This birth story is the exact opposite of Baby Boren #1. It all started when I told my doctor I did NOT want to have this baby in the car. Oakley came within hours and everyone kept telling me how each labor usually got faster and faster. Luckily my doctor is the best and scheduled me for an induction a week before my due date. Unfortunately that was the week of Sun Lakes and my poor mother had to come home from the beloved vacation a couple days early to watch big baby.
The day before my scheduled delivery date (August 19th) I planned an action packed day in the sun. We met Holly and the girl cousins at Lake Goodwin to play and keep my mind off giving birth.
That night my mom was driving from eastern WA and wouldn't be at my house till late. We did our usual nighttime routine and the hormone filled mama that I was cried when I tried to sing Oakley a bedtime song. I knew that it was the last night I'd be just his mom and the next time I would see him would be at the hospital since we had to leave at 5:30am the next morning.
Going to bed was like a kid on Christmas Eve, except I was more sick to my stomach with nerves. I was never really nervous with Oakley but this time I knew when it was going to happen and I had way too much time to think about it. I also knew what was about to happen and just wanted to throw up.
The next morning we left Oakley and my mom sound asleep and headed to the hospital. When we got there I was having the same contractions I'd been having for months so I didn't think much of it. They hooked me up to all the machines and told me I had gone in labor on my own. I was a little shocked and a little mad. I knew I had some laying in a hospital bed to do since they were going to wait for me to do it on my own and not induce me. They put in my IV and my arm puffed up with fluid. The nurse said "what the heck this has never happened to me." Isn't that exactly what you want to hear? She poked and tossed the IV around inside my arm until it got in the right spot. A few minutes later my arm was still hurting so she had a nurse come try and do my other arm. They kept telling me how great and big my veins were but for some reason neither of them could get it. So the first painful IV was there to stay (and it took about a month to stop bruising).
I sat there watching a full season of The Hills reruns as my nurse periodically came in the check on me. My contractions still felt like Braxton Hicks and I was thinking it was going to take forever!! I was progressing at a good pace and was at about a 4 (I had been at a 3 the whole month before so that didn't sound too exciting). Then the craziest thing happened...
She asked me if I wanted an epidural!
I think my mouth dropped. I didn't know that was going to be an option this early. She told me most women get them around a 4 and I could if I wanted.
The whole reason for me going in to be induced was to get an epidural. I know, how selfish of me! Well the truth of the matter is I did it naturally the first time and I wanted that sweet taste of druggie magic and BOY OH BOY was that sweet sweet nectar.
I hesitated and told her I didn't feel like I was actually in labor. She told me not to blame her if I didn't get it in time because I didn't do it right then.. So I said to bring me the drugs out of complete fear.
The anesthesiologist came in and did his run down, stuck the needle in my back and....
I had a positive reaction to the test dose! My ears started ringing and I couldn't hear anything. They kept asking me questions but I couldn't answer. I was staring at my heart rate sky rocket and all I could think about is "don't pass out." I guess I kept saying "up, up, up" which was me trying to tell them I was going numb up instead of down. Once again the doctor said "I've never had is happen to me" while he was ripping out the tubes as fast as possible.
A few minutes later they told me that it meant he missed the space in between my spine which sent the medicine into my blood stream which could kill me if it was the actual dose (thank you for inventing a test dose!)
Then I laid down while my legs got heavy and magnificent feeling and I was in and out of sleep the next couple hours. It was the best most relaxing thing in the world. I wish I could have that feeling every time if went to bed. And to think I was in labor! No way.
A bit later my doctor came in and broke my water (which I slightly missed feeling since that was my favorite part of Oakleys birth, but not enough to do it again). They got the room all ready and the baby bed in, and then I was about ready to push.
I know a million people are going to want to kill me when I tell the rest of this story, but it was a moment from a movie where the girl everyone hates has the easiest labor and sneezes the baby out.
I didn't sneeze but I may have been laughing. It was quiet and boring and Aaron and I were in such shock by how completely opposite and relaxed this go around was that we were actually joking around and laughing while I was waiting between contractions. I think I may have pushed three times? Summit Q Boren was born at 4:16pm on August 20th 2014!
