Labor & Delivery: Part 1

1:30am - April 16th

Contractions in the middle of the night again...

Timed them at about 4 min. apart for 1 hour - got the rest of the house up at 2:30am.

I took a shower, hubby packed the car, my dad came and got Alyssa.

We were on the road by 3:30am to the hospital.

We got to the hospital about 4:30am and went up to the Women's Evaluation Unit where I was monitored.  I was having contractions every 2-4 min, ones I was having to breath through.  I was still 3-4 cm. though and after an hour of no change - they sent me home :'-(  I did ball my eyes out and cried to the nurse.

It was 6:00 am by this time.  My mom, dad, and daughter had made it up to the hospital by this time (Alyssa hadn't slept since she was woke up at 2:30am).  Disappointed and confused as to what I was supposed to be doing, we all went to Steak N' Shake for breakfast.  All the while I'm breathing through contractions.

Luckily I had a doctor's appointment that morning at 8:45am.  We did some walking around a Walmart in hopes of stirring up active labor before the appointment.  And headed to the doctor's office.

I was in a room by 9am and told the doctor what was going on.

The main points to this conversation:

-Contractions!

-Worried about getting home (1 hour each way) and having to turn around.

-Waiting till the "bad" labor to go in and then not having time for an epidural.

-Not sure when it's "time" to go in if contractions were 2-4 min. apart at that point.

She checked me and I said I was a good 4cm - which was progress!

She sent me across the street to the hospital!

So beyond happy, and scared, I asked her if they were going to send me home...

She said NO - you are not going to the WE Unit, you are going to a room.   They are probably going to start pitocin.  You are having your baby TODAY!

Relief :)