Jerry, mom and I hustled to the car. We had yet to do a 'practice run' and Jerry had never driven my car. Needless to say, I was in labor and irritated that he was driving so "slow". There were words. And raised voices.
Thankfully, Providence Alaska Medical Center is 5.6 miles from our house.
After we arrived, we checked in and I was taken to L&D triage. The nurse put the monitors on me and it didn't pick up any contractions. HOWEVER, I was feeling something. After about ten minutes, she finally checked me. To all of our surprise, I was dilated to 8 centimeters. EIGHT. Baby can come out at ten. She apologized she didn't check sooner and they swiftly took me to my delivery suite.
I was terrified. I thought for sure being at 8 cm dilated, I would not get an epidural. I needed the epidural. Jerry was terrified and wasn't even holding my hand. (I still playfully hold that against him). I was doing everything I could not to cry. The anesthesiologist on call, Dr. Norman (who I had worked with while doing my fellowship in the O.R.) came in after about 30 minutes and wanted to discuss the epidural with me. Pros, cons, etc. I told him I didn't need to hear it and to give me the epidural. I think he was a little miffed that I blew the education off, but really. I knew what I wanted. And for goodness sake, I'm about to have a baby.
The on call OB from Alaska Women's Health came to visit me and check on things. She introduced herself, Dr. Heather Bane. (See where the Batman thing is funny now?) We went over my birth plan and expectations; and she told me when it was closer, she would come back.
After I rested for about two hours, everything started to go pretty quickly. It was finally time. I quickly touched up my makeup, made sure our baggy of Texas soil was under the delivery table, so that Ellie would be born "above Texas ground", and made sure mom was ready to take pictures.
My water broke. Dr. Bane was called. Then, I pushed for maybe 10 minutes.
I'm going to do us all a favor and cut out all of the gory details that you prepare for but really aren't prepared for....
On September 30, 2013 at 2:23 am, our beautiful Ellison Dean Powell was born. She weighed 8 lbs 4 oz, was 20.5 inches long. All of the nurses gushed over how 'healthy' she was. Surprisingly, I did not cry... but I was absolutely head over heels for this little girl!
Headed home. We had to use her last pair of socks as mittens, because she was scratching her face like crazy! I loved this outfit, even if it made her look like the Chiquita Banana lady.
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