Check-in: We checked in to the hospital Thursday around 5pm, right after my appointment and finding that I was still not dilated. I was surprised at how fast they hooked me up to the IV machine... I thought I was heading down to help Gray unpack the car haha. We were going to go get some food, but they said no more food until after labor except ice pops, clear liquids, and chicken broth...yum. They put me in the bed and strapped the heartrate monitor and contractions monitor on my belly (making my belly look way bigger in the pic below haha)
Cervadil or Cervacil or something like that: They stuck this shoe string looking thing up next to my cervix. After being checked for dilation just minutes before, it hurt sooo bad. The women doctors have shorter fingers so it made it way more uncomfortable. That was probably the most painful of the whole labor process.
Contractions: The cervadil shoe string brought about some long awaited contractions. They had me hooked up to monitors that showed the baby's heartrate and the contractions. The nurse would ask if I could feel "that"... and I'm like, "feel what"? Overnight they would get a little stronger, but there was a nurse that came in every couple of hours asking about my pain level on a scale from 1-10. I'm not that great with pain, so anytime she asked, I'd make sure to pick a number that got me the extra meds haha. They even put this stuff called "nuvane" or (something like that) through my IV that numbed any contraction and made me sleep like a baby. After having tylenol as your only medicine throughout pregnancy, I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to have all these meds BEFORE the epidural.
Pitocin: Friday morning at about 5am, they took the shoe string thing out.. (ouch again).. and put Pitocin in my IV. They cranked it up every so often to intensify the contractions, which I still expected to hurt a lot, but they didn't. They checked my dilation again and I went to 2cm, mainly from the night before, which was great. I stayed at 2 for a while and my nurse asked me to get on the big ab ball and bounce around. I was willing to do ANYTHING to get this moving so I could have my baby that day. If things didn't progress, they would stop the pitocin and try again the next day (nightmare!).
Dilation: The nurse checked me again and she said I feel about a 2. But then the Dr. came in 30 min or so later and checked and said I was a 3 and they were ready to break my water! He asked if I wanted the epidural now... and I was like seriously? already? I get to be numb from here on out? so weird, but I definitely said I was ready for it!
The Waiting: In my head I guess I pictured every family member coming in to chat before the labor started and then waiting for hours in the waiting room waiting for Gray to come out and announce the baby was born. But instead, Gray and I sat in a room watching tv and texting our family with news. It was amazing having my husband next to me and doing it together, just us... it was just different than I pictured. It was so hard not knowing when it would happen, and how quickly, and if we could let our family know the perfect time to head up to the hospital.
Epidural: The anesthesiologist (wow I can't believe the spell check line didn't come on under that word haha) came in, had me lean forward and I stared at Gray, holding my hands and helping me take deep breaths. I expected one long giant needle going in, but instead I felt a couple needles go in different directions around my spine. I later found out that they put local anesthesia in first, and THEN the big honkin thing. Oh well. It wasn't THAT bad and by then you're ready for it anyway. 30 min later, my left leg was completely numb, and my right still had a little bit of feeling. I could feel a contraction in my right hip and I thought- what if my epidural only got one side! I told the nurse, and she helped me pump 2 more hits of medicine through my -- I just had to ask Gray where that medicine went, and apparently the big epidural needle leaves an iv thing in your back (which I had no idea), but anyway, it didn't fix the feeling. The nurse called the anesthesiologist back in, and he gave me another dose. WHOA! My legs felt like dead weight. I got nervous that my feeling would never return.
Time to Push: The nurse checked me again about 2 hrs later and said I was ready to push. WHAT!? Hold-up! I had just been truckin through everything without even realizing I was going to have to push her out and actually have the baby. I hadn't even pictured about how it would go, how I was supposed to push, how long it would take or anything, but NOW it was time. She had me do a trial push before she called the Dr. in. I pushed as hard as I could (which was weird, because you can't feel a thing, except your hand holding your dead weight leg), and she was like that baby is RIGHT there. She called the Dr. in and all the other nurses. My room was filled with people working and staring at what I could not see. They had me push again and they said, "she has hair!" I stopped in the middle of pushing and said, "yay! I brought lots of bows!" haha. Pushing made your head feel like it was going to pop. They wanted me to pull my legs to my chest to push, but by doing that, I could almost see what was going on down there, so I closed my eyes. I pushed about 5 times total, about 10 min, and all of the sudden they plopped this little baby girl right on my lap!
My baby: I looked at her and I don't even know how to explain how I felt. I really don't like blood and all the other stuff, but here was this baby that has been in my stomach for 41 weeks. It was so surreal, and still is. She was crying a little and they took her to get cleaned up. Then they took time stitching where I tore and I dunno what else, but your legs are up for a while after while they clean up, which is kind of awkward. Right after, the feeling started coming back in my legs... that was a relief. They said my baby, who I expected to be like 8lbs after being a week late, was only 6lb 11oz. and 20 in long. They bundled her up and we just stared at her. She has dark blue eyes, brown hair, the cutest little lips and nose, and she makes the sweetest facial expressions. I love her so much!
After the nurse gave us the go ahead to call our fams, they were on their way. They got there right when she was delivered. I fed her for the first time before they came back. I really thought breastfeeding would be totally awkward and weird, but it is so amazing. Just having your baby look at you, needing you, and you're the only one who can give her something is truly precious. I love having "our moment" together.
Our families both came in and fell instantly in love. We drank sparkling cider and celebrated. Mom brought me a wrap and it was sooo delicious after not eating since lunch on Thursday. Mawmaw Snider, Mawmaw Porter, Bethany and Caleb came on Saturday night to visit.
After care: The first two nights are the hardest. You're sore and everything is ridding itself from your uterus to put it as sensored as I can. I was so bummed we had to stay at the hospital from Thursday at 5pm to Sunday at 11am but after you have nurses bringing you medicine, changing your baby if you're knocked out, someone bringing you stretchy panties, ice packs, and changing your linens, I was glad I wasn't ruining my stuff at home. Getting in and out of the bed was hard, especially when you need to get your baby fed. The first night she slept like the entire night. The second, not so much. I was up every 45 min feeding or changing diapers, whether they were dirty or not. I was dead the next day. But it gets better, I'll update our first week together in my next blog!
I love hearing and honest play by play of labor and delivery. It's such a miracle and it makes me emotional every time. Be thankful that you have it written, because for the rest of your life you and other women will be sharing your birth stories. There's just something about the sisterhood that it creates... even with a stranger. Love you and so happy for you!
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