| Caleb's Birth Story |
| I was sound asleep when all of a sudden I felt like Caleb had kicked or punched me in the stomach REALLY hard. He had never moved with such force before - and with the contraction that followed - I knew that our time of waiting (passively) was over. It was time to get to the hospital! |
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| 4:55 am |
| I had to wait for three and half hours before the anesthesiologist (did I spell that right?) could administer the epidural as he was busy in the OR with a c-section. (slight foreshadow here) I was given laughing gas during that time - but it just didn't touch the really intense contractions. All I can remember about that time was everybody telling me to "breathe" - how frusturating!! I have never been so happy to get a needle in my life! |
| It took a cranky nurse at the end of her shift and a very young looking intern to decide what my body had already determined... I was in labour! With my contractions every 2.5 - 3 mins apart, and being 3-4 cm dilated, it would have been pretty hard to miss! The nurse got me into the shower, thinking that the hot water would help me to feel better. I was looking forward to it - having read that water was 'nature's epidural'.... but with the contractions getting stronger and closer together, it wasn't long before I was begging for 'the real thing.' (so much for doing this drug-free!) |
| 5:25 am |
| 8:30 am |
| 2:00 pm |
| I was now 10cm - fully dilated and the contractions were coming on stronger and closer together. The epidural had helped with the pain - but I had had problems with it not reaching my right side. The nurse had to keep propping me from side to side to get the medication evened out in my body. The anesthesiologist had been back to check on me a few times to adjust the epidural. Now we were just waiting for my body to feel like pushing. |
| 4:00 pm |
| 12:30 pm |
| My mom arrived after driving for 6 hours (We called her before leaving for the hospital). I was EXTREMELY happy to see her! I can't believe that she delivered me WITHOUT an epidural!! |
| My nurse suggested that I practice pushing. I felt like "The little engine that could"... I kept on pushing and pushing and pushing and pushing .... and finally, after one and a half hours of 'practicing' my pushing..... |
| 6:00 pm |
| " Sheri, I think that we need to start thinking about the possibility of a c-section." And so after my doctor had examined me and had the on-call obstetrician examine me as well as a couple of interns...... it was decided that Caleb would be coming out a different way. (and just as I was beginning to feel like I had really gotten that pushing thing mastered!) |
| 7:00 pm |
| I was prepped for the OR; Kevin was prepped for the OR... and after receiving some much welcomed prayers and hugs from our moms.... I was as ready as could be. (I make this statement glibly - but it was actually a BIG deal. After thinking that Caleb might have to be born by caesarean due to his kidney situation, we had already considered this a possibility - which made it easier. But it was still difficult to accept that after hours of labour - I was going to have to deliever Caleb through major abdominal surgery. We were actually quite scared about the whole thing. Thank goodness that we had the love and prayers of many. Our God is a BIG God!!) |
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