Saturday, January 21, 2012

Labor & Baby Stanley!


On Tuesday, January 10, 2012, I found myself at Admissions in the Labor and Delivery.  I did NOT think that is where I'd be that day; nevertheless, I was happy that my transition from pregnant (FAT) lady into a Mommy would be taking place soon. 

I checked in and got hooked up to some fluid.  They started me on Pitocin, and I asked for my Epidural right away.  I wasn't about to miss that Epidural! 

I went through 3 bags of fluid VERY quickly.  I was beyond dehydrated.  I was feeling contractions, but I didn't think they were that bad.  Although...I'm a very tough biotch.  After I'd been in there awhile, it was time to get my epidural.  Now, I've seen people on these reality shows get these epidurals.  They cry....they complain... they say "OUCH!"  So, I really braced myself for the pain.  OK...let me just tell you about this "painful" epidural.  IT WASN'T PAINFUL AT ALL!  If you've never had one, don't EVER stress out about this.  You feel a prick when they numb the area.  THEN, you feel some pressure when the epidural goes in, BUT that is it.  There was no reason to complain of pain AT ALL!  Hell...when the nurse put the IV in my hand, it hurt worse.

So, I now waited for these contractions.  The wonderful part about the epidural is.... you don't feel a thing!  I didn't feel any contractions.  Hell, I couldn't feel my legs.  Seriously, I would touch my leg and it's like it wasn't even my leg.  I couldn't even move them.  I started to feel like a paraplegic...and immediately felt for anyone who couldn't feel their lower half. 

I had checked into the hospital at around 12ish-1ish.  I knew it wouldn't be a short process, but after a few hours....I WAS STARVING!  Absolutely famished!  I had only eaten a small bowl of Cheerio's that morning around 6am.  When the nurse gave me ice chips, I thought it was the best thing in the world.  They kept telling me to eat them slowly, because I could vomit if I ate them too fast.  So...that pretty much ruined my "pig out on ice chips" idea.  I kept dreaming of a cheeseburger.... french fries...donuts... Mt. Dew... anything at all would be fine!  I just had to grin and bear it.

MY OB came in the room and eventually broke my water (well...what was left of it).  And...there wasn't much there.  However, five minutes after he broke my water, Stanley's heart rate plummeted.  All of a sudden, my OB was in the room....my nurse....and 6 other nurses rushed into the room.  One gave me a shot in the arm, others rolled my on my side, and one gave me an oxygen mask.  The only thing I heard was..."This oxygen isn't for you...it's for the baby."  I couldn't focus on one voice.  I had no clue what was going on.  Brian told me later that one nurse said they had the Operating Room ready for me.  Apparently, Stanley had the umbilical cord wrapped around something (possibly an arm or leg), and it was cutting off his blood supply.  He became stable very quickly, but for those minutes....I had no idea what was going on.  SOMEHOW...I kept it together.  I didn't cry...although I was fighting back tears.

I kept the oxygen on for the rest of the time...except to eat those special ice chips.  I felt like I couldn't move or something horrible would happen to him.  My neck was very uncomfortable the whole time.  AND...what happens to me when my neck is uncomfortable??  A MIGRAINE!  I could feel the pressure building in my head.  An emergency C-Section was never ruled out after that.  I was completely ready to do whatever I needed to do to get him out safely. 

Around 1am on Wednesday, January 11, 2012, I developed a small fever.  Although, I must say...it felt like my temperature was 110 degrees!  I used cold towels to feel better.  This did nothing for the migraine that had been building.  At around 2am, I was fully dilated and ready to push.  The nurse did some pushing with me at first.  The epidural was wearing off so I could actually feel contractions and could push to the best of my ability.  The whole time I kept thinking....HOLY CRAP!  I am about to have a baby!  You see people have babies on TV...you hear the stories of everyone else...but when it happens to you, it's a whole different animal.  I pushed for awhile with the nurse, and then it was time for the big event.  My OB came in...the nurses came in... and it was time.  I didn't have to do a ton of pushing, but whatever I did was not painful at all.  I felt pressure, but it wasn't painful at all.

My last push was the main event.  At 2:38am, Stanley's head came out....and I could feel it.  It was a massive amount of pressure, but nothing I couldn't do 80 more times in my life.  I waited to hear him cry, while the rest of his body was still inside me.  The moment I heard him squeal...I lost it.  Tears were flowing, and the rest of him was quickly out.  They put him on me, and I got to see his face for a moment.  I could only get out, "He's so cute!"  They took him away to clean him up and get measurements.  It was over.  This whole LABOR thing was done. 

