Labor - it's not called that for nothing, it's such hard work! I had heard that the 3rd pregnancy can be the wild card and unpredictable and this one was for sure. My others had been 6-8 hours long so I assumed this one would be even faster but I was mistaken. I started this blog so I could have my memories typed down but I don't think I will ever forget this one.
A Long Week...
Tuesday May 19th - 12:00am woke up with labor. Every 6 minutes. Had my scheduled Dr. appointment so went in got checked - 1 cm dilated, 70% effaced. Dr Christen said "could see you later today or in a few days". Labor quit shortly after that.
Wednesday May 20th - Labored again all day. Paul went to work, my mom and sister came over and kept me company and helped with the kids. Labor quit that evening.
Thursday May 21th - 3:00am woke up with labor, timed about every 6-8 minutes apart. Stronger than Tuesdays contractions. Paul stayed home, mom and Shay came over around 9am. Contractions stayed the same strength ALL DAY LONG - never progressed. Finally around 8-9pm started to hurt more. I was SO tired/sleepy and knew I was in for another long night. Mom came back down around 10:30pm. Paul got the kids to bed (so late for them). I was hurting pretty bad. Had to be standing for my contractions to manage them and have mom or Paul push against my tailbone to help with the pain.
Friday May 22st - 2:00am Woke up the kids and packed them into the van and left for hospital. Totally thought they would fall asleep in the car but they were bright eyed and excited. Got checked at hospital and was 100% effaced and 6 cm dilated. And then, once again labor failed to progress any farther. Dr Christen came to see me around 7am and labor had become very sporadic. He said he has hardly ever seen that happen when so far dilated as I was. He actually said it was "weird". Told me to try to sleep and would check back. 9am Dr checked back and no progress.
(Paul and I talking out the decision whether to have Dr break my water)
We decided it was safe to break my water since my baby was so low (+1) in station. Still no progress! Since water was broken we were on a time limit now - around 11am they started a pitocin drip. It worked - too well :) If you have ever experience pitocin you know those contractions are hard! I struggled through every contraction trying to resist any drugs. I sat on a stool and rested on the edge of the bed. My mom held one hand, my sister Shay held the other, while Paul and my sis-in-law Tonia rubbed my back. Everyone was so supportive. I never felt so out of control and helpless. I had to try to find the strength to remain calm and remind myself that the pain of labor is normal and that I done all this before. But this labor was the hardest.(Mom rubbing my back)
I finally focused and calmed down and started handling the contractions better for quite awhile. Dr Christen came in and checked me and I was only at a 7 cm dilated. I was devastated. I thought for sure I was into transition. He said I could fully dilate in 10 minutes or up to maybe 3 hours. All I heard was 3 hours. I went through one more contraction, started crying and asked for an epidural. I was sad and relieved. The next contractions while waiting for the epidural were the strongest yet. I could feel the baby moving down. I was so tired I couldn't even hold my head up (I hadn't slept in over 24 hours). Shay held my head up for me. Paul was praying for me. Meanwhile lots of family was in the waiting room helping with the kids. Marissa still had not slept at all either but she was so excited - just bouncing off the walls everyone said. The anesthesiologist got there and I got up on the bed. The next few contractions were the worst, I lost my focus, laying down was more painful, they were back to back contractions, and I was nervous. The Dr asked the nurse several times how far along I was since my contractions were so close and she told him the Dr had just checked me and I was at a 7. I kept saying the baby was ready but felt nobody believed me. He gave me the epidural and told the nurse that someone should check me. She took a look and ran to the phone. Dr Christen was there in just a matter of minutes. 3 pushes later he was born! Paul announced "It's a boy!". They handed him right to me and I fell in love! I didn't notice anything else going on in the room until I saw Marissa laughing and crying at the same time in her daddy's arms. She was so excited!
I finally focused and calmed down and started handling the contractions better for quite awhile. Dr Christen came in and checked me and I was only at a 7 cm dilated. I was devastated. I thought for sure I was into transition. He said I could fully dilate in 10 minutes or up to maybe 3 hours. All I heard was 3 hours. I went through one more contraction, started crying and asked for an epidural. I was sad and relieved. The next contractions while waiting for the epidural were the strongest yet. I could feel the baby moving down. I was so tired I couldn't even hold my head up (I hadn't slept in over 24 hours). Shay held my head up for me. Paul was praying for me. Meanwhile lots of family was in the waiting room helping with the kids. Marissa still had not slept at all either but she was so excited - just bouncing off the walls everyone said. The anesthesiologist got there and I got up on the bed. The next few contractions were the worst, I lost my focus, laying down was more painful, they were back to back contractions, and I was nervous. The Dr asked the nurse several times how far along I was since my contractions were so close and she told him the Dr had just checked me and I was at a 7. I kept saying the baby was ready but felt nobody believed me. He gave me the epidural and told the nurse that someone should check me. She took a look and ran to the phone. Dr Christen was there in just a matter of minutes. 3 pushes later he was born! Paul announced "It's a boy!". They handed him right to me and I fell in love! I didn't notice anything else going on in the room until I saw Marissa laughing and crying at the same time in her daddy's arms. She was so excited! Kohlton Steven Michaud was born Friday, May 22nd, 2009 at 2:21pm. He weighed 7 lbs 4oz and was 19.7" long. He looks just like Kyle as a baby but with a smaller head - who both look just like me as a baby.
(First family photo)
(Aunt Shay holding Kohl for the first time)
(Kyle meeting Kohl for the first time)
(Gina's parents, Leann and Steve - who Kohlton Steven is named after)
(Aunt Tonia)
(Paul's mom - Sue)
(The kids sound asleep by 4pm - it was a long night and day for all)
That evening we took pizza and salad over to mom and dad's and as usual the kids had so much fun playing at the tree house, running around the yard, and they played hide and seek in the field with grandpa because the grass is so tall they could lay down in it and you couldn't see them at all.
