Elias Glyn Evans

Because we wanted to have an in-home blessing on Sunday, March 3rd, I needed to have Eli by Friday to ensure that I would be home in time. I had a scheduled induction for Thursday 6:30am, I was 39 weeks 5 days along. The night before we packed our hospital bags and then pretended to sleep until our alarm went off at 5:30am. I rolled over and saw that there was a voicemail on my phone... it was the hospital saying that there wasn't room for me that morning and that it was probably not going to happen that day. I was BUMMED to say the least, but at the same time I knew Eli would come when he was supposed to come so I should just enjoy the family in town while I had it and not worry about the details.
At 9:30am the hospital called again and said that there was an opening but I had to be checked in by 10am or else I'd lose my time slot. (Seriously? Hospitals are weird.) We rushed out the door (we being me, Jon, and Jon's mum) and left the kids with Jon's dad. Kudos to Jon's dad for juggling my crazy kids all day! :)
We arrived on time, but my nurse was not available until almost noon so we spent two hours chatting in my delivery room and watching Jon and his mum eat lunch. I inquired about the option of just having my water broken to jump start labor but I was sternly turned downed saying that the doctor was on a schedule today and wanted to deliver as soon as possible. Little did he know that I would be LIGHTNING FAST!
So by noon I was hooked up to pitocin, I turned the lights down low and turned on my selected labor music and got in the zone. They couldn't find a birthing ball that wasn't flat (figures) and so I instead stood next to my bed rocking side to side and using my learned breathing techniques to deal with the ever increasingly strong contractions. Oh, I forgot to mention, when I arrived at the hosp I was dilated to a 3. By 2pm I was a 6 and still holding strong to my med-free plan. I felt pretty great.
Pretty soon the contractions were so strong that I no longer felt strong enough to keep standing and so I instead laid on my side and clung to the bed railing. The next 20 or so minutes were a blur to me... absolute HELL. I was moaning and on the verge of screaming, clinging to the bed rail and convulsing in pain with each overlapping contraction.
From 2pm to 2:30pm I went from a 6 to a 10.
Shortly after 2:30pm I held up my white flag and said that I wanted something for the pain. Luckily, the nurse informed me that even though I was a 10 they were still able to provide me with something... if the anesthesiologist could get there before the doctor did to deliver Eli. I was satisfied. I knew the next person through the door would be pain relief or the doctor giving me permission to push. The next thing I was aware of was a sharp pinch in my back. It was the anesthesiologist giving me a spinal shot (same drug as an epidural but just a one-time shot instead of a catheter). He administered the shot right where I was, I didn't have to shift at all. This was good because at this point the contractions were happening on top of each other and I was NOT moving from clinging to the bedrail, there was no way I could consciously sit up and bend over for a shot.
Within seconds the relier came and I was in heaven. Also within seconds the doctor showed up, and I was ready to push. So to recap, at 2:30pm I was a 10 and the doc/anesthesiologist was called. At 2:45pm I received the shot and at 2:50pm I was in position to push. ELI WAS BORN AT 2:52pm! That's how fast things happened. He came out in one push.
You may think, "Aw, that's too bad. She made it all the way to a 10 without the meds and then gave in for the last 5 minutes." But honestly, I don't regret my decision one bit. Not only did I not have to experience the "ring of fire" but I also didn't have to feel a thing while I was being stitched, leaving me able to enjoy the time right after Eli was born. Holding him was amazing, all that dark hair. He looked like a spitting image of Ethan, just slightly smaller. 7lbs 14oz, 20.5in. That's all for now... more to come later. :)