SO.... why the hell do people go on and on about how painful it is?  I kept telling people it couldn't be worse than a migraine.  AND...let me tell you.... I WAS RIGHT!!  Migraines are sooooo much worse.  People tell me that I had it easy, but I fully intend on having more kids after that.  I'll weigh in on the pain factor on my next one too.  Yes, I had an epidural which I can't imagine not having.  BUT... birth with an epidural was easy in my opinion.  It wasn't like I had imagined.  I didn't cuss or get mean at all.  I was facebooking...texting...and having some laughs. 

People told me that having a child is the absolute best thing, and I heard them but never quite understood.  And it's not something you can understand until you go through it.  As I sit here and watch my sweet baby boy sleep in his swing, I get it.  I understand fully what those people were talking about.  It's a club...it's exclusive to those who have walked in this path.  I'd do anything for that little man.  He is more precious to me than anything.  I can't take my eyes off him.  It seems so surreal to think I'm a mommy.  As I navigate through this whole Mommy thing, I can't help but feel extremely lucky.  I cherish every single day with my baby angel.







38 Week Check-Up = In Labor!


It's been awhile since I've blogged, but I've been super busy!  So...let me catch you all up on my baby adventures.

My 38th week appointment was on Tuesday, January 10, 2012.  I was really looking forward to seeing if I had dilated anymore and to see the ultrasound (I wanted to see how big my peanut was).  I was set to be induced a week later, so I wanted to get as much info as possible regarding this whole labor thing.

I get to my appointment, and there was no ultrasound scheduled for me.  I was so bummed.  So, I saw my OB, and he said I'd dilated a little more.  Everything looked great.  So, I asked if we could get an ultrasound ... just to see how big my punkin was.  He said..."SURE!"  Somehow it just slipped through the cracks that I was supposed to get one.  My mom had already arrived in town, so this would be the first ultrasound she attended.  We were excited to see little Stanley.  During the ultrasound, the ultrasound tech (who is usually super talkative about how cute my baby is) wasn't saying much.  She was measuring things on the baby, and I didn't know what was going on.  It was completely different.  I thought....well maybe she's having a bad day.  Immediately, she started asking me what I had for breakfast.  She asked me if I've had any leaking.  She asked if I lost my mucus plug or had been dehydrated.  I immediately got nervous.  I HAD been dehydrated (the week before I was super sick - fever, chills, contractions, and much MUCH more).  I had had a three day migraine and my meds for that tend to leave me VERY dehydrated.  I thought...well hell...I can go drink some water!  She said, "Okay, I'm going to check this for the third time...and it will be the tie breaker."  I thought...WHAT?!?!  What are we checking?  She said there wasn't a lot of fluid around the baby, and it was very possible my water had already broken and instead of a gush it was a small trickle.  OMG!! I had read about that...and honestly I always thought it was a possibility, but I always forgot to tell my OB!  CRAP!  I asked what would happen if he didn't have enough fluid.  She said, "Then...Happy Birthday, Stanley!"  The ultrasound ended quickly after that.  I was told to wait in the waiting room again.  I heard the ultrasound tech talking to my OB and his nurse.  I was immediately asked to come back into the hall where they were.

My OB said, "Well there isn't a lot of fluid around the baby.  He's full term and healthy...so let's just go ahead and have this baby today."  Shocked....I said, "well, I mean maybe I'm dehydrated from my Imitrex (med I take for my migraines)."  He said, "I don't think so.  I think your water has been broken for awhile."  SO... I was told to go to Labor and Delivery as soon as possible.

I left in shock.  I couldn't believe I was about to have a baby!!!  I mean...I never wrapped my head around the whole labor thing.  I thought I had a week or something to dwell on that.  I never let myself get too worked up about it.  BUT...my life was about to change forever.  I immediately called Brian's cell phone.  No answer.  I called and called and sent text messages.  NOTHING!  I freaked out!  I called his secretary, Pam, and told her that I needed to get ahold of him ASAP since I was going into labor!  She said she would get him immediately.  He was apparently in a meeting with 30 people.  She walked in and handed him a note just as he was about to begin a presentation.  He told everyone, "Well...I have to leave.  I'm having a baby!"  Hope that meeting wasn't too important! :) 

Brian and I (and my mom) met up at our house.  We grabbed our hospital bags, and we were out the door.  When we arrived at Labor and Delivery, I was still in shock.  It was all happening so fast.  I didn't have time to freak out about the whole labor thing.  Stanley was coming...and there wasn't even time to dwell on the horrible things that could happen. 

