So this week is the last week of school, FINALLY. It seems like the kids were going to be in school forever, or at least that's how they made it sound.
I will have a 2nd grader, a Begindergartner (yes, we are delaying Kindergarten for a year. Jacob has the academic and social skills of a Kindergartner, but his focus and emotional skills need some fine tuning before taking an all day Kindergarten plunge. Luckily Begindergarten is all day. I am so happy that I will get some alone time with the baby... in 3 months.)
Battlestix is still chilling in my belly. I am 37 1/2 wks. I am feeling pressure from everyone to get the babeh out! as to not ruin their entire summer. As if I have a choice! I am so ready. Also: I am not ready at all! I don't want to go through labor, and mostly the aftermath! Wah! What was I thinking? I feel like this is my first baby, I feel nervous like it is. With the second, it had only been 3 years, it's been almost 5 with this one. Wish me happy easy soon labor fairy dust, please.
Showing posts with label labor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label labor. Show all posts
June 12, 2012
November 6, 2007
My Labor Pt. 2
10/19- 7:15 am- I call my Mom at my house to let her know we are admitted and then Shaun and I call work to let them know we will not be coming in. At least I think I called work, but I am not sure, but they will figure it out when I am not there, right?
7:30-8:30 am- The nurse suggests we walk around to get things rolling, but I have to wheel my IV bag with me, and the nurses are changing shifts, and there are millions of them roaming about, so I keep heading back to my room.
8:45 am- They check me and nothing has changed in 2 hours, so they want to give me pitocin. I immediately ask for an epidural, after my experience with Drew* I don't want to take any chances. They tell me that they don't recommend I get one yet, because I need to move around to get him to move farther down as he seems to be stuck. In other words "You silly little wimp, unless you want a C-section you better wait it out." I agree to wait and the nurse offers some ideas on positions to try to get the baby "unstuck".
10:30 am- I am on my hospital bed, on all fours, rocking on an exercise ball with my ass in the air, while Shaun rolls a hot rolling pin on my back. I am shaking with pain when I yell out, "when are they going to check me again?" Luckily it's moments later- I am now at station -2, 90% effaced and 4 cm dilated. I ask "does that mean I can have an epidural?" They say yes and everyone, my mom, my sister and my husband all cheer. (I never mentioned, my mom and sister got to the room in between my walking and my ass hanging in the air). Now they just have to wrangle the anesthesiologist before he goes in for the 2 c-sections he has to do. I cross my fingers.
10:50-11:10 am- I am getting my epidural. It doesn't hurt that bad, and neither do the contractions during it because I know the pain will end soon. I tell the anesthesiologist (who I think I might be in love with) I still feel a lot of pressure, and they check me and see that I am now 6 cm. They tell me to take a nap (yeah right, I am shaking like crazy) and turn off the lights and it gets quiet. Everyone makes bets when the baby will be born and how big he will be. My guesses are born at 3:45 pm, 9 lbs 2 oz, and 21 in. The earliest anyone guesses is 12:30 pm and the smallest is 8 lbs 7 oz, by my Mom (how sweet).
11:25am- I feel intense pressure, then feel like I am peeing. It scares the crap out of me and I tell my sister. She calls the nurse, who says, "no you didn't pee, you are ready to push, wow that was fast." She tells me we have to call the Doctor to hurry and get here.
11:30-11:50 am- Waiting for my Dr. I call in the hospital Doctor and tell her I really have to push, I can't wait and she tells me that waiting will only make pushing easier, which reassures me, but the burning pain is awful. When my Doctor arrives, everyone cheers, (not in our room this time, but in the hospital) and I am allowed to push. The burning pain, coupled with my extreme desire to not be in pain, make me push really hard, and my contractions are constant, so I just keep pushing. What feels like 15 min of pushing is really only 6 min (I am told) and Jacob is born at 11:56 am.
11:56-1:00 pm- He looks just like Drew only smaller! They weigh him, guessing he is only 7 lbs, but he is 8 lbs 4 oz, 21 inches. All those euphoric feelings rush over me. I was very worried that I couldn't love another baby like I loved Drew, and that worry is out the window. I am ridiculously happy, and even though I had an epidural, I feel great and I am ready to walk around, if only my legs would let me.
