Details....

So, I promised details and here they are. If you'd rather not read about contractions and dilation, I'd suggest you skip this post... :-)

I went to the doctor on Monday afternoon for my regular check-up. I had said before that I was prepared to cry the doctor into submission so he would induce me. I never had the chance. After he checked me he said that I was still 2 centimeters and if I wanted they could do an induction. Oh thank the Lord! I told him YES, he laughed at my obvious enthusiasm for that plan of action and said that he would check out how busy they were up in labor and delivery and let me know when we could do it. He came back and said "how about right now?"

They started my pitocin drip (for those unfamiliar with the ins and outs of labor, pitocin is a drug that stimulates contractions) at 4:15 in the afternoon. Within about 15 minutes my contractions were getting really strong and not long after that I became the recipient of the greatest invention in modern medicine - the epidural. After that things went along smoothly (except for one bout of nausea) until about 11:00. The doctor checked me again, said I was at 8 centimeters and that it wouldn't be long. A few minutes later he came back in to reposition the fetal heart rate monitor, because Jack had moved down out of range. I all of a sudden had the urge to push, and he checked me one more time and said I was ready, and crowning. They brought in the cart with all the various tools needed to deliver a baby in a modern hospital, complete with bio-hazard bag (just what exactly did they think was coming out?), and who knows what else. Thanks to my completely numb legs I was maneuvered into position by my mom, sister and several nurses, and with seven hours of labor and 4 pushes, out came Jack.

If you have never seen a live birth, or touched a baby right after they come out, let me tell you - it's kind of gross. They are all covered in gunk and are pretty slimy. But looking at that baby lying on your stomach, and knowing that moments earlier they were inside you, is pretty amazing. All of a sudden you know who's been kicking you and giving you the worst heartburn of your life. And they are so small. THAT little guy has been making me miserable these last weeks?

And you know it was all worth it.