Gage's birth story...

On Thursday, 9/22/5, I was scheduled to go into the hospital for my induction. I was told to call L&D first to make sure they were still able to induce me that day. Damon called around 7, as we were supposed to go in at 8. They said that I had to be delayed, and that they could take me at 9.

So, we leave the house to head to the hospital...oh, about 8:30 in the morning. As we are backing out of the driveway--it seems to hit Damon that we wont be returning to our home as 2 people ever again...when we come back, there will be a 3rd person with us!!! We'll be parents!!! As he was verbalizing all this to me--you could see the little beads of sweat developing on his forehead. Damon FINALLY had his little "overwhelmed" moment. Lord knows I had a few throughout the whole pregnancy...

So, we hop on the highway heading to the hospital. Damon was so excited that he was on the phone nonstop with various people. I tried a couple of times to suggest that we not take the highway, but he was quite occupied on the phone. Well...the highways were packed with all of the Gulf-coast people fleeing Hurricane Rita. (Hello...45 turns into 75, and the hospital is off 75....) So, there we were...running late.

Finally, we get to the hospital. Some of Damon's family was there. (His sister, Kim, even beat us to the hospital!...obviously she didnt take 75...) After the necessary paperwork they took me back to my laboring room & got me started. As it turned out, I was actually contracting on my own--every 5-7 minutes. They didnt hurt. And,I guess I had just gotten used to the slight discomfort, b/c I didnt realize anything was out of the norm...

First IV infiltrated. Thought I was going to die.
2nd one was better...and they got the pitocin going.

I was there laboring for 15 hours. They kept increasing the amount of pitocin...I never dilated past a 3. Finally, around 1 in the morning, the doctor came in & broke my water. Oh my...that's a lot of "water"! So, from that point, there was no turning back!!!

Before that---we were so afraid that they were going to send me home as a "failed induction" since I wasnt making any progress. At 1 in the morning, the doctor explained that was an option, or we could just break the water & get on with things.

So...the doctor came back at 3 in the morning. I was STILL only dilated to a 3. Gage was showing no signs of distress, but I was not progressing at all. Dr.Brough said that it looked like I wasnt dilating because Gage's head wasnt properly engaged in my pelvis, possibly because his head was just too large for my pelvis. So, a c-section was our safest option then.

Got my epidural...Damon got his scrubs to wear. By this point---Megan, Susan, Damon's Mom & Dad, & My mom were still there. My sister & brother in law had to leave, and Damon's sister had to leave. (who can blame them??? it was 3 in the morning!!!)

The epidural....well, it didnt take so easily on my left side. Apparently it was leaking out all over the bed behind me. So, that had to be resolved. Going in, it didnt hurt as much as I thought it would...but it made a sound...it was just a weird gross sound... But then, boom--it was over & the epidural was in! Easy. Anyway...before going into the OR, they had to keep giving me more & more medicine to get my left side numb. So, by the time they were wheeling me to the OR, I could barely feel my face! Everything just felt so heavy. But, as I was being wheeled by the nurse's station, I remember saying to all of the people there, "I'm going to have a baby now." They all said things like, "Congratulations" & "Good Luck" & they were all laughing & smiling at me. I'm sure I sounded half drunk!!!

So, we go into the OR...and there are nurses all around...my doctor's there...and they're counting things...and hooking me up to things...and asking me if I want to listen to music (I could barely feel my ears!...and besides, all I cared about hearing was my baby cry!) Then some other dr came in to assist. I'd never met him before. They put my arms flat out to my sides...I always thought they strapped them down, but Damon told me that my arms werent strapped down. It wouldnt have mattered anyway...I couldnt feel them!

So, they started prepping my lower tummy for the surgery. In the big light overhead, I could see what they were doing in the reflection. I was hoping that they would leave the light just like that so that I could watch the whole thing...they didnt. They put the big "tarp" up so that Damon & I couldnt watch. I guess it probably is too much for some people....

Then Damon came in....they said that I would feel pressure, but not pain...tugging or pulling but not cutting. No. I didnt feel anything. The next thing I know---Gage was here! The nurse took our camera & got pictures of his very first breath. He cried exactly 3 big wails, and then across the room--you could hear him sucking.

Dr.Brough said that Gage was trying to come out face up, and he had the cord wrapped around his neck. He said that it also looked like he never would have fit through my pelvis. So, my healthy little man never even showed any signs of distress through all of that! What a trooper!

Gage was born at 3:59 am on Friday, 9/23/05.
He weighed 7 lb 10.4 oz.
He was 19 3/4 inches long.

He was born on a Friday, my very favorite day of the week. Damon & I also got married on a Friday...

But anyway...back to his birth story!

Damon went w/ the nurses to watch Gage get cleaned up & weighed...and he came back over to me & I asked if he had any hair. I think I asked if it was dark too. Damon said he had a ton of dark hair. Well--I was picturing a big huge mop of black hair. No, he had medium-brown or even light brown fine baby hair. Not very much at all. To Damon, that was a lot of hair...

I remember Damon bringing Gage over to me to see him for the very first time. Gage was all swaddled up in blankets & had a hat on his head. It wasnt enough!!! I wanted him to be immediately unwrapped so that I could see his whole little body! I didnt ask for that though, b/c I knew Gage would get cold! But I tell you--I wasnt satisfied until I saw his whole little body...fingers, toes, tooshy...all of it!

After that...they must have stitched me up...& wheeled me back to my room...I barely remember that... I dont remember saying Goodbye to Dr.Brough...

During this time Damon went out to the waiting room to tell everyone the good news. I've seen this on the video camera, obviously..I wasnt there... You truly could not have peeled the smile off Damon's face. And, being that we're in the age of digital cameras, everyone got to see the pictures of Gage immediately. What a treat!

I remember being back in my L&D room, and they brought Gage into my room in an isolette (spelling???). He was near the foot of my bed. I still hadnt held him yet...and I was so nervous about my arms & hands being unsteady from the epidural. But, I just couldnt stand it, so either Damon or a nurse handed him to me, and I got to hold him for the very first time. It was wonderful. But, I was still nervous about my arms, so I only held him for a minute. After that, Family came in & Megan & Susan...they all got to hold him.

I just enjoyed looking at him & watching him....

Shortly afterward, they took me upstairs to my postpartum room, and Gage to the nursery for his first bath, & tests, & let me rest.

I remember opening my eyes a little while later, and all I wanted to see was that sweet face a little more!

And even still...I never get tired of looking at him!!!