Noah and I discussed names from the very beginning of the pregnancy and considered David, Ethan, Graham, James, Isaiah. However, the name we finally agreed on (3 weeks before he was born) was Elijah James. Elijah meaning "the Lord is my God" and James being Noah's father's first name.
So week 40 comes and goes and my doctor's office policy is to induce before reaching week 41. They already were predicting he would be a good sized boy. I set the date to March 8th (4 days after my due date). Noah and I arrived at the hospital right at 7 am with our bags packed. We were both nervous, terrified, and extremly ready to be done with the vomiting. Once settled in, I am started on Pitocin to get things going. I'm hooked up to monitors for my baby's heartbeat and my contractions. It was incredibly uncomfortable. But at least there is cable TV! I have to mention that for some sick reason I started watching Birthings on Discovery Health. I began to panic a little bit and Noah had to order me to change the channel. The rest of the day was spent watching Animal Planet lions and crime shows. I had contractions but they didn't feel like much. When the doctor comes to check on me I am in excruciating pain. At this point I thought we must have made some progress. She tells me that after an entire day of contractions, I have made it to an amazing 1 cm after starting the day at 1/2 cm. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! The doctor decides that we are going to take a break for the night and start again in the morning. Oh well, at least I got to have dinner.
Day 2 of labor on Pitocin starts bright and early at 6 am. After more painful exams, I decide to give the go-ahead on the epidural because if I can't handle the exam, then how will I manage the actual birth? I had the epidural and things felt easy breezy for a while - until it stopped working on my whole left side. I had heard this was possible...but really? 10:30 am rolls around and they are still "looking" for the anesthesiologist to deal with my epidural situation.
Yeah right - the contractions got very intense on the whole left side and I curled up in pain as I Noah tenderly holds my hand. He watched the monitor so I would know when the contraction would be. I felt so loved. The doctor comes in to check my progress - she informs me and my British nurse that I can start pushing. Que?? It must be something that just comes naturally to you because they tell me to push during the contraction and I do. Noah holds back one of my legs and counts for me. He is absolutely amazing. The doctor comes in twice more while I am pushing and the second time informs me that they aren't ready yet and I am going to have to stop pushing. it's time for my son to be born and they want me to hold on!! I kept my cool and watched as this large light comes down from the ceiling, a table mysteriously appears out of no where, and four other nurses suddenly emerge as if they were hidden in the curtains.
Minutes later my son, Elijah James, was born. Noah cut the cord and they cleaned him up. Next, they handed me the most beautiful baby boy I have ever seen. I'm so in awe that I tear up. A nurse snapped our first family photo and they weighed my new son at 8lbs 5 oz - incredible.
It takes over half an hour for the doctor to sew me up and I am told I have lost a lot of blood - which is most obvious in the pictures as I look white as a sheet or ghost (whichever comparison you prefer). I felt emotionally and physically drained. Also, I threw up during labor so I was probably dehydrated too - but I felt this amazing peace. I was holding the sweetest little boy and he's all (and maybe partially Noah's).
P.S. I want a discount on the epidural; 50% off would be fair I think.
P.S. I want a discount on the epidural; 50% off would be fair I think.
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