Ready Set...Go?

Sabrena Suite-Mangum, reporting (somewhat live) from St. Mark’s Hospital. Now it’s truly just the waiting/countdown game…

Here are a few funny things that have happened so far (juxtaposed with me complaining about a few things).

I had called St. Marks at 4 pm to see what time they wanted me here (we were suspecting around 7 or so) for the cervadil (sp?)… it’s supposed to thin and dilate my cervix, apparently. After we were given the show-time, the conversation finished up like this:

Me: And is it you that I talk to about getting one of the birthing rooms with a tub?
L&D Nurse: Well you can’t have that – you can’t use it with the cervadil.
Me: Well, what about tomorrow?
L&D Nurse: You’re getting pitocin and will be hooked up to IVs. You can’t use it then either.

To which my eyes got a little watery in them, my throat chakra was growing a lump and so I did my best to thank her before I quickly hung up.

My birthplan is crap… I thought. Everything on there says “Assuming everything is normal” or “Under the premise that there are no special circumstances…”

But there are special circumstances… I have an “unfavorable cervix” and my contractions are about as frequent as the KC Royals winning the world series (read: practically non existent).

But praise for the night shift. We rolled in around 7:30 to the “HUGS” alarm going off (you know, they keep those special arm bands so if someone tries to take a baby too far the whole building goes on lock-down.) So we got a first hand look at what would happen if Danny tried to steal away to Marie Calendars for a Super Bowl party after he’s born…

I was a little shook up because even though I have really been open to accepting whatever this pregnancy brings; the reality of it being so incredibly different than I was expecting has been a hard pill to swallow… even replacing “acceptance” as my mantra!

My throat got all lumpy again, because I still wanted a nurse that was partial to natural childbirth even though we were being induced… Conversation #2 went a lot smoother.

Me (through “sobs and sniffles with sniffles predominating”*): I know….this may sound ridiculous…. to even ask since I’m getting this stuff tonight and being put on pitocin tomorrow… (I can hardly talk at this point)

L&D Nurse: [Nods as if to say “keep going”]

Me: But can I still ask for a nurse that’s partial to natural childbirth?
L&D: Of course, do you want a room with a tub too?

At which point I told her my story about the phone call earlier today, she gave me some Kleenex, hugged me and made some comment about “that’s the day shift… we’re more relaxed on the night shift.”

She gave us Room #5 (Danny’s lucky number), and we got settled in (as best as you can at a hospital.)

I got our room set up:

My birth shrine or sorts with pics of Holden (one my niece drew, an a couple of ultrasounds) the booties my grandma knit (she passed away about 10 years ago but had given the gift to my mom to hold to for us until we had children of our own) and an elephant rattle toy from my yoga guru and friend Jami (Ganesh is an Indiana Elephant deity said to be the remover of obstacles.)

I put out my birthplan and wrote the words “Flexibility is the new Birthplan” across the top of the page. I also set out the cookies I had made for the attending staff and some chocolates.

The medical interventions started:
-the tacky hospital robe
-the IV
-the blood pressure cuff
-the monitors for baby and my contractions

But I do have a tub I can’t use. Huzzah!!! ;)

My midwife should be here in about 20 minutes to get the pitocin started… today marks day 9 of me being overdue…so the majority of the medical community seems to be in agreement that it’s time to get baby out… like Blondie “One Way or Another.”

*verbiage from “The gift of the Magi