It all started Friday, September 13, 2013. I had a 10:00 a.m. doctor's appointment, and Matt didn't have to work, so we had a nice, easy morning. We actually walked with Jax to Rocket Baby bakery for some monkey bread and coffee. I remember having a bad headache during the walk from the exertion. Thinking back on it now, this was definitely a sign of my blood pressure being high. However, at the time, I felt fine other than the headache and there was no concern.
At the doctor's, which happened to be my 40 week appointment, my blood pressure was measured and turned out to be borderline high, which obviously concerned Dr. Hoelzle. We ended up waiting for an hour or two, and they checked my blood pressure a few more times. It would go down, and then back up. I was only measuring about a cm and nothing else appeared to be of concern. Plus, Dr. Hoelzle was leaving for the weekend, and we were on the fence about what to do. After talking it over, I was sent down to labor and delivery for monitoring. Since I was so far along, I fully anticipated being induced.
We stopped at home to get our bags and the dog, and then headed to my mom's house to drop Jax off. Matt was running around like a chicken with his head cut off, grabbing our bags and getting everything in order. He was so nervous. It was the sweetest thing ever. I had to remind him that I wasn't actually in labor yet. Dr. Hoelzle didn't want me to drive after the appointment, and I think knowing my activities were limited made him a little nervous.
Saying goodbye to Jax at my mom's was one of the hardest things ever! I know it sounds so ridiculous, but this dang dog is seriously my first born. I love him with all my heart, and in a weird way, it felt like he should be there since he's a part of our family. It also felt like the end of an era: an era without kids, with just Jax. It was such a hard good bye. I know, so ridiculous, but it was.
Next stop: Columbia St. Mary's Hospital. We were admitted in to labor and delivery for observation. At this point, we had no idea whether I was going to be induced or sent home. As much as I wanted to go in to labor naturally, I also hated the idea of having to pack everything up and head to the hospital all over again. I was also so ready to meet our sweet baby.
During our couple hours in observation, we had several medical students roll through and ask me a few questions. I will never forget this one super awkward medical student who came through. You could so tell he had no intentions of becoming an OB/GYN. He stood with his back against the wall on the other side of the room, and couldn't even look at me. He was so adorably awkward.
My blood pressure continued to go up, and then back down. After the nurses talked with Dr. Hoelzle, it was ultimately decided that I was going to be induced. It was starting to get so real. In less than 24 hours, we would be holding our sweet baby.
However, Dr. Hoelzle would not be able to make it to the delivery since she was out of town. I was so bummed about this. I had really grown to trust her and wanted her to be the one to deliver the baby. But, this was out of my control, so I did my best to not stress about it.
I was moved in to a delivery room. The very first room our sweet baby would see. I was given something to sleep, and then something to strip my membranes. The plan was for me to try and get some sleep and then start on pitocin in the early morning hours of Saturday.
I was able to get some sleep for a few hours, and poor Matt slept right next to me in this miserable chair. I don't know how he does it, but he can sleep anywhere. He was golden for the night.
Around 1:30AM Saturday, I was really starting to feel my contractions and getting rather uncomfortable. I couldn't get out of the bed due to my high blood pressure. So, I did the best I could dealing with the contractions in different positions of the bed. Matt was sleeping through this for about 45 minutes! Once I made it clear that I was definitely in some pain, and very much annoyed with him, he woke and did a great job of supporting me.
At this point, everything was moving very slow. I had not made much progress. I had been checked by multiple nurses, med students, residents, the doctor, and it was so painful every single time. One resident left me in tears, and she felt so bad about it. Then, around 7:00 AM, things started to get really intense. It turns out the baby was dropping faster than I was dilating, making everything even more painful. I was given the epidural around 8:00 AM. At first, nothing really happened. The anesthesiologist came back to rearrange a few things, and everything was golden. To be honest, it was pretty smooth sailing from this point on. I know, every woman that has had a terrible, miserable, painful birth, I apologize sincerely for that previous sentence.
I continued to chug along at a slower pace. Matt and I just hung out, watched some college football, and dozed for a few hours. We had a really great nurse that was with us for most of the day, of course I can't remember her name at all right now. She was very comforting and reassuring. Very motherly.
In a really bizarre coincidence, Matt walked out of our room, and a random girl (to him at least), asked, "Is that Megan McChain in there?" It turned out to be a childhood friend, Lauren Adams! Her sister, Lindsay, was in labor right next door. They stopped in to chat for a few minutes, and we all joked about how crazy it was that we were both in labor at the same place, on the same day. Lindsay gave birth to Vincente on the exact same day our baby was born.
This whole time we were waiting for Matt's parents and my mom to come and visit. They were taking forever and we were sort of dying for company. Around 2, still without our parents coming to visit, they decided to break my water. Our nurse broke my water, which was super uneventful. Nothing happened. Literally. Sorry for the visual, but there was no release of fluids.
Finally, our parents stopped in around 2:45. I had just been checked and was around 8 cm. So, I was moving really fast all of a sudden. Our family was literally there for five minutes before the nurse sent them away so they could check me again. It turns out, our parents were having Bloody Mary's at several bars along North Ave. as they were making their way to the hospital! The crazies.
The nurse checked me again, and I was at 10 cm. I was moving so quickly now. We said good bye to our parents, and told them we'd call them as soon as the baby was born. Matt had made quite a mess while he made himself at home, so our nurse sort of nagged him into cleaning all of his stuff up before I started pushing. It was hilarious! I loved her so much for it.
And, just like that, I started pushing. It was 3:00 PM in the afternoon. I started with a few slow, easy pushes. That's when the nurses, and the resident and med student, realized that this was going to go pretty quick. They could already see the head. I asked for the mirror to be moved down so I could use, and immediately regretted that decision. It was just too much for me to handle at that point. :) I just needed to do the work with out seeing what was happening.
After about 10 minutes of pushing, I was told to stop and breath. We were trying to hold off until the doctor arrived. Baby was not having it, though. After a few minutes of holding out, there was just nothing that could be done.
Callum David Olson forced himself (literally), into this world at 3:19 PM on Saturday, September 14, 2013 at 7lbs. 7 oz. and 20 inches long. He was born one day before his due date. He came out with his arm above his head, super hero style, causing quite a rip for me. Thanks, bud.
We didn't know the sex before he was born, but I had a sneaking suspicion it was a boy. Part of our birth plan was that Matt was going to tell me the sex after the baby was born. His exact words were, "You were right." I love hearing those words from my husband whenever I can.
Right as he was born, the doctor who was supposed to deliver the baby ran into the room. Her purse was still on her shoulder, and car keys in hand. She had to scrub up right there. Thankfully she was there to deliver the placenta and to stitch me up.
That whole process took about an hour, but I didn't even care. I just couldn't believe I was holding my beautiful son. There is not another feeling in the world like it. I was so full of love, and Matt had never looked happier. It was amazing.
After Callum was born, I was suddenly so thirsty. I could not get enough water. I honestly probably chugged over a liter of water. Well, the time came for them to remove my catheter, but my epidural still hadn't worn off, so I couldn't feel a thing. The nurse asked if I had to go to the bathroom after removing the catheter, and I said I honestly have no idea, but I drank a ton of water.
Well, she decided to slide the catheter back in, and I ended up filling a bed pan twice! Matt had to dump it for the nurse, while she held my catheter. Nothing like the romance of childbirth. Amiright?
After getting cleaned up, we were moved to our recovery room, and there we stayed until Monday morning. For the couple of days, we had plenty of visitors, tried to get some sleep on the miserable hospital accommodations, and couldn't stop staring at our sweet Callum. It was truly the best day ever.
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