I was losing a lot of mucous and having bloody show on Sunday. I also started having contractions but they were not close enough to to go to the hospital. I started having constant contractions on Wednesday and went to triage. I was 2cm dilated and 80% effaced but not enough to be admitted. I went to my OB appointment that afternoon and was almost to 3cm but my contractions had slowed.
Early morning Thursday I ended up in triage with contractions that were 5 minutes apart. I was even vomitting. Nothing had changed so they gave me demerol and sent me home. At this point, I decided to just stay at my parents' house because they live a lot closer to the hospital.
Friday morning at 12:02am I was back in triage with excruciating back labor and contractions were inside 5 minutes. The nurse said I was only about 3-4cm. I asked for demerol again but it didn't work. I begged the nurse to tell the doctor not to send me home. An hour later, I had made enough progress to be admitted. Yay!
I get admitted and immediately asked for an epidural. When I got it, the angels in Heaven started singing! The anesthesiologist did a great job. I couldn't feel my contractions but I could still move my legs and feet. At one point, my pulse went sky high and I had to have an EKG. Everything came out fine.
A couple hours later, I was only dilated to 5cm. The doctor broke my water but not much fluid came out. I think my water may have already broken but was mixed in with the mucous. A couple more hours later I was on pitocin to speed things up. My amazing nurses had me on my hands and knees for about an hour because I was progressing so slowly. I was so scared I was going to have to have a c-section. But an hour later, I was ready to go! I pushed for about an hour and out he came! The only way to describe it is taking the biggest poop of my life. The doctor said I did great but I was just determined to get him out and I only had a 2nd degree tear. He was perfectly healthy and had a great set of lungs.
Brandon is having some latching issues so we may be here longer than expected. He is a little "tongue tie" so the pediatrician wants to monitor his feeding a little longer before we clip his tongue. I had the same condition when I was born and had to have my tongue clipped.
Other than latching, he is the picture of health. Even though his umbilical cord was attached to the side instead of the middle of the placenta, he got all the nutrients he needed. So happy to have our little boy!

Re: Brandon's birth story LONG