Asa's Birth Story (finally) (and LONG)

Well here goes! (Warning, extra long)

I went in on Monday for my regularly scheduled appt, but I had a high blood pressure reading (and had one last week), so they hooked me up to the monitors for a non-stress test. LO wasn't cooperating so my Doc said to go ahead and head over to L&D because with a couple high blood pressure readings and him not cooperating with the NST she wanted to get me delivered. I ate at 7:30AM that morning and it was 10:45AM when they sent me to L&D, so I asked if I could eat something since she said they wouldn't induce me until that night, but she said no because they wanted to monitor me more, but if things went well then I could have something later. They hooked me up to the monitors and DH went home to get the hospital bags. Mind you, this was 11AM when they admitted me and they told me that they would start me on Cervadil to get me going and then start the Pitocin in the early morning hours. They told me I would most likely have 24 hours until I deliver. DH came back and we were watching TV when all the sudden the nurse came in and stared at the monitor. She then said, "Ok, I'm going to have you put on the oxygen mask." I was so confused and my first thought was, Why do I need oxygen? I can breathe just fine! Then all of the sudden more nurses and Drs flooded in and they quickly had me roll onto my back. One of the Drs shoved what felt like her whole hand "up there" and I was like HOLY COW! DH quickly grabbed my hand and helped keep me calm because I was VERY uncomfortable at this point! I felt them break my water and then (now I know) they put in that electrode monitor thingy that goes into LO's scalp. Once the Dr was finished 'down there' the nurses said I needed to, as quick as I could, get onto all fours and then lean forward on my elbows. As they helped me, one of nurses FINALLY explained that baby's heart rate is slowing way too much and if it continues they will need to rush me to the OR and prep me for an emergency C-Section. So while I wasn't trying to FREAK THE FLUCK OUT they were explaining how they would put me to sleep and had me sign a bunch of forms. All the while I kept thinking, "Ok, don't cry and freak because it won't be good for baby. Where is DH and how is he doing?" I tried looking around and I could see my room was full of people. It was one of the most terrifying moments of my life!! Thank God LO's heart rate was going up and going back to normal, and people finally started to leave. At this point my OB had arrived and was assessing the situation. After about 10 minutes they said I could lie on my side and my OB explained my options. She said her gut feeling tells her that LO just had a "hiccup" and everything will go fine and they will start the pitocin earlier than expected if I don't start labor on my own (since they broke my water), but if his heart rate slowed anymore they would have to go in and get him. After that I just hung in there and waited. They wanted me to start to dilate so they inserted this balloon thing that inflated in my cervix and then would fall out when I hit at least 3cm. I got up to use the restroom maybe 30 minutes afterwards and it fell out already. Not long after that my contractions picked up like whoa. I was breathing through them and DH was being an EXCELLENT coach, but I started yelling through them. I couldn't help it either! No matter what I did I just couldn't keep myself calm through them and my med-free labor went out the window. I asked the nurse if I could ask for the epidural and she said yes, just say the word. So I said yes please. The wait for the anesthesiologist was horrible. I kept yelling to DH, "Why isn't he here? Why does it hurt so much? Why won't they just stop?" When he finally arrived I was so embarrassed because I kept yelling through the contractions while he was explaining everything to me. I finally got the epi and then I had to wait for it to kick in. Now, the nurse hadn't checked me before I got the epi, and when 20 minutes went by (and I could still feel EVERYTHING) she checked me. I was 8cm teetering to a 9. The anesthesiologist said I was already in transition and he wouldnt have time to redo the epi, but what he could do was up my dosage and adjust the epidural. It was kind of funny because he kept asking me where and how it hurt and my answers came out with me yelling my answer and then apologizing for yelling ("I'm sorry I am yelling but it HURTS!!") I could tell he was having a very long evening because he didn't find it so amusing lol. He tweeked the epi, gave me an extra dose, and I finally felt my right side go numb. The left never took, but I finally stopped yelling and my contractions felt a lot shorter. I thanked him as best and as much as I could. I really did feel horrible for yelling at him. Shortly after my OB came in and said I was pretty much a 9 and could start to push whenever I felt the urge. She had to go deliver another patient so she left and the nurse helped set up the table and explained how I should push. She told me to give her three good pushes so she could see how I would do. She explained that most first babies take a while so I shouldn't be discouraged if I don't feel any progress. Well I gave her 3 pushes and she said Ok, that was so good that I don't want you to push anymore until the Dr gets back. Woo hoo! I was doing good! Once my Dr got back the nurse said, "She is doing such a good job. You need to watch her push." So I gave them 3 more pushes. "Ok, don't push anymore! We need to be ready!" My Dr. then rushed around to set up quick. My next contraction I pushed and when I felt the head crown they told me to stop and I said, "What do you mean stop?! It hurts!" My body then took over and pushed him out without me doing anything. They really did have to catch him lol. Asa Patrick was born at 10:53PM, almost exactly 12 hours after we got there. And they told me I wouldn't deliver until the next morning He was so tiny! Earlier on they guessed he would be a 7lbs baby, but he was only 5lbs 14oz. He barely cried. Just took everything in. I love him so much!!! The Dr. told me that the big scare earlier on that day was due to the umbilical cord wrapped around his legs near his feet, so the position I was in was cutting off his circulation. DH said I did so well that he sent FIL out for pizza. My doc has scolded me through my entire GD experience about eating pizza, but with baby out I was free!! After labor pizza is probably the BEST pizza Plus I hadn't eaten anything since 7:30 that morning and just for the record it is so weird to have your stomach growling while you are trying to push out a baby lol.  The rest of the night I had all the nurses come in and compliment me on my awesome pushing abilities. Like seriously, nurses that weren't even in the room. I was pretty proud. I'm a good little pusher! And there is little Asa in my siggy with his Thor hammer.