tell him, and when I asked him which one he thought she looked like, he said Scarlett.
That pretty much settled it.
And no...it is not after Scarlett O'Hara. There are few movies that make me want to poke my eyes out more than Gone With the Wind.
Meeting big brother and sister!
Proud grandparents!
First family picture!
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