So that's the short and sweet of it. It was a much easier experience this time around, and I credit that to my epidural. My suggestion to all pregnant women? Get the epidural, don't feel guilty about it, please!
*With Drew I waited too long to ask for it and then I couldn't get it, because I was almost ready to push (read two hours away from pushing).
7:30-8:30 am- The nurse suggests we walk around to get things rolling, but I have to wheel my IV bag with me, and the nurses are changing shifts, and there are millions of them roaming about, so I keep heading back to my room.
8:45 am- They check me and nothing has changed in 2 hours, so they want to give me pitocin. I immediately ask for an epidural, after my experience with Drew* I don't want to take any chances. They tell me that they don't recommend I get one yet, because I need to move around to get him to move farther down as he seems to be stuck. In other words "You silly little wimp, unless you want a C-section you better wait it out." I agree to wait and the nurse offers some ideas on positions to try to get the baby "unstuck".
10:30 am- I am on my hospital bed, on all fours, rocking on an exercise ball with my ass in the air, while Shaun rolls a hot rolling pin on my back. I am shaking with pain when I yell out, "when are they going to check me again?" Luckily it's moments later- I am now at station -2, 90% effaced and 4 cm dilated. I ask "does that mean I can have an epidural?" They say yes and everyone, my mom, my sister and my husband all cheer. (I never mentioned, my mom and sister got to the room in between my walking and my ass hanging in the air). Now they just have to wrangle the anesthesiologist before he goes in for the 2 c-sections he has to do. I cross my fingers.
10:50-11:10 am- I am getting my epidural. It doesn't hurt that bad, and neither do the contractions during it because I know the pain will end soon. I tell the anesthesiologist (who I think I might be in love with) I still feel a lot of pressure, and they check me and see that I am now 6 cm. They tell me to take a nap (yeah right, I am shaking like crazy) and turn off the lights and it gets quiet. Everyone makes bets when the baby will be born and how big he will be. My guesses are born at 3:45 pm, 9 lbs 2 oz, and 21 in. The earliest anyone guesses is 12:30 pm and the smallest is 8 lbs 7 oz, by my Mom (how sweet).
11:25am- I feel intense pressure, then feel like I am peeing. It scares the crap out of me and I tell my sister. She calls the nurse, who says, "no you didn't pee, you are ready to push, wow that was fast." She tells me we have to call the Doctor to hurry and get here.
11:30-11:50 am- Waiting for my Dr. I call in the hospital Doctor and tell her I really have to push, I can't wait and she tells me that waiting will only make pushing easier, which reassures me, but the burning pain is awful. When my Doctor arrives, everyone cheers, (not in our room this time, but in the hospital) and I am allowed to push. The burning pain, coupled with my extreme desire to not be in pain, make me push really hard, and my contractions are constant, so I just keep pushing. What feels like 15 min of pushing is really only 6 min (I am told) and Jacob is born at 11:56 am.
11:56-1:00 pm- He looks just like Drew only smaller! They weigh him, guessing he is only 7 lbs, but he is 8 lbs 4 oz, 21 inches. All those euphoric feelings rush over me. I was very worried that I couldn't love another baby like I loved Drew, and that worry is out the window. I am ridiculously happy, and even though I had an epidural, I feel great and I am ready to walk around, if only my legs would let me.
So that's the short and sweet of it. It was a much easier experience this time around, and I credit that to my epidural. My suggestion to all pregnant women? Get the epidural, don't feel guilty about it, please!
*With Drew I waited too long to ask for it and then I couldn't get it, because I was almost ready to push (read two hours away from pushing).
October 27, 2007
My Labor pt 1
Thursday 10/18- The Calm before the Storm
8:00 am- I go to the bathroom, and I think I may have lost part of my mucus plug. I've never been so excited to see something so gross! Still, I tell myself- it doesn't mean it's happening today, I will never go into labor, and then when I do it will take forever like with Drew.
5:30 pm- I get home from work, go to the bathroom. More of the plug. I am so excited, I decided I better vacuum, just in case.
