Two weeks early and not a minute too late

So on May 29th, about 9pm pains started and it was similar to other times in the previous 3 weeks. I didn't think much of it except that they were strong. I had been walking around the West Village with my friend Andrew and up through Union Square that afternoon and figured it was why Tiny Dancer was moving around funny and sending strong pains through my abdomen and down my legs. Since I was so exhausted from the walking earlier, I went to sleep about 9.30/10pm

Sometime around 4.30/5am I had a few waves of contraction-like pains but felt it was just from the day before. From a baby class we'd taken I knew that I should only be concerned about the contractions if they were 1 minute long, 5 minutes apart for 1 hour. The 511 of labor. And these weren't. Closer to 6pm, I was in the bathroom for about 30 minutes. Basically couldn't get off the toilet and then around 6.30 I threw up in the sink. Since I was really uncomfortable and, if I was being honest with myself, in a lot of pain -- Ismael took the lead and called the doctor. The off-hours service forwarded his message to the doctor on call who said that we should go to the hospital as soon as we were ready.

At this point, I'm still protesting that it's not labor contractions. "They aren't regular enough." Ismael wasn't having any of it since when they were happening they were strong and they were anywhere from 2-5 minutes apart and lasting 20-50 seconds each. So he called a car service and they were out front in about 5 minutes.

It was the longest cab ride to Manhattan. It really wasn't but the contractions kept coming.

When we arrived, I could barely walk up the ramp and a nurse coming off duty suggested to Ismael to get me a wheelchair. He did, and they let us up to the 6th floor. There wasn't anyone in the lobby and it was about 8/8.30am at this point. We were quickly checked in since I had filled out the paperwork and had it with us. We went to triage, where a doctor examined me and said I was already 4cm dilated and 90% effaced (or whatever it is). So I was admitted right away and brought to the labor and delivery unit.

They asked me if I wanted an epidural. Since the contractions were coming pretty strong and frequently I said YES to the epidural. So the next 30 minutes was me waiting for the anesthesiologist and trying to breathe. I took a lamaze class and knew how to do the breathing technique but practice and full on contractions aren't the same and I was starting to panic that I was REALLY in labor. Holy crap! This is it!

So I ignored the breathing techniques and just tried to breath at all. Eventually I started to use the breathing techniques but at first I was just shivering from being so nervous. The nurse, Angelica, was great. Kept me focused and helped me when the anesthesiologist resident was asking a lot of questions and setting me up. Since he put me in an awkward position and the proper anesthesiologist had to have me move. At this point I was having a contraction every minute, so moving myself to get set up was challenging. I was ready to deck the resident!

Finally the epidural is in and about 3 contractions later, I wasn't feeling them.

The doctor came to check on me, I had dilated more and she said she'd be back in a few hours to check on me. A few hours!? You mean this is going to be a few hours more? I was already getting worn out from the pain.

They came in about an hour later to have me turn on my side. At this point my legs were like jello so turning was pretty challenging. Apparently the contractions were happening so quickly and for so long that it was compromising the oxygen to the baby. So the next few hours were me and Ismael in the room, waiting around. We talked about a lot of every day stuff and called our parents to let them know it was happening. The nurse, residents and doctor would check on me periodically and I had to turn sides a few more times.

Somewhere around 2.30 I had already given myself 2 "bumps up" of the anesthesia I realized I was feeling the contractions again. So I asked the nurse if I could do another 'bump up' since I didn't want to overdo it (apparently I couldn't even if I wanted) but she was more concerned that I was ready to start pushing.

So the anesthesiologist resident came back. Asked me some questions, got me frustrated again, and eventually gave me a different injection of something. My left side/belly had started to feel the contractions but no where else. The doctor came in and agreed with the nurse and said I was indeed ready to start pushing.

This is now somewhere around 3.30pm -- and I push. I feel most of the contractions start, and some before they showed up on the monitor and pushed like a champ every time. I was bloody determined to get this kid out as quickly as possible since I was relieved and anxious that the end was near and we'd finally have the baby out!

Pushing is exhausting.

Just at the end they had to give me an episiotomy. The doctor asked if I was okay with it, I replied like I had every time they asked if I wanted to push again "If she'll come out faster, then yes." So cut and a few pushes later, she was out. It was now about 5pm.

While they took her to clean up and take her measurements, I waited intently to hear her first cry. It took a bit of time, but when I heard it I was SO relieved. Then they had to get the placenta out. I thought that would be a breeze, but it was pretty damn painful and required a push or two. Then they started to stitch me up. I was glad I had all the drugs in me so I couldn't feel it.

What seemed like an eternity, they finished with me and let me hold her for the first time. It was completely surreal. I just remember saying to Ismael, "She's really here. I can't believe she's ours." Lord knows what I really said, but that was the gist of it.

They had to take her back at some point since there was apparently fluid in her lungs and she was breathing quickly. But the pediatrician had come in and said she was alright. (By the next day she was totally fine.) But they had to try to remove more of the fluid with a suctiony thing.

I just kept looking at her thinking. She's HUGE! How did she fit inside me? I was also grateful she was out. With all the nurses and doctor out, we took a quick first photo of me and her with my iPhone, and then Ismael took her and I took two photos of him with her. Then he says to me, we should name her... So we said all 4 names we had been thinking of and waited to see her reaction.

1. Carolina -- she responded
2. Sofia -- she responded but less so
3. Isabella -- she just laid on my chest
4. Lucia -- she made some noise but no facial response

So we did it again. Same order. Both times she responded to Carolina most and we said, Ok. Carolina Sofia, that's your name.

I realized that we were going to be moved to the maternity ward shortly and I was supposed to be breastfeeding this kid since that's what we wanted. I thought, well, I better try now. I did. It was strange and painful. But I wanted to get in a try before they put her in the nursery.

Had I known then what I know now, I would have immediately INSISTED on speaking to the lactation consultant right away. But I had been told that I'd see one regardless and figured that it was something I'd just get the next day. It never happened, even though I asked twice. And I hadn't figured on the stitches being so painful.

Needless to say, by the time it was time to check out of the hospital on Monday morning, I hadn't seen anyone that was specifically helpful for the breastfeeding. I had asked that she sleep in the nursery both nights since I had no idea what I was doing. And the two times they brought her to me from the nursery she was screaming her head off with hunger. So I didn't want to deny her and just let her basically chomp on my nipples. I didn't know what I was doing and clearly neither did she. I guess she got something since she'd settle down but I definitely needed help and the nurses were so busy with so many, many patients the weekend we were there that I didn't get the attention I needed. More importantly, to me, it wasn't the attention I had expected from a hospital that has such a great reputation. Especially after the way that the Labor and Delivery unit treated me, which was really exceptional.