So I have my babies at the Catholic hospital here in Santa Maria, Marian Medical Center. Jeannett and I have a running joke about this and about how I don't give birth at French Hospital up in SLO (apparently the most desirable hospital in the area, although incidentally the same company that owns Marian, Catholic Healthcare West, bought French a year or two ago!)
We arrived at the hospital, I checked in and we all headed up to Labor and Delivery, which was completely crowded (ladies in Santa Maria have lots of babies, so we fit right in!) Kevin was pushing the boys in the double stroller and I had Anna in the single stroller. After I returned from the bathroom, urine sample in hand, Anna asked what it was. "It's peepee," I told her, to which she replied, "Don't drink it." What would I do without my three year old daughter advising me during labor?!They checked me (is this not the worst thing ever?) and I was dilated to 3 cm and having contractions every 4 minutes or so. My doctor had made a note on my chart that regardless what time it was or whether he was on call or not, that he'd be willing to come in to deliver my baby if I wanted. Huh? Not sure why he was wanting to do this, as normally after hours his associate delivers. The nurses asked me if I wanted them to call my doctor in and I said yes. (Dr. McGhie just cracks me up and he delivered Anna, so I wanted him to deliver this time too.) Turns out he was eating out at a restaurant but promised to come as soon as he was done.
Meanwhile my parents showed up and took the kids, to bring back to our house. For some reason it was really sad saying goodbye to Anna, Yosef and Biniam, and I missed them like crazy during my entire labor--must be the mommy hormones or something. Kevin and I hung out in the room, watched TV, and played cards. Okay well I really wasn't watching the TV because I was in pain, and the card game was ridiculously slow-going because I kept having to stop during contractions, but Kevin enjoyed the TV and the card game, probably because he won.Dr. McGhie arrived, broke the rest of my water (apparently my water was leaking, but hadn't fully broken), and said he'd be back in awhile.
The contractions got more intense after my water was broken, and that show Everybody Loves Raymond happened to be on. I was having a HORRIBLE contraction, and all of a sudden I heard Kevin break into this HUGE LAUGH at some line on the show! "Could you NOT laugh when I'm in horrible pain?" I said angrily, through gritted teeth. (Not to worry, that was the only time I got mad at him during the ordeal!)
Yet again, to be continued...but first some pictures.
Here is the HORRIBLE chair provided for Kevin to sit in!
Look at those puppies, they really hurt!
Me and Kev
8 comments:
you were in labor and he didn't let you win the game?! that must have hurt worse than the contractions :)
Mike keeps telling me that HE is having a baby too. I know he will have another child after I go through the actual process, but he gets no credit for the contractions and pushing part. Nor does he get credit for all the daily pain I have been going through. Silly boys.
That is a pretty funny show though, Kevin probably couldn't help it :)
i recently made the decision to stay home full time after working 5 years as a ob nurse. i miss laboring with moms. and love to hear birth stories. you look fabulous during labor...wow. :-)
I totally agree on the hard time saying good bye to your kids - I completely teared up telling Shannon good bye on my way out the door for the hospital. She did fine, and in some ways I think I missed her more than she missed me those couple days.
Ohh, how cute, you only yelled once! I was really mean to Greg, things like "You *** did this to me you *** &&& ***"
I love the most random pictures you guys take of everything!
Can't wait to read the rest!
Hallelujah! Finally, the labor story! :)
Hey, I may not get any medication with my home birth, but at least Andy gets a couch instead of a folding chair!
OK, you look absolutely beautiful--it is so not fair that you can be glowing while you are in labor!
okay, why are you smiling?
I totally would have yelled at Mike if he was laughing at a show while I was having a contraction (or if we was laughing at all!!)!
as always, love the narrative!!
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