The Birth Story (for the record)

Here is a kind of brief, but still full story of Preston's birth:

I had been having painful contractions every night for the 5 days leading up to Preston's birth.  There were a few nights that they were so bad, Brandon and I thought for sure this is the night.  Sunday was one of those nights.  But being unsure, I had Brandon give me a blessing of comfort.  In the blessing, I was told that I would know when it was time.  Though I still wasn't comfortable, I decided it wasn't right and went to bed.  Sure enough I woke up on Monday without a baby and feeling beat up, but okay.  

Tuesday morning I woke up to the news that my sister in law, Amber, had her baby early that morning.  Skylar Hunter Smithson.  We haven't met him yet, but I saw pictures, and he is cute.  I told myself that it would probably be a week before our baby would be here, but told my belly that if he wants to keep playing with his cousin, who just left heaven, he better come soon.  I know, I'm a goof.  

Tuesday night, after dinner, Brandon suggested to me that I go to the Stake Center for the Stake Temple Recommend Interviews, suggesting that if I go this week, he will go next.  I raced down there.  While sitting in the foyer, I had several people ask me random questions about my family, upcoming baby, etc.  While talking to them, surprise surprise, I start having contractions.  During my interview, I had the thought that this is it.  They weren't even bad at the time, just there.  

I went home, started pacing, grew more miserable, started really packing, wrote instructions for my mother in law (things like allergies and schedules), paced some more, and then attempted to go to bed.   I woke up at midnight on fire.  I was in so much pain, my stomach was hard and just hot.  I started pacing again and eventually we called Brandon's dad and told him that we were bringing the kids and heading to the hospital.

We got to the hospital around 2 am.  My biggest fear was being sent home.  They sent my to triage and upon examination determined that I was only dilated to a 3 (which ironically is less than at my last dr. appointment, so that was depressing).  They told me they would watch me for an hour and then decide.  I was dying for that hour.  My contractions were originally a little further spaced, but became 2 minutes apart and extremely intense.  At the end of that hour...  I was still a 3.  This is were I became blessed.  The on call doctor had mercy on me and decided to give me another hour.  It was a long painful hour, and I won't lie, I was crying from pain.  After that hour, still no change.  I was a 3. It was 4 am.  I was having contractions ever 2 minutes that lasted a minute long and made me want to scream, and I was only a 3.  Talk about depressing.  Again, I was blessed.  Instead of sending me home, the doctor had mercy on me and decided to admit me.  By 5 am, I was finally in a delivery room and some time between then and 6, I was comfortable (thanks to modern medicine and the epidural).  

At 7 am, I got the most awesome delivery nurse ever, Ms. Vicki.  She was really sweet and took great care of me. At about 10:30 am she checked me again, and I was at 3.5.  Ugh!  I had already had my water break but I wasn't changing.  It was so annoying.  At 11, they decided to give me Pitocin.  Ironically, this was about the same time my epidural wore off completely.  I could feel everything.  I got permission to push the booster and something crazy happened.  It only numbed half my body.  My right side was rubber, my left side miserable.  I called the nurse and told her I was in intense pain, so she told me to push the booster again.  I did, but the pain continued, and at this point was so completely unbearable.  After examining me, it was determined I was "complete" (which is fancy for "You are in pain because that baby wants out NOW").  It was just after 12:30 pm.  I had gone from 3.5 to 10 that fast.  I had to wait for the doctor to get there (she was off site).  Waiting is not easy to do.  The anesthesiologist made me more comfortable, but I could still feel the pressure enough to want to push.  It was hard holding off.

The doctor showed up at about 1:05, wearing a dress and looking really pretty.  I almost felt guilty.  Almost.  By 1:10, I was allowed to push, and at 1:14, Preston was born.  I am blessed.