To describe my 27 hour labor and delivery is difficult, but I don’t ever want to forget the day. So here goes…

The Monday morning I went into labor I was alone at home, my sisters had just left from having stayed the weekend with me, cause Jason was in Texas to be in his cousin’s wedding. Jason was back from Texas now, but at work.

So I was sitting in my recliner all morning feeling SO uncomfortable from my compressed sciatic nerve that I kept begging God to bring the baby that day-anything for some relief. Towards 11am I started feeling a lot of pressure in my stomach, happened to go blow my nose in the bathroom and that’s when it all begin! My water broke and I started screaming for joy!! I was over the top excited- Luke was on his way!

Jason rushed home from work and we called Labor and Delivery. They said they were full at Kaiser Irvine (the new hospital) and told us to go to Kaiser Anaheim (really old hospital). Jason and I started to feel a little bitter, but then reminded ourselves that we shouldn’t let the hospital bug us and that maybe God needed us at the Anaheim hospital for some reason- maybe the staff had more knowledge of high risk deliveries?

Going into labor and delivery at 38 weeks

So once we got to Kaiser Anaheim Hospital we waited awhile to finally get admitted. Meanwhile they kept Jason and I in a L&D triage room. Our spirits were up and we were excited “it” was happening!  I had no pain, just uncomfortable contractions and continual water breaking.

Waiting in triage room to be admitted to hospital

Once admitted they waited for my labor to progress naturally warning me it could take as long as 16-20 hours-dang!! I was really hoping that would not be me. They did not check to see how dilated I was, because they didn’t want to risk infection at this point. Around 2:30pm I started having really painful contractions (gripping Jason’s hand, crying kind of painful). The nurse asked if I wanted IV meds to help with the pain. I hadn’t really done my research on IV meds since I was so set on having an epidural. But I trusted the nurse and thought feeling better sounded great! So I said yes. BAD MOVE.

How can labor progress if you can't even open your eyes! I was out

Literally right after the Nubain was administered-I felt like I had just had four glasses of wine. I was passed out! Barely able to keep my head up, slurring my words, cracking myself up, and not feeling an ounce of pain, and it also slowed my contractions down a lot. At six o-clock when they checked me for the first time I was between 3-4 cm dilated-which I was excited about, but the nurses said that wasn’t much progress. 😦 So they started me on pitocin at 8pm on Monday. I didn’t want it, but they said I needed it because they would really like me to give birth within 24 hours of my water breaking in order to avoid infection. So I agreed to have it. They started me off on a small dose and gradually increased it. The rest of the night and early morning they saw little progress and the nurse informed me a c-section could be in order.

Aunt Kristin and Grandma Dorothy snacking and waiting for Luke's arrival

Ps: My family and Jason’s family sat in the crowded waiting area anticipating Luke’s arrival. The nurse on duty told my mom she’d never seen a family so excited for a new baby. Thanks for waiting and waiting and waiting!  Your support means SO much. We love you guys!!

So next morning, on Tuesday the 28th, although I was bummed I was still pregnant, I was grateful that Jason and I were able to sleep most of the night (between nurses coming in to check on me).

The nurses continued to increase my pitocin and also broke the rest of my water (who knew it broke multiple times???I didn’t!) Bad idea to do this with out having had an EPIDURAL!! Lord, knows why they didn’t give me one FIRST!! Because after the nurses increased the pitocin and broke the water bag-I literally flew off the handle. The amount of pain ripping through me was indescribable. I literally didn’t care what anyone else thought-I changed the way I was laying. And started yelling, crying, and screaming. At one point they had to have me get out of my hospital bed to change my gown and sheets, cause I’d wet them and this all in the middle of contractions!! I had no concept of anyone else in the room. I felt like a banshee, I did not care if I had to squat or scream, the pain was so HORRIBLE.

I think the thing that made it SO traumatic was that I was expecting to do a birth WITH an epidural-so I was going into the whole thing believing I’d only feel pressure and not extreme pain. I had had no birthing classes, because of the limitations of bed-rest. So the most I knew about breathing through contractions was what I had watched on YouTube or Discovery Channel.

By my side for 27 hours- what a man

Basically I was out of control in pain. It was awful. Jason was incredible the entire time right by my side, but just as clueless as I was as to how to coach me through the breathing or what to expect. Neither of us anticipated such a drug induced, painful delivery.

