The Life of Reilly: Part 2

So off we went. Onto the hospital...which was a good hour away from our house. My girlfriends put together a CD for me to listen to on the way to the hospital, and I was forbidden to listen to it until that moment. All I knew, was that it was an hour long, and it would make me ready for labor. It was called "Look Who's Talking", and as I turned it on, I heard my favorite song. Then as the song ended, I was excited to hear the next one...and I heard my husband voice. He told me how excited he was, and how great I was going to do. Then there was a song that he picked out for me ("Knocked Up" by Kings of Leon - we listened to it on our honeymoon and always sing it to each other). The entire CD was full of my family and friends, saying heartfelt and wonderfully encouraging words, as well as a song that was fun and special to us both. I cried. and I laughed. I was so emotional thinking about my little baby coming, and all of the love that went into that CD. It's amazing how much love was already surrounding our baby.

By the time we arrived at the hospital, my contractions were 5 minutes apart. They were painful and uncomfortable, I was getting so excited - we were in labor! We signed in, and they told us to go to the door and press the buzzer. A woman came over the intercom and said, "How can I help you?" I couldn't think of how to respond. I'm in labor? I'm having a baby? I'm having contractions? I mean, come on lady, why else would I be here! Let me in!! I think I ended up going with "Um...I'm in labor?"

I guess they believed me because they let us in. I went into triage and they started measuring my contractions. I was hooked up to the fetal heart monitor, which made me happy because I got to hear my little munchkins heartbeat the whole time! My doctor came in quite soon to check how much I was dilated. I was pumped. I had been 2 cm for weeks, and fully effaced - so after a whole day of contractions, I couldn't imagine how far along I would be!

I asked her to wait until after my contraction finished so I only had to deal with one discomfort at a time. Then she checked me. The moment of truth. "Well," she said, "about 2.5 cm." I was shocked. How could that be all?? They told me they wanted me to walk around the uni for 45 minutes, then they would have me come back and see if that helped anything progress. She said that the walking would usually either put it over the edge and kick labor into gear, or remain the same and maybe taper off for the time being. So we walked. We walked and talked and stopped during contractions. We were walking around the Mom & Baby unit, and heard little tiny babies crying. We heard that newborn cry, and Hubby looked at me with wide, excited eyes. We couldn't wait to meet our baby.

After 45 minutes, we returned to the triage room. I didn't know how much I had progressed, but the contractions hadn't stopped. By this time, it was around 7:30 pm. My doctor came in, and said that I was "Mayyyyybe 3 centimeters." And the nurse added that I was not in active labor, because I was still smiling between contractions. What?? I was pissed. Of course I'm smiling! The pain comes, but then it leaves! You are a nice woman! Do you want me to frown and yell at you?? I'm a happy person! Then the doctor informed me that I was not yet in active labor, and I had 2 choices. I could go home, and "see if labor continues there" (which I knew it would), or I could stay and they would have to induce me with medication. I wanted to have this baby, but I wanted baby to come when baby wanted to come.

So home we went. An hour home we went. Well, we actually went to my parents house, because my Mama is an obstetric nurse and pretty much knows everything in the world, and I needed her to tell me what to do and if/when to go back to the hospital. And I wanted pizza, and they had pizza. I was upset. Here I was, in labor, positive that this baby was coming, and I was driving an hour from the hospital. The doctor said this was not to be a concern, because it was mt first baby, and things would not progress that quickly. When the contractions got "increasingly painful", I was to head back. But I was supposed to be relaxed during labor! And doing our breathing techniques and massages in a bed somewhere! And here I was, in a car, stressed, driving away from the hospital.

And as we were almost home, the contractions got worse. Exponentially worse. Blinding pain. Husband drove with one hand, while I squeezed his other. My eyes were closed, my head in my hands. My breathing became heavy and hard to control. Contractions were still coming about 5 to 7 minutes apart. After one contraction that was particularly bad, I squeezed Husband's hand so hard, that I think it scared him.

"What do we do? Do we just turn around right now?" he asked me.