In early July I started to get the feeling that Camden was going to come early. I wasn't sure why I felt this way. Well maybe it was my gigantically swelled feet that had me thinking this kid couldn't stay in there the entire time with the way I was feeling at 32 weeks, however Camden had other plans for us. Starting at 36 weeks I had weekly doctors appointment where I got checked for dilation and I would get so excited because I just knew that the doctor would tell me it could be anytime. However, after every appointment I left feeling super disappointed as the doctor said my cervix wasn't doing anything... at all.
At our 39 week appointment with still nothing going on down there I asked the doctor when she would induce if I didn't go on my own. She told us we would have our next checkup on our due date, August 12, and she would not let me go past 41 weeks no matter what. I left feeling a bit better and went home to do some crazy inducing methods. My sister made me these extremely lemon cupcakes that were supposed to induce labor. I'd eat one, bounce on an exercise ball, do some squats, and eat more cupcakes. Fast forward to our due date, Monday August 12. I got emotional before the doctor even walked in the room. I had been struggling at work the last few weeks and was ready to be at home or in the hospital to have Camden. Going back for another 40 hour work week seemed daunting. Again, the doctor said I was barely fingertip dilated. She gave us two options, be induced that day but with me not dilated at all she told us we may go through induction just to go home. Or wait and see if I go on my own and she would induce me Friday night. We chose the smarter option, to wait until Friday but I was not a happy camper. I went back to work for barely 2 days and ended up asking our director if I could take unpaid leave until my maternity leave kicked in. I spent my days the way they should be before giving birth, just relaxing and getting things ready.
My belly at 38 weeks
The sign my brother-in-law put on the lemon cupcakes
Friday rolled around and I spent all day getting myself ready and making sure our bags were packed. Kyle got off work at 6 pm and we were supposed to be at the hospital by 7. In true Heather fashion we showed up at 7:15 because as we were on our way I realized I hadn't got to eat dinner and was scared I wouldn't be able to eat at the hospital. Thank God we stopped because little did I know I wouldn't be eating for over 24 hours.
My last belly picture before changing into that sexy hospital gown
Around 8pm and one blown vein later (ouch!) the nurse was ready to give me a cervix ripening agent but told me she couldn't because I was having little contractions. I wasn't aware I was having them but after an hour and a bathroom trip they stopped and we got started. I had to lay down for an hour or so but was then able to get up and walk around. Kyle settled in with his sports and my mom came up to be with us at the hospital. I started having some contractions and the nurse was unable to give me another dose of Cytotec. I wasn't feeling them so Kyle passed out and my mom left the room to let us relax while I did anything but sleep. I got up and took a bath in the jacuzzi at about 2 am and tried not to be mad that Kyle was snoozing away while I was just uncomfortable. We got up for the day around 5 or 6 and the doctor paid us a visit saying she would be back to check me around 8am. That wait seemed forever as I was checked around 3 am and told I was making progress. At 8am the doctor told me I was only at a 1. WHAT?! I was still having contractions so more cervix stuff couldn't be given to me and I wasn't far enough for Pitocin. So my morning consisted of walking and bouncing on an exercise ball. I tried to be as active as possible but got antsy as my contractions kicked up. I felt like I was having indigestion but the monitor said it was contractions. Luckily I had the company of my mom, my sister Jen (who is due in January), and my cousin Hope. Around 2 pm they decided they would try Pitocin to see if it helped speed things up. We sat around the room laughing and everyone kept looking at my monitors, telling me I must be a champ for not even noticing the contractions. After only an hour or so the nurse came back in and said they had to stop Pitocin because it was causing the baby distress. I wasn't too worried at this point as his heart rate seemed to go back to normal after they stopped it but that also meant my contractions completely stopped. Seriously?!
I made jokes about let's just get this thing done and give me a Csection. I knew that it was a possibility with induction and I was okay with that. However, as the nurse went back and forth telling me she was talking to the doctor and a Csection may happen I wasn't prepared for what would happen next. I told my nurse multiple times I had to go to the bathroom and she told me to wait. I was confused as to why she couldn't just unhook me and let me go when she walked in, said we were going downstairs for a Csection, and started getting me ready. She told me there was no time to go to the bathroom and she was doing a catheter NOW! I immediately freaked and began shaking and crying. I felt the urgency and it scared the hell out of me. I thought there might be something wrong with Camden and they just weren't telling me. Kyle and my mom stayed with me and held my hand as I was prepared and shaking so bad my legs were literally coming off the bed. You know those shakes you get after the baby comes out? Well I had them before delivery out of pure fear. I'll never forget how terrified I felt but my dad showed up and they all held my hand as we waited.