The nurse then comes in and says, I can give you more IV meds? What was she thinking!??? The other nurse was like, “NO, this girl needs an epidural now. IV meds will only slow her labor. Call the pharmacy and get her her epidural.”

The anesthesiologist rushes into my room and is telling me in the midst of my body wrenching contractions to sit on the end of my bed and hold perfectly still! WHAT!! How is that possible! I sat at the end of the bed shaking uncontrollably as she swabbed my back and prepped me for the needle. All the while telling me “If you move it can cause nerve damage. You CANNOT move Kimi.”  I literally sat there shaking and told the nurse I needed a pillow to grip or just something to hold onto. As the  anesthesiologist drew the needle up to my back in between hard contractions I squeezed the pillow and begged God out-loud, “God help me hold still, hold me still, hold me still!” After what seemed like a lifetime the epidural was in and it sl…ooow…ly started to numb the lower half of my body.

Next around 12:30pm they wanted me to start pushing, finally we were getting closeer! So I tried to push-I thought I was giving it all I had, but apparently not. My sweet nurse, Mini, hesitated in giving me any sort of “push praise.” She could barely say I was doing an okay job. I felt slightly frustrated, cause I thought for sure I would be great at this (why I don’t know). So what did the sweet nurse do? She lowered my epidural (good for pushing, BAD FOR ME). I started to experience incredible pain and urges to push that I was NOT expecting to feel. Remember I went into this believing I’d only feel lots of pressure. With that though they said I was ready to try pushing again.

Waiting for Luke's heart rate to regain strength

It couldn’t have been more than pushing through a few strong, long contractions when all of a sudden the nurse told Jason to push a call button and she said some hospital code I couldn’t decipher. Quickly in rushed four nurses-who told me to stop pushing and Jason to step back, flipped me on my side, held the heart-rate monitor tighter on my stomach, put an oxygen mask over my face and said, “Breathe. Breathe for your baby. Deep breaths for your baby.” I could hear Luke’s heartbeat on the monitor, it didn’t sound good. I immediately started praying out-loud for Jesus to help my baby and put His hand on him.

Breathing through painful contractions with oxygen mask for my baby
my sister, Kandis, photographed many moments of prayer like this...i need and love my husbands dependence on Jesus

I looked back at Jason and flapped my arm saying, “Pray, pray, pray!” He shook his head yes and gave me a look as though to say,”I’m already on it.” The moment was really, really intense for all of us, YET I felt so much peace. As I breathed in deep again and again the Holy Spirit comforted me and reminded me of how faithful He is and that this baby is His gift to me, He had my son. I was so confident within the intensity and Jason told me afterward that he was too. We love you Lord, you are Comforter.

Minutes later Luke’s heart rate was restored. God is faithful.

So then in order to protect the baby the nurses had me rest. Which was really difficult for me, because I was having strong contractions, that made me feel like I had to push.

Finally the nurse said it was safe for me to start pushing again. Luke was getting close to being here. I was EXTREMELY exhausted and wondered how I would even do it. My legs were shaking uncontrollably, I was freezing, SO hungry (it had been 26 hours since I’d eaten), and I was emotionally exhausted and in a ton of pain. But this train wasn’t stopping and I HAD to do it.

Then in walked our doctor who would be doing the actual delivery. She was a God send because she was the chief labor and delivery doctor at Kaiser Anaheim and her name was Kimi. Awesome.

So the last part of the delivery was by far the most INTENSE experience of me and Jason’s life. The epidural had basically no effect. I felt so much pain, tearing, burning and pressure. It felt like I was trying to do the impossible. I kept having to say, “I can do this. I can do this,” just to keep myself from not giving up. At one point the pain was so excruciating, I yelled out, “Christ help me!”  And Jason just kept reassuring me saying, “You are doing this. You are doing this. You got this.”

After pushing through three contractions, resting for two, and pushing through two more in an incredibly painful, intense, and joy filled moment God brought our precious baby boy, Luke Ryan Finley,  into the world!!!!!

Overwhelmed with gratefulness to God for our baby boy! Mommy & Daddy love you Luke!
In awe of his son
Born Tuesday September 28, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Proud papa
Baby's feet so small in mommy's hands
You are deeply loved