The Ross Road: My Labor Story... Round 2!

My back has killed me throughout this pregnancy. You can imagine how it felt after scrubbing floors for hours on Sunday night. I crawled in bed and my back popped a few times. I found a decently comfortable position and started drifting to sleep. I was thinking back to the detailed events of my labor and delivery with Eden. I wondered if I would have time to get the epidural, or if I would even need it this time around. I thought back to her being in the "baby tanning bed" for a night and how I just wanted to hold her. I was almost asleep when I felt another "pop". I thought it was my hip popping at first but it sounded like someone had dropped a water balloon on the floor. I wasn't wet so I assumed it must've been my hip. I decided I would get up and go to the bathroom just in case. That's when the water started flowing and at 1:00am we were in desperate need of a plan.

2 weeks early.

I woke Brian up in half-belief of what was happening. He was trying to wrap his head around everything while making phone calls to each of our parents. Again, everyone was in shock. As I finished drying my hair and packing a bag we tried to figure out a plan for Eden. Had this happened after Thanksgiving, we were set. We had a plan. Before Thanksgiving, not so much. We started making frantic phone calls to neighbors and friends....

Friend 1: Out of town
Friend 2: Out of town
Neighbor 1: Not answering the door
Neighbor 2: Not answering the phone
Friend 3: 39 weeks 5 days pregnant... and, yeah, we went there. Friend 3 got the job.

I finally found Neighbor 1's phone number and got in touch with them. The 'plan' turned into neighbor 1 sleeping over until Friend 3 came to grab Eden in the morning. From there, we had no idea what was going to happen but that would hopefully get us through labor and delivery.

About to leave for the hospital. We weren't tired or anything after scrubbing floors until midnight :P

We left the house around 2:30am and I was checked in by 2:47am. They monitored me and baby, hooked up the IV, asked 100 questions 5 times and then admitted me at 3:10am at 2cm.

Filling out paperwork in the waiting room

The long morning begins

As soon as I was back in Birthing Room 6 (deja vu from last October!), they inserted a Foley Bulb to stretch my cervix. They did not do this with Eden and I was NOT a fan of that thing. By 5:15 it had done it's job. I was dilated to 4cm and they started Pitocin. We then waited...and waited...and waited. For four hours I went unchecked. Meanwhile, the anesthesiologist came in to discuss the epidural. I was just recovering from a mild case of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease and the Dr. tried to explain how there was a correlation between HFM Disease and Spinal Meningitis. He said he would do more research and get back with me on whether or not he thought it was safe for me to have an epidural. That was the last time we saw him. Finally, at 9:15 they came in and checked me. I was 4-5cm. That was pretty disheartening. My labor was so short and quick with Eden. I was not looking forward to a much longer one this time around and the thought of doing it without the epidural. No progression in four hours...it was bound to be a long night.

Shortly after the 9:15 check a different anesthesiologist came in and introduced himself. He asked how I was feeling and said to be sure and tell him if I changed my mind about getting the epidural. Brian and I gave him a pretty confused look. Apparently the night-shift anesthesiologist just told him I wasn't interested in getting one. Haha - that's funny or NOT. By 9:45 this Dr. had done his research and given me the epidural. Praise the Lord that he decided to come in and introduce himself or I would've laid there in pain for who knows how long! I handled the contractions well but knew the epidural would help my body relax. It did. Less than 2 hours later our newest little girl would be here!

Ready to meet my little girl. I made my hospital gown which all of the nurses thought was so cool.

By 11:15 I was 9cm but Korban had not progressed past a 0 station. Her heart rate started to drop with each contraction so they were monitoring both of us closely. The Dr. decided to have me do a "practice push" to see if I could get Korban to drop further. That practice push turned into a real one. They rapidly broke the bed down and got everything ready for her delivery. Two pushes later, she was here! At 11:40am God gave us Korban Ruth Ross and we fell completely in love... again. :) I was so blessed to have another "easy" labor and delivery and I'm smitten with my new little angel.

Daddy cutting the cord (again)

I don't have near as many pictures this time since none of our family made it into town before I delivered but Brian and I tried our best to pass the camera back and forth as Korban made her debut. It was nice having time with just the three of us once she arrived. We had time to get to know her and love on her first; what an incredible blessing and bond.