Wednesday, January 23, 2013.
T minus two days until D-Day. Doc measured me to be about 1cm dilated. She originally told me that she wouldn't let me go past my due date, so I was expecting to make an appointment to be induced on Fri. However, she really thought I would go into labor on my own, so she stripped my membranes (VERY uncomfortable) to hopefully give me a little kick, and made an appointment for Sunday 8pm instead to be induced in case it didn't work. For a few hours after this I had some mild contractions, but alas, they went away. Meanwhile, any and every position was uncomfortable. Sitting, standing, sleeping = no good. Baby please come.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Nothing.
Friday, January 25, 2013
The BIG day I have been waiting for.
Nothing.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Still nothing. But did I mention the itchy hands and feet? I have had itchy hands and feet for a few weeks now, but nowadays its keeping me awake at night. Sometimes this can be a sign of liver trouble, so I plan to call the doc first thing in the morning. (Oh yea, I did say that I was all complication free didn't I? Well, it turns out this turned out to be nothing but annoying and my ticket to an earlier induction).
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Doc says to go ahead and go in early to get induced. We pack, grab a hearty lunch at Whole Foods to fuel up, and check in. The actual induction started at 3 pm. The first few hours were fun. We played cards and went on a few walks here and there. Contractions definitely started coming within minutes of the pitocin, but did not feel much different than the mild ones I had been feeling the past few days.
The anesthesiologist (did I just spell that right the first time?) came in to give me info and to have me sign the paper "just in case" I wanted an epidural. I think it's funny they do that. I was unsure if I wanted one (but knowing inside that I probably would), but I imagine the doctors laugh to themselves when they do this. Like, yeah, ha ha, "just in case". Sign the paper. We know you want one.
I imagine it was around 10 pm when they (the contractions) started getting bad. They gave me that pain med that I don't remember the name of that only lasts about an hour. It was an amazing hour (I slept) but I woke up to full-on unbearable contractions. It wasn't long after I woke up that the nurse came in and said "looks like you are ready for an epidural". Me: *brisk nodding of head* as in yes 'mam I am ready and I want it NOW.
There was this point that I remember before the epidural when all I could do was focus on breathing. I can't remember what anyone else (David and my mom) were doing at that point. Another blur. Except for that blessed nurse Coco. Bless her.
Just breathe.
I get it now. Before, I did not get the breathing thing...the breathing "techniques". Why do we need a class to learn breathing techniques? Isn't it just like the movies? "Hoo-hoo-hee, hoo-hoo-hee". No, its not really like that. But I can say now that breathing is important.
Wait, I do remember looking back at this point and seeing David asleep on the couch. Yes, he was sleeping. Just saying.
And I remember just trembling from the pain. My whole body shook, but mostly my legs. When is that anesthesiologist coming!?! This is also when that thought came that said, I can see why people say right after giving birth that they don't want to have more kids. The contractions were coming with hardly any break in between. It seemed like just as one came down and I began to relax a little, here came the next one. Could we maybe turn down the pitocin a bit, maybe?
It was probably around 12:30 am when the other blessed person, Ms. Anesthesiologist, came in. She asks if I have any more questions. Me: *Brisk shaking of head* as in NO just give it to me now, thank you. Blessed Coco let me lean on her while trying to hold very still whilst trembling as the needle went in.
OH HEAVENLY DAY.
I love me some epidural.
I gotta say, I highly recommend it to anyone. I support the whole natural birth and everything, and I would have loved to have a natural birth, but....BUT...my epidural let me sleep and let me have a nice experience. So nice that I'm ready to have another one. Ok, maybe not just yet.
Back to the moment. Epidural let me sleep for about one hour. When I woke up I told the nurse that I could feel a lot of pressure. She checked me and I was fully effaced and 9cm. I rolled over to the other side, and it was maybe 20 min when I asked her to check me again. I could feel baby girl coming.
This is when the nurse said she could see a lot of dark hair. The first real moment when I realized there is actually a little human being coming out of me. Amazing. Did I mention that my water still hasn't broken at this point? In fact, the nurse said she has never seen the amniotic sac still in tact as baby started to poke out. I felt a little bit like a circus freak as everyone had to take a look this baby still surrounded by her balloon descending out of my hoo ha.
At this point baby was coming pretty fast, so nurse turned off my pitocin so that there would be time for the doctor to arrive. When she finally did, David held my hand and it was probably only three or four pushes before she was out.
There is nothing better than when your baby looks up at you for the first time.
We just love her. Babies are a blessing. Amen.
I think a poopy diaper is calling my name.
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