Team Green 26 hour labor (epi and vacuum)VERY LONG

I'm feeling nostalgic, as it's almost my baby's birthday.  I have the birth story all written out, but never got around to sharing it until just now.

   It all began Tues, Aug 3rd, when I was at work.  I was told I had to hold off on labor until after this day, because I had my brother & his family in my schedule for their teeth cleanings (I was due Aug 11th).  Well, that afternoon, I started having pain in my upper back.  It was a sharp pain; I thought it was just related to my job (dental hygienist).  So I got through my day at work (not to mention it was my 6 year anniversary of my job). 

     At home, my back pain never stopped.  I took a couple Tylenol to help.  DH gave me a back-rub before bed.  We went to bed around 10 pm.  At 11:00, I was awakened by even more intense back pain, and 'other' weird feelings.  I got out of bed and went to the living room.  I was on my hands and knees, doing stretches, because I thought it was possibly gas pains. 

     At some point in all this, I lost my mucus plug while going to the bathroom.  It was bloody and gross.  At this sign, I figured 'something' was happening.  So I went back to lay in bed.  The contractions started coming around midnight.  Since I didn't have a watch with second hand nearby, I just counted in my head how long they lasted.  They were coming every 3-5 minutes, lasting nearly a minute each.  At around 1:15 am, I woke up DH.  He was very surprised!  I called the OBGYN after hours #, and the doctor told me to go to the hospital to get checked out.  DH and I ran around frantically, packing some last minute items, and gathered up the dog.  We then headed to my parents'. 

     I called my parents at 1:40 am - my mom was so SO very excited.  She wanted to come to triage with us, but we talked her out of it.  We arrived at the hospital at 2:30 am.  The nurse checked me, and I was at a "very tight 2cm."  This was a little disappointing, because that is what I was a few days before at my checkup.  We walked the halls in L&D for an hour, and she checked again.  NO change.  We were so discouraged.  She gave me some kind of medication to help me sleep, and then we left. We went back to my parents' house, because it was closer to the hospital. 

     The sleeping pill really helped, and I was able to sleep for about 3 hours, until 8:30 am.  The contractions really slowed down at this point.  Mom made us all some breakfast, then we headed out for a walk.  DH was timing contractions on his phone.  They seemed to be picking up again during the walk.  It was a beautiful, sunny day - very hot too.  Back at parents' house, I continued walking around inside, and around the yard.  At one point DH stepped in dog poop, and I thought it was hilarious. 

     I started having back labor at this time.  It was very painful.  I was kneeling, leaning over the ottoman, and DH was rubbing my lower back, and applying a heating pad.  We ate lunch around noon (thanks mom) and I continued to walk the house, getting worse and worse.  I started to lose my sense of humor at this point.

     Around 1:30 pm, we called the doctor again, and they said I should go to the hospital again.  Again, we made my mom stay home until we were 'admitted' to L&D.  On the drive to the hospital, my contractions were slowing down again, and we feared being sent home again.  Then, it started... about halfway there, I had a contraction that never stopped.  It lasted about 15 minutes, until we got to the hospital.  DH dropped me off and parked the car.   I was wheeled into triage in a wheelchair.

     Upon getting checked, my cervix was still THE SAME 2 cm.    However, my blood pressure was a little high, and there was protein in my urine.  The contrax were getting more severe.  They did a blood draw, and found some abnormalities/pre-e.  She checked the cervix again, and I was at 3cm!!!  At this point, she called the doctor, and he said to admit me to L&D!  YAY!  This was around 4pm. 

     Dr. Hirt broke my water, and it turns out it contained meconium, a LOT of it.  The contrax after water breaking were almost unbearable, so I decided on an epidural ASAP.  They had to run a bag of IV fluids through me first.  The nurse seemed 'new' and it took her two tries to get it in place.  My whole arm was covered in blood.  LOL.  The anesthesiologist came in and placed my amazing epidural.  I didn't feel a thing, and it kicked in very quickly.  Once in place, I was in Heaven!  DH and I rested and slept.  I was dilated to a 5 cm at this point, and 100% effaced.  An hour later, I was complete.  They called the doctor to come back, so I could push!

     We started pushing at about 9 pm.  It was a lot of freaking work - not being able to feel what I was doing.  DH was great, very helpful during the pushing.  At 11pm, the nurses had a shift-change.  We got an older, crabby looking nurse.  It turns out she was awesome.  She had a lot of different tips to get me to push better.  At some point, DH was able to look, and see part of the baby's head with a lot of hair. 

    My temperature and the baby's were getting a little high.  It was at 100.4, which is borderline.  They thought he was stuck under my pubic bone - said a C-section might be needed.  I was so sad- wanted to do everything in my power to push the baby out.

     Dr. Hirt suggested vacuum delivery.  I thought that meant in another hour or so, but they started gloving/scrubbing him up right then.  Things were really happening!!

     I pushed and the vacuum was used thorugh 4 contractions (a lot).  The final push - everyone was yelling PUSH PUSH PUSH, DON'T STOP!  I knew the baby was about to come out, so I gave it my all - then out came baby!  Dr. Hirt cut the cord right away and plopped baby onto my belly.  He announced "IT'S A BOY!"    We were shocked, as we were convinced it was a girl (team green).  There were many tears of joy, as baby boy was whisked over to get the meconium suctioned out.  He weighed in at 7lb 7oz, 20.5 inches.  He held out on being born at 12:39 am, on August 5th, so he could share a birthday with his daddy.  We spent a few moments alone with him, to settle on a name.  Dane Martin P____.  He shares a middle name with his daddy. 

     This was the greatest experience of my life, by far.  Happy birthday, little Dane!