When I got back to bed, the sciatic nerve pain was awful. I spent the next hour trying to stretch my glutes, doing yoga, cradle posing, rocking on my hands and knees, and even having Sean massage my butt. Idk what finally worked, but I was able to fall back asleep around 4. 20 minutes later, a mild contraction woke me up. That was strange. I'd been having contractions for weeks, but never ones that wake me up. I fell back asleep after a 40 second wave, and 20 minutes later, woke up with another.
I started timing them at this point. They were still 20 minutes apart, and no longer than 40 seconds, but they were regular. Very regular. Sean's alarm went off at 6:15 am, and I told him what was going on. At this point, my contractions weren't that strong. I mean, I was having them in bed, with Sean sleeping next to me. He woke up and got dressed for work, knowing that he might not make it in.
I piddled around the house, folding laundry and doing dishes, while Sean cleaned up the guest bedroom. I also packed the rest of my bag, realizing that this was probably the start of real labor.
Around 9 am my contractions were about 5 minutes apart, so I called the doc. They had me head into triage. Sean even packed a deck of cards thinking we were still at the beginning of things!
By the time we got there at 9:30, my contractions were definitely uncomfortable. I was able to easily get through them holding Sean's hand and breathing, but they were closer to 3 minutes apart. They sent me to triage, where the nurse looked like she just knew she was sending me home. She hooked me up to a contraction, blood pressure, and heart beat monitor. After taking some stats, she went to check how dilated I was. She looked at me - and said "there's no way - it feels like you're at a 7 or 8!" She actually had another nurse double check! The second nurse, Amy, took one feel and then went to get a room ready. Not so fast triage nurse! HAH!
My contractions still weren't very painful. Hell, I even called my mom to tell her I was in labor and she didn't know I was having contractions (even though I had one on the phone with her). I got back to the room and they put me on the wireless monitor and hooked me up with an IV. The IV was awful, but it's hospital policy that I have to have one. *grumble* My monitors were wireless, but I had to be monitored hooked in for 20 minutes of every hour. Which doesn't really matter when you're only in the room an hour before you start pushing. Funny how that works (or doesn't?). By the time we got in the room and everything, my contractions were finally picking up. I labored entirely standing up - having Sean push my hips in and sway with me was the most helpful by FAR.
The doctor came in around 11 am and I was fully dilated, but my water hadn't broken yet. She broke it, sent my contractions into overdrive, and by 11:15 I was pushing. No joke. Pushing was mentally hard. And physically, but not in the way I expected it. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to push. I mean, that's a set of muscles that you don't use every day, and especially not in that way. I ended up with a squat bar and people holding my legs. I was almost crying because I was so frustrated that my body and mind couldn't figure it out. But at the same time, it's not like I've done this before. But apparently I was able to get it (thank god for the nurses, doctor, and Sean coaching me like nobody's business), and little Miss Natalie Patricia was born at 12:23 pm! She was 7 lbs, 2 oz and 20.5 inches long.
Things I'll do different next time though?
1. Bring my bag in when we got into triage. We figured we would have time for Sean to go grab it. We were wrong. I didn't have my hospital bag until close to 5 pm!
2. Make sure I have snacks WITH me. Not in my bag. I was stitched by 3 pm, but I had missed lunch hour so I had to wait until 5 for food. And I missed lunch. I had a headache and was cranky by the end.
3. Pack a newborn sized outfit. Even if I don't think I'll need it. - Sean's mom had to go buy clothes for little miss to go home in!
4. Keep exercising through my pregnancy. My arms and back were much sorer than anything else the next day because of how I pushed.
Things I'm glad I did/packed:
1. I mostly labored at home. I was able to get a good breakfast in, buy a gatorade on the way there (which was AMAZING), and clean the house a bit for our guests.
2. Packed my own toilet paper. I got this advice the week before I went in, and threw the roll in my bag at the last minute. It was a great decision.
My contractions still weren't very painful. Hell, I even called my mom to tell her I was in labor and she didn't know I was having contractions (even though I had one on the phone with her). I got back to the room and they put me on the wireless monitor and hooked me up with an IV. The IV was awful, but it's hospital policy that I have to have one. *grumble* My monitors were wireless, but I had to be monitored hooked in for 20 minutes of every hour. Which doesn't really matter when you're only in the room an hour before you start pushing. Funny how that works (or doesn't?). By the time we got in the room and everything, my contractions were finally picking up. I labored entirely standing up - having Sean push my hips in and sway with me was the most helpful by FAR.
The doctor came in around 11 am and I was fully dilated, but my water hadn't broken yet. She broke it, sent my contractions into overdrive, and by 11:15 I was pushing. No joke. Pushing was mentally hard. And physically, but not in the way I expected it. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to push. I mean, that's a set of muscles that you don't use every day, and especially not in that way. I ended up with a squat bar and people holding my legs. I was almost crying because I was so frustrated that my body and mind couldn't figure it out. But at the same time, it's not like I've done this before. But apparently I was able to get it (thank god for the nurses, doctor, and Sean coaching me like nobody's business), and little Miss Natalie Patricia was born at 12:23 pm! She was 7 lbs, 2 oz and 20.5 inches long.
Things I'll do different next time though?
1. Bring my bag in when we got into triage. We figured we would have time for Sean to go grab it. We were wrong. I didn't have my hospital bag until close to 5 pm!
2. Make sure I have snacks WITH me. Not in my bag. I was stitched by 3 pm, but I had missed lunch hour so I had to wait until 5 for food. And I missed lunch. I had a headache and was cranky by the end.
3. Pack a newborn sized outfit. Even if I don't think I'll need it. - Sean's mom had to go buy clothes for little miss to go home in!
4. Keep exercising through my pregnancy. My arms and back were much sorer than anything else the next day because of how I pushed.
Things I'm glad I did/packed:
1. I mostly labored at home. I was able to get a good breakfast in, buy a gatorade on the way there (which was AMAZING), and clean the house a bit for our guests.
2. Packed my own toilet paper. I got this advice the week before I went in, and threw the roll in my bag at the last minute. It was a great decision.
1 comment:
I have been STALKING your blog like a crazy lady waiting to hear some news! Congratulations, you guys!! It sounds like you had a wonderful birth experience!
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