He Is Here!

While I sit here nursing a sweet baby boy, (and Colton gets some much needed sleep ;D ) I figured I would chronicle the last few days.

Before we left for the hospital, Colton was extremely antsy, and I had passed the hours hanging out with my mom doing my hair and getting my eyebrows waxed. (The necessities of course!)

We arrived at the hospital Tuesday at midnight, and began the scheduled induction process with a pill called Cytotec. This pill is supposed to soften the cervix and start the dilation process.

The nurse put in my IV and got all my monitors in place, and we started the night. At 3:45 when she checked me I was "moderately soft" and 50% effaced. I didn't feel anything through the first hours.

She gave me another Cytotec, and left me again until 6:45 am, at which point my doctor came in also. I was effaced 80% and dilated a whole 1 and a half centimeters.

At 9:45 am they checked me a third time, I was still only at 80% with painful contractions starting.

By 11:00 am, both my family and Coltons had arrived (at the same time) so I had a full room. I was STARVING and they had both just got done with breakfast. At this point they started me on Pitocin. I was lucky enough to have all my family and in laws around as I started painful contractions. Fun, right?

By around noon, they had doubled up the Pitocin, and the Doctor came in to break my water. At this point Colton was going to run home and show his family our place, grab lunch, and switch my mom places while I slept. (I was after all, only 2 and a half centimeters dilated.)

He stayed in the room while my doctor broke my water, (actually stating that he thought they had already ruptured, which I had suspected days ago and nurses ignored.) He fully broke it, and was on his way.

I needed to pee badly at this point, and wanted the help with my IV pole while I still had my sexy CNA there. ;) I stood up, and all hell (water) broke lose. Poor Colton was kneeling and got hit by the liquid, trying to clean up and help me walk. It took two nurses, my mom and Colton ten minutes to clean up all the water, it just kept coming! The nurses were laughing and gasping, apparently it was a lot more fluid than they were used to. Colton at this point said "maybe I should stay here..."

As soon as that was cleaned up (and all the sheets, towels, gowns and scrubs were changed) I started contracting really badly. The nurse gave me a pain killer through my IV (sheer bliss) and I seriously wanted to kiss that lady. I LOVED her.

I told Colton in my drowsy, numb, " i feel freaking awesome" lets do this again! state of mind, to go eat and show his family our place, cuz I was GOLDEN. He took off and I fell right asleep.

An hour later I was screaming. I was not loving life. My doctor came in, checked me (I was at a measly 2 and a half centimeters after many hours of pain) and said "give her an epidural now." thank you doctor.

My nurse gave me some more happiness via IV. When she asked "on a scale of 1-10 where I was at pain wise, I told her negative 5. Man she rocked.

The anesthesiologist then came in to do my epidural. I wanted Colton there to squeeze, but he was downstairs in the cafeteria, no idea they would do an epidural so soon, no cell service and not enough time to grab him. I squeezed the heck out of my nurse.

This is when it went bad. Because of past experiences with an epidural, they weren't sure we could get a good insert. The anesthesiologist got it in with "no problem."

My feet and stomach was numb, I could barely feel my body, super bizarre. Between the epidural and the magic pain killer, I was happy. I got comfy, and fell asleep.

Of course this is when a) Colton gets back and is having an "I'm gonna be a dad" meltdown. b) my parents AND in laws decide to come visit and c) everyone wants to hang out and chat while I'm just wanting to sleep.

rough.

My parents and Colts were talking up a storm (did i mention it was the first time
they all met!?) Grace was rubbing my feet (she thought I had heating pads wrapped around them, because they were so swollen and hot.) Savannah had a seizure, and everyone had just returned from lunch so I was dying smelling food on them.

Colton kept lovingly asking what he could do for me, (ignoring my many requests that he get me fries.) Even Grace couldn't be bribed.

I was so hungry i felt sick.

My nurse came in at this point and said "6:30." I knew it was coming. I had been in labor 17 hours and was barely dilated to a 3. Something most ladies do on their own weeks before baby comes. My blood pressure was 160/100. My contractions were as strong as possible.

My doctor was calling a C-section.

In an hour.

I started to stress and get anxiety, noting that I was starting to feel my toes again (not good.) Nausea started. I was scared to death.

I found out at 5:30 pm. I calmed myself knowing I had an hour to relax.

Then a doctor came in and said "I'm gonna start numbing you really hard, oh, didn't they tell you, we are doing the C-section now." (It was 5:40 pm) I had a ten minute warning.

Stuff started spiraling from here. I didnt feel numb anymore, and was worried despite the reassurance of doctors. Only one person was allowed in the operation room, (so my mom was really sad) and they were clearing out my family. It was happening too fast.

They wheeled me out of the room, telling Colton they would get him when I was all ready for surgery. Sheer Panic.

I was wheeled into a big white operation room. They started pinching and prodding me, lifting me onto a cold table. I just shut my eyes, feeling every pain and pinch an wondering how this could be "painless."

Finally I heard them say "get dad" and
Colton was there above me, reassuring me. The doctor poked my stomach with a sharp object to test numbness and I said "ow."' All the doctors looked at me nervously. One said "did she feel that? How did she know i poked her?"

The anesthesiologist said "put her to sleep, get dad out."

I just shut my eyes and cried.

When I woke up I was in huge amounts of pain. I could hear my doctor telling me "you have an 8 pound, 1 oz little
boy. He's beautiful."

I was confused. "Your husband says he has your nose, his eyes and his ears."

Still confused. They had me put me out so fast I hadn't even processed what happened. I was a mom. Just like that.

They had knocked me out, delivered Tai, and neither of us had been there. Heartbreaking.

The first person I saw was Colton. I could barely keep my eyes open I was so drowsy from the anesthesia. He was holding a baby.

He kept saying, baby he is so beautiful. He's perfect. He's literally perfect.

I was in tears. I hurt so badly I couldn't see straight. I wanted to SEE my baby. To hold him and look at him. But I was so tired and in so much pain. Colton put him on me anyways.

Then our families were there, passing around the baby i had barely seen. Telling me how strong I was for what I just went through. Telling me how beautiful my son was.

My medicine started to kick in finally, my throat was KILLING from a tube
they had put in. My dad started feeding me ice chips (amazing.) Slowly I woke up. Everyone held baby, and then they were quick to leave.

I was so thankful for this. I wanted to nurse him. To look at him. To see Colton interact with him. I needed my space.

I'm proud to say Colton breastfed our baby for the first time. Ha. I was so drowsy I couldn't keep my eyes open or focus on what was happening. He held baby to me, helped him latch on and slowly taught him to eat while I slept. He is amazing. Honestly.

After baby ate I pulled his blankets off and held him against my chest. Finally.

It was so amazing watching him immediately just melt into me. Later I found out from my mom that the first time they put him in my arms, he just wimpered and his whole body relaxed. He had been away from me for almost two hours and had needed his mom.

I haven't put him down all night. He has been on me chest to chest through exams and bleeding and pain. He is the most beautiful, peaceful baby. He just is content. He's happy.

And we love him so much.

After all is said and done, I'm glad for doctors who did so much for me. If it wasn't for modern medicine I would have never been able to get this baby out. I would have died giving birth.

I'm doing so well this morning. After major hip surgeries this feels like nothing. Heck I even got ice cream to eat, and will get to eat a real breakfast. After all that, my biggest pain is in my throat, it's raw and sore, and hurts more than my incision.

So that's our story. Nine months later.

MaTai Allen Kynaston.
Born 2/1/12 at 6:18 PM
8 lbs, 1 oz
20 inches long

Loved more than we could ever measure.