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Monday, March 21, 2011

Labor sucks but Delivery is a piece of cake

SURPRISE! I have come back to the blogging world with a new person to talk about! Ben decided to make his appearance very painfully, and suddenly on Thursday.

Here is my story for all of you to laugh at.

I went to the doctor on Tuesday to get checked assuming the doctor would tell me I was dilating - he told me I wasn't dilating and that he would probably see me the following Tuesday for my next appointment. I left his office dejected and sad as I was sure that I was feeling things and I thought time to be pregnant was over. I was super stressed about logistics regarding where my father would be, (he commutes to Canada every few days for work) who would stay with Katie, what time of night it would be etc.... so news that it wasn't gonna happen made me sad.

My parents decided to take Katie home with them for a few days so she could get a change of scenery and I could rest as dong things with her were physically getting harder. So, we said... let Katie go on an adventure with her grandparents and we'll re-group in a few days to see what the next plan of action is.

I had 100% resigned myself to the fact that he would be coming this week - so I set out to rest, relax and enjoy my few days of quiet before Katie came back and we had to start logistically planning all over again.

I woke up Wednesday morning and Dave was sick. He said he though the had the flu. My husband doesn't stay home unless he's REALLY sick - and he called out of work. So I sent him into the bedroom on quarantine and then left the house for the morning to run errands and hopefully stay germ free. Then I came home and cooked him a special dinner. Made some chili to freeze and then watched Date Night.

Dave slept/rested all day in the bedroom and then we set up the sofa bed for me so that I could stay away from him that night. About an hour after he went to bed (10 pm ish) as I was catching up on Greys Anatomy on demand - I started having contractions. At first, I ignored them - then they got stronger and I literally laughed out loud.

My father was scheduled to drive back to Canada sometime in the middle of the night, Dave had the flu and I had just decided to get a pedicure and do laundry all day Thursday.

I waited out the contractions for a few hours - let Dave sleep - tried to call my parents to make sure my dad didn't go to Canada (they didn't pick up the phone and I'm still bitter about it and sharing it with all of you. They get an F for being prepared for GO TIME) However, Katie was safely sleeping in her room at their house - so they MORE than redeemed themselves in the end, I am simply sharing how much irony there is involved in my story.

So... I finally try to take a nap and the contractions get stronger - so around 3 am I went into the bedroom and rubbed Daves back and said... Honey, I'm sorry - but I think we're having a baby today! So he woke up with me and hung out and we counted contractions until the morning.

They were getting closer together but weren't very long. Dave's parents were on their way to my parents house to visit with them and Katie as they hadn't seen her in so long - so we had to call them and tell them to bring their GO bags as we thought they would be staying down here for awhile. (they are from Maine)

Here's Where the short version starts

Then when the drs. office opened, we headed in, With our hospital bags, etc...
At 10 am - the Dr. checked me and said that I wasn't really in active labor and wasn't dilating - so that I should go home and walk and come back anytime during the day if I thought it was getting worse - and he would check me. He also mentioned that it could be pre-labor and I might not go back to see him until Monday.

Devastated - we headed home and stopped at Panera Bread since he said I could eat as I wasn't in labor.

We got home and all hell broke loose. In the middle of texting one of my local friends, they all of a sudden kicked up about about a million notches and in the matter of an hour they were so bad that they were 2 - 3 minutes apart and I realize now that I was also having back labor.

Now... here is a little back story.

My labor and delivery with Katie were CAKE. I barely felt pain, had an epidural that kept me comfortable - pushed for 20 minutes and had a beautiful baby. My recovery was a little rough - but the actual labor and delivery was a cake walk. I slept the whole time and didn't even need any hand holding or coaching.

Fast Forward to Thursday morning at 11:55 - back labor - contractions every 2 minutes and me being unable to stop hysterical crying and apologizing to Dave over and over.

We got back in the car - went to the doctors office. It was the longest 15 minute ride of my life. Having back labor and contractions in a car is not something I would suggest for anyone. I cried hysterically as we walked into the office and I had 2 contractions before I was even in the exam room.
The doctor came in and his face changed and he checked me and said I was 3 cm dilated but obviously not doing well, so he would send me to labor and delivery. (me still hysterically crying - apologizing to everyone)

We got in the car - drove the 3 blocks to the hospital - I had 2 more contractions including one on the way into the building. Yes, I was THAT girl, holding onto the doorway gritting my teeth, crying through a contraction.

They wheeled me upstairs in a wheelchair (I walked in on my own with Katie) and they started the "in-take"

Then I really became THAT girl. Back labor is no joke - I was not prepared. I was the SCREAMING, CURSING, HUFFING AND PUFFING lady that you don't want to hear when you are checking in to labor and delivery. I swear to god, my body was taken over by a demon. I am not normally like this. I was writing and arching my back and yelling and telling the nurses and Dave to shut up when they said it was ok and almost over.

However, as soon as the contraction was over - I was back to myself laughing and joking - so I guess it could have been worse.

At one point I had to pee - (they were still registering me, etc....) So Dave helped me over to the bathroom and the nurses said - you can pee - but don't push!!! I was like.. .WHAT? OK I'm on it - then proceeded to have 2 contractions - one while walking - one while peeing - that is an experience let me tell you!

I got back into bed and they FINALLY drew my blood to get me started - everything seemed to be going ok - although I was still in pain. Dave went to move the car as it was still in front and the nurses left to get stuff.

I was sitting on the edge of the bed when I had 3 more HUGE contractions - so severe that I tried to find the call button to get the nurses cause I thought he was coming - and instead hit the light button and had to sit in the damn dark screaming and writing until I could re-focus and hit the right button!

During the last one - I broke down again and was hysterical crying and freaking out and sobbing - I saw Dave coming back with our stuff and the anesthesiologist walking in to total CHAOS.

The next 5 minutes went like this.

The anasthesiologist didn't even get my name - he kept saying, Miss, I'm sorry I don't know your name but I am going to give you the Mercedes Benz of pain medicine to help you out.

I wasn't even officially in the system yet - and they hadn't run my blood work (which is kinda mandatory before giving anything)

So apparently my crazed, freaked out, appearance was severe enough that they all thought it was best if they give me a SPINAL BLOCK immediately. (that's what they give when you get a c-section. So, between 11:45 ish and 12:30, I had dilated from 3 - 7 with back labor and I had been given a combo spinal block/epidural. Which made my blood pressure drop so they kinda freaked out and did some stuff very fast to make sure I was ok.

They even let Dave hold me while he put the epidural line in - which I highly doubt is usually permitted - so they must have realized I was in that bad of shape....

That was just the first part of our labor experience this time around.
I gotta go feed the baby and then I will come back with part 2 - sorry it's so long. I know some people like details:) And it is really kinda a funny story in the end:)

Be back soon!


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