9:00 pm- Just put Drew to bed when there is a tornado warning. I am so pissed. I go and wake him up and take him downstairs. While we are down there I find his old baby toys and bring them upstairs to wash, just in case.
9:45 pm- Tornado warning is done. We bring Drew upstairs. I tell Shaun about losing the plug, and he blows up our exercise ball, and I bounce on it, while eating pineapple. (Hey it can't hurt, right?)
10:30 pm- Another Tornado warning. I am so pissed. I wake Drew up again and bring him downstairs. Drew thinks the whole thing is funny. Shaun and I joke that I hopefully don't go into labor now.
10/19-D Day
12:00 am- Tornado warning again? We watch the TV, it's going to miss us, no need to wake up Drew.
12:30 am- Finally, the warnings are all done, I can go to sleep.
12:35 am- I go to the bathroom, and see that I am spotting. Another good sign. I lay back down.
12:40-1:15 am- I toss and turn, feeling crampy. Shaun finally comes to bed, and I tell him I think I might have contractions soon.
1:30-3:30 am- I start having contractions. They aren't super strong, but definitely the real thing, I watch our DVR'ed Greys Anatomy and time them, they are 5-6 min apart. I finally wake up Shaun.
3:30- 4:30 am- Shaun and I start timing the contractions, finally they start to get really painful and 4-5 min apart. We call my Mom and she heads over to watch Drew.
5:00-6:30 am- We get to the hospital and they check me, only 1.5 cm dilated. WTF? this really hurts! They decide to observe me for an hour. Shaun and I watch competitive cheerleading, until Shaun falls asleep and then it's just me. Suddenly I feel a gush. Either I peed on myself or my water broke. The nurse confirms when she checks me and my water breaks even more. I am also now 3 cm, and in active labor- they can't send me home.Victory!
8:00 am- I go to the bathroom, and I think I may have lost part of my mucus plug. I've never been so excited to see something so gross! Still, I tell myself- it doesn't mean it's happening today, I will never go into labor, and then when I do it will take forever like with Drew.
5:30 pm- I get home from work, go to the bathroom. More of the plug. I am so excited, I decided I better vacuum, just in case.
9:00 pm- Just put Drew to bed when there is a tornado warning. I am so pissed. I go and wake him up and take him downstairs. While we are down there I find his old baby toys and bring them upstairs to wash, just in case.
9:45 pm- Tornado warning is done. We bring Drew upstairs. I tell Shaun about losing the plug, and he blows up our exercise ball, and I bounce on it, while eating pineapple. (Hey it can't hurt, right?)
10:30 pm- Another Tornado warning. I am so pissed. I wake Drew up again and bring him downstairs. Drew thinks the whole thing is funny. Shaun and I joke that I hopefully don't go into labor now.
10/19-D Day
12:00 am- Tornado warning again? We watch the TV, it's going to miss us, no need to wake up Drew.
12:30 am- Finally, the warnings are all done, I can go to sleep.
12:35 am- I go to the bathroom, and see that I am spotting. Another good sign. I lay back down.
12:40-1:15 am- I toss and turn, feeling crampy. Shaun finally comes to bed, and I tell him I think I might have contractions soon.
1:30-3:30 am- I start having contractions. They aren't super strong, but definitely the real thing, I watch our DVR'ed Greys Anatomy and time them, they are 5-6 min apart. I finally wake up Shaun.
3:30- 4:30 am- Shaun and I start timing the contractions, finally they start to get really painful and 4-5 min apart. We call my Mom and she heads over to watch Drew.
5:00-6:30 am- We get to the hospital and they check me, only 1.5 cm dilated. WTF? this really hurts! They decide to observe me for an hour. Shaun and I watch competitive cheerleading, until Shaun falls asleep and then it's just me. Suddenly I feel a gush. Either I peed on myself or my water broke. The nurse confirms when she checks me and my water breaks even more. I am also now 3 cm, and in active labor- they can't send me home.Victory!
August 17, 2007
Who is afraid of the Big Bad Labor?
