Calm Amongst the Chaos

http://www.our365.com/NewbornPortraits/BabyDetail.aspx?birthid=e459c6b4-7d29-4539-b562-e94427b30557

I will post the link to the hospital pictures since, well some of you really don’t care about the gory details and just want to see this little sweet piece of heaven. For the rest of you…. here is how it happened.

Tuesday I started feeling weird. I couldn’t quite explain it. Just weird. Keep in mind I have never gone into labor naturally. So we went about our day. Lily stayed home sick so I couldn’t go into work. There was a great deal at a furniture store so after Lily’s dr. apt (just something viral, low grade fever, runny nose and cough) we went to the furniture store. I was thinking I was having contractions, but wasn’t quite sure. We buy a couch set, something we have wanted to do for years now. My sister was kind enough to give us her nice sectional when we got married, but after years of animal and kids, we wanted/needed leather. So we got our couches! The girls were good at the store, Lily mostly slept, Andi mostly asked for stuff she couldn’t have. I was still feeling weird. I got loose bowels (gross I know) but figured that is why I was crampy and we went home. Lily’s nurse was there to watch Lily and I lied down. Then I started having more contractions. I figured I better walk around and see if they would stop but they didn’t. They never intensified either though. I called my mom and said stay by the phone, I may be calling. I decided to try to sleep and hopefully go in on Wednesday morning. I slept fairly easily and only got up from 2-4am because I was uncomfortable, but then went on back to sleep. I got up with less contractions, checked Lily she still had a low grade fever, called her in sick, told work I wouldn’t be able to make it in, since Lily was home and her nurse couldn’t come until 1:30pm. I said I would come in on Thursday, I just needed to make sure my sister was ready to take over my position. I said since the contractions had almost all but halted I was sure I would just have my c-section on Friday. I was disappointed. I figured I didn’t know my body. I figured natural labor is for other woman. I asked Andrew to watch the girls and I got my toes done. My favorite all time pick me up. Then had to go to the grocery store for a couple things and I wondered down the laxative aisle and still having a text message on my phone from a friend encouraging me to try castor oil. I picked up the little bottle. Then I sat it back down. Then I grabbed it and ran to the cash register.
I got home and read all I could on the internet about it. I saw some sites recommended 2 tbs, some 2 oz. Well one wiff of that stuff I knew 2 oz was ridiculous. I am also such a scardy cat with taking anything that I was nervous, so I decided on 1.5 tbs. I mixed it with root beer and ice cream (my friends suggestion) and chugged, gagged and chugged. Spoke with friend who said I didn’t take enough and debated on taking more and realized I wasn’t that desperate. I didn’t want to mess myself up. Plus I already have a sensitive stomach, I didn’t want to be pooping all day long. I read it takes hours to go into effect so I took the girls for a walk to the park. While at the park I walked in circles around the park equipment and all of a sudden rumble goes in my tummy. I tell Andi we have to go home and we will come right back. It was only within 30 minutes of taking that stuff! After some arguing with Andi I practically ran home with Andi on Lily’s lap. I get home and run to the toilet. I told Andrew, no cramps. No contractions. I probably didn’t take enough and now just have an empty tummy. We decide to walk back to the park and I walked and walked more. We got home and I had to go a couple more times, yet I never had the diarrhea stomach cramps, I just had to go a couple times then I lied down. Then the contractions came on. This was about 2pm on Wednesday and after being so uncomfortable lying down I got up and walked. They were still coming on but harder than Tuesday. I walked, I lied down, I got on facebook. I walked more around the house. I read some of my books when to go to the hospital. They mostly said if I can talk thru the contractions I can wait at home. I walked, I lied down. I did laundry. I got on facebook some more. They started coming harder and more often but I could still talk thru them. Then I went to the bathroom and saw pink in my underwear. Then I called my mom. I said I don’t know if they will send me home but I better go in. My book said if you have pink blood that is real labor. She said she was about 40 min away. I packed remaining stuff and talked to the girls. I took one bite of dinner and started to really hurt. They were coming on top of each other, but I could still talk thru them. Although winded.
We head to the hospital at 6:30pm and by 7:30pm I am in triage and they check me and say, “Wow, you are at 5cm. Good job!” I say “but I can still talk through them!” I swear if I didn’t have pink blood I wouldn’t have gone in for a couple more hours. They get me up to labor and delivery. I text everyone and say he’s coming! We call my mom and she came to the hospital with Andi. We decided we would have her in the room. We told my niece that she could come as well. I was 18 when I saw my sister’s youngest born and it was a neat experience. My aunt Gloria came to our house to stay with sleeping Lily.
They called my OB who was not on call and he came in. Although I didn’t feel I needed an epidural yet they said since I was a VBAC if I didn’t get one I would be put out if I had to have a c-section. Knowing a c-section was a possibility I got it.
I actually missed my contractions, weird I know, but I liked knowing how often and how hard and I felt so numb that I wasn’t in labor at all.
At 10:30pm Dr came in and broke my water. Oliver was having a hard time with my contractions and they gave me oxygen. That was when I started to worry. I said “I have one neuro impaired kid if you need to take him out, take him out”. The nurse said she understood and stayed in the room the whole time monitoring us, changing my positions. Then she said “I am going to check you, I think he was in distress because he was coming down”, sure enough I was complete and started pushing at 11:45pm. Epi was way too strong and I had no knowledge of needing to push and also had a hard time pushing where I needed to. Luckily I figured it out quickly and at 12:13am Feb. 5th 2009 Oliver Isaac Steven came into this world kicking and screaming weighing in at 8lbs 6oz and 21″! His apgars were 9 and 9 and he is perfect. We stored his cord blood and hope one day he may be able to help his sister out! Or if God forbid anyone else.
Andi did awesome, She slept in the recliner from 9:30pm to pushing time. She was so mature and so proud of her brother. She got emotional when she had to go home which made me sad, but she did great. Oliver came out pretty fast and that tore me up, but still I’ll take that over a c-section any day. I told Andrew “let’s do this one more time with out the epi” he said “no”.
It was a long night, we didn’t get to post partum until 5am so not much sleep that night. Oliver nursed awesome right from the start! He was really alert his first few hours then slept for what seemed forever. Then was alert all the next night. Yeah! No sleep again. He got circumcised Friday at noon 😦 which broke my heart and kept him asleep most of the rest of the day. We went home at 6pm last night and guess when he was awake and alert? All night long. Yeah! Hoping you can see I still have a sense of humor 😉
Andrew took him after I nursed him at 5am and I got the most sleep from 5am-7:45am.
We seem to be handling the family of 5 so far so good. Oliver is such a peaceful baby. So unlike both girls. Andi has been a little trying with wanting to hold him all time and she did not want to sleep in her room last night, but I understand things are going to take time to adjust. Lily’s nurse is coming today and Andi gets to go ride a horse with daddy today so that will be my rest time. Grandma Cheryl flies in tonight so I know she will help a lot with the girls this week. My biggest concern is getting Lily on the bus on time with another mouth to feed in the morning, so I am glad for the extra help!
So this may sound rambly and disjointed, but I wanted to write this all down while it is fresh in my head.
I can’t believe what a good nurser he is! My milk is in and both girls would gag and cry when it let down but not him, he just takes it down! Such a cool little dude. We feel so complete and I am so glad God gave us a son. I was nervous at the thought of a boy, but am now so excited to experience what he will bring.
I just want to know where the pause button on life is. If anyone knows let me know.