Adrian's Finally Here!!

I can't believe my baby is here! I love him sooooo much! This really is my biggest dream come true!

He's a sweet baby, very peaceful and quiet. He's a healthy baby, no problems whatsoever from the moment he was born! I'm holding him in my arms right now as I type.

So on May 1st I woke up at 6:30 to Barry's alarm. I had work at 8 and needed to find out where my training was to be held. As I rested on my hands and knees trying to keep Adrian's weight off my back which had been hurting terribly all night and waited for the shower, I felt a POP! I thought 'No Way...it doesn't actually feel like a pop!' but nevertheless, hurried off the bed just in case. Then I leaked my way into the bathroom and told Barry that I think my water just broke. He said ...hahaha....'no you just peed your pants'....hahaha. Then it kept happening! I called the nurse line since the doc was closed. They said to go the hospital and check in. So I took a shower, Barry started to pack the hospital bag and walk around in dazed circles saying 'I am calm' but he was so disoriented, then I got dressed, Barry walked in more 'calm circles'. An hour later, we were packed in the car and on the way to the hospital. I was feeling the contractions more than the nights before now.
We checked in to the third floor at the hospital and set up camp in our room! YAY...we got a room with a jacuzzi tub! My cousins, Julie and Christie showed up with flowers, video cameras, McDonalds, donuts, fruit, juice, and lunch fixins' for later! My parents showed up after them! (They got into town from Maui the day before and when they came for dinner couldn't believe I was in labor and so close!)
After eating breakfast and sharing my birth plan with everyone that walked in the room and meeting my doctor and nurse, we just hung out. The contractions felt stronger and Barry encouraged me to drink lots of water! Eventually I spaced out and just rode with each contraction and I don't know how so much time passed from when we got there till 2p but around 2ish the doctor checked my progress, I was only 2 cm! She strongly encouraged me to get moving so that I wouldn't have to be induced. She said that because my water broke so early, the risk of infection would drive them to induce me with pitocin. I said there was no way they were giving me pitocin. She didn't argue but she told my cousins and parents that they needed me to move...now! They basically made me get out of bed and marched me around the birthing center and women's care unit! The nurses at the desk kept asking if I needed at wheel chair in womens' care but my cousins practically shouted 'no! doctor's orders are that she moves'! Then when I got back I got into the jacuzzi tub! The contractions got really strong then and after being in the tub for awhile they checked me again and I was at 5 cm. From there the contractions were flying by and lasting 2 minutes. When Barry told me that, I couldn't believe that they were actually lasting that long! But they sure were the most intense cramps I've ever felt! and ever since being in the jacuzzi bath, I'd been having back labor! FUN!!
It was hard to leave the bath but Barry was getting restless hanging out in the bathroom for hours and I probably needed a change of scenery as the contractions were getting serious and coming so close together! When I repositioned on the bed hanging over the back of the bed (those hospital beds can be repositioned in about 20 different ways), I rode the strongest contractions yet! Then suddenly I felt like pushing...I didn't say anything for the first two times since I was not sure if that was what I was really feeling but then I said that. Everyone was surprised since I was only at 5 cm when I got out of the tub. Barry called the nurse and the nurse called the doctor and checked me. I was at 9 CM!!!! Hurray...almost there! Then a few contractions later, the nurse said to push when I felt like it. I tried. It was hard and a little scary being so close to get into the rhythm of pushing. They wanted me to hold my breath while I pushed and I had not imagined that I would do that...I thought I should breath so that was also hard but when I did it their way, it worked better since there was more power. After repositioning into a half laying position so I could control my legs and use more features of the bed to push...I finally got into the rhythm of it. They brought a mirror out so I could see also. OMG...seeing his head for the first time made me think...'it's littler than I thought but also... no way that is coming out'. After pushing for about an hour, amidst a crowd of at least four doctors and my nurse, the baby's nurse, the hospital's on call pediatrician, and who knows who else, Adrian was born!
He came out like superman, hand first! I tore pretty badly and needed 3 packages of stitches, an obstetrician specialized in tears to diagnose it as a bad 2nd degree tear. Some of the doctors thought it was a 3rd degree. Whatever the degree, it hurt and still does. It was all worth it though... and it was worth not getting an episiotomy also!
I didn't get any pain medication!!!! Which was my goal. After the bath they did give me sterile water blocks in my back to help with the back labor. They shoot 4 bubbles of water to interfere with the nerve signals to the brain from the back. I'm not sure they worked but they may have since the back labor didn't get tooooooo much worse. Had I not had them, they may have gotten worse...who knows...at the time, I didn't think they worked. I also used the TENS unit in the beginning. I highly recommend it, especially since it distracted me and gave something to focus on during the contractions. After I got out of the bath however, we forgot to put it back on. I wish I had. I was against getting an IV but after discussing with the doctor that it would only be used in an emergency and with my discretion then I agreed to get it put in. We never had to use it. I got to drink and eat lightly the entire time, whenever I felt like it. I was monitored but not overly and they also used a wireless external fetal monitor. Only at one point did they think that the baby's heart rate was too low and it went back up after the next 15 minutes.
My doctors were all so awesome, my nurses were amazing! Everyone was understanding and respectful of what I wanted. I felt in control and most of all I had an amazing partner! I couldn't have done this without Barry! The childbirth classes really paid off and Barry felt in control and empowered to stick up for what I wanted. He did great! Also everyone else that was there helped me out a lot.

I'll write more later about the rest of the hospital stay! I'm just so happy that I had the experience but more importantly that it is now over and the rest of the journey is just beginning!