After the Pitocin began the contractions got increasingly more intense until I could barely stand it anymore. I knew labor was going to be difficult, but this was more mentally draining than anything else. I can handle pain, but this was wearing me down. I felt like little Martin would never come and my body wasn't making any progress which was the most frustrating part of the whole ordeal.
Finally, at 9:45pm, I was at 2cm and they could administer the epidural. At 11:00pm I was given the epidural and almost immediately I felt the effects.
I thought the epidural would mean a solid night's sleep, but complications arose despite my body being numb from the waist down.
Martin's heart rate began dropping with every contraction (still every minute), so they put me on oxygen to help control it, and I was flipped side to side every five minutes. After all of this my blood pressure started dropping to a dangerous 80/50, so I was put on more fluids to elevate it. I thought for sure this meant that I was going to be forced to have an emergency C-section.
It was in the wee hours of the morning and my mom had gone home earlier to get some rest. I texted her to let her know what was going on and she headed back to the hospital. In the time it took for her to drive down to the hospital, I progressed from 5cm-9cm. It was time to push!
By the time I was pushing my epidural had almost completely worn off. I started getting nervous about the pain I was about to experience, but at the same time I was excited to have control to push.
Pushing did hurt, let me tell you! But I have never felt anything so wonderful in all my life! I laughed as I pushed my baby into the world and I enjoyed every moment of it. It took 55 minutes for him to be delivered. I loved him the moment I laid eyes on him. There is nothing more beautiful in the whole world.
Nothing in this process went according to "plan," but it was all under the wings of my Maker, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
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