Everyone has one, right? Well, as eventful as it was it's worth recounting here...
Lis went into early labor around 2 AM Sunday morning. Contractions picked up in intensity Sunday night, just as we were trying to get what sleep we could before heading to the hospital. We slept for about 30 minutes when the big hail storm hit, and that was that for any sleep.
We got to the hospital around 3 AM Monday morning, already well into active labor and some very painful contractions. It was 11 AM before pushing could begin. At 5 PM, after six hours of pushing with no pain medication and no sleep, the doctor could not give us a strong recommendation to continue. Because the baby appeared to be stuck at the pelvis and her orientation could not be determined, Lis faced additional hours of fatigue and misery only to likely end up in the same place. Cesarian section was the only reasonable option remaining. We were confident with that decision, but it was absolutely heartbreaking after seeing Lis battle through so much pain for so long.
When the doctor delivered the baby, we found out why she never would have been able to descend any further -- the umbilical cord was wrapped three times around her neck and was tightly wound around one shoulder. Amazingly the baby was never in any distress. Her heartbeat had been rock solid healthy all day long, and she came out at 6:01 PM, crying and alert. Lis got to meet the baby, but then started to fade as her blood pressure dropped when the supply of endorphins and adrenaline that fueled a day of complete exhaustion had finally run out.
Mother and baby were reunited a half-hour later, and both are healthy and happy, and finally well-rested.
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