August 2nd (37weeks and 4 days pregnant) I had a doctors appointment and was dilated to 3cm and 50% effaced. My doctor had decided to go ahead and strip my membranes. That was one of the most uncomfortable things, I thought it even hurt. After that we had talked and she said she was supposed to be going out of town that weekend. Wow was I worried all I know is I wanted my doctor there when it was time to deliver and I was afraid the baby would come while she was gone. So Dr. H said when I go to my non stress test on Thursday August 4th (38weeks) she would check me again and if I had made anymore progress she would keep me and break my water.
Well for the next two days i had some cramping but no real contractions that I could feel. 2am August 4th I had gone to the restroom and then was walking back to the bed to try and get some rest when I felt a gush, I literally stopped and thought I had wet my pants, i was shocked. More fluid kept coming out and then I started to get excited! This was the real deal! I finished packing our bags, I let Nathan sleep a while before I woke him up because I didn't want him to worry. I had my sister in law here with me at that time so I wasn't by myself. I also finished straitening up last minute things around the house. I finally called the hospital and they told me to come in and get checked out! Here we go!
We arrived at the Labor and Delivery around 4am August 4th 2011. They hooked me up to the monitor to listen for the baby and check my contractions. I was actually having contractions I just couldn't really feel them. Then they did a couple test to see if my water had truly broken, sure enough yes it did. So I was admitted and our journey began. I was feeling so nervous and anxious to know that soon we would be meeting our little girl and become parents. Yes I was nervous about labor, the pain and so scared to get an epidural.
I guess you really don't understand until you are in that moment or experience but when you have people in your room and you are having bad contractions you don't want any noise, much less anyone to breath. I had to be put on Pitocin to help induce labor more. So you women that have been on Pit know how much more intense your contractions are. I labored for 9 hours before getting my epidural. When the anesthesiologist came in I was terrified I started shaking. But Nathan stayed with me and my super sweet nurse. The guy was so nice he helped calm me down and just really comforted me. In the end I didn't even feel anything going into my back because I had a contraction at the time and my mind was focused on breathing through that! The epidural was the best thing I could have chosen. It really help me relax, I could still feel the contractions and slight pain but it definitely took the edge off big time. I had read that the IV drugs they can give you for pain make your baby Very sleepy and you still feel the pain you just sleep in between contractions so that's why I didn't choose that route.
I finally got to start pushing around 3:40 ish. Stevie was coming on her own, my doctor barely made it into the room!!! Stevie Reese was born at 4:46 pm, 6 pounds 11 ounces, 19 inches long. An unexplainable wave of emotions over took my body. I was just so happy to hear her cry and glad she had survived a long 9 months and was here with us. They laid her on my chest just long enough for Nathan to cut the cord and had to take her because she was having a really hard time breathing and waking up. She had breathed in some fluid, plus I had High blood pressure my whole pregnancy and my doctor said that really affected her a lot too. After they took her away I was OK because I knew they had to get her stable. Then they were working on getting me stable my blood pressure had shot up and they were trying to get it down, so I didn't have a seizure or stroke. I didn't have any visitors for a while after giving birth. We just turned the lights down and concentrated on my breathing and relaxing my body to get my blood pressure down or I was going to have to be put on magnesium for 24 hours. Sorry but my health was more important. Luckily we got it under control and I was able to have visitors but still had to be quiet and not get me worked up.
After several hours I was they finally took me in a wheel chair to see my baby girl. She had to be put under a oxygen hood until her breathing was stabilized. For me that was the worst feeling ever, to see your baby under there crying her little heart out and I couldn't hold her. So of course I cried seeing her like that. But her daddy stayed with her while I couldn't. 12 hours later she was off of the oxygen and they brought her to my room. She still hadn't even had a bath but I was FINALLY able to hold my daughter for the first time! It felt like an eternity but it was well worth the wait.
By the end of all of this, losing close to 30 pounds in the first and second trimester, being in bed for almost nine months strait, on tons of meds. just trying to keep my daughter alive and in me. It was all worth it. My Doctor told me out of all the patients she had, had this past year I had the hardest pregnancy of them all.
So I will say, DON'T COMPLAIN, IT'S WHAT YOU PRAYED FOR, BE THANKFUL There are so many women out there who want children so badly but still can't become pregnant.
Yes we know your back hurts, you don't feel good, you can't sleep, you want the baby out or you have so long to go. Remember no one said it would be easy. Just think of the reward in the end.
I have been on both sides of the fence Longing to become a mom/ Infertility issues/ Super hard pregnancy.
You will make it through.
This coming Tuesday October 4, 2011 my beautiful girl will be 2 months old! She is growing so fast. I will tell you she is the light of my life!! As I was putting away her laundry the other day I came across a little romper outfit for summer that she had worn several times. It made me sad for a moment to think she will never be this tiny again and never be able to wear it again, but then I just thanked God that she is a happy, healthy, growing girl. That's all I could ask for. So yes enjoy every moment.
We go for Stevie's two month check up and shots on Monday so I will update stats then.
2 months
* She is getting so good at holding her head up and the control of her head is great.
*She has really started to spit and slobber.
* Her papa and Nana bought her a new play mat and she loves it, she was looking at herself in the mirror and smiling.
* She nurses about every 3 hours (we just nurse on demand, but she is pretty regular)
* She eats about 8 times a day
* This past week she has really taken to her pacifier when before she didn't want anything to do with it and would gag herself.
* She smiles when momma or daddy talk to her
* Her happy time is around 6 am and 8 am. We talk and play and she smiles and talks and kicks her legs like crazy!
* She is wearing 0-3 month clothing and head bands finally fit her head!
* She loves her swing and bouncy chair!
* She is wearing size one diapers.
