I had some pretty serious cramping starting halfway through dinner on Easter Sunday (the 23rd). The cramping lasted all night and through the next day and I just had a sense that things would be happening sooner than later. Monday night (the 24th) I had a really hard time sleeping. I was up most of the night with heartburn and was just unable to sleep.
The next morning Jeff left for work around 10 a.m. and I laid down on the couch for a little nap. I woke just before noon and decided that I had better get my butt in gear if I was going to get anything done that day. I rolled over to get off the couch when my water broke. I had a moment of "did that really happen?" then I beelined it for the bathroom.
I called the hospital first to see what they wanted me to do. They said to take my time (since Jeff had to come home from work to get me) but to get there fairly soon to be assessed. I then called Jeff at work and first told him not to panic... but that he needed to come home right away since my water had broken.
While I waited for Jeff I called my sister to put her on alert but told her not to rush out since if my water hadn't really broken, they were just going to send me home anyway. I then had a shower and packed a few last minute things into the hospital bag.
Jeff got home and packed the car then we were on our way. On the way we both decided we were hungry so we stopped for lunch (I know, I know... many people have told us how crazy we were for doing this... but who knew when we would be able to eat again!!).
In any case, we made it to the hospital at approximately 1:40 p.m. or so. I was taken to an assessment room where they tested to see if my water had broken. The test came out negative and since nothing had "leaked" since the first gush, they were pretty sure this was a false alarm. The doctor has to check everyone no matter what so they said that he would have the final say.
The doctor on call came in and did a different test and said that my water had definitely broken! He said that since my last ultrasound showed the baby being breech, he wanted to do another just to be sure. I told him that I had seen my doctor one week earlier and he had INSISTED that the baby was head down and that there would be no problems... boy was he wrong!!
As soon as they put the ultrasound wand on my belly I burst into tears; the baby's head was up under my ribs!!
For those of you who know me well you know that my two biggest fears were having an epidural and having a c-section... looks like I was going to have to have both!!
The doctor was very nice and explained about the c-section. He said that because my water had broken my body was going to go into labour on it's own and they didn't want that to happen. Jeff asked when they thought the c-section would take place and the doctor said he didn't know exactly but it would be today (the 25th)for sure. The time was now 2:00 p.m.
About 5 - 10 minutes later the nurse came in and informed us that #1 - the OR was empty and #2 - the anaesthesiologist was available so they would be taking me in at 3:00 p.m.
The next 30 minutes were a huge commotion. I called my parent's, Jeff's parent's and my sister. Then they drew blood, gave me an I.V. and inserted a catheter (word to the wise... if you have a student nurse who wants to give you a catheter... DO NOT LET HER!!)
By the time all this had taken place, we had about 5 minutes before they came with the wheel chair to take me away.
I was wheeled into the OR where they gave me a spinal block instead of an epidural. I will admit right now that it wasn't AS BAD as I had imagined... but I didn't really have a choice did I?!?!
Then I was lying on the table waiting for the doctor to arrive. I was given an oxygen mask (which made my hands and arms numb!) and Jeff was brought in. Jeff sat beside my head until they told him to stand up and see his son. He said that he stood up and the first thing he saw was my incision... then he followed the umbilical cord until he saw the baby! LOL
They then brought Michael around the sheet to show me. We all cried! Michael went over to the heat lamps to be warmed up and cleaned off. Then he was given to Jeff who came back to sit beside my head so I could see our little guy. They sat with me for a few minutes and all I did was stroke Michael's little head... I was speechless.
Jeff carried Michael to the recovery room, where Auntie Michelle was waiting, while they finished up with me.
The worst part of the whole ordeal was hearing the staple gun as they closed me up... YUCK!
The nurses cleaned me up and I was wheeled into recovery where I got to hold my baby boy for the first time.
While in recovery Michael was weighed and given his shot of Vitamin K.
After that Jeff helped wheel me to the room where all three of us would spend the next three days.
Thank you so much to every one who came to see us, who sent their congratulations, and for all the wonderful gifts we received. We are overwhelmed with every one's generosity and kindness!!
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