LABOR!!!

A week was an under statement! I ended up going into labor about 11 hours after I was discharged from the hospital. I really was not expecting her yet. Tai and I were just going about our normal routine. We ate dinner, watched a movie at home, and went to bed. Around 1:00 am it all started. (A lot of what happened is such a blur. This is from what I can remember and from what people have told me.)

1:00 am~ I began to feel minor aches in my stomach but I ignored them, thinking it was just an upset stomach from something I ate.

2:15 am~ This not just a stomach ache! When the pain kept coming and going I knew that it was time! I woke Tai up, and he began getting really nervous. I called the hospital to let them know that I was in labor. He grabbed the bag and headed to the hospital. Tai called my mom, sister, and sister-in-law to let them know the good news.

2:30 am~ We finally got to the hospital. I waited in the front while he parked the car. My mom, sister, and sister-in-law arrived soon after.

2:40 am~ I went to labor and delivery to check in. They took me to the ultrasound room for triage. I was checked by a nurse midwife, and was told that I was only 1 1/2 cm dilated, which was where I was at yesterday. They told me that if after one hour of walking and no progression that they would send me home with some medication to help me sleep. I was already in so much pain. All I could do is shut my eyes tight, and swing my legs back and forth while I was sitting up on the exam table. Then I tried to walk around the l&d floor a couple of times but that was tough coz I had to stop every couple minutes or so because the contractions were so strong.

3:40 am~ After one hour, they came back to check me. I was hoping and praying that I had made some progress. The midwife said that I was 2 1/2 to 3 cm. They decided to keep me. Thank god! I originally wanted to do this naturally but OMG the pain. I wanted something.

3:50 am~ Finally I'm in a labor room. I think it was room 202A. They began hooking me up to all of the monitors, and tried to start an IV. Yes they TRIED, but did not succeed. I had so many nurses try but they said that I was dehydrated. The pain was getting worse and worse. I wanted to cry.

5:00 am~ I still don't have an IV, so still no pain medication. They already tried 4 times. They had to call a doctor from anesthesia to put the IV in. God bless her! She finally got it in. And I finally was able to get something for the pain. I don't even remember what it was. All I remember is that it took the pain away, at least for a little bit. Tai says that I knocked out right away, and that after about an hour I started feeling the pain again.

6:00 am~ From this point on, I can remember very little. I know Tai was asleep, Jamie and my mom were sitting around trying to pass the time, and Trang (my sister-in-law) was by my side forcing me to drink water. I remember crying a lot and saying I couldn't take the pain anymore. I think I was at least 6 to 7 cm at this time.

7:00 am~ My mom and Jamie had to leave. My mom had to take the kids to school, and pick up Jacob, and Jamie said that she was gonna try to get in at least one class. Tai would call them when I was closer to 10 cm. Meanwhile, the contractions were coming fast and hard. I just wanted my epidural. They said that they couldn't give it to me yet because my labs didn't come back yet. I was not a happy camper. No classes in the world could have prepared me for all of the pain that I was feeling at that moment. And those breathing exercises were NOT working for me. I just wanted her out already!

8:00 am~ I'm 9 cm! Trang called Jamie and told her, so she rushed back to the hospital. Who's in the room with me: Tai, Trang, Jamie, Mom, Jacob, Andrew, and even Tai's auntie.

8:30 am~ I was feeling so much pressure. I told the nurse that I wanted to go to the bathroom. She told me that she was gonna put a catheter in to empty my bladder. I told her that I felt like doing the other thing. I kept hearing it from other people and from the books I was reading about women passing a BM while they're pushing. I was nervous about that. She then realized that was from the pressure from the baby's head. She checked me and I was 10 cm. I was so scared coz I didn't even get my epidural yet, and it was too late. This is when anesthesia decided to grace us with their presence. They called Dr. Klooster for the delivery.

8:55 am~ Dr. Klooster ruptured my bag of water. I had my legs in the stir-ups, and began to push on the doctor's command. After my 3rd push, the doctor told me to stop. I then yelled back "I'M NOT PUSHING!" I guess the cord was wrapped around her neck.

9:00 am~ After they unraveled the cord, I pushed one more time and she came out. Surprisingly I felt no pain during delivery. I think it was from all of the adrenaline rushing through my body. I knew I was close, and that if I just pushed as hard as I could finally get this process over with. Stailynne Nguyen was born October 6, 2006 at 9:01 am, naturally. I was so happy she came out crying and that she had a head full of hair. I finally had my daughter in my arms.

9:05 am~ I had a 2nd degree laceration, so Dr. Klooster was sewing me up while I had Stailynne on my chest. He didn't put enough local so I could feel him stitching when he first started. I'M SO TRIED!