I went to my normal 39 week appointment praying that I had made some progress. Much to my dismay I was only 1 centimeter dilated and about 50% effaced. I just knew I was going to be pregnant forever! My stomach was still measuring about 3 weeks ahead and I was huge and miserable. I think my doctor felt sorry for me because he told me he was going to induce me the following Monday night, on Labor Day at 7:00PM. I almost kissed him! I was so elated I wasn't really listening but I did gather that it was going to be a 2 day process and they were not even going to start the pitocin until Tuesday morning. At that point I didn't care, Cayden had an eviction notice, there was an end in site!
Fast forward to the following Saturday, September 4th. I decided that I was going to go to an outdoor arts and craft fair, in 95 degree heat, 2 days before my induction date. Not my brightest idea. It was hot and I was huge but I still had a good time. Our parents were on their way to Kansas City and were scheduled to arrive the next day. Jason and I decided we would have one last night out before Cayden and treated ourselves to Carrabbas. When we got home I hopped into bed with a list of last minute things that needed to be done the following day, little did I know Cayden was about to make sure none of those tasks got accomplished.
I woke up about 1:30AM with pretty sharp pains in my lower stomach. I tried to fall back asleep but they kept coming. I woke Jason up and asked him to start timing them. After about 45 minutes of them coming 5, 10, 6, 7 minutes apart they started to pick up and become more regular. At one point I asked Jason how long it had been since my last contraction and he said an hour. Turns out that the entire time I was having contractions he was guessing how long they were because he would fall asleep right after I woke him up, it just so happened that with that particular contraction he thought he had been asleep longer than he had. Not his shining moment, looking back it's one of those laugh out loud moments. I am sure my face was priceless when I figured out what he was doing! Anyway I got up around 7:00AM and I was bleeding a little. I knew things were moving along. All day the contractions kept coming so we headed to the hospital around 1:00PM. When they checked me, they said my cervix was so high they couldn't find it. I almost lost it, I was so sure this was it. When they finally found it I had not made any progress since the previous Monday. They told me I could wait it out there or go home and come back if things progressed. I felt a little defeated and silly. We decided to head home and wait it out there. At least I knew worst case I would be back the following evening to be induced.
The contractions kept coming, stronger and faster all evening. I tried to go to bed at 9:00PM since I had not slept in over 24 hours but they were just too painful to sleep through. About 3:00AM on Monday morning I couldn't take it any more so we headed back to the hospital. I was so scared they were going to tell me my cervix had actually regressed instead of progressed (I don't even think that it possible, but hey I was working on no sleep and lots of pain)! They checked me and I was 4-5 centimeters dilated and almost 100% effaced. I almost kissed the nurse! About 30 minutes later I was at 5 centimeters and got an epidural. It was heaven. I was able to get a little rest. About 11:00AM I felt a really strong urge to push. I was only 9 centimeters so I had to hold off. I think that was probably the most painful part. Finally about 1:10PM I started pushing. At that point it has been 36 hours since I had last slept. I was spent. I pushed for 40 minutes and then I heard the most amazing sound ever, Cayden's cry. He was born at 1:53PM on Labor Day, Monday, September 6th. He weighed 8lbs 6oz and measured 19.5 inches long.
Looking back it wasn't that bad. It was painful and exhausting, but well worth it. Here are a few pictures of Cayden when he was brand new.
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