Saturday, December 17th, 3 days from my due date, I was SO sick. I couldn't keep anything down all day and was pretty miserable. That evening around 5 pm, I started having contractions that were averaging between 10-15 min apart. They didn't let up but they didn't get closer together either. So I had a hard time sleeping that night. I woke up early Sunday to the same thing, contractions 10-15 min apart. They last the whole day. Some would be spread out, some would be closer, but they didn't pick up. They lasted all day, over night which kept me from sleeping again and I woke up Monday morning with the same. I was up and out of bed around 4 am because I couldn't sleep and the contractions were intense even if they weren't getting closer. So I googled! And found a resource on the spinning babies website about how early labor is prolonged by baby not being engaged in the pelvis correctly. I did an exercise called the abdominal tilt for 10 contractions. The site said that things pick up quickly afterwards and most babies are born within 8 hours. 

I had to take my older boys to school around 8, and I noticed while driving the contractions were getting more intense. When I got home, I started timing them and they were about 7-8 minutes apart! Woo hoo! Progress! I took a bath to try to relax and the contractions continued to get more and more intense. They finally were averaging about 4.5 minutes apart when I decided we should start heading towards the hospital. We still had to drop off my youngest son with my aunt and tie up some loose ends. We got to the hospital around noon and they checked me. I was 4 cm! Yay! All those contractions weren't for nothing! I had been 1 cm at my previous appts. 

I was getting settled in the laboring room, and they had to stick me FOUR times to get an IV, yikes! 

The contractions I was having were so intense and painful, I didn't know how I was going to get through many more. They checked me again at 3 pm and I was 6-7 cm! At that point I caved and got the epidural. It was sweet sweet bliss that I desperately needed after the marathon I'd already been on. 

Then at 4 I was at 10! No wonder those contractions were hell, because they were doing serious business. When the doctor went to check, he incidentally ruptured my membranes and they saw meconium. Unfortunately he was too high and I couldn't quite push. I did some practice pushes and they could tell baby was not in the right position and the pushes weren't doing too much to move him down. So they had me lying on my side to see if he would rotate. Not much luck. Eventually after more practice pushes, they turned down my Epi to see if I could push more effectively. Back to hell I went with the worst contractions that I couldn't cope with! 

They turned it back up right as the nurses did a shift change around 7 and as it was working to kick in, I was crying and writhing in pain. It was awful to deal with, knowing that I didn't need them to dilate and I also couldn't push yet. 

I decided I absolutely could not do it anymore! I didn't want to deal with anymore contractions, I didn't want to strain myself pushing anymore when it was doing nothing! I practically begged for the c section. I got prepped and my son was born around 9 pm. His head is bruised from being pushed against my pelvic bone and the cord was around his neck 3 times. The nurse said she was glad I made the choice I did. And I absolutely have no regrets! 

So now, I have 4 perfect boys and my family is complete! 

Deegan Jeremiah Alan

12/19/16

8 lbs 15 oz

21 1/2in