“Did Dr. Carrie explain the whole dilation process to you?” When he nodded, she went on. “Okay, good. What were you when you went in earlier today?”
“She was one centimeter,” Dodger answered for me.
“You’re now three, and the baby’s head has come down.”
“You can feel his head?” he asked completely blown away.
“Mhmm.” She smiled at him.
“Holy fuck.”
I laughed and shook my head. Keegan had just finished her exam and I was being sat back up.
“I think when I start pushing he’s going to need a chair.”
Keegan giggled. “Don’t tease the poor guy. For someone that doesn’t know what to expect, he’s doing okay.”
“I’m being a fucking champ.”
We both shook our heads.
“Hey, can you ask Dr. Ross to come down and give the epidural if Carrie is okay with it?”
“Ready for that already are you?”
I cocked my brow. “Woman, it’s getting a little uncomfortable. The less I have to feel the better.”
She nodded. “Okay. I’ll be right back.”
When she walked out, Dodger pulled his chair right next to the bed and sat down. We both stayed quiet and listened to our son. I squeezed his hand has contractions came and went. One in particular was stronger than others I’d had. I curled in on myself and had a death grip on Dodger.
“My god that hurts.”
“What does it feel like?” he asked curiously.
How did I explain this? “Ummm, well imagine someone taking your testicles and twisting them around a few times like you do someone one a tire swing. Then loop them as if you’re tying a knot and pull them tight. Then after that, get socked in the dick really hard.” He was looking at me like I’d lost my mind. “That’s probably as close to what it feels like.”
“Jesus, Macie.”
I shrugged. “What? It’s not like it’s relaxing on a beach in Mexico sipping a margarita.”
The door opened, and Donna came walking in. She was already in tears. I wonder if she even made it into the hospital before she started her crying.
“Hey, lovely girl.” She rushed to my side.
“Hi Mom, thanks for waiting a couple of hours,” Dodger greeted her, but she wasn’t paying him any attention.
“How are you feeling?”
“As good as can be expected.”
“Do you need anything? Food from the cafeteria? A coffee? Ice chips? Water?”
“Mom, she’s okay.” He smiled at her.
I grinned, but it was wiped away when another contraction slammed into me. Dodger came to my side and grabbed my hand for support. This one was particularly painful. As I was coming down from it, Dr. Ross, the anesthesiologist, came in to administer my epidural. Keegan as right behind him.
“Hey there, Macie. I heard you were having a baby today.” He attempted a joke.
“You heard correctly.”
“I’m just going to step out for a few minutes to make some calls,” Donna said, giving us privacy.
“So you ready for this?”
“I was ready before I got out of the car. In fact, you should’ve met me at the curb,” I teased. He laughed.
Keegan helped him do his thing while they sat me on the edge of the bed. Dr. Ross told Dodger he’d need to sit down because he’d had one too many dads think they could handle seeing a needle going in their significant other’s spine. When he stuck me, I felt that electric shock we always told our patients about, going straight down your leg. I tried not to jerk. Dodger’s face was pale white. I’m sure he was thankful for that chair right about now. When it was all done and in place, they helped me back on the bed and Keegan swung my legs up. I was starting to go numb from the top of my stomach down. Each contraction that came on, I felt the start of it, then it would die off like it wasn’t even happening. It took about twenty minutes for it all to take place and then I felt nothing. It was heaven. Pure heaven.
A few hours passed and I napped, as people came in and out of my room checking my IV, visiting with Dodger, and readjusting me so my epidural continued to work. When Dr. Carrie popped his head in it was about six hours after we’d gotten here.
“Looks like it’s baby day,” he said happily.
“Mhmm.” I yawned.
“I see that epidural is working well. Do you feel anything right now?”
“Nope. You can stick a fork in me, I won’t feel it.”
He chuckled. “Good. Well let’s see where we’re at.” He did the same thing Keegan had. The exam was quick, and painless. “You are just about there. Nine centimeters and baby’s head is right here.”
“What do you mean ‘right here’?” Dodger asked.
“Well, I mean I think it’s safe to say once we break the bed down and get everything set up for baby to make his entrance, Macie will be ready to push.”
“I gotta sit down.” Dodger plopped down.
“He may need ice chips after all the work he’s done,” I teased.
Really I was freaking out. I was doing my best to hold it together for everyone else around me, but I was scared to death of everything that was happening right now. My whole life was about to change and I didn’t know what to think of it. It almost felt like I was having an out-of-body experience and I was a spectator. Sure I may not feel anything, but pushing a baby out was single handedly the most terrifying thing I think I’ll ever experience. No amount of times I’d witnessed others doing this, or coached them could prepare me. I was about to meet my son. As Keegan and Dr. Carrie did everything just like I normally would, had I been the one in scrubs, I lay there and watched, trying to control my breathing from nerves. Karen had joined and Donna had come in to kiss Dodger and me on the cheek and to wish us luck. My parents had come to support us, but were out in the waiting room. I was sure Camden was around here somewhere but was steering clear of the room for now.
“Okay, Macie, if you could put your feet in the stirrups, we can do a practice push to see how you do and if we need to turn the epidural down a bit.”
“Huh uh, we’re keeping that bitch on.” I attempted to laugh like I was kidding, but I really wasn’t. They shut that thing off I’d cut someone.
Dodger was right by my side, his hand mindlessly rubbing my knee and Keegan was on the other side ready to coach me through. Dr. Carrie looked me in the eyes and told me bear down. I took a deep breath in and curled in on myself and pushed with all my might.
“Whoa, okay. No more practice pushes. You’re an A+ student, Macie. I see the top of baby’s head and it is full of hair.”
“He has hair?” Dodger asked.
“Mhmm. Dark hair,” Doc said.
Dodger was already getting choked up. Keegan’s lip was quivering but she was holding it together quite well. I wanted to feel emotional but I couldn’t. I was doing my best to concentrate on what was being asked of me.
“I think another two pushes and he will be here.”
“Wow, okay.” I blew out.
Keegan and the doctor watched the contraction monitor and waited for me to have another one. When they saw one coming on, they both told me to take a deep breath and push as hard as I could. My eyes were shut tight. When I heard Dodger choke up, I knew his head was out.