I had a planned induction.
One day when I was about 7 months pregnant with Easton I hadn't felt him move all day long, which was extremely odd for him. He was usually constantly moving. So I called my OB and they had me come in for an ultrasound to make sure that everything was okay. They were worried that I had started losing amniotic fluid and was causing Easton distress. Luckily, that wasn't the case. I had more than enough amniotic fluid chilling out in there, but they did notice that Easton had a bit of an arrhythmia. Now, hearing the doctor tell me this scared the hell out of me, but I got even more scared when the doctor told me that I would have to see a pediatric cardiologist for an fetal echo cardiogram. Okay now I was petrified. Here I am, 7 months pregnant and my husband is deployed...just perfect. Thankfully, because of Easton's heart issue, the Air Force sent Chris home a month a half early! THANK YOU AIR FORCE! He was able to be there with me for the fetal echo. The pediatric cardiologist said that he saw a very minor abnormality, but with most babies it will correct itself before the baby is born. Because of the slight abnormality the doctor wanted me to be seen weekly by my OB, have weekly non-stress tests and to be induced by 39 weeks.
The board the first nurse made for my delivery room!
I went into the hospital for my induction on Sunday, January 9, 2011 at around 6:00pm. My mom, step-dad, and mother-in-law had flown in days before to be there for Easton's birth, but since we figured nothing would be happening that night, they all went ahead and went to their hotel while Chris and I got the ball rolling. When we arrived at the hospital, I was admitted and sent straight up to labor and delivery. They got me changed, hooked up to iv's, blood work done and about a bazillion questions asked. M doctor came in, checked me cervix (not dilated at all and 0% effaced), gave me the Cervadil and let me know that we would most likely be having Easton in the middle of the night judging by my contractions, but when the nurse came back in she said that she would be blown away if I had him before Monday afternoon. Because of my contractions, it was next to impossible to sleep, so they gave me some glorious iv drugs to help me sleep (Finnegrin and Stadol) It...was...AWESOME. Not even 30 seconds after she put the medication into my iv I was feeling it. Here's how the conversation went:
Me: Should I be feeling this already?
Nurse: Yes, you should already be starting to feel the effects.
Me: I do. This shit is awesome!
(Nurse and Chris bust up laughing)
Me: No seriously...could you put some of this stuff in a to-go cup for me? I'll take this shit home in a heartbeat!
I don't remember a whole lot immediately after that. Apparently I started trying to tell the nurse a story about high school (why in the world I would do this...I don't know), and then I guess I started talking about brick walls on my eyelids.
All I know is that it was the most amazing medicine EVER!
I don't even remember the nurse leaving...I just remember getting the best sleep I had had in about 8 months.
Before the medicine...contractions...not a happy soon-to-be Mommy!
Happy HAPPY Mommy-to-be after the drugs!
Chris watching one of our favorite...George Lopez. I'm a Nick at Nite fanatic.
Around 6am the nurse came in, checked my vitals and let us know that the doctor should be in my 7am to check me and start me on Pitocin. Like promised, the doctor came in at 7am to check my cervix and break my water...or so we all thought. When he checked my cervix, he discovered that I was still not dilated at all and still 0% effaced...no water breakage happening.
They went ahead and started me on Pitocin and increased my drip every 15 minutes. Mom, my step-dad Kenny, Chris' Mom Denise, and my best friend (and Easton's Godmother) Brittany stopped by the hospital on and off for the rest of the morning. The doctor came in and check my cervix every 2 hours and every time it was the same outcome...nothing was changing...well except for the fact that my contractions were increasingly getting stronger and stronger.
Finally around 3pm my doctor (who just so happened to be my favorite doctor that I had seen throughout my pregnancy...there were 5 in the practice) came in to check my cervix, yet again. When...surprise surprise...I hadn't made any changes he told me that I had a few options. 1) Stay on Pitocin for another couple of hours and see if I make any changes, 2) Get off the Pitocin, take a shower, eat (I hadn't eaten for over 24 hours at this point and had been begging for food since I was admitted) and then start the process all over again, or 3) go ahead and have a c-section. Now Chris and I had talked about me having a c-section before we went to the hospital and we both agreed that the only way I would have one was if there was no other option. I asked the doctor point-blank what the chances were that I was going to actually make any progress. When he told me it was less than 5%, my exact words were, "Get him out and get him out NOW!" He told me that he agreed with my decision and our little man would be here by 4pm...it was 315pm! HOLY CRAP!
They get me prepped for surgery and I walk, yes walk, into the operating room. I remember looking out the window as I walked in and it was snowing. If any of you know me, you know that I LOVE snow! I knew it was a sign that everything was going to be okay. I hop up on the table and get my spinal. (Let me take this moment to say that I had the best nurse in the entire world. She was absolutely amazing! She even came in the next day, on her day off, to see how Easton and I were doing). They lay me down and start my iv medication and let Chris come in. They do a few tests to check and make sure that I was numb and started the surgery. About a minute into it, it felt like someone had scratched me right below my belly button. I knew that I would be feeling a lot of pressure, but I knew that I shouldn't be feeling any type of pain, so I said, "Ouch". The doctor asked me to repeat myself, so I did. They automatically stopped the surgery and put me head down, feet up on the operating table to help the medicine roll up my body. The doctor said that we would give it a couple of minutes, but if for some reason it didn't take, they would have to completely put me under. Thankfully, the medicine started fully working no more than 30 seconds later. They continued with my surgery while the anesthesiologist, Chris and I talked about the BCS National Championship game that would be coming on at 8pm that night (only us...I know).
At 3:53 pm, Easton Michael Stansbery was born.
When he cried for the first time Chris and I looked at each other and both started crying.
Our baby boy was finally here.
They got him cleaned off, measured and weighed incredibly fast and by the time they brought him to us he had already fallen back asleep.
My amazing nurse brought our camera into the operating room with us and was able to capture these first moments of us together...
They took him away to the nursery, finished up with me and then sent me back to recovery.
They did an EKG right after he was born and right before we were discharged. Everything was fine, but the pediatric cardiologist set up an appointment to see Easton again at 6 months.
We were discharged Wednesday, January 12, 2011 by noon. We had only been in the hospital for just shy of 48 hours after my c-section, which I guess was pretty much unheard of.
Here are some pictures after Easton was born...
The first time holding my baby boy.
Daddy and Easton.
Easton and Grandma Nise (Chris' Mom).
YaYa and Easton.
Easton and his Godmother, Brittany.
Easton and his Godfather, BJ.
Easton and Poppa Kenny.
We didn't have a baby book, so my amazing nurse made this for us.
Easton's godparents are HUGE Auburn fans and the National Championship game was that night, so I had promised them that if Easton was born before the game he would were some Auburn gear. I made the onesie he's wearing.
Daddy changing the first poopy diaper. He was still pooping when Daddy was trying to change him...HAHA!
Easton's going home outfit that his Aunt TayTay got him.
