Ethan's Story

Wow what a week! I can't believe that my little boy is already a week old! I can already tell that I'm not going to like this growing up thing....
It seems like I don't have much time for anything anymore, but I really don't mind in the slightest!
So last Saturday Cris and I went to the hospital, bag in hand, for the OCT test. We still weren't sure if we were going to stay to be induced or not.
So they did the test and by the end of it I was only dilated to a 2... not much progress... so Cris and I decided that I just wasn't ready yet and to go home and continue to wait it out. We were a little disappointed, especially since my mom had flown in to be there. So the next thing I know, I got up, went to the restroom, came back to the bed and as soon as I sat down, my water broke! I just started balling! It was like my prayers had been answered! I'd been praying about what to do and now I didn't have to decide, I was staying whether I liked it or not!
So once my water broke, the contractions started coming really fast. Before I knew it I jumped from a 2 to a 4 and boy was I ready for the epidural! The nurse called for the anaesthesiologist and for some unexplained reason HE WAS AT HOME! I could've killed someone when they told me that... the main reason I delivered at that hospital
was because they said they have one there 24/7. Apparently just not when I needed it. So they tell me that he lives only 5 minutes away, well an hour and a 1/2 later he shows up and I'm dilated to a 6-7. He claims that he just moved and got lost trying to find the best route to the hospital... That was mistake #1
So as soon as I got the epi it was a totally different experience! I don't know how women do it naturally nor do I ever want to know.
So a couple hours later my nurse checked me and told me I was at a 10 but she just wanted me to sit up and let gravity do it's part and let him come down on his own... Mistake #2
So another hour goes by and the nurse tells me we are going to do a "practice push"
Mistake #3
So at this point I know I have to be getting close so I ask her if she's called my doctor yet. She said no, she was going to let him sleep a little longer since this was my first baby I'd probably be pushing for a while... Mistake #4
So she has me push about 4 times, on the last push she yells for me to stop pushing and runs out into the hall... when she comes back in, she's followed by 3 nurses one of which is the charge nurse. I could tell by the look on her face that I must have been a good pusher becuase Ethan's head was just about out. She then tells me to put my legs down and roll onto my side and wait for the doctor to get there...mistake #5
Five minutes later 2 more nurses come in and before I know it they are all surrounding my bed and telling me to push...minus my doctor. I didn't really know what to think at this point, all I could do is what they told me and in 3 more pushes he was out! It was amazing to hear him cry for the first time! At that point nothing else mattered to me. I was just so happy he was finally here and that he was healthy.
So 10 minutes later, my doctor walks in and says ok looks like you guys are ready for me to scrub in. Then he looks over and see's Ethan lying in the warmer... He was furious! No one had even called to tell him I was that close to delivering, let alone tell him that the nurses delivered him on their own and on top of all that, they delivered the placenta as well. Mistakes #6 & 7.
Apparently this is a HUGE no, no but they did it anyway. So as they are getting things cleaned up, I asked one of the nurses if I had had an episiotomy. She looks at me and giggles a little bit when she says "Oh no, we aren't allowed to do those, only the doctor can." Are you freaking kidding me?! I was so pissed I just looked at her and said "What, did you just let me tear then?" She looked at me and said "Nope, you didn't even tear." Wow was I relieved! I can't imagine what would've happened if I would've needed one and my doctor wasn't there.. Sorry that was a little TMI
So Baby Ethan Lee Hilsabeck weighed 8lbs 1oz and they said he was 19 inches long, but when we went to the doctor he was really 20 and 1/2 inches long.. Mistake #8
So to make a long story even longer, the nurses taking care of him ended up turning the warmer up too high so when they took his temp he had a fever. Mistake #9 That little misshap cost us 5 different blood tests and 4 days in the hospital!!
Apparently the excuse for so many mistakes was that the labor and delivery ward was brand new and no one knew how to use anything and not to mention our nurse was brand new also... lucky us! Needless to say, everything worked out and our beautiful boy is healthy and we had no complications. Now we are just enjoying life with our little Ethan! I love being a new mommy, it truly is the best blessing in the world!