They called for the Csection sometime around 4:30 but around 5:00 we were left alone in our room and told I would be taken at 5:20. 5:20 came and went and I started to get confused. They took me downstairs around 5:30 to prep me for surgery. I can always count on my cousin Hope to make me feel better, as I was wheeled through the hallway she stood up and did a slow clap for me, making me smile while I was terrified. (I also distinctly remember a nurse coming up and asking me what I was having then saying, Csection and tubal right? HELL NO! That could have been a close one...) I was wheeled into the operating room and left by myself while Kyle had to wait in the hallway. I couldn't contain my tears and continued to cry while the nurses comforted me and told me everything was going to be fine. I just couldn't get myself calmed down, the whole process just seemed so very scary. They put me on the operating table and I laid there... and laid there... and laid there. We were waiting on the anesthiologist who hadn't arrived yet. I was on the table 10-15 minutes before he actually arrived.
Kyle later told me he was starting to get extremely scared as he was sitting in the hallway and people were running in and out of the room. No one was telling him what was going on and he was scared that something was wrong. He said he then saw a guy in an AC/DC shirt and jeans walk in a room and walk back out in scrubs into the operating room. He wondered who the heck that was and found out it was our anesthiologist.
As it turns out the anesthiologist was on call and was all the way in Louisburg (45 minutes away) when he got the call. I could tell the doctor was definitely not happy with him and told him he needed to be closer in case of an emergency. They started my spinal and put the smallest nurse underneath me to hold me up. While he was inserting the needle a buzz went down my leg and it shot up in the air. I fell over onto the nurse and screamed a bit almost taking her down. Looking back now it's funny but at the time it scared the bejeezus out of me even more.
As soon as they got the curtain up they brought Kyle in to be with me. No sooner he sat down and they started cutting. I had an oxygen mask on and was still scared as all the sensations of a Csection are weird in itself. Kyle kept tryin to look while they were cutting and I told him to stop looking. I was afraid he would get a disgusted look on his face and it would scare me more. The nurses began telling me I'd feel alot of pressure and man were they right. I could barely breathe and the pressure on my chest was unreal. At 6:04 pm, we heard Camden's first screams and I will never forget that moment. That was such intense relief that he was okay. Kyle said he peed the whole way into the crib and continued to pee on the nurses. That's my boy! I was able to see him for a brief moment, way too brief for me, and he was whisked away upstairs with his daddy leaving me alone on the table.
First diaper
First Bath
I hated that I couldn't really move my arms and the intense shaking started soon after everyone left. I was tasting the medication from the spinal in my mouth and getting a bit nauseous. I kept thinking in my head, is this normal? I tried to make conversation with the anesthiologist while I was sewn up and focus on the fact that Camden was really out! It took about another 20-30 minutes to sew me up and then I was flip turned back onto the bed and taken upstairs. As the anesthiologist was wheeling me through I kept seeing the lights above me go by and told him it was just like the movies. Haha!
1st time holding Cam
The doctor told me after Camden came out that he was never engaged in my pelvis and his head was perfect! What a stubborn little boy to go almost 41 weeks and never even really drop! She also told me a Csection may have been inevitable because he did have a big head and wide shoulders and she didn't think he would have fit through my pelvis anyway.
When I was wheeled back into my room Kyle was standing there cuddling with our little boy. The look on his face was priceless as he told me he had about 20 minutes of just getting to hold Camden. I had to be flat on my back until I was able to move my legs but they were able to lay Camden on my chest and for the first time I really got a good look at him. He was so perfect! It was so surreal that he had just come out of me and we had made that precious gift. I told Kyle multiple times at the hospital, we make such cute babies!
The night Cam was born
Snuggling at the hospital
Loving on my boy
Recuperation from the Csection was extremely rough and Kyle had to see way more than I think he wanted to but our hospital stay was great. I have to mention that we did get out earlier than planned because I was such a rock star and moved around so much. At one point the nurse told me to take it easy and stop trying to be a hero because I wanted to take a shower less than 12 hours after surgery. The nurses were so helpful that I was almost a bit nervous to leave. Don't worry, we called labor and delivery numerous times after coming home. I won't go into details right now but just a few of the reasons were: jaundice, Cam losing almost a lb. of body weight, Kyle unknowingly way overmedicating me, ER visit for 103 degree fever due to a UTI that I couldn't even feel, etc. It was a rough road but we came out of it so much stronger and with one amazing little guy!
Heading home!
Camden Micus
7 lb. 15 oz.
20.5 in.
August 17, 2013
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