Here we go!
When did your labor start?
I did not go into labor on my own. I actually was having issues with my blood pressure and was admitted to the hospital to test for pre-eclampsia via a 24 hour urine collection. Based on that, they decided to induce me overnight. Technically I began my labor Thursday, January 23rd around 10:00 PM. My due date wasn't until February 5th.
Where were you when labor began?
I was in the hospital! I started out at the doctor's office for a routine weekly exam Wednesday the 22nd, but because of my blood pressure they admitted me to the hospital. It was a very unexpected outcome! I actually was in the hospital a full day for monitoring before they decided to induce me the night of the 23rd.
Who were you with?
Inevitably, I was all by myself at the appointment when they told me that I would most likely be having my baby. It was a shock!
Did you have any complications?
They closely monitored my blood pressure and urinary protein content because they were worried about pre-eclampsia. You can read about pre-eclampsia here. I had been battling a higher blood pressure most of my last trimester, but didn't think anything further was wrong. It was only after I had my baby that I realized how much water I had actually retained, which can be an indicator of pre-eclampsia.
Did you have a hospital or home birth?
Because of my higher risk pregnancy, I was admitted to a hospital. I had planned on delivering there anyway.
How were you feeling before labor?
I was sort of in an emotional daze. I hadn't expected to be having my baby for 2 more weeks, and to hear that I was going to the hospital to most likely be induced was a shock. I cried hysterically on my way to the hospital because I just wasn't mentally prepared for it yet. Not to mention, I was all by myself when they told me, which was NOT a fun experience.
How long were you in labor?
I was in active labor around 14 hours.
What was being induced like?
It was pretty easy work for me. The night of the 23rd, they gave me a pill to start dilating my cervix, since my body wasn't prepared for labor yet. The next morning the doctor broke my water and my labor officially began.
What did you do while you were in labor?
I watched a lot of Food Network shows and tried to get some good rest. Since I had been in the hospital for a day and a half by this point, it was really hard to get comfortable in the hospital bed. Chris and I also reviewed baby names, since we still didn't have a solid name picked out.
What did you do for pain management?
I didn't have an opinion one way or another as far as an epidural or other pain management techniques went prior to being in labor. I knew I would just play it by ear (or rather, pain level) to see what I wanted to do. Since labor is a kind of pain that you can't compare to anything else, I really wanted to see what it was like and how I personally could handle it before deciding anything. I did end up having an epidural about 3 hours into active labor. I knew my contractions were only going to get worse, and they were already pretty intense. I have an admiration for women who choose the all-natural, medication free child birth experience. I'm just glad we have a choice.
Did you know when to push?
I really thought I would have an 'aha' moment about when my baby was ready to be born. After I reached 10 centimeters, they had me 'labor down' for an hour (a fancy way of saying, sit there and do nothing while fully dilated), which is supposed to make it easier for you to push when the time comes. Even with the epidural, the pressure of baby trying to make its way out is still uncomfortable. I finally got to the point where I was ready to end my discomfort so I told them I wanted to try pushing.
How long did you push for?
I only pushed for an hour. I was told that most women aren't very effective at pushing initially, but apparently I am a pro at it. (HA!)
How many nurses attended you while you were in labor?
I had a total of 5 nurses throughout my hospital stay in the labor and delivery ward. They changed shifts every 12 hours. I really liked all of them! We had an awesome experience. My favorites were Jill (there for most of my labor) and Natalie (the nurse who helped me deliver, I was her 101st delivery)!
How were you feeling during labor?
Contractions are really intense pain--unlike anything I have ever experience before. The first 3 hours without any pain medication were uncomfortable. My contractions just kept getting more intense and closer together, so I knew it was time to consider my pain management options. I went with the epidural because it was continuous and it would give me a chance to rest up before having to push. After the epidural I was feeling great! The only negative thing is that you can't get up and walk around, or use a birthing ball, or even go to the bathroom on your own so once you get it you are confined to the bed...and since I had already been in the bed for the day prior, I was really restless.
What was giving birth like?
