As soon as my water broke they admitted us for reals and hooked me up to a couple of monitors. Then the real labor started. Now in your head you think "this is going to hurt." You understand that contractions will be painful and the people you saw give birth on video sure looked like they were in pain. But until you feel real contractions, you just don't understand how much it is going to hurt. These were the real deal folks. I couldn't talk through them and started using the breathing techniques I was sure I'd forgotten from class.

Around 8am
In the meantime some seriously eager student nurses came in and asked if they could observe. Now I was picturing, silent students in the corner quietly observing and taking notes while talking to each other about what an awesome birth this was. Instead I got chatty Mcgee touching me and telling me that I was handling the contractions really well and blocking my view of the TV in between contractions, and her partner Mr. Mcgee talking to me about how c-sections were in vogue in Europe. Do yourself a favor if you're ever in this situation and tell them, no they cannot observe and to go find someone else's vajayjay to stare at.

Around 9am
Anyway - as labor progressed, the baby's heart rate dropped a number of times causing the monitor to flash in an alarming way. The nurses would come in and turn me and his heart rate would come back up. Once that happened a few times, the doctors decided I was ready for an epidural just in case I needed a c-section. (foreshadowing here)

So the epidural is an invention obviously invented by Jesus Christ himself. It is a miracle to top all miracles. I say this even though they took about an hour or so to actually give me mine, due to some weird back anatomy I apparently have. I decided I wanted to name our baby Dr. Jones Couchoud after the anesthesiologist who administered the happy medicine.

Around 10:30am
By this time my mom and sister arrived at the hospital and came in to hang out. The doctors, concerned about the baby's heart rate inserted an internal monitor for his heart rate and one to observe my contractions. They also started a pitocin drip to speed labor along. The contractions got stronger and closer together and I tried to sleep.

Around 11:30am
Chris's family arrived and was in the family waiting room. My mom and sister went down to the cafeteria to get some lunch and I noticed I could feel my contractions again. So on his way to the family waiting room to greet his family Mr. Lug got the nurse for me. She thought since I was lying on one side the epidural had started to only work on that side. When she turned me over the baby's heart rate dropped again, and this time when they turned me and propped me and un-propped me over and over they had trouble getting it back. The student nurse (Chatty McGee) retrieved Mr. Lug from the waiting room right when the doctor came in and managed to get the baby's heart rate back up. They checked me and even though I was now fully dilated, they decided they couldn't take the chance of me pushing and they told me it was c-section time.

Around 12pm
I was wheeled into the operating room and Mr. Lug was brought out to meet me. In what seemed like a few minutes they were checking to make sure I was numb, and began the surgery. Within minutes they were pulling the baby out and checking him on the table. Mr. Lug got to go see him and then a doctor who I barely remember came over to where I could see him and said "Congratulations, your baby is healthy." And that was the best moment I've ever had in my life.

The rest of the c-section is kind of a blur. They showed my my screaming baby very briefly and stitched me up for what seemed a long time. The doctor doing the surgery was explaining to the students in the room what was going on. At one point he said "This part is like the corned beef, see and this part is like the gristle." After that they shot me up with some kind of narcotic for pain, stitched me up, and wheeled me away.

All in all, it was a dramatic day and I am so grateful that I had wonderful doctors and the nicest labor nurse. The staff at the hospital was so wonderful and Simon is healthy and that's the best part! It was a positive experience and I feel like I've learned more in the past week than I can impart. I have more to say, but blogging and baby don't mix. Mr. Lug and I are in love with our little guy and it's amazing.