The 3 Hardest days Pt. 1

1:45 a.m./ Day 1

When we get there the nurse gave me the worst look. I think she didn’t mean to as I look only like 4 months pregnant saying I was in labor. Which I don’t blame her it was unreal to me too.

They let me get in a wheel chair and rode me a place my partner had to sign in as my ONE AND ONLY VISITOR. He got his sticker and we git in the elevator to go upstairs. When we got up the nurses had me fill out paper work and asked, “Are you keeping the baby or no?” I was not expecting that question. Plus when I got home I asked my sister and she said she NEVER got asked that.

Once I finished the paperwork I got to go back to a room, by myself. They hooked up my belly so they could monitor the baby and my contraction. After she was done she checked me and said I was 2 centimeters dilated. Then another nurse came in, told her that someone was going into labor. The nurse asked me if I needed anything, I said pain meds, not knowing I was needing to take a Covid test still. She giggled and said ill see what I can do, then didn’t come back for about an hour and 30 minutes.

When I finally got the nose swab done I was like ok 2 seconds then my partner can come in here and ill be more comfortable. Nope. She stuck that long a$$ cotton swab up my nose and left it in there for about 2 minutes. After about 45 seconds I was like, “I think you can take it out now!” but she said, “oh sorry sweetie but we gotta let it sit in there for a bit.” Are you kidding me! I’m already gonna have to wait another hour for the negative, plus I was in a TON of pain, and ALONE!

Finally she came back with my partner. I was so relieved to see him. He grabbed my hand and I squeezed it, harder and harder because I started yet another contraction. The nurse checked on me and said I was almost 4 cm dilated. Then we moved to the labor room.

This room was huge. The first room had 4 or 5 beds in it and was the same size as this room. It was about 4 a.m. so I was trying to sleep knowing I wasn’t going to get any in a couple hours, once she’s born. My partner was given sheets for the bed and took his position. Poor guy didn’t get much sleep either though. I kept waking him up every 10 minutes or so with pain noises or a scream. A nurse came in at around 6 to check on us. She had to move the little belly things because they weren’t getting all my contractions. Then asked if I needed anything “anything for pain" was my reply. She left and told me she’d be right back with a doctor.

8:30 a.m. and another nurse comes in. She told me she’d be my new nurse for the day, looked at my chart and papers to see how far everything was. “is there anything I can get you?”

“I’m in so much pain! Can I get an epidural or anything for pain!”

“Sure thing sweetie. I’ll be right back.” Not even 5 minutes later she comes back and puts something in my iv to help me. I fell asleep immediately. And in the background I kept hearing this beeping… then the nurse shook me awake “HEY! Hun, breath. Take a deep breathe.” Apparently I wasn’t breathing enough and made mine and her heartbeats slow down. But they got right back up when I woke up and was breathing normal. “You,” she pointed at my partner, “I know your both tired but you need to make sure she is OK and breaths. Let her sleep. Ill come back in about an hour to check up on you and help get your baby out.” And just like that she left, I fell right back asleep and my partner held my hand while we waited for her to come back.

9 a.m.

The nurse came back and checked me, “are you wanting epidural?”

“yes please”

“OK. I’ll go put in the request for him to come up and take care of you. I’ll come right back when I’m done.”

Almost an hour later and she and the anesthesiologists come in. They tell my partner he can’t be in the room while I receive the epidural so he has to step out. She checks me and steps out. She comes back with another nurse, a doctor and a med student. They all introduce themselves and the doctor checks me. “So you’re too far along for an epidural but not enough to start pushing yet.”

“So I can’t get anything for the pain?!”

She then looks at the anesthesiologist and talks with him. “we can give you a spinal tap. It will only last about 30-45 minutes but it will help with the pain.”

“Anything, please!”

The anesthesiologist tells me to roll over and get into fetal position. “DON’T MOVE.” He said as he got the needles ready. The nurse held my hand and just kept talking so I wouldn’t think about it. Reminding me not to move and stay calm. “Done. That will last about 30-45 minutes.”

I’m sitting there scared that I have to push this baby out and my partner isn’t even on the room with me. But as soon as I was about to yell at a nurse he walls back in, instant relief runs through me. As he walks over to me the nurse tells him what’s going on. Then I fell asleep.

The next thing I know I’m in enormous pain. The pain meds wore off unfortunately. I remember my sister telling me about it feeling like you have to poop and A LOT of pressure. When I started feeling that I told my partner to grab a nurse. He got up so fast and flew out of the room to grab someone. He came in and not even a minute later came my nurse. She checked my fluids as the doctor came in. The doctor checks me and said “yup that’s a baby.” And my smart ass said “no shit get it out!”

The Room became a little silent after that. When it settled in with everyone that I actually said that, the birth continued. I ask once again if I could have any pain medication, but that didn't seem like it was going to happen.

10:36 AM

This is when $hit got real. All the nurses got into position and the doctor took her position. One nurse on each side of my legs, one doctor at my legs, one med student at my legs, one nurse by my right side, and my partner on my left.

The doctor, “ok first thing we gotta do is pop that water.” she stuck the needle looking thing in and them, well for lack of better words I peed myself.

“ok sweetie tell my when you start a contraction and that’s when you're going to push.” my nurse was so helpful and sweet through the whole process. “And I'm sorry but there's no time to get you anything else for the pain.” and that right there was when I felt a crap ton of pressure... literally

“um... it feels like I need to poop.”

“ok that means we gotta start pushing!” I pushed with all my might and I think I pooped on the bed. “OK, lets go ahead and get you some clean pads under here.” she didn’t say it and my partner claims he didn’t see but I recall warm liquid after my water was popped. A few minutes later she asked me, “Are you feeling anything?”

“I feel like I have to poop.”

“ok that’s good, go ahead and start pushing.” so I pushed. I pushed with ALL my might. For some reason I thought that would get the baby out sooner. “ok go ahead and rest.” she and my partner were holding my legs up while I pushed and rested.

“Ok I feel the pressure!!”

“You got this sweetie push.” this went on for about 20 minutes. then, “ok Hun you're about to enter what we call the ring of fire.” and you can always count on the person not doing anything to crack it the jokes. My partner decided to sing the ring of fire song until I glared him into silence. “Just one more big push!”

And just like that, I was a mom. And also, the start to all my problems and worst fears.

Sneak peek at part 2

The nurse hands her to me and her scream sounds gurgled. “Theres something in her throat!!”