Let’s start off this post with a disclaimer – we’re about to get close. Really close…as I share with you my birthing story of Z. I never imagined how I’d be overwhelmed with emotions the second time around. But this experience is right up there with E’s birth…one of the best days in my life. It was an absolute miracle.
Just like my last birthing story this one too begins on a Monday, although these two stories soon take very different paths. My day started like any other fall Monday. E and I were out and about trying to soak up as much of the unexpected nice weather as possible. We took a morning walk & played in our backyard. I had the brilliant idea to rake leaves. I swear I read somewhere that exercise helps start labor. So I figured, why not give this a try. I was 37 weeks and 6 days, clearly more pregnant than I had ever been and ready to meet this little dude.
Well, the raking didn’t seem to do much so I was on to the next part of my day. Running around trying to get typical things done. My mom came by to help and I started to notice contractions. Since I didn’t have contractions at home with e this was a whole new experience for me. Throughout the prior week I had contractions but nothing consistent. Just enough to keep my mind occupied by the fact that this MIGHT be the time. Although on this Monday, they did stay consistent…about 6 minutes apart but not very strong at all. I decided to call M just in case they got stronger. We are now looking at it being about 3 in the afternoon. M comes home early from his office & we decide to get everything ready just in case it’s really time.
I call triage and they tell me someone will call me back. I swear it felt like 10 years before they called back, although I’m pretty sure it was only 10 minutes! My contractions are about 5 minutes apart but still not very strong. The triage nurse urges me to drink 3 large glasses of water, wait an hour, and see what happens. Of course like a good patient I follow the directions and decide to go for a walk. My contractions start getting closer and closer – we’re talking 3-5 minutes apart. So I call and they tell me to come on in! This time around I was so excited. We were finally going to get to meet our newest nugget.
We talked to E about what we thought was going to happen and my parents took him to their house. As we headed to the hospital M and I kept talking about how awful it would be to be second time parents and get to the hospital and have them tell us “no mama you’re not in labor!” We get to triage & head upstairs to check-in. The nurse and doctor check me out and I am contracting, yay! But I’m only dilated about 3 cm, boo! So guess what, they want us to go walk around for a couple hours. M and I decide that walking outside sounds like a much better idea than around a hospital so off to downtown we go. As we walk, my contractions continue to remain the same, 2-4 minutes apart and pretty mild. Thank goodness most of the stores around are now closing or else I’m pretty sure we might have had a mini shopping spree! We of course stopped in a book store & bought E a new book. Books get me every time!
Back to the hospital we go. At this point we both feel strongly they are sending us