Okay, so I know that I have been slacking, but I have been a little busy....just a little:)
After Dave's long detailed post (A for effort) a whirlwind of events followed. We checked in around 3:30 and got settled in to our labor and delivery room. We did not realize that there was a difference between labor/delivery rooms and the postpartum rooms. I think Dave was a little disappointed when he realized that he had to sleep in a recliner that when fully reclined was still at a 45 degree angle...I guess he had to share in on my pain somehow:)
Around 6 pm I was given my first Cytotech insert. This is meant to ripen the cervix and get it softer and possibly to dilate. 6 hours later at 12 am I was given another Cytotech insert since I had made NO progress. I started contracting shortly after the 2nd insert, however, they were like mild menstrual cramps and I was able to sleep through most of them. When they checked my progress in the morning I was only at a fingertip, and the way they figure this out is when they can fit (squeeze) their fingertip into your cervix....OOOOOWWWWWWWWEEEE!!! Holy mother of God!! At that point I told Dave, "If I can't handle a fingertip going in, how am I going to handle a head coming out!!!??".
Let me take a minute to mention what an AMAZING labor coach and husband/daddy Dave has been through all of this. Throughout the beginning he was constantly noticing that my IV needed to be replaced and if he thought something wasn't right he would ask the nurses. He did whatever he could throughout the labor to get me through each contraction. I could have never remained so calm or made it through everything so easily without him.
After walking circles around the nurses station with still no dilation progress they decided to give me pitocin in hopes of getting me to dilate. I was contracting every 2-3 minutes already so they gave me a low dose. The pitocin brought on some stronger contractions and we noticed that after some of those contractions Mr Bun's heart rate was decelerating sometimes. Around 2 pm the Dr came in and when he checked my cervix and seen that I was only at 1 cm he said, "let's get this show on the road". I was excited to hear that, but not so excited when I realized this meant he was breaking my water. People say it is a gush, more like a stream that just flows and flows.
Breaking the water made my contractions REALLY strong. Every 2 minutes I was contracting in the 80's. The birthing ball really helped me through each one. At one point I thought that I could lay down in the bed, but no sooner than I sat back I was struggling to get back up, not so comfortable. After about 4 hours of contractions I was only at 2 cm...2!!! The nurse said on "average" women dilate about 1 cm an hour and with a first baby have about 2-3 hours of pushing. I sat there in pain tabulating the hours in my head. When I figured out that I had a long way to go I gave in and asked for an epidural. I thought that with my request would come a quick response and pain relief, but it took an hour before the nurse anesthetist came in to give it to me. The epidural was instant euphoria. They asked me how the contraction I was having felt and I was dumbfounded...I was contracting???:) I could still wiggle my toes and move my legs a little, but there was no more pain. My mom and Kelli showed up about 15 minutes after the drugs and I was happy and gregarious. My little sister Kelli said, "He needs to get here now", little did she know that her demands would soon be met. After only 45 minutes of painless contractions and continual decelerations in Mr Buns heart rate they decided it was time to get Mr Bun out of there.
That was the moment of truth and I got really emotional because I knew that very soon we would be meeting him face to face. Very soon is an understatement. The anesthesiologist came in and gave me some happy juice which worked quite well I might add. I told him and the Dr that they looked like Laverne and Shirley with their hairnets on:) They wheeled me into the OR at 8:13 and at 8:25 pm he was here!!! It was amazing!!! I could not see what was happening but watching Dave's excitement and happiness was the BEST!!! When I heard him crying for the first time I just broke out in the happiest tears ever. It was a moment I will never forget....true bliss!!! He weighed in at 7 lbs 9 oz and 21.5 in long.
The 4 year wait for Logan David Johndrow was well worth it...all good things come to those that wait, but what we received was beyond our expectations and worth each and every day. He is our perfect little man and we feel like the luckiest two people in the world.
Our first family photo:)
Since I had a c-section we had to stay in the hospital for 4 nights instead of 2. At first, i was really bummed out about this because this meant that we would not be coming home until Fri at 11:00 am so Dave's week off would all be hospital time. We quickly realized how nice it was to be in the hospital. The nursery staff was AMAZING. I could not tell you how many times we made late night calls to ask if something was normal or OK. The nurses for me were also amazing. We got to know a few of them and they made our stay so much easier.
The first two nights were a little rough because I was still pretty sore and the one side effect I had from the anesthesia was crazy itching. I am talking scratch your flesh off itching. I had to wear these pressure cuffs on my legs because of my clotting problems and I would itch so bad underneath them. It was horrible. I was also just down right dirty. I showered Sunday morning before we went to the hospital and I was not able to take a shower again until Wednesday morning....ewwww gross!! I have the thinnest hair and it gets greasy within one day of not washing so imagine how gross it was. One of our friends asked if I had motor oil in my hair, funny now, not so funny then:)
One awesome thing about the hospital was the food. You could order whatever you wanted. I was obsessed with grilled cheese and vegetable soup in the beginning and the oatmeal and waffles with blueberries for breakfast was sooooo good!!! I was ready to go, but I was sad to say goodbye to some of those awesome nurses. That hospital room was like our studio apartment for a week and we made the best of it. I think we were delirious half of the time and therefore we found everything to be hysterical:) Two nights would not have been enough.
.JPG)
