Caleb's Birth Story {Part 1}

So I figured before I forget everything I should document it here.  It is quite lengthy so it will be in parts.  I am hoping only two, but we shall see.

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Getting to meet our little boy started at week 38.  I started having contractions 4 minutes apart on Thursday evening while at dinner with my girlfriend.  I called Labor and Delivery and the advice nurse advised me to go home and relax and continue to track them.  Contractions continued, although less consistent.  Sunday, however, I swore it was the real deal.  We went into Labor and Delivery.  We got checked and they sent us home.  I was really upset.  They basically told me that because I wasn't crying from pain and not dilated to 4 cm yet they wouldn't admit us.  Looking back I understand what they were saying, but at the time I couldn't have been more upset and discouraged.

So week 38 went by and week 39 came around.  Friday night I started leaking some liquid.  I just thought that it was pee and went about my day.  Well Saturday I leaked all day.  My mom told me to put a pad on and keep track of how often I was needing to change it.  She thought that my water may have a leak.  Sunday night, I decided that the leaking was too much and the contractions had continued.  We, once again, went into Labor and Delivery.  It was a busy evening.  They had multiple women in for leaking waters.  The same doctor was working from the week before and we sat there waiting for her to come in and check us.  Even if I hadn't dilated any further they would have to admit me because of the water leakage.  So we sat there - not so patiently - for her.  She eventually came in and I could tell she was distracted.  So she checks me and says "You either have a ruptured water or a yeast infection.  I will take a sample and we will find out."

Excuse me?  A yeast infection?  I have never had a yeast infection!  How do you get a yeast infection?  What does that mean for my baby?  How could it be either my water leaking or a yeast infection?

So she takes the swab and leaves the room.  Through the door I then hear her running past our room telling a nurse, "I have to go back into surgery.  I am checking her for a yeast infection."

Umm.... No you are not checking me for a yeast infection!

You are supposed to be checking me for a leaking water! 

At least twenty minutes pass by and a new doctor comes in.  I was highly frustrated at this point.  "Hi, I'm Dr. Blahblahblah.  Dr. F had to go into emergency surgery and they called me in from home."  He performs an ultrasound, checking the water levels around the baby.  He says that everything is fine and that we are to go home and wait for him to come on his own and that tonight was not the night.  Can we talk about frustration?  No more talk about a potential yeast infection.  Another, you aren't in "enough" pain.  We went home - me STILL leaking fluid!

So our due date rolled around.  Thursday morning we went to our doctor and got checked.  I was still leaking fluid all week and my doctor took a swab.  She determined that it wasn't amniotic fluid and that it must be what my body does during the final stages of pregnancy.  She checked my cervix.  100% effaced but only 1.5cm dilated.  She gave us some options.  "You can get induced at 41 weeks or come back and see me at 41 weeks and then schedule an induction for 42 weeks."  I love being pregnant, but I was so uncomfortable, we decided to schedule an induction for 41 weeks.

We were contacted by Labor and Delivery that afternoon and set up with an induction date of Thursday, September 4th at 5:00am.

We would be holding our son one week later! :)