Here's the finale (again, discontinue reading if you aren't comfortable with TMI issues):
I made both my sisters go for long walks with me all afternoon. I wanted so desperately to start labor again. I was willing to do anything. I even went so far as taking a dose of castor oil. Mixed with orange juice...not so bad (gag reflex and all). I can't remember exactly when I started feeling contractions again, but by 8:30, my sister was timing them and telling me my progress every 30 to 40 minutes. I was encouraged every time I heard the timing because they were getting longer, stronger and closer together!! :)
I had my sister call my friend to invite her over during my laboring at home. I was so thankful when she and her husband showed up. My friend sat with me and my sister in my bedroom and her husband sat with my husband and my other sister in the living room (later I found out that they were praying for me the whole time; what an amazing group of friends I have!). The only thing that felt good to me was lying on my right side during every contraction and moaning/humming through each one. My wonderful sister made a playlist of soothing songs and I would focus on the music through each contraction. It helped distract me and strangely kept me focused on the task at hand. By 10:30, I was having pretty intense contractions about every 4 minutes and decided I wanted to sit in the tub with relaxing bubble bath scents to help me through the contractions. It felt so nice. I laid in the tub for about an hour and a half and slipped in and out of sleep while my sister rubbed my arm and diligently kept time of the contractions. I was so tired (remember I'd only slept 4 hours in what was now a 48 hour time period). I think I actually slept through some contractions even though they were becoming so intense. At one point, I awoke to a contraction and muttered "Such a rude awakening!" :) Janelle just kept draining some water and refilling it with hot water and adding more bubbles.
At midnight, Janelle tried to convince me that it was time to go to the hospital. My contractions were lasting about 45 to 60 seconds and were coming about ever 3 1/2 minutes. I remembered the nurse telling me every 3 minutes. I was going to do my homework completely!! I told Janelle I wanted 30 more minutes at home and got out of the tub to lay down on my bed again. We have a queen size bed and I was laying at the farthest right side possible. I remember my friend had brought frozen strawberries and all of a sudden those sounded so good. I sucked on those for the next 15 minutes and finally made up my mind that it was time to go to the hospital. Janelle (or was it Jessica, I can't remember) went out of the bedroom to tell everyone to start packing up. All of a sudden my contractions got extremely intense and I felt this balloon come out of me. I screamed "Something's happening!" I seriously thought it was the head coming out. Within a second the balloon exploded (literally) and water gushed out of me all the way across my bed and onto the floor. What I thought was the head was my bag of water breaking. Now, it's ON!! Within another second I say "My water just broke! LET'S GO!" I changed my clothes really quickly; I was SOAKED! My sister was soaked too, but she was such a sport, she didn't mind. (oh, it must have been Jessica, because Janelle was with me in the bed...anyway, moving on). I get out to the car (after another contraction comes and goes), Janelle drives us to the hospital. I walk into the E.R. and the nurse takes one look at me and says, "Oh my! Maternity center, get a wheel chair, lets go!" I can't imagine what I must have looked like to get that response! :) I get up to my delivery room at 12:40. The nurse tells me to pee in a cup. I think to myself "She has GOT to be kidding!" But I do it anyway, the nurse knows best, right? They get me in a gown and check me. Fully dilated and station 2. The baby's head is crowning!! She jokes with me about something, but right then the biggest and strongest contraction hits. I grab Janelle's hand and say something like "This hurts, I can't do it. I don't like it. I have to push!" Janelle (the WONDERFUL coach that she is) calms me down and the contraction passes. (Later on, Janelle told me that one of the nurses response to me saying I need to push was "So, push already!" HAHA! If only I had actually heard those words.). At this point, I know the baby is going to come any second. I've been in labor for just over 4 hours and the contractions are so strong, the urge to push so intense, I'm on the roller coaster ride of my life and am losing a little bit of control. The doctor on call (not my regular ob-gyn) hasn't made it into the room yet. My mom hasn't made it yet. I'm freaking out that this is all going to happen and it's just going to be me, Janelle and Rolando. I look at the nurse and say, "I feel so much pressure. I need to push. Where's my mom?"
It's 1:05 and my mom arrives. The doctor follows within seconds. I'm so emotional and scared. I hear the doctor tell me to open my legs, grab my knees and bare down. I hear him say that but in the same second, when the contraction slams into my gut, I squeeze my legs, stop breathing and clench up...everything you're taught NOT to do in labor class. I think my body was saying, "um...this is happening way too quickly!" The contraction fades and I give the doctor this panicked look. He looks right back at me and very calmly says, "Okay, on the next contraction, lets try something different. I want you to grab your knees and pull them toward you. Chin to chest and bare down." His calming voice reaches some inner part of me and I do exactly as he says. The sensation of being split in two down the middle is so intense, but I press on. Ring of fire. This hurts! I look at my mom with fear in my eyes. She looks back with an encouraging look. I know I can do this! The next contraction slams into me and I bare down just like the doctor tells me. Everyone is encouraging me. The nurses, my mom, my sister holding my hand, my husband stroking my hair. Everyone believes in me. I push through the ring of fire and after what feels like an eternity, I feel the head push through and i know it's a matter of seconds before I get to see my son. The rest of the body slips through and I hear the doctor say "It's wrapped around 3 times." It takes me a few seconds to understand what he's talking about. Thankfully, by the time I figure out what he just said, I hear the first beautiful cry of my son! Yes, the cord was wrapped around Evan's neck 3 times but, by the grace of God, he's healthy, crying, and they are laying him on my chest. Evan was born at 1:11 a.m.
I'm so exhausted. I lay my head back and close my eyes. My mom has to say to me "Charissa, open your eyes and look at your son." My son is on my chest. It's amazing. He's all gooey and beautiful and tiny and perfect. "He's my son. He's my son. He's my son." I keep saying this as if I'm trying to convince the world. I can't believe he's here. He's here and he's mine! My mom asks us to share the name finally and I turn to Rolando. Rolando says "Evan William." His name is perfect. He's my Evan.
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| My little Snow White dwarf :) |
Evan - God is gracious
William - resolute protector
Labor took less than 4.5 hours. I had to push two times and Evan was in my arms. The following hours fly by. He's weighed and measured. 5 lbs 13 oz. 19 1/4 inches long. His head cir. is 12.75 inches. He's swaddled and back in my arms. I'm nursing my son for the first time and it feels so perfect. He's a tiny little guy. He's a bit jaundiced, but nothing to be too concerned about. He's absolutely perfect! I feel whole. This is who I am. I'm a mama. I am exactly what God created me to be.
Giving birth and becoming a mama has totally changed me. It has made me realize just how important life is and forced me to make some much needed changes in my life. It has grown me into a better woman, a better wife, a better sister, a more 'whole' human. God is so good and I can't believe the blessings that he has poured over my life. I have the most wonderful husband and the most beautiful son. I am so blessed.
