I couldn't sleep to save my life on Thursday night. I finally ended up falling asleep around 3am on Friday morning, only to be woken up by awful cramps around 4:15am. I've never felt a contraction in my life so I just assumed they were false labor pains and I cracked open my pregnancy guide and did what it said to try to get rid of the pain... I drank some water, walked around the house, laid down... but nothing was helping. At 5:30 I decided I'd had enough, and we went to the hospital. I honestly was expecting to be sent home and told to suck it up, or on the way to the hospital that the cramps would ease up and stop. But neither one happened...
When I was in the triage room being examined by the nurse, she said I was already dilated to 5cm. I couldn't believe it... I was sure I wasn't going to be delivering a baby that day! But they admitted me to the hospital and got me in a delivery room, and started asking me 20 questions and trying to get me to sign all kinds of paperwork. Meanwhile, the contractions were just getting increasingly worse and I was barely concentrating on the paperwork and everything else I was being asked... I was even getting on my own nerves with all the noise I was making trying to get through each one. Eventually I was given something to sort of take the edge off (don't remember what it was) but it made me somewhat tired and loopy, and the contractions still hurt but they weren't nearly as intense as they had been.
Around almost 9am the anesthesiologist came in to insert the epidural catheter... and I must say that was the GREATEST relief I have ever felt in my life. Epidurals are FABULOUS!!! I didn't even mind the back numbing shot I got before they inserted the catheter tubing... I sucked it up knowing relief was in sight. The rest of my labor I didn't even feel a thing... I was so calm, I even got a few little cat naps in before the big show!
When it came time to push, the nurse had to tell me when a contraction was coming... I wasn't even sure if I was pushing well enough, because I still couldn't feel anything at all, but they said I was pushing great and it only took about 20 minutes to push him out. Tyler Jon Lalonde arrived on May 29, 2009 at 5:22pm weighing in at 8lbs, 10oz and is 20.9 inches long. He was about 3 1/2 weeks early, so his lungs aren't fully ready to take on the task of breathing yet. He's staying in the NICU for a little while getting additional oxygen until he can breathe well on his own, but he's quite a fighter! And he's got a strong little grip!
The other cool surprise of the day was that in the state of Virginia, they have a program called 529 Scholarships (or something along those lines) and because yesterday was 5-29, the baby born closest to the time of 5:29 in the hospital was going to be awarded a $529 scholarship. Since Tyler was the only one closest (5:22) he got a scholarship just for being born! Not bad at all... I was pretty amazed!
I'm so happy he's here. We can't wait until he can finally come home and be here with us, but I'm so glad to see him outside and just hold his tiny hands. He's got his Daddy's lips, ears, nose, and chest :o) and my chin. (We're still debating on his eyes!) He's absolutely perfect!
Such a little trooper!!! and he wont be a procrastinator!! ( we can only hope).. LOVE YOU LADY!!
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