My Pregnancy Recap and BabyL's Arrival

I took a pregnancy test on April 8^th. It was a cheap one, was supposed to show a horizontal line if the result was negative (not pregnant), or a horizontal line crossed with a vertical line if the result was positive (pregnant).

I got a vertical line, with no horizontal line. I was confused. D thought it meant I was pregnant. I went for a blood test on April 11^th, which confirmed I was pregnant. It was a bit of a surprise, since I had an endocrine disorder that prevented me from ovulating.

So, I had a very uneventful pregnancy. I first felt him kick on July 7^th. As I entered my first trimester, though, my belly started measuring 2 weeks behind. A growth ultrasound placed BabyL in the 10^th percentile (90% of fetuses measured bigger than him). I was monitored twice a week with non-stress tests (NSTs) and biophysical profiles (measuring amniotic fluid levels), and had two more growth ultrasounds.

Due to my past medical history, my doctors wanted to induce me in my 39^th week. D and I discussed which date would be best. I came to the conclusion that I would pick the date closest to his due date of December 2^nd.

BabyL, however, had other plans. On the evening of Sunday, November 20^th, I experienced what felt like mild PMS cramps. I had not felt so much as a Braxton Hicks contraction throughout the pregnancy. I wasn't even sure if what I was feeling was a contraction. The pain would start, intensify, then subside. So for fun, I started tracking them on an app on my Droid. They were consistently 20 to 30 seconds long, but varied widely in the time between the pain. I called the doctor anyway, who said it may be false or early labor. She told me to walk around, drink some water, and come in when they came consistently every 3 to 5 minutes. 

I did as she said, and the pains subsided somewhat. I laid down to get some sleep. Not ten minutes later, the pains were back, 30 to 40 seconds long, and coming every two minutes. D convinced me to go to the hospital, even if only to get checked out. Well, they checked me, and told me that Baby was on his way! I was admitted around 1 a.m., and given a labor & delivery room. They contacted the anesthesiologist for an epidural, but she was attending a C-section. 

In my L&D room, I got my standard-issue hospital gown, and started pacing the room. The contractions were so strong by then. The anesthesiologist arrived, but wanted some blood tests before placing the epidural. They couldn't get the blood from my IV, because the line had blown. Which also meant no IV drugs (like Nubain, etc.). And while they (the anesthesiologist, my doctor, and the nurses) were conferencing out in the hallway, I felt some intense pressure with my next contraction. D called one of the nurses, who told me it wasn't time to push yet, labor takes several hours, etc. She called the doctor to come in, who checked me and said the baby was coming NOW, no time for pain killers. 

I was terrified. A medication-free birth was NOT in my plan. But I had no choice, and prepared to push. I had an awesome nurse on one side, and D on the other, and they coached me through it. After only twelve pushes, BabyL made his entrance at 3:54 a.m., weighing in at 5 lbs 15 ounces, 19.25 inches long.