Speed's Birth - some of the gory details

First the facts: 7 pounds, 15 ounces, 20 inches, 8:31 pm on May 21, Speed Russell Wall.



As for the story, nothing terribly graphic - I promise. :)

So let's take this saga back to my 35 week appointment. Since it was only the second time I'd seen my new OB (had to get a new one when we moved down to Phoenix) and I'd been having some contractions, she decided to check me and I was already 2 cms. Not a big deal since many women walk around that dilated for quite a while. Then at my 36 week appointment, I was 3 cm. Then at my 37 week appointment, I was 4 cm. (Are we seeing the pattern yet?) So yep, at by 38 week appointment (which was Friday), I was 5 cm. Longest latent labor ever (ok, probably not but still!).

So Jacob and I had a nice chat with my OB and the three of us decided that since I didn't want to possibly give birth in the back seat of the car, that maybe I should just go ahead and get induced. When the OB called the hospital, they said they'd have room for me that afternoon, which was I was hoping they would say (yes, I was that tired of being pregnant).

So we went home, got our stuff together and waited for the phone call telling us it was time. The hospital called around 2:45 pm, so we loaded up the car, dropped Hazel off at Jacob's brother's house and got to the hospital a little after 3 (it's very close to the house). So after filling out all the registration paperwork again (the woman who was admitting me was in training - she couldn't get my preregistration stuff to show up on her computer so she just made me to it again, though someone else found it for her as we were finishing up), we got up to our room around 4.

Shortly after getting settled, the doctor broke my water and started the pitocin (sp?) not long after that. I lasted about two hours before I was in dire need of an epidural. I was about 6.5 cm right before the epidural was put in. It did take the anesthesiologist two tries to get in place but other than that, the epidural was uneventful and very, very welcome. So the epidural kicked in...and then it seemed to stop working after about 30 minutes. Once I really started to hurt, the nurse came to check me and I was already to 10 cm. So I guess I can forgive the epidural for not blocking all the pain when my body decides to dilate almost 4 cm in less than 90 minutes.

I had to hold off on pushing because my doctor was in the next room delivering someone else who got to 10 cm first, but in the end I think being forced to wait probably helped the baby drop lower and made pushing easier. I pushed through 4 contractions, so about 12 pushes and he was out!

The whole experience was so vastly different from Hazel's birth that I'm still a little boggled by it. It was very fast and relaxed and easy (though with that comment I probably just jinxed myself for the next one). I was honestly smiling between pushes. I did end up with a small tear, but nothing like what I had with Hazel (too graphic for here - just know that it was bad).

My recovery so far has been really good (again, so different from when I had Hazel). Here's hoping it keeps going well. :) For those interested in this type of thing, nursing is going MUCH better than with Hazel. Again, here's hoping that keeps up. He's a cute little boy and we're very excited to have him added to our family. Hazel's still getting used to him and is showing a bit of jealousy already (basically she wants me to hold her while I'm feeding him and there just aren't enough arms unfortunately). She does like to look at him and says "baby uh-oh" when she sees him. I'm not sure if she's decided that's his name (when she sees pictures of Noah, she calls him "Baby No") or a statement of her opinion of the situation. :) I'm sure we'll all get used to the changes in our life with time.