Surrogacy Saturday No 9

Hello, pretties. Today is my 9th installment of my Surrogacy Saturday series. When I last left off, the doctors had just discharged me from the hospital on a Sunday and they told me I could carry on my life normally with no fear of going into labor before my appointment on Tuesday. I knew it was coming though…

What We've All Been Waiting For

Monday came and that night there was a bad thunderstorm. I remember being so uncomfortable that night. I couldn't sleep. Nick was up late watching Flash on Netflix and that irritated me even more because I told him how bad I was feeling and he knew I hated the show. It wasn't his fault but I knew something was happening. I barely slept all night. I woke up at about 6 and just got up for the day because I was starting to be able to time the contractions and I knew this was it. I was pacing my living room and trying to get ready for my appointment. I tried to eat a yogurt because I knew I would need my strength for labor but I just couldn't eat. I gave it to Bella instead who happily spooned every bit into her mouth. We packed bags for the kids and brought my hospital bags because I told Nick this was it. I wouldn't be going back home without having the baby first. We dropped the kids off at Nicks moms house and realized we forgot the diaper bag at home. I was irritated and in pain and frustrated riding back home to get the stupid diaper bag. I needed to get to the hospital and I knew it. My doctors office was about 30 minutes away and sitting in the car was so uncomfortable. I timed my contractions as we drove, holding Nicks hand and breathing through the contractions. By the time we got to the doctors office my contractions were about 4 minutes apart and pretty intense. Nick dropped me off at the front and parked the car by himself because we were running late. (Because of the stupid diaper bag. Ugh.) I got up to the floor and into the office. As I was signing in the receptionist asked me what was wrong. I told her I was having contractions about every 4 minutes and she told me she was going to tell the doctor and they would take me back next so I wouldn't have to wait behind all the other pregnant women. They took me back and did all the normal stuff, I peed in a cup, they took my weight and blood pressure. I remember I was having a contraction while the nurse was taking my blood pressure and she told me to breath because I was making my blood pressure high. She didn't know I was in labor. That irritated me for some reason. I went back and the nurse told me to undress from the waist down and sit on the table and cover up with the drape and the doctor would be in shortly. The doctor came in and was checking the baby's heart rate and measuring my belly. I had a contraction in the middle of that and I was trying to turn onto my side because I had back labor. The doctor was telling me to stay still and still trying to get the measurements. I didn't understand that because she was about to be born and I was telling him that but whatever. He asked me if this labor "felt different" and I said yes. And in my head I thought, "well I've told you I wasn't in labor all the other times my contractions have been consistent and I was right so why wouldn't I be right now?" He checked me and told me to go straight to the hospital because I was 7cm. We waited for him to write up my paperwork. I was breathing through contractions and leaning on nick in the walkway beside the doctor while we waited. The doctor asked me if I wanted an epidural and I said no. I remember him chuckling as he wrote something, I'm guessing that he was writing that I didn't want an epidural. He gave us the papers and we were on our way. I had nick call the agency to give them the update and the doula as well as A and D. Everyone headed to the hospital. The front desk lady told me to take a seat and she would get me a room. There was about 5 other women that I suppose were waiting for inductions or csections because they didn't seem to be in labor. I told the nurse that I was 7cm about 30 minutes ago and in active labor and if she didn't want to watch this baby be born in the lobby then I need a room. I had one within 5 minutes. Haha. I got in and they gave me an IV and put me on the monitor(I had to stay on constant monitoring because I'm a VBAC mama.) Then everyone started showing up, A and D and then my amazing doula, Rebecca. She worked her magic and showed nick how to help my back labor by squeezing my hips. And she taught me how to rock my hips to alleviate some of the pain. She dimmed the lights and put some essential oils in a diffuser to calm me. It worked so well. It's also amazing what your body does for you. Did you know, when you're in transition, right before you start pushing, your body gives you about 30-45 minutes with no contractions so you can rest and get your strength back up to push? It does. I remember this happening to me. I want to go into my thoughts on all that but I'll save that for another post. Anyway, they checked me again and said I was at 9.5, basically 10 but I had a little Lip of cervix left. I remember texting everyone like crazy because our PBO (pre birth order) wasn't finalized yet. My amazing agency jumped in the car and sped to the judges chambers and had him sign it before babygirl came into the world. They told me they had faxed it over and we were good to go. A few minutes later I felt like I needed to push. I told the nurse and she called in the doctor. She checked me and said my cervix was good but baby was high up and I needed to labor down. She guessed it would be like 20-30 minutes before I actually started pushing but she would "stay close". She also broke my water. I stood up to have the next contraction and my body automatically squatted and started pushing. I remember thinking, "okay, she's about to be born. I can't stay standing up because she will fall on the floor, but I can't open my mouth because if I try to talk I'll scream from the pain and the last thing I want to do right now is lose control." So I army rolled into the bed, the nurse was taking my blood pressure, Nick was squeezing my hips and Rebecca was fanning me with a little patient out reach kinda binder. I pulled the gown up and opened my legs and hoped someone saw her coming out. Remember, all of this happened within one contraction, which only lasts a minute at its longest. I was holding onto the bed rail and hanging my head over the side because I felt like I was going to throw up. I remember actually saying, "no." Because everything was happening so fast and it was all out of control and for some reason I thought if I physically told it no that it would all stop. It didn't. Haha. The nurse looked down and saw her head coming out and started freaking out and saying, "stop pushing, stop pushing!" At that point, baby girls head was out. She pressed the nurses button and frantically asked for anyone that was qualified to deliver a baby, whether it was my doctor or not. She told Rebecca to go pick up the phone on the wall and hit a certain button to call the NICU because I was only 35w6d. I was trying my best not to push but my body just did it. She came out onto the bed. Ava Elizabeth was born at 2:17pm on Tuesday, February 23rd 2016. She laid there crying for a minute before the doctor came in. Everyone was relieved and excited about the new baby. I remember everyone telling me how pale I was. I think it was just from being in so much pain and so out of control that I thought I was going to puke. They took her to the warmer and everyone followed except the doctor, who was trying to rip the dang placenta out, and Nick, who was rubbing my head and telling me how good I did. I remember looking over at her and A and D and tearing up because this was the moment I had been working for for so long. Those smiles and ooooo's and ahhhhh's and looks of wonder. That's why I did it to begin with. I'm so glad everyone was with the baby, but it was so nice to have Nick there. I needed someone, too. I moaned and groaned pretty loud while the doctor was trying to deliver the placenta. Eventually she got it. I hadn't torn or ripped at all. I asked if I could take a shower and they asked if I felt up to it. I obviously said yes and I was in the shower about 15 minutes or so after she was born. I felt like a new woman! Like I hadn't even had a baby less than a half hour ago! I felt like I could run a marathon!! I stayed in the shower for a while, as that's my comfort mechanism, feeling the water on me makes me feel better. I got out and everyone said I looked so much better and normal again. They brought me food and some ibuprofen that they made me take. I had nick go get me some fried chicken too. They moved me to the postpartum ward and Nick went home to the kids and called me and we talked for a while about the surreal event that took place that day. And eventually we both drifted off to sleep.

And that's where I'll stop for today. I'm sorry this was so long, I just felt weird breaking it up into different parts. I hope you guys enjoyed this. Thank you all so much for reading! I'll see you tomorrow!!