My Birth Story (LONG)
So finally had some time to sit down and write it out. After weeks of assuming that our little lady would come early, since her brother had come at 37 weeks, and I had been having contractions off and on, I finally gave up and said maybe not. Her due date was June 8th. I had my 39 week appointment on May 30 and at that time when checked I was still at 0 cm dilated and barely starting to have a thinned cervix. I was getting to be pretty miserable. Even though I was not that big in the belly the swelling in my one leg from the past clot, sciatica, and everything else was taking its toll. My last day at work was on Friday, and I planned to take the following week to rest. My doctor said if she did not come on her own by due date an induction would be scheduled for the 10th. I wanted to avoid that if possible because most people I know had bad experiences with it and several ended up with c-sections. I was hoping to go for a drug free delivery but the thought of pitocin, etc freaked me out. Anyway, Saturday, June 1st me and my MIL who is here from Morocco went to do lots of shopping and errands and on a whim I picked up some raspberry tea as had heard it could help, if not to do contractions, it can "ripen" uterus. I had a cup that night with two tea bags and then went to bed. Early Sunday morning I woke up to some mild contractions. I took a bath, cleaned house, etc I also prepped a cheesecake and put something for dinner to slow cook. Hubby and I then decided to go to a movie while my MIL watched our son. At that point, contractions had kind of stopped so I decided to drink another cup of tea and also had some cinnamon dissolved in ho****er...I was gonna try as many old wives tales as I could, lol
I dropped my son and MIL off at my Mom's house and then headed to meet hubby at the movies. We watched the movie, and I did not have but one or two contractions the whole time. Afterwards, hubby went to help a friend with an errand. I made a pit stop at grocery store and then headed to pick up my MIL and son. As I parked and got out of my car, headed up driveway, felt a "pop" and my water broke in my Mom's driveway! I waddled up the drive to the door and was met of course by my MIL and Mom freaking out. LOL Called hubby and told him to head back and meet me at hospital after swinging by our house to get my things. At this point, still only minor contractions if that. With my son they broke water in hospital and that was when pain was bad. At this point it is about 5pm. I get to the hospital and am all checked in and settled by about 530. they check me and I am 4cm. My doctor is on call and swings by and says they are going to start Pitocin because contractions were irregular and not strong.
They then try to start an IV and hell begins. 8+ sticks, no luck, to include one attempt by anesthesiologist. The one they got ended up blowing the vein. I and nurses working on each hand. At this point contractions were getting pretty bad and I was asking to be checked because felt like things were moving. Nurse said only 4.5 but thinning and at that point I was thinking no way am I gonna do no drugs because these are one after another and pain is really bad and I have 6+ more cm to go. Sons labors was 18+ hrs! Doctor even said no one will give you a medal. But the catch was that I could not have any pain meds til they got the IV and got me hydrated. I said all I wanted was the Demerol, but they said no can do. They did send off bloodwork with some of the blood they drew but said 20+min for those results before meds as well. I was in agony at that point and freaking out because I have a pretty good pain tolerance level. Again I asked to be checked and was then a 5+.
The IV mess went on for about 45 minutes and then finally they said if you want the epidural we will give to you, forget the IV and pain meds. Given that I had all the blown veins, my concentration on trying to focus on delivery etc was shot I said ok. they sent for anesthesiologist and he started to prep. He said we have to wait until you have a break in contractions....but I wasn't. They were one after another. I had to be pulled up to sit in the bed on side. I asked to be checked again but the nurse, who I did not care for at this point, said she had just checked me and I was 5 and if I wanted epidural I needed to basically suck it up. (yeah she got a complaint later!) Anyhow, as I am sitting on the edge of the bed, trying to be still, and "suck it up" I had so much pressure and pain and wanted to throw up and pass out....and then I felt something and lots of fluid was gushing down the bed...hubby freaked out, pulled back the drape, and the baby's head was out! I nearly fainted and just fell back on bed as they begged me not to push...too late. One more contraction and out she was...no doctor or anything and the anesthesiologist said well I barely ever get to see this part! He also said if I plan on another baby that I needed to come in ASAP otherwise would have a baby in the parking lot! LOL I joked that the fear of Pitocin is what did it! So I ended up with my drug free delivery after all. It all happened so fast that hubby did not cut the cord or anything.
Alia Yasmine was born Sunday, June 2nd at 840 pm (3 hr labor!) weighing 7 lbs 13 oz, 20 inches long, and beautiful! She had tons of hair as you probably saw in the past pics that is a mix of red and brown like her brother. She is the opposite of him it seems and we are doing great. She is BF well and sleeps for 3-4 hr stretches at a time. I gained 40 lbs with pregnancy which shocked me, but as of today which is 3 weeks (tomorrow) I am down 33 lbs and hope to have the rest of by end of my 12 week maternity leave. I have some stitches that are healing but once I have my post partum check hope to start walking and using my jogging stroller. My TT that I got just about a year ago seems to be holding up and stomach is close to flat but has a little more to go. Not sure if the breastlift will hold up with BF but it is worth it to me. It is much easier with less excess skin to deal with this time.
Anyhow, that's my story, the good, bad, and ugly of it all. So blessed and happy to have our little lovebird here to enjoy as we all love her, even big brother who has been great!
