The Delivery.

So, the delivery didn't exactly go down as we thought it would. :/ :)

I had a contraction on Friday morning, around 10.30, before our midwife appointment finally took place, and then every 1-1½ hours I would have another contraction. So, we just waited to see when they would get closer together. They stayed like that until 17.30-18.00 and then they started coming every 1-3 minutes and lasting 20-40 seconds each..! So, a jump from 1 hour to a couple of minutes. This went on until.. 19.00 or so and we called the hospital to see what they would have to say, because it just seemed so strange with the timing. She told use to time everything, the distance between each contraction and how long each contraction lasts, and then to call back in 30-60 minutes. We timed for about 30 minutes and Fredrik called back. She said that it didn't sound like the real thing because the contractions should last longer, about 60 seconds she said. And she suggested some pain pills, a warm bath, and some food.

I took the pills and did the bath. And that relieved some of the back pain that I was having. But after about 15 minutes, everything came back (the back pain was the worst).

I told Fredrik that we need to go, and he called back and made the call that we were coming to the hospital. He said she sounded a little sceptical, because the baby was our first and everything - that we just.. didn't know how things should be.

We make the 70 minute drive to the hospital and luckily there wasn't much traffic. Along the way, though, we passed a cop and 2 ambulances, and when we passed the first one, we were both very much considering stopping and having them take me to the hospital.. but we didn't. :/ We probably should have. :/

The contractions stay the same time interval all the way to the hospital, it is just the intensity of the contractions that change (the pain).

We get to the hospital, and we go up to the 2nd floor, where the maternity stuff is located, and they let me stand in the hallway for.. a good 20 minutes or so (while having contractions), while they are doing God-knows-what.

They finally put me in a bed (at 23.30), to monitor the contractions and the baby's heartbeat. The contractions keep coming the same time, pain of course getting worse. We ring the red button to beg someone for something to help with the pain. She says she'll be back and doesn't come back.. about 15 minutes later we ring the button again and someone else comes in (who ends up being my midwife through the delivery) and we ask her for something for the pain, but while she is in there, another contraction comes, and after that, she says she is going to move me to a delivery room, but first wants to check how far along I am dialated. (I suppose I looked like I was in pain?!) She checked and I was 5 cm dialated and she put my clothes back on me and inbtwn the contractions she helped me wobble to the room while Fredrik ran to get some of our bags from the car.

We get to the room and by this time, the contractions are almost scream-worthy. She checks me again, and I was still 5 cm. Might be around 00.00 by this time. They reconnect me to the monitors and she shows me how to use the laughing gas (lustgas). The next contraction comes and I take a few puffs of the air, the gas comes after a few breaths and it made me completely nauseous. I couldn't use it. I tried it again and it made me nauseous (Fredrik was my vomit-bag holder but luckily I never needed it). :)))

So, I couldn't use that to help with the pain. She (the midwife, Veronica) decides to go ahead and have the anesthesiologist come and give me my requested walking-epidural (stå epidural) for the labor. She starts to put the IV in my arm, and it just wouldn't go in - which is very unusual - I've never had that problem before. (So, now my inner elbow is bruised purple and yellow, from all the poking.) So, she tries to put it in my hand. She gets it in, but it hurt A LOT. I asked if it was a plastic IV needle - and it was. I'm allergic to plastic. So, she takes it out. The anesthesiologist and the midwife talk, and he decides that he refuses to put the tube in my back for the epidural, because it is also plastic, and he doesn't want to create a bad reaction. So, I can't get that epidural.

They talk a few minutes and the midwife says that they will check to see how far along I have gotten, and give me a full epidural. She takes a peek, and I am 10 cm dilated. So, too late to get an epidural. She has another anesthesiologist come to see what might be able to be done. (I was screaming bloody-murder, I think I would have won any horror movie audition.) Not sure on the time at this point, it was maybe 01-01.30 or something.

The anesthesiologist decides the only thing she can do is give me a shot in the cervix. But she tells me she is 100% certain that it won't do anything. She gives me 10mg of something-or-other and she said she could only inject on the upper part of the cervix, the other part wasn't visible. But she was right, it did absolutely nothing for the pain, and it probably would have been better if she wouldn't have tried, because I had to go through contractions while she was trying to give me the shot (and I was supposed to hold as still as possible......).

After this, they let me lay back on my side, because it was most "comfortable." The nurse rubbed my lower back during the contractions and amazingly that helped the back pain tremendously. I felt so bad about my screaming, about anyone in any of the rooms near us..

Hmmmm...
Soon the delivery began. A contraction would start and at the end of it, my body would push on its own, it was really something I couldn't control. A very strange experience if I do say so myself. Very, very painful. :/ :))

They moved me into the stirrups. And I was allowed to begin pushing.
With each contraction and pushing (2-3 good pushes per contraction) I thought that was the most pain I have ever or could ever experience in my life - until the next one began. :/ :) The pushing really only hurt from my shoulders up, but then the burning in my nether-regions was.. a bit unbearable.

I could feel all the blood rushing to my head with the pushing.. :/
And after everything, when I went to shower and looked in the mirror ... I popped probably every blood vessel from my shoulders up.. :/ So I was covered in red dots everywhere, and I looked like I had a horrible disease.. :/ So, I ended up being very self-concious for the rest of the stay in the hospital until they started going away.. :/ Because no one else had red dots everywhere.. :/

I only had 3 stitches, they were expecting more I think (deeper ones), but I got away with only surface tears. The midwife worked on the stitches and Leia laid on my chest, and Fredrik then left to go call Mormor/Morfar and Farmor/Farfar. (It was a little too early in the morning to ring anyone else.)

Fredrik came back and the midwife and nurse left and gave the 3 of us some private time together. :) And then they brought our "fika." A very needed snack after our loss of energy. Then the midwife came back and weighed and measured Leia. I was able to shower and Fredrik took a short nap.

While waiting for our transfer to the maternity ward, the midwife sat with us and talked about how quickly everything went and she was curious how everything started. Fredrik thinks that they probably feel a little bad for not taking us seriously over the telephone. :/

Fredrik was great through the delivery. He made sure I kept drinking plenty. He didn't scream with me, but I do think he pushed with me, though. :) Strange to think how something so simple as holding someone's hand can give so much comfort and help during something so incredibly painful. :)

I've had many requests for how things went during delivery, so - there it is.. :) We were at the hospital for what.. 3½ hours before Leia arrived (from 5 cm to having a baby in my arms). I've been writing this a little at a time for several days now.. :/ :) Next I will write about our stay in the maternity ward. Many are intersted in any differences btwn here and the States, so I'll work on that and post it when I'm finished.

The midwife had said to me that I should be proud for going through all that so quickly and all the pain and everything. I only hope that Fredrik is proud of me. That is what is most important.