It's hard to explain it to anyone who has never experience it. I was there, and present for all of it (obviously), but it was almost like an out of body experience. I knew what was happening, but because of the epidural, most of it was pressure instead of pain. I just remember being so tired from pushing every time I had a contraction and feeling like it would never end...and then my sweet baby boy came! It was incredible.
What was the hardest part of giving birth?
For me, the hardest part was pushing and pushing with the nurse and then having to hold off and not push while we waited for the doctor. We had to wait a good 15 minutes for the doctor to get there and my baby was positioned in the birth canal and crowning, so I was ready to get him out of me! Not being able to push when your body is telling you it's time is so frustrating!
What was the easiest part of giving birth?
I don't think any part of having a baby is easy, but I just kept thinking, at the end of this I get to meet my son. That made everything that was going on just a little bit more bearable.
Was your doctor the one who helped you deliver?
Yes! I was really worried that he wouldn't be the one on call when my time came to deliver. I just got really lucky and my doctor was there. I was so relieved.
What was the first thing you said or did after your baby was born?
I was in such a state of immense joy that I really don't remember the first thing I said. They put him up in my lap and I just remember holding him and feeling such love! I probably said something like, "Hello, my sweet boy!" I do remember that my husband was crying. I am shocked that I wasn't, I am usually a huge baby myself when it comes to that sort of thing. I think I was just so happy, crying wasn't even an option!
What were your baby's measurements and birth info?
Miles J. Cook was born at 11:08 PM on January 24th, 2014. He weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and was 21 inches long.
How were you feeling after?
Like I said, I was feeling an immense joy and relief. I was also feeling annoyed at my doctor because I was trying to love on my new baby boy and he was busy stitching me up. I did end up tearing a few times. I could DEFINITELY feel that, and I was really annoyed that he was distracting me from my baby!
Was it everything you thought it would be?
Yes. I went in with very little expectation (except getting a baby out of it). I had a feeling of peace and contentment throughout my entire pregnancy and never felt any sort of anxiety about giving birth or going into labor. I knew that everything that was going to happen would be for the best and everything would work out.
What do you remember the most?
I remember not having a name picked out. Chris and I had picked out some names we thought we would choose between after we saw our baby's face...but he didn't look like either of the names we had. Our baby boy was called "Baby Boy" for over an hour while we tried to think of a name. He even had his first shot and bath as a nameless baby!
What did you like about your birthing experience?
I really didn't have any qualms about any of it except for my sudden admittance to the hospital. After the initial shock of "you're having your baby this weekend" wore off, everything went really well.
What didn't you like about it?
Like I said, I really had no issues with it. We did have a situation come up when the nurses were changing shifts that could have made for an uncomfortable experience for me, but the nurse (Jill, who I will say again, was awesome) that had been with me all day noticed my discomfort and fixed the issue. I'm glad because after that I was paired with Natalie, who is also amazing!
Would you do anything differently?
I don't think so. Being my first experience with having a child, I didn't go in with any expectations or concerns. With all of my health issues that suddenly dawned, it could have been much worse. I'm just happy I got a healthy, beautiful baby out of the experience!
What were your immediate emotions afterwards?
I had a strong feeling of peace and happiness. I knew everything would be okay, that my baby boy was healthy and safe in my arms and that my life would be forever changed. I was in love with this sweet baby boy in my arms...a love that I didn't know I was capable of! I was so in love with my husband and so thankful for his support. I just remember wanting to laugh and snuggle and love!
How has your recovery been?
Well, as I mentioned above, I did end up tearing and having to have stitches. I imagine my recovery was much like any other. Pushing a baby out of your body does some not very nice things to it. But overall, it wasn't too horrible. I was sore for a few weeks and loved the numbing spray and ice packs they provided. I faithfully took my prescription strength Motrin and now that it has been 10 1/2 weeks, I'm feeling back to my good ol' self!
Well, there you have it! If I didn't mention something you're interested in hearing about, or have a question you'd like me to answer, I'm happy to add it or create a 2nd post if necessary....and just because I can...here is the latest cute picture of my adorable baby!
His smiles warm my heart!
<3
No comments:
Post a Comment