Almost had him in the car...

My bags weren?t packed yet.  At 37 weeks and 3 days, maybe I was a little behind schedule on that. But it was ok, my baby and I had an understanding.  He wasn?t coming until April.  That was the first part of my birth plan.  After all, his due date was April 6^th and I had only been looking at the April 2012 mommy boards.  My friends at work threatened to pack for me.  Toilet seat covers, paperclips, and a little dinosaur pencil topper.  That should get me through the few nights at the hospital?  I packed that night.  It was Tuesday.

I had my 38 week appointment on March 22 and the doctor said not to worry about running late as most first time moms do and he could be about a week late.  Then she looked.  With a surprised face she said I was already 3cm dilated and he was really low.  He could come early she said.  Well, I thought, April 1^st is early- still in April as planned.  Plus I could still have a week at home before he came.  My husband installed the car seat base that night.  At least that was set.

I went to work on Friday.  We were having Cheese Day- a little ritual that work tried for one day and we continued.  It was going to be epic- fondue, Oreo brownies, mini mac ?n? cheese cups and I made Irish soda bread (it was such a hit on SPD I decided to go for a repeat).   I think I was having contractions that night.  On the thirty minute drive to work I kept telling myself one more contraction and I would turn around.  But they weren?t regular and were more annoying than painful- plus I didn?t know what to expect.  I thought I was dehydrated.  I promised myself to drink more water when I got to work.

I drank a ton of water at work and the contractions stopped.  I was refinancing my house via my aunt and even made an appointment for that afternoon to sign the final papers- something we planned for the end of the month to avoid paying additional interest.  She joked that if the little guy came early she would come to the hospital to sign.  Oh no you wouldn?t- I joked back.  Seriously though, she better not.  The contractions came back- but I?ve had worse cramps on my period.  The president of my company said that if I had the baby that day he would have the same birthday as his daughter:  his famous last words.  I left work ?just in case.?  But not before the girls packed me some brownies, mac ?n? cheese, and the dino pencil topper.

I called my husband and told him I was going home.  He was in an important meeting.  I called twice- the signal that he should pick up.   I told him I was going home early and that I might be in labor, but it might be fake.  I told him I would keep him posted.

My aunt called right when I got home.   I told her there was a 50% chance that I would not make the signing that day.   My husband called and said he was coming home.  I told him I was sorry that I interrupted his meeting- and that the contractions weren?t regular.  He said he was coming home anyway after swinging by the office.  He told me his watch was charging in the sun (a wedding present I gave him) for seconds if I needed it.

I started keeping track of contractions at 10:48am.  Not bad.  Not regular- but not bad.  The third contraction I drew a frowny face after the time.  And the forth.  The next one not so bad- not regular.  They were coming every ten minutes or so and lasting about 45 seconds.  How close is that to 5 minutes apart lasting for 1 minute I wondered.  The 5^th contraction was the last frowny face I drew- they were all frowny faces after that. 

My husband got home and yes- had to pack his bag.  Contractions were coming every 7 to 10 minutes. And lasting between 30 and 50 seconds.  I had a break where I was super hungry.  The Oreo brownie was maybe the best thing I ever ate.  The mac ?n? cheese was awesome too until chocolate and cheese came up.  Again.  And again.  I told my husband it was time to go to the hospital and he better lie and lie well to labor and delivery so they would see me.   He called my mom to tell her we were headed to the hospital since she lives two hours away.  She told him to call when I got admitted- it?s not like I was going to have to baby in an hour.

He drove to the hospital, walked me in, and went to re-park.  I walked into triage- huge mistake.  Always take a wheel chair even if you can walk.  They put me in the triage room by myself for twenty minutes.  My husband walked in the room and we waited for another fifteen minutes.  Contractions were coming often ( I stopped keeping track after every four minutes) and were pretty intense.  My husband asked if I needed a nurse and I nodded yes.  He frantically went into the hall and waved down a nurse- she came running.  I asked for an epidural- part two of my birth plan.  I didn?t go to Lamaze classes- what?s the point?  I was going to get an epidural.  She said I needed an IV first.  I asked if there was anything they could give me before that and she said yes- with the IV.  Contractions were very intense now.  The head nurse came in, they took my baby?s heart rate- 90bpm.  They gave me oxygen.  Next thing I knew the nurses were running my bed to labor and delivery with my husband running close behind with bags in tow.  The pain was intense and all I could think was that the air on my face felt so nice. 

We got to the labor and delivery suite- yes a suite and it was sweet.  It would have been sweeter if I was there half an hour before- but the room was really nice.  They moved me to the delivery bed.  I asked for an epidural again.  They said they were working on it.  A nurse approached me and started her spiel on IVs- I don?t care lady, just do it.  I asked again for epidural and the head nurse said we?ll see.  She said the doctor was going to break my water and that would relieve some of the pressure.  She said 7cm then 8-9-10 all in a row.  It?s time to push for your baby.

At that point I handed my body over to her.  The next contraction I had was the strongest and I was aware of it but I felt no pain.  It was quiet although my husband later told me I was not.  I read a lot about the ?ring of fire? and I didn?t feel it- I saw it.  Literally a ring of fire against a dark background.  And an orange and black turtle- I?m not sure what that was about- but I saw it.  I snapped back to my body when I felt the umbilical cord- seven minutes after getting to L and D.  He was out- but not crying.  My husband later told me the cord was wrapped around his neck twice- (yes he looked even though I told him there are some things he can?t un-see- and he replied why would he want to un-see it?  It was amazing).  It?s scary to me now and still makes me tear up to think about what could have happened.  Calvin?s first cry was a Godsend. 

As they stitched me up (finally some pain meds!) they took Calvin?s vitals.  I had one second degree tear on the inside- not so bad.  I finally got to hold him after an hour.  Seeing him- holding him for the first time was so surreal.  This was something that was in my stomach moving around not an hour before (yes- at the hospital 47 minutes before he was born- and EVERYONE says ?so easy!? but easy and fast are SOOO different- no time for epidural, no time for them even to clean my stomach).  He was alert- he had a spark in his eye.  He was beautiful with a full head of hair.  I was bald until I was two. He must have gotten that from his dad.  He has my chin though.  My nose.  I wonder what color his eyes will be.

Calvin Matthew born 6 lbs 7 oz at 2:42pm March 23, 2012.  My dad didn?t hesitate to make the joke ?annnnd MARCH, two-three!?  Lastly, on MARCH two-four the notary paid us a visit at the hospital so we could sign our refinance papers.  Two thousand dollars is a lot of money!