7:45 AM: Here we come Triage. I couldn't even check myself cause the contractions were so bad. I just wanted to walk immediately into a labor and delivery room, but of course I needed be admitted into Triage first. Taking off my clothes to get on the gown proved to be a little more difficult than I had ever imagined because the arms holes have weird snaps and so I just stood naked in the room waiting for the nurse to come in and help John and I try to figure this contraption out. Finally, the nurse came in, fixed my gown and checked me and I was already 6-7cm and my water still had not broken. She said that I was ready to go and they called the anesthesiologist to perform my epidural so that it would be ready for me when they wheeled me down to my room. That's right, I didn't even walk down to L&D cause the contractions were coming so fast and strong.
Once I was in my room, the contractions were fast and furious and I really didn't want to answer any of the questions they were asking me. I also don't remember what any of them were except for when the nurse asked me If I had wooden teeth. After I said no and got through the contraction, I was really confused as to why the hospital has to ask us that kind of question. She said that it was protocol.
Then the anesthesiologist came in, the nurse sat me up and I was ready to go. The numbing medicine, of course, hurt really bad but oddly enough the epidural hurt as well. There was a ton of pressure in my back and they had to redo the spot where they put it in. I just wanted the pain of the contractions to end because when I was breathing (i.e. groaning and moaning) I was actually bearing down and they really didn't want me to do that. So back to deep breaths that were incredibly uncomfortable but it was worth it cause in about 3-5 minutes the epidural kicked in and I was starting to feel much better. Then I had time to call my mom and let her know what was going on and check on Luci to see how she was doing since she didn't get to see us leave that morning.
Now at this point, the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade was on and I was starving. So the nurse gave me the option of ice chips or a popsicle. I was all over that popsicle because I hadn't eaten since the night before. Then about 9:00, the nurse came back in to check my cervix and said that I was almost completely dilated so she called in the resident doctor to break my water. Doing this caused me to be completely dilated and within 15 minutes my doctor was there and suiting up to deliver the baby. Typically, they let the nurses do a couple of the pushes without the doctor but since it was my second baby and I was progressing rather quickly I had to wait.
When I was delivering Luci, I had no clue that I was having contractions or knew about my need to push. But this time, it was a completely different story because I was feeling the pressure and knew that it was time. After 3 pushes, the baby's head was crowning and the doctor said I probably could have pushed in out but she wanted me to stretch out a little bit more so that I didn't have any tearing. During the 4th push, his head was coming out and she actually told me to slow down so that she could help him out. Of course, I heard everyone say that the baby was coming and even before his arms were out, silly me asked if it was a boy or girl? Then he was out and I looked at John and was like, WELL???? and he said it was a BOY! I, then asked what time he was born and it was 9:59 am. I can't believe that after only a little more than 2 hours, we had arrived and had a new baby. Totally and Completely different than my 11 hour labor for my first baby.
I still cannot believe how fast this delivery was and that he was healthy. Jacob's apgar scores were an 8, 9, so he looked great! Then after they checked him, I got to try and feed him. Go figure he's a Boob Man. He's a typical guy and latched on like a champ. I figure this is because he is my second baby so I'm a little more relax and that he is a man. Then by about 10:30 am, they took me down to my recovery room and I was already walking around and could pee on my own. So they told me that if I would like, I could go home the next day! That was some great news because I was missing my first baby and couldn't wait to have her meet him. Our family reunion was a little teary eyed (ok a lot teary eyed, from all of us) but now we are ready to take on the world as a family of four!
