Well I started this blog when John and I first found out we were pregnant and really didn't update it so here I am again starting a new blog now that Alex is here. To update everyone, Alex was born on 10.4.08 (a Saturday) at 6:52 pm weighing 7 lb. 12 oz. and 20.5 inches.
I woke up around 2 that morning with some terrible back pain and decided instead of waking John that I'd get up and check my email, read some of my book and see if the pain went away. Sure enough, it got worse. About an hour later I woke John up by saying "Babe, I think today is the day we're going to meet our baby." Boy did he jump out of bed so fast! He started packing some last minute things while I sat of the birth ball trying to relieve the back pain. I didn't want to go to the hospital too early so I was in no hurry to get moving. John and I decided to go for a walk to maybe try and speed things up (I knew that if I was albe to carry on a normal conversation with John that I wasn't ready to go to the hospital). We made it about one block and had to turn around, the contractions were coming fast and hard. To put off going to the hospital even longer I told John that I wanted to take a shower. That was amazing! We then decided it was hospital time and John had to practically carry me out of our bed since that was the only place I could get comfortable.
We made it to the hospital around 5 in the morning and our doula, Kim, arrived shortly after. I have to admit that triage was probably one of the worst experiences. Seriously, trying to stick you with a needle, asking you tons of questions and having you sign papers is not something any woman wants to do when she is having contractions. Not only that but it was there I was told I was only 2 cm. Once we made it to our room our wonderful nurse Anne let John and me get into the shower (we requested a room with a tub but they were both taken). I labored there for a while but had to get out to be monitored and checked about 30 mintues later. This was probably when I was at my worst. I hated being on the monitors and was begging Anne to let me get back into the shower but the good thing, I was 7 cm. When I was finally able to, I was in so much pain that it didn't help. Anne had overheard me telling John and Kim that I wanted drugs and told me that her and I had to have a code word (kumquat) if I was serious about the drugs. She was SO great about not pushing the drugs whatsoever. Anyway, as I was laboring on the toilet I looked and Anne and said kumquat (the regret I have....)
Let me just say that I was a totally different person after I received my epidural - which was about 8 hours after I first realized I was in labor. I allowed my mom and mother-in-law to come see me (this never would have happened during the state I was previously in - I would have hated for my mom to see me like that). Unfortunately with the epidural came along the slowing down of my labor progress, it took me 5 more hours to dilated the other 3 cm. Around 3 I was told I could start pushing. I was lucky and received a very low dose epidural so that I could labor in different positions and be able to "feel" our baby being born. I pushed for 2 hours and our OB came in and told me that she'd give me one more hour to push and if I still wasn't making any progress I'd have to have a Cesarean. Well one more hour came and went and I was prepped for a Cesarean.
I really don't remember Alex being born, I remember John looking at me crying and saying it's a boy and Kim taking photos. All the medication I was given sort of made me numb (not just physically) and gave me the shakes. Probably an hour after my son was born I finally got to hold him. What an amazing experience it was to hold Alex for the first time. Even though his birth was not how I planned it whatsoever, Alex was born healthy and that's all that matters. I still can't believe this little man is mine.
I woke up around 2 that morning with some terrible back pain and decided instead of waking John that I'd get up and check my email, read some of my book and see if the pain went away. Sure enough, it got worse. About an hour later I woke John up by saying "Babe, I think today is the day we're going to meet our baby." Boy did he jump out of bed so fast! He started packing some last minute things while I sat of the birth ball trying to relieve the back pain. I didn't want to go to the hospital too early so I was in no hurry to get moving. John and I decided to go for a walk to maybe try and speed things up (I knew that if I was albe to carry on a normal conversation with John that I wasn't ready to go to the hospital). We made it about one block and had to turn around, the contractions were coming fast and hard. To put off going to the hospital even longer I told John that I wanted to take a shower. That was amazing! We then decided it was hospital time and John had to practically carry me out of our bed since that was the only place I could get comfortable.
We made it to the hospital around 5 in the morning and our doula, Kim, arrived shortly after. I have to admit that triage was probably one of the worst experiences. Seriously, trying to stick you with a needle, asking you tons of questions and having you sign papers is not something any woman wants to do when she is having contractions. Not only that but it was there I was told I was only 2 cm. Once we made it to our room our wonderful nurse Anne let John and me get into the shower (we requested a room with a tub but they were both taken). I labored there for a while but had to get out to be monitored and checked about 30 mintues later. This was probably when I was at my worst. I hated being on the monitors and was begging Anne to let me get back into the shower but the good thing, I was 7 cm. When I was finally able to, I was in so much pain that it didn't help. Anne had overheard me telling John and Kim that I wanted drugs and told me that her and I had to have a code word (kumquat) if I was serious about the drugs. She was SO great about not pushing the drugs whatsoever. Anyway, as I was laboring on the toilet I looked and Anne and said kumquat (the regret I have....)
Let me just say that I was a totally different person after I received my epidural - which was about 8 hours after I first realized I was in labor. I allowed my mom and mother-in-law to come see me (this never would have happened during the state I was previously in - I would have hated for my mom to see me like that). Unfortunately with the epidural came along the slowing down of my labor progress, it took me 5 more hours to dilated the other 3 cm. Around 3 I was told I could start pushing. I was lucky and received a very low dose epidural so that I could labor in different positions and be able to "feel" our baby being born. I pushed for 2 hours and our OB came in and told me that she'd give me one more hour to push and if I still wasn't making any progress I'd have to have a Cesarean. Well one more hour came and went and I was prepped for a Cesarean.
I really don't remember Alex being born, I remember John looking at me crying and saying it's a boy and Kim taking photos. All the medication I was given sort of made me numb (not just physically) and gave me the shakes. Probably an hour after my son was born I finally got to hold him. What an amazing experience it was to hold Alex for the first time. Even though his birth was not how I planned it whatsoever, Alex was born healthy and that's all that matters. I still can't believe this little man is mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment