Dylan's birth story

Okay, keep in mind this how long ago this was! lol I always watch the tape around his birthday--I can't believe it's been so long. So with him being my first baby and me being only 22 at the time, I was scared to death! And yes, I went to all the classes, read all the books, etc. and knew that my body was supposedly able to perform this miracle of birth blah blah blah but I still failed to comprehend how something the size of a watermelon was going to squeeze through there. NO way was I going to give "natural" childbirth a shot! (Funny how much I've changed over the years. If I were to have one now, I'd totally go for the whole home birth thing! Doula, midwife, all naturale, the works) I wanted to be medicated all the way--even put to sleep if possible! lol

Well, I started having contractions about 9 p.m. on a Thursday (during L.A. Law) but they were only about 10 minutes apart and not very strong so I knew better than to call anyone. About 1 a.m. they got a little stronger and about 5 minutes apart so then we called the doc and went to the hospital. A few hours later, they stopped! Now I was 3 days overdue so they told me to walk around the hospital to see if that would get everything started again and the doc would be in at 6 a.m. and maybe he would induce.

Around 7 a.m. he broke my water and started the pitocin. The doc thought Dylan would be a big baby and said I might need a C-section but they were going to let me try anyway. I had Jeff and my mom with me the whole time. An hour or so later, the contractions started becoming unbearable! I remember my sister and cousin coming up there and me telling my mom not to let my sister back. She was only 8 at the time and I didn't want to scare her! But even though the contractions were stronger, I still wasn't dialating properly. I stayed stuck at 3 centimeters for the longest time and of course, they kept telling me I had to be 4 to get an epi! They finally let me have that drug--Nubane, I think is the name of it--that just takes the edge off so I napped a little but it wore off quickly. I got a shot of demoral but it just made me spacey and groggy.

Around 3 p.m., they finally came to check me again and I was at 7 cm!!! Time for the epi. The anesthesiologist came down and put it in (Jeff said that was the only part that made him want to faint!) but it didn't take. They thought I was just being a wienie and told me they would give me a little "boost" but after they did, I told them I could still feel my left side! So he finally came back, took it out and put it back in in a different spot on my spine.

By that time, I was at 10 and ready to push. I pushed and pushed for about 1 1/2 hours. I was so exhausted! They gave me some more demoral, I was so tired. Then finally I had the most uncontrollable urge to push again and it's on tape me saying "I want to push I want to push" and the doc saying, "don't!" because he was coming out himself!!!

Of course, most of you already know this but there is NO feeling like it in the world, the first time you become a mom. It was so awesome, I was so emotional and it was all so worth it! I ran a fever shortly before he was delivered so we both had to have antibiotics so I didn't get to nurse him right away.But it wasn't a problem with him latching on or anything. He wasn't allowed to come to my room that night because of the antibiotics and I was exhausted anyway but I got him early the next morning! I think Jeff my mom were pretty amazed at the whole experience, too! Also-- he was NOT a big baby after all either--only 7 lbs 1 oz. But good thing he wasn't a whole lot bigger!