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Labor? Flu? Waiting?


OK...I left off my last blog with going to the Labor & Delivery.

NOW...I didn't really think I was in labor, but I was super concerned I was getting a horrible flu.  The last thing I'd ever want is to get a horrible flu and make him sick!  The minute you go to L&D everyone assumes you are going into labor.  I didn't honestly think that.  I was having contractions, but I just assumed they were Braxton Hicks.  I get them all the time, so I wasn't that concerned.  I WAS concerned with having taken two Tylenol and still feeling like I had a fever.  I mean...was I having a stroke?  Was my blood pressure sky rocketing?  Was Stanley hot?  My face was as red as a beet.  My whole body ached as if I were some 105-year-old grandma.  I was pretty sure I was getting some flu.

I get checked into L&D.  I get my gown on and hooked up to a fetal monitor and a monitor to track my contractions.  They checked my blood pressure and constantly monitor my pulse.  My blood pressure was a little higher than that morning, but it was still very normal.  My baby seemed to be doing just fine...heartbeat 150bpm.  Stanley constantly kicked the monitors on my belly.  His kicks are so accurate...it's like he can see through my stomach.  And... tracking my contractions would take awhile.  The nurse immediately asked me if I was nervous.  I said, "why?"  Apparently, my heart rate was in the 120's.  I thought I was pretty calm, but I guess I was wrong.  It went down to 101 at some point, but it would shoot back up when I would freak out over something.  AND... I didn't have a fever.  So... 15 minutes into my L&D trip, I had found out zero about my flu!

So, there I was....hanging out in Labor & Delivery.  Brian was texting my mother, who was all in a tizzy thinking she was going to miss the big moment.  If she doesn't see her grandson 5 minutes after he leaves my body, she'd never forgive herself.  I kept telling Brian I wasn't going to have the baby, and he kept getting excited at the thought I was going into labor.  He was monitoring my contractions, and I was more concerned with the thought that I was getting a horrible flu.  My mind started going crazy.  Brian picked up the paper tracking my contractions, and he was pretty sure I was having my baby soon.  I hadn't really paid much attention to it, but I looked over and those damn contractions had definitely started a pattern.  It was as clear as day.  I thought we could be mistaken though.  The nurse came in and the eyebrows went up.  She said, "Well, you're definitely having contractions."  I said, "Well, yeah, but they are Braxton Hicks and all over the place, right?"  She said, "Umm...no..  they have started a pattern, and they are real contractions."  I immediately freaked out.  Was I ready to have my baby right then?  I mean... I started getting a little teary-eyed.  My OB scheduled my induction on the 17th...which I had found out earlier from my mother that it was kind of a special day.  That was my grandparents wedding anniversary.  Since they are no longer here, I thought it would be kind of cool that he arrived on that day. 

The nurse checked to see if I had dilated any since that morning at my OB appointment.  AND....nope!  I was still the same.  She called my OB, and he suggested I go home and take an ambien.  She said that even if I was getting a flu they couldn't really do anything.  They just let it run its course.  So, I was a little relieved.  I wasn't exactly mentally prepared to have my baby at that moment...especially since I wasn't really there for labor....just a flu!?  I called my mom and updated her on my condition.  She booked a flight for the next morning.  She decided she wasn't going to miss this....any of it.

So, here we are...5 days later.  My body aches finally went away yesterday evening.  I did eventually get a fever, but I was able to keep it down.  The chills would come just as easy as the fevers.... hot and cold for days!! BUT... that has gone away.  The mild headache is gone.  However....My back aches are still hanging out in full force.  And...let's just say I have one more issue that HAS NOT gone away...but since guys read this... I am not going to get into that.  ;)  You're welcome, men!  So.... do I have the flu?  My OB didn't think so...he thought this was just my body entering the first stage of labor.  I still think I have the flu.  Regardless, my little boy is still super active.  He loves stretching those feet and leaving them out for the world to see.  His legs and arms are sooo strong.  It's to the point where I can't walk when he's awake....he flails his limbs everywhere, and I double over from the punches.  My mucus plug is gone so I'm thinking that is a pretty good sign.  AND...if you don't know what a mucus plug is, I would implore you to NOT look that up. 

So... baby watch 2012 is still happening.  He will be here soon.  I hope I feel better when I actually have to go through labor, but we can't pick and choose these things.  At this point, I'm extremely happy my mom came in town.  It has become very difficult to get around and just make food for myself.  Since Brian is at work all day, she gets to do all that fun stuff.  She is probably bored out of her mind, but I can't help being a fat, sick blob. 