I've been reading all these posts about being scared of labor, and as I have been through it before with an honest to god 48 hr labor (and without drugs), I do have a bit of knowledge on this subject. I say "a bit" because I hate know-it-all Moms that have all the answers for pregnant women because they have gone through something before. Every Mommy and Baby are different, everyone has their horror story, their own pain tolerance and their own battle scars from labor and delivery.
First things first.... it is scary, traumatic, awful, and awfully dirty. There's no denying it. It's plain gross, and plain painful, whether or not you get an epidural. It's scary and it feels like pain will never end. Good news is that it will end eventually and then you forget how bad it hurt. I'm pretty sure this is an evolutional mechanism that is built into us so that we will have more children.
Second thing.... guess what? You look like shit afterward. No matter how hard you try to look nice, with a few obnoxious exceptions (one of my best friends Marta being one) you are not the same afterward, in fact your face puffs up like a balloon (I'm not sure what the medical reason is behind this, I just know it to be a fact). This will also be the time when you want pictures, so a good rule of thumb is to focus on Mommy looking down at baby. That way she can be in the picture without looking as awful as she feels. My family didn't give me this luxury and sent out godawful pictures of me minutes after labor to all of our extended family. Don't let anyone do this to the poor Mommy.
However....
In the moment that these awful, horrible, gross things are happening, you are just getting through the moment. You lose all sense of shame when you are in that much pain. I will tell you this, as much as worried about pooping on the delivery table before I went into labor (I didn't, by the way, with a 48 hr labor you have enough advance notice to take care of that), I could've cared less when it came time to push. I was only focused on getting that baby out, and getting rid of that pain....
And then afterward? It is euphoric once it is over. You did it! You survived, and no one can take that away from you. You wear that as a badge of honor for the rest of your life, because epidural or not, C-section, pain medications, episiotomy, or not, you created a beautiful human being.
Of course, your life as your know it is now over, and a different kind of frightening experience begins, one that never goes away, called motherhood.
So congrats to all the soon-to-be Moms that I know (one new addition that I am particularly excited about comes to mind) or wonderful Moms that I do know. It sucks but it's wonderful and exciting at the same time. Yay Motherhood.
Oh yeah, and whoever came up with the saying "we are pregnant", that's crap.
First things first.... it is scary, traumatic, awful, and awfully dirty. There's no denying it. It's plain gross, and plain painful, whether or not you get an epidural. It's scary and it feels like pain will never end. Good news is that it will end eventually and then you forget how bad it hurt. I'm pretty sure this is an evolutional mechanism that is built into us so that we will have more children.
Second thing.... guess what? You look like shit afterward. No matter how hard you try to look nice, with a few obnoxious exceptions (one of my best friends Marta being one) you are not the same afterward, in fact your face puffs up like a balloon (I'm not sure what the medical reason is behind this, I just know it to be a fact). This will also be the time when you want pictures, so a good rule of thumb is to focus on Mommy looking down at baby. That way she can be in the picture without looking as awful as she feels. My family didn't give me this luxury and sent out godawful pictures of me minutes after labor to all of our extended family. Don't let anyone do this to the poor Mommy.
However....
In the moment that these awful, horrible, gross things are happening, you are just getting through the moment. You lose all sense of shame when you are in that much pain. I will tell you this, as much as worried about pooping on the delivery table before I went into labor (I didn't, by the way, with a 48 hr labor you have enough advance notice to take care of that), I could've cared less when it came time to push. I was only focused on getting that baby out, and getting rid of that pain....
And then afterward? It is euphoric once it is over. You did it! You survived, and no one can take that away from you. You wear that as a badge of honor for the rest of your life, because epidural or not, C-section, pain medications, episiotomy, or not, you created a beautiful human being.
Of course, your life as your know it is now over, and a different kind of frightening experience begins, one that never goes away, called motherhood.
So congrats to all the soon-to-be Moms that I know (one new addition that I am particularly excited about comes to mind) or wonderful Moms that I do know. It sucks but it's wonderful and exciting at the same time. Yay Motherhood.
Oh yeah, and whoever came up with the saying "we are pregnant", that's crap.
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