Epidural for one please...

Lexie's birth story: Part 2

The contractions were bearable and just more of an annoyance as I progressed from 2-3 centimeters to 6 centimeters. They were like really bad period cramps that were easy to breath through. At about 4 centimeters they broke my water. They were anywhere from 3-5 minutes apart giving me plenty of time to recover. I wasn't able to talk through them, but they were still manageable.

At about 6 centimeters they got much worse. I know people say that contractions hurt while others say it's like bad period cramps. I got to 7 centimeters and my contractions were about a minute and a half apart....and completely UNBEARABLE. I told my husband that it felt like someone was reaching in and riping my woo ha part like a pallet expander. I told the nurse that I wanted the epidural as fast as it could get to me.

The anesthesiologist finally arrived. Do you know that when you get an epidural they want you to sit...through contractions...which is incredibly painful. When he arrived he said "so are we ready for the epidural?" I must haven given him a "seriously" look, because he said "well I guess we are. Let me get started." I gasped as he inserted the needle, but the pain relief was instantaneous. A warm sensation ran from my back to my toes and it was the most wonderful feeling ever.

They laid me back in bed and I could finally relax...not to mention breathe. There was no way I could have done labor any further naturally. I give major, major props to any woman that does it naturally, because that shit hurts. There's no other way to put it haha. Now that I was comfortable, I ordered a cherry popscicle and laughed as I watched the contractions come and go because I couldn't feel them. I could feel the tightening and the pressure as they came but that was it. My husband laughed at me because I was feeling no pain and completely enjoying it.

The mood changed relatively quickly though as with every contractions, baby's heartbeat would drop. My contractions were about a minute and half apart, which wasn't enough time for baby to recover. They inserted an internal monitor to get a clear picture on her heart rate. Her heart rate continued to drop with every contraction and was beginning to drop to scary levels.

They have the heart rate blaring so we could all hear her distress. They began trying other things like rolling me side to side and pushing on my belly. Nurses were coming and going and my L&D nurse was constantly on the phone speaking in hushed tones. Then my OB arrived.

She checked me, said I was 8 centimeters, but that we couldn't wait. We needed to go...now. Meaning I would be having an emergency c-section.

They began prepping me for surgery as they stuck a cap on my head, took off the oxygen, threw scrubs at hubby and told him to pack all of our stuff and that we needed to go right now.

They wheeled me out of the room and down the the OR with such quickness that they ran into door frames. My sweet L&D nurse leaned down and said "Please keep you arms and legs inside the bed as she doesn't drive very well." - referring to the nurser steering my bed.

I was then wheeled into the OR...