I don't know....maybe I will feel better tomorrow.... maybe my water will break... or maybe it will be just another boring day on the couch.  Waiting is not my forte.

My 37 Week Appt, Horrible Grocery Trip, and Labor?!?!


The countdown is officially on!

On Tuesday (1/3/12), I visited my OB for my 37 week appointment.  All went rather well.  The baby had dropped and his head was pretty far down.  Now, I'm guessing he still has a bit more to drop, but I think he's working on it.  I am 2cm dilated (with a little help from my Dr).  My blood pressure was awesome (as usual), and I hadn't gained a pound in 3 weeks!  I didn't get an ultrasound to measure the baby or check his weight (that will be on Tuesday the 10th), but my OB thinks he will be a teeny tiny...perhaps around 7lbs or so.  Since I am pretty over the pregnancy thing, my OB decided we can induce me on the start of my 39th week.  We went ahead and booked my room at the hospital for January 17th at 6am.  SO... In ten days (or less if he decides to come), I will have my little Stanley cup!  :)  The stork is circling the neighborhood!!

Now, I left the appointment in a great mood.  Who wouldn't?!  I mean I was a little shaky and dizzy because I hadn't eaten lunch yet.  I just figured I'm a fat pregnant woman who needed food....so I decided to stop by my home, eat quickly, and then get to my other errands.  I called my mom and let her know the countdown had begun.  I sent Brian a text, because I refuse to be that wife that bothers him during the day when I know he's busy working.  Everything was wonderful.  I got home and ate...and then... I started feeling a bit horrible.  Every muscle in my body started to ache.  I was cramping.  I felt seriously fatigued.  I felt... weird.  So, I did what any normal pregnant housewife does... I went to the grocery.

While at the grocery, I was walking around very slow (perhaps with a bit of a waddle/limp).  Every person in the damn grocery got on my nerves.  I went to get some apples, and some bitch would be hogging the whole apple section taking her sweet ass time.  I went to get bread, and some bitch was standing right in front of my brand I needed.  I tried to get through aisles, and some dumb bitch would park her cart in the center of the aisle and walk away from it.  When I got to the Lean Cuisines (hey - my husband likes them), some fat bitch was taking over the WHOLE Lean Cuisine area!  Cart in front of the frigid doors and her dumbass looking for something "good."  Meanwhile, I just went through the whole grocery doing some form of Lamaze breathing because the pain was getting too uncomfortable.  I had to squeeze my pregnant ass around her every move to get the exact Lean Cuisines my husband prefers while you could tell this was her first time getting ANYTHING low calorie (such a first timer).  I got the boxes after 5 minutes of fucking around with this idiot, and at that precise moment....I'd had enough of the grocery store people.  People don't judge me...I was highly agitated.  SO...I decided the best thing for me to say was, "Why are you even trying?  It's too late for you!"  Yes, I'm a horrible bitch, but for fuck sakes...I ALWAYS get out of the way when someone else is looking for a product, and I'm taking up the whole area.  Be aware people!  Look alive!  So...whatever... I don't regret saying it.  I made other comments to people that day..like, "Yes, I see you are the ONLY person in the world today."  BUT...it just wasn't as bad as telling someone (in a round about way) they are fat and it was pointless to try to lose weight.  I don't feel that way.  I mean I watch 'The Biggest Loser'...it's NEVER too late!  She didn't say shit to me, but I'm sure she thought it was the pot calling the kettle black.  :) 

I managed to get home and get everything put away.  Of course, I was whimpering the whole time.  Nobody could hear my whimpers, but I continued them anyway.  I imagined the heavens would open up and hear my pathetic sounds and take the discomfort away.  However, I DID just basically tell a bitch she was fat, so I didn't exactly plan on being rewarded.  AND...damn...  I wasn't. 

The body aches got worse.  A small headache started (YES, it was a headache...not a migraine)...so it was 100% bearable.  The cramping got worse.  I could feel contractions starting.  AND...I started to feel feverish, but I had some serious chills.  Was death upon me??  Am I really being punished for being a pregnant bitch??  OR....was I in labor???  By 5:30pm, I sent Brian a text "BRIAN, YOU GOTTA COME HOME RIGHT NOW!"  In which he dropped everything and came home.  Then, we decided....it was time to visit Labor & Delivery..... 

(I'll continue the saga in the next blog)