Luckily we had pretty much everything packed and were able to leave the house within about 30 minutes of receiving our phone call. We were filled with butterflies of excitement and nerves. I knew I wouldn't be able to eat anything for the rest of the day, so we drove through McDonalds for breakfast. While in the drive-thru, I told the cashier that we were on our way to the hospital to have a baby! He didn't wish us luck, offer a kind of response, or even crack a smile. He annoyed me... Jonathan suggested I call into the Cornbread Show on the radio because the host is always asking for "good news" to share. So we did just that and he was so excited for us! We had to go into the hospital so we weren't able to hear it on the radio, but we had several friends who heard it that morning.
Once we got checked into the hospital, it was time to start the induction. Our nurse, Julie, started me on Pitocin, a hormone drug that mimics the natural hormone that is secreted in labor to stimulate contractions. It was a slow process starting out, but eventually I began feeling each of the contractions. I really have no grip on the day's timeline because once the contractions became intense, my brain pretty much flipped off. All I could think about were these excruciating contractions that were sometimes bad enough to actually bring me to tears. That's when I asked for the epidural. Within about half an hour, they had me all hooked up with an epidural and my pain subsided.
After receiving the epidural, I thought that I would be pain free until the pushing began. Boy was I wrong. My body took to the Pitocin in an extreme way and my contractions were off the charts as far as intensity is concerned. To put it in perspective, they are rated on a scale from 0-127 and my contractions began ranging in the high 90's and low 100's. Julie, the nurse, had never seen such high intensity. These contractions were so hard that my epidural medicine had to be upped twice because the pain was so unbearable.
Calvin felt the contractions were pretty unbearable too. Not only were they super strong, but they were also coming too frequently. I was having four or five of these back to back with no break in between, when I should've at least been having a two minute rest between each. Calvin was enduring these as well and just didn't have the time he needed to recover and prepare for the next contraction. His heart rate began to drop with every contraction and Julie was back and forth on the phone with the doctor giving her a play by play of his vitals. She took me off of the Pitocin at least three different times to stop my contractions and give Calvin a break, but in doing so, prevented me from dilating and progressing.
Finally, around 8:30PM, Dr. Lemoine decided I would have to have a cesarean section because my contractions were putting too much stress on Calvin. Of course I cried, knowing I went through so much pain all day long with an epidural, I was terrified I would be able to feel pain during the surgery. The anesthesiologist promised me that there would be no pain during surgery and that he would be right beside me to make sure of it.
Within an hour, they had administered my numbing medication, Jonathan was in his scrubs, and they were wheeling me through the halls of the hospital to the Operating Room. The room was extremely bright and hot and I began to get very tired. It was like my body had just reached the brink after such a long day and all I could do was lay on the table and fight the urge to fall asleep. Calvin was born at 9:48PM, only about ten minutes after being wheeled into the OR. He didn't immediately begin breathing on his own, but they gave him Oxygen and in a couple of minutes he was completely healthy. It's amazing how fast it all happens! I was so exhausted and out of it that I couldn't even hold him for the first hour of his life! Luckily Jonathan was right there beside me to take care of him and love on him while I was out of commission.
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It wasn't until they got me into the recovery room that I started to feel a little more like myself. I was able to begin nursing - Calvin and I were like old pros. Even the nurse who was sent in to help me was impressed that we were able to instantly get going without anyone's help! Our parents were all able to take turns visiting Calvin and I for a minute or two. I was in recovery for over an hour, and in that time was able to spend some time alone with my thoughts, soaking in the day's events while my baby boy was upstairs in the nursery getting his first bath.
Once in my post partum room, I spent a couple of more hours with Jonathan and Calvin before completely crashing for the night. Jonathan stayed with me in the hospital room and Calvin went back to the nursery. About every hour a nurse, doctor, or Calvin was in to wake me up. The nurses were constantly checking my vitals, my epidural, and my IV. The doctors were always in to check my incision and feel around on my belly. When Calvin came in though, I was so happy! Our middle-of-the-night time together is something I absolutely love, and I know he does too.
That is the story of Calvin Dean Bailey's birth day! Becoming a mother has been the most rewarding, wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. I truly feel like I am made for this, and even though I know there will be some hard times, I'll always remember how much joy he brings to us and will always be so thankful that God has blessed us with this beautiful child! Oh, did I mention he is the most gorgeous baby I have ever laid eyes on???
