I am posting this mostly for myself to be able to read back and remember when the details are less clear, but hope that those that are interested will also enjoy the tale.
Here is the story of the long awaited arrival of Spencer Stephen Black...
August 11, my due date, came and went. We tried to stay busy and keep our minds off the impending event but I had really had it by the end. It was hot and I was miserable which means Josh was equally as miserable. On Thursday (40 weeks, 2 days) I decided that we were going to hike to the waterfall at Mt. Rose. If nature was not going to run its course than I was determined to help it along. I caught some very funny glances from others on the trail but the hike didn't seem to do the trick. The following morning (40 weeks, 3 days) we went to see Dr. Jacobs for a scheduled appointment. Prior to the appointment, Josh found me crying in the closet because even my maternity clothes were getting too small and I couldn't find anything to wear. Dr. Jacobs checked to see if I was making any progress and I was still only about 1 1/2 cm dilated (1 cm the week before), but he did note that the baby was very low (thanks to the hike the day before). The topic turned to induction. I had heard horror stories of women going 42 weeks before their OB would induce so I was cringing to hear what he had in mind. To my pleasant surprise, he agreed to induce me the following Tuesday (at 41 weeks) because he was going to be out of town for the weekend. I was relieved to have an end in sight. Before leaving the office I had to have a nonstress test to make sure that the baby was still doing alright despite being overdue. Everything looked good and we planned to meet at 7:15 am on Tuesday morning at St. Mary's hospital. Josh and I kept busy the rest of the day getting last minute details in order. Saturday morning I awoke and started with my morning cup of decaf. It left me with an empty feeling in my stomach so I made a piece of toast (always a cure for me). But the feeling did not go away. We decided to head down to the California Ave. farmers market to pick up some fresh produce and attempt to pass the day. On the way home I was feeling increasingly awful and my back had started to hurt. I basically laid around all day as the pain got more intense. I was thinking that this could be it but I wasn't having any regular contractions so I wasn't sure. We tried to settle down and watch a movie after dinner but I was up pacing the house to deal with the pain. Finally I decided, with the urging of one of my nurse friends, to call labor and delivery and talk to one of the nurses. I really did not want to go to the hospital only to be sent home. The nurse reassured me and told me to wait until the contractions became regular. I decided to go to bed but first I took a shower because I had a feeling we might be close. I awoke at 1 am with severe back pain. I got out of bed and walked into the living room. There was a contraction...and another...and another...Oh shoot, I better see how far apart they are. My contractions were coming every 2 to 3 minutes. I went into the bedroom and awoke Josh. He took one look at me and knew it was time to grab our bags and go. Of course I would go into labor when my OB, whom I absolutely adore, is out of town! The car ride seemed to last a century despite being only about 10 minutes. After getting a little Black-Brown confusion sorted out, we were settled into our room by 2:45 am. Nora, my nurse, came to check me. I was relieved when she announced that I was 4 cm and 100% effaced...yay I don't have to go home! I got hooked up to the monitor and my pain was justified with contractions that were coming so quickly I wasn't getting much rest between. Even worse, the back pain continued and that was constant so there really was no relief even between contractions. I remember feeling very anxious and I couldn't stop shaking. A dose of Fentanyl was offered and I gladly accepted...after that I felt a bit better and much less anxious. Josh started making calls to the family around 4:30 am. Dr. Mock finally arrived around 5 am to place the epidural. He was a bit of a nut job and had been duty for 22 hours of his 24 hour shift and seemed to have been espressoing for most of it, but at that point I didn't care. He talked the entire time he was doing the procedure and I remember wondering if he was actually concentrating on the needle he was inserting near my spinal cord. In the end, the epidural took and within a few minutes I had no pain, none at all, it was fabulous! My parents arrived as the anesthesiologist was finishing up. They had called Corinne and Devin and they were on the way from Oakland--how wonderful that it was a Sunday so they could make it. Nora checked me again after the epidural was in and I had progressed to 6 cm. Change of shift came and Nora went home and Rebecca took over. Rebecca had a very calm personality and I liked her from the very beginning. Corinne and Devin arrived around 8:30 and hung out in the room. Josh had put together music for the birth so that was playing in the background and it did wonders for making me feel more at ease. We just hung out and talked at this point. I wasn't in any pain but the contractions continued and we would watch them on the monitor. The epidural took a bit too well and I was numb all the way to my feet instead of mid thighs--this was uncomfortable for me because I couldn't move but I would take it that way any day instead of the alternative. Dr. Jack, the on-call doctor, arrived to check me and break my water. I was so lucky to have such a wonderful doctor in place of my own. He was a younger guy, very calm and down to earth. After my water broke I quickly progressed to 8 and then 10 cm. When the time came to push I was nervous because I still couldn't feel anything despite the epidural being turned down. Dr. Jack decided to go ahead and let me try. After 30 minutes of the greatest workout of my life Spencer Stephen finally arrived at 11:31 am. Josh and my mom helped me through the pushing while dad, Corinne, and Devin waited outside. After what felt like an eternity, Spencer finally was delivered to me after being cleaned up and weighed. 6 lbs 15 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. What an amazing feeling! I just stared at him and then at Josh and back and forth again and again. Dad and the others came back to the room and we announced the name that we had been holding out on for so long. Spencer for Spencer's Hotsprings (the place Josh spoke about taking me when we first met and still have not actually made it) and Stephen of course after my dad. And just like that after nine months of anticipation and the longest 40th week of pregnancy, the labor was done and our baby boy was here!
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