Okay, got off track. I felt no contractions, so I didn't really know what to do. I eventually called the doctor, and they wanted me to come right in. We decided to wait and take our time and go in, hoping when the contractions come. I called my Sister and she came around lunch time to pick up Elise and Ayla.
It was weird. It was like time got slower and slower. I actually had TIME. No rushing. I was anxious to go to the hospital, but also nervous for the fact that I felt NO contractions and was thinking I might get induced and had no idea how labor might feel with pitocin. I was going for no epidural this time again.
After putting myself through soaking my feet and legs in extremely cold then hot water buckets, I was done with that! Curtis really wanted me to do that. He was so sure that it may have sparked the contractions for Birth #2. It was one thing wading in a freezing cold river and getting out on hot cement because I couldn't feel my feet. But to recreate that in a bathroom, staring at the floor and walls for sometime, thinking when will I be done with this, nothing enjoyable about that. I don't know, maybe it did help get them going. Because as we started walking around the hills of Curtis' parents house, I did feel at times contractions, they weren't consistent and only if we were seriously walking fast enough that my 9 month prego body could handle, only then did the contractions come. But I slowed down and they slowed down.
Finally, I thought it had been long enough and had a long time since knowing of the leaking that I was positive they were waiting and wanting to see me. No consistent contractions and we left. We sat down and had a subway sandwich before heading to the hospital and arrived probably around 4 o'clock time. When I got there, they were rushing, knowing of my last labor, and they realized I wasn't rushing, so they calmed down.
This labor was a calm one. Almost to the the point were I was impatient. They got me set up and hooked up and it was then they told me I was DEFINITELY having contractions...I was like "REALLY?!???" I didn't feel a thing!!! I was surprised. I didn't feel early labor contractions with this one. (or maybe with the others as well, they just come so quick and when I feel those contractions it's the real deal) It's a blessing in a way that I was leaking to get prepared. As they progressed I began to feel them. Like barely there and definitely bearable.
I decided to get in the tub for about an hour. I think that relaxed me a little to much and didn't progress much in there. It really probably helped prolong it for me. But I did like the bubbles and thoughts to myself! I decided to hop out and get things going. They checked me, contractions still strong and consistent...still VERY bearable! Just not much progress from when I entered the tub. I gave the go ahead with breaking the bag of water.
My body kicks right in after that is done! Oh man! They wanted to do it before the tub, but I am so glad I didn't cause I know my body gets going. It was so nice to have all that peace and calm right before. Oh, and when they checked me before they said that I had TWO bags of waters. It's not uncommon. The outer one had broken, causing the leaking. 2 bags, who knew?
Back to breaking the water, Oh, it's so gross! How do you attempt to walk when you are getting their floors all dirty and wet? I tried. Then I just stayed in one spot with towels underneath and the contractions came hard! They got out things for me to try and someone said I'd like to see this one used, no one has used it yet. Curtis was like sure, we'll take that! huh? He was thinking of helping, but never again would I use that. I liked my hands and knees last time, and he thought I could save some energy by putting my elbows up on this hard half-doughnut thing. Obviously I said sure too, I'll try it out. But I guess if I don't like something and in the moment of hard labor, I just bare with it not saying anything....lesson learned!
As they came harder, I climbed right in bed, resting my elbows on the thingy. It felt like a half hour before we told them to get back in the room, but Curtis later said it was 10-15 min. after them breaking the water that we hurriedly told them I was ready. He was right.
I had the uncontrollable urge to push. The pain was harsh. I should not have used that thingy! I should have put my hands down, but in the moment I pushed that thought aside. I'll just go with what I'm doing cause that pain is harsh, I don't want to move. I did feel like I was impatient and kind of tried hard to just push him out before my body was actually ready (at least it felt that way), but in all reality, I think it was my position being not quite right. It was more of a harder or pushing against kind of feeling than baby #2's, she just slid right out with a push or two. This time it was more like a strain feeling. Although, TMI, my bowels were full, maybe that could have made it feel that way or made slower time of pushing. Seriously in all reality we were talking a matter of minutes, maybe seconds...but the pushing moment seamed long to me.
Anyway, after getting on the bed, calling for them to come in and now wanting to push, my doctor tried to feel if I was dilated, I guess being the opposite direction, she missed terribly and made me so uncomfortable and at that moment I did not care, I was going to push and I did. Soon after, 15 minutes after breaking the water, Joseph was born at 6:27pm. Happy and healthy!
I was doing great, tore just a little where the other scar tissue was. A little later my nurse checked me and became REALLY focused in keeping my uterus contracted. She told me I was loosing more blood than they like to see. So I guess I was hemorrhaging. She messaged me like crazy for the longest time! Seriously, she stayed with me for a good 40 min. or more just massaging. I have never minded that until this time. At one point, I wanted her to stop...and she actually told me sorry, she can't! Ugh!
Curtis said they did looked really concerned. But after a long while with 2 rounds of pitocin I got better with a little more messages, and things were fine. And then we got to focus on our little BOY! We love him so much. I have to say, it took me a good 2 1/2 to 3 months to stop bleeding. That can be normal, I know, but I knew something this time wasn't quite right. Looking back on the situation, I have a hunch as to why I hemorrhaged, but then again, people have hemorrhaged just because. I do remember my doctor really pulling on my placenta for a while and she was like oooh, yeah, that's not ready. And that pressure really didn't feel well at all. One of those moments that stick out. With the feeling involved. I was concerned that maybe I did rip my cervix by pushing to early (since my last labors I wanted to start pushing at a 6). At the check up, she confirmed that everything looks fine. So it may have been her pulling at my uterus and ripping some of those vessels. These are just thoughts to put down, nothing to pinpoint, just speculations as to what may have caused the hemorrhaging.
Joseph was 5 pounds 15.6oz. (this hospital was exact and did NOT want to round up, so funny cause with Ayla and Elise they did)...so when people ask, we say 6 or just under 6 pounds. :) 18 3/4" long. Tiny little thing! He is wonderful. Adorable and charming and quick to smile and laugh.
Overall, it was wonderful not to have an epidural again. It was nice to have a calm peaceful start to labor with a quick delivery. He was harder to push than Ayla, not out of the normal. Time must have slowed down for me. Breastfeeding at the beginning was a challenge. He did not gain anything for 2 weeks and stayed at 5pounds 9oz. First couple months he was slightly colicky (he would cry at night for an hour or two, once lasted 3-4 hours straight, that will be another post with a cool ending) and to me he seamed to have slight reflux, we figured out it was most likely due to milk sensitivity. You know how babies choke on their spit-up and resolve it themselves, well he gave us a big scare and choked on such thick spit-up that he turned blue with bulging eyes and I remember thinking if we called 911, would he make it? Oh am I ever so grateful for those bulb syringes and prayer and a calm husband! We had to supplement him with formula for 2 months-ish, that probably did not help. Taking him off formula--not much after that big scare, and staying away from milk helped so much with the colic and minimal spit-up (after a feed he would just be making gulping sounds like he was gulping back his spit-up). I have now had dairy occasionally in something and he seams to be okay, but I don't want to overdue it and stay away from dairy when I can/or want to.
Long enough post, but it is so much fun to read back on our family records!
1 comment:
I'm glad everything went well for you. He is so adorable!!!
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