The picture above is me on my birthday, two days before the original due date, and 6 days before giving birth. You can see how very pregnant i was. not to mention how often i got asked if i was having twins.
So, i got to my appointment swollen ankles and all, and did the typical sit in the room, wait a bit, get my blood pressure taken. And then that's where that appointment ended and led me to the hospital. My blood pressure was very high, and with such alarmingly swollen ankles, they figured to be safe and send me to the hospital to be monitored for a little while. So i put on a belly band thing, with two monitors between me and the band. Let me tell you, those things were incredibly uncomfortable, pressing into my large stomach. After a while of checking they decided it would be best for me and baby to stay and be induced, to be safe from preeclampsia. Even this far along at 40 weeks and 3 days pregnant, i didn't have all my things packed other than babies going home bag. So i tried to convince them that i was fine enough to go home and pack my things first, but that did not work. So i sent my sister over to collect my things and come back later.
Now, this is where things become somewhat of a blur. I know i sat there for a long time with just the monitors on my belly. They attached my IV's, which took them three different spots to get right.Then i believe it was early early in the morning, i guess sometime in the middle of the night, i started getting a pain deep in my butt, yes TMI, but that is what most of this post will be. Then, that morning sometime very early i was started on penicillin to induce me. I started getting contractions and after a while i decided i wanted to get up and walk a little bit. As soon i stood up a giant gush went on to the floor. Perfect time for my water to break of course. It definitely happened how its described, a big gush and then constantly for the next few hours it seemed to keep coming out. From that point on it was mesh undies and giant hospital pads to keep me from leaking all over the place. Shortly after the pain of contractions was getting worse and i was wanting the epidural. I had told myself that i would go without it for as long as possible, and i couldn't go on any longer. At the time i asked, the anesthesiologist had just gotten there and was needing to help with a c-section first. That sounded like a miserable eternity. So i was given some other pain killer that quickly had me feeling like i was on a merry-go-round. While it felt nice, it did not last very long, but i did manage to make it until the anesthesiologist got to my room. By then i was in tears (I don't have a very high pain tolerance), and was a bit scared to have a giant needle stuck in to my back. But even more, i was scared and squeamish about having a catheter in me. So when the doctor came in, he informed me all about what would happen and i sat up to the edge of the bed and bent over a food table, squeezing my moms hand with all my strength at each contraction. I don't remember how long it took, but i don't believe it was too terribly long, and believe me i was staying as still as possible through my contractions if that meant that it would all go away in a few minutes. The epidural was put in, and all i really felt was a jolt going down my right leg. When that was done i laid back down and got comfy. A few minutes passed and i had a strong, painful contraction. So i pressed the button for the epidural to give me more. and then a second time i pressed it. The epidural was not working and i was in tears again out of pain and frustration that it wasn't working and that for a second time i would have to stay still through the pain. So for a second time, holding my mothers hand even tighter, the epidural was re done and i was finally feeling all the relief that i was looking forward to.
Lets fast forward a few hours to around maybe 3 in the after noon. It was time, after so many hours of contractions that were barely felt, it was time to push. With enough time since the last time i had pressed the epidural button, i could finally somewhat feel and support my lower half of my body enough to help keep them up a tiny bit with people holding them. A hour and a half of pushing or so and I managed to bring the most beautiful little boy in to this world. At 10 lbs 8oz and 22 inches long, he was huge. But when they put him in my arms i was so scared of breaking this fragile little bean, no matter how huge he really was. I only held him for a minute before handing him off because of all the pain, i was scared i would drop him it hurt so bad. The doctor repeatedly had to reach in for the placenta because it did not come out whole. I think that may have been more painful than the actual delivery. Then i was stitched up, because with a baby that size i was cut, and then ripped. Writing all this brings me back to the day and makes me cringe, but also tear up to think its already been 4 and a half months.
Really though, how do people manage to look good at all after giving birth?
The next few weeks were not the most comfortable when it came to walking and sitting and everything really. But, parker taught me so much in such a short period of time, and continues to teach and amaze me every single day.
It was a long, rough ride, but it was worth bringing the most special person in my life in to this world. I could not imagine a world without him and his contagious smile.
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