I started having contractions around 10 at night on September fifth. That's a week past her due date. Yup... So anyway, I was having contractions... They weren't too bad and I was handling them. I thought I should probably get some sleep because I knew I'd be exhausted if I was doing this for two days like with Wilson. Only problem was, I was too anxious to sleep knowing that we would have a baby soon-ish. So I got up and walked around the house and FINALLY packed a bag. By that time the contractions were getting a little closer so I REALLY thought I should get some sleep.... But unfortunately they were also stronger and there was no way I was sleeping through them.
We left for the hospital around one or two in the morning, when we got there I was having contractions less than 5 minutes apart. The nurse looked at me skeptically when we checked in because my water hadn't broke, but I knew being a week overdue they'd admit me regardless.
I really wanted to go natural with this baby. I really, truly did... I read the book about Hypnobirthing and "practiced" the techniques. I did the breathing, I tried to relax my body... but little known fact about me (sarcasm).... I have a hard time relaxing. I knew it would be a problem, but I just hoped I could work through it. I couldn't. At all. I tried the breathing, I tried the different positions, I tried to relax my body during the horrific contractions but I definitely couldn't do that either. They were coming around 2-3 minutes apart, they felt like they were ripping my insides, and I was shaking ridiculously bad when I wasn't having contractions. When the nurse checked me again around 5 in the morning I was still only dilated to a 5. Yeah... that was when I told Ryan I NEED the epidural. He was really hesitant at first because I had made such a big deal about him being supportive about no drugs. But I knew I could never relax my body enough to let it naturally dilate any more. I was pretty much hysterical, no lie. So Ryan wanted to film me saying I wouldn't be mad at him for letting me get the epidural.... but then a contraction came and I told him I would kill him if he filmed me during one. I was getting mean. Hysterical and mean. The anesthesiologist came in... tried to get me to stay still so he could juice me. but I was shaking so bad and FREAKING out (I'm not kidding, I'm sure the people in the room thought I was going overboard... I don't have a history of that or anything...) that he was getting mad at me. He even decided to give me a spinal block because I was so out of control.
After the drugs I immediately calmed down and was pretty embarrassed about my behavior. I tried to apologize but the anesthesiologist wouldn't even respond. Oh well, I'll never see him again... After that I finally got some sleep. It was wonderful. I still hated the feeling of being drugged, but at least I could relax and I had stopped shaking. After the epidural, the nurse went to go find someone to break my water but that took two hours for some reason. Around seven they did that... a little over an hour they checked me again and I was finally at a ten. The nurse assured me that because this was my second it wouldn't take as long to push as it did with Wilson (2 hours), but she was WRONG. Why? Because Gretchen was one Big Baby. All I remember the doctor and nurse saying while pushing was that she was going to be a big one.
And at 10:12 am on September 6th, my nameless baby was born. It took us until the day we left the hospital to finally decide on Gretchen. She was 8 pounds 14 ounces and 21 inches. I'm not going to lie, I'm a little disappointed that she wasn't just 2 ounces more so I could brag about birthing my nine pounder. 
7 comments:
My neighbor in Bountiful (the one with all the boys) did a natural birth this summer and told me "never again..." If I ever mention going "all natural," you can assume I will be referring to my food choices, and not my birthing experiences! Congratulations on her safe arrival. She has some pretty darling facial expressions!
Ok she is seriously beautiful!! She is already posing for the camera! So glad you got the drugs. And I'm so jealous you had a vaginal birth. Maybe #3 will be lucky for me??
That is one AWESOME visual! It is hard to imagine you freaking out :)
I am excited to meet Gretchen. She is cute, cute, cute!
She is so sweet! Thanks for letting me hold her at our meeting. I DID give birth to a nine pounder. Poor boy had horrific facial trauma because he just didn't fit. It stinkin' hurts! There's nothing wrong with taking the drugs to deliver a tank. Believe me. Congratulations!
I don't care how much a woman in labor freaks out. I think it is all justified. that anesthesiologist was LAME for not even responding. But he can't understand because he's never had his insides push themselves out. Cute baby by the way!
Gretchen is beautiful. I couldn't stop staring at her eyes! Thanks for not candy coating anything. I was a screamer. Never thought I'd be one of those, but my epidural didn't work and they kept the pitocin cranked until I started pushing. Screaming at the peak of each contraction was better than dying. The end.
I am so glad you posted that. I too have gotten more than hysterical with the pain of birth. I have screamed and cried and yelled and cried more. I have made the anethesiologist consider killing me gently with drugs. Then after it is all over, I too am embarrassed and try to apologize. But then I remember this. No MAN will ever, can ever understand the pain of having bones and cartilage break, WHILE pusing a HUMAN BEING through a hole that really is far to small to accomplish such a feat AND try to be pleasant about it. Do they want to try to pee out a bowling ball? I think not. So glad everyone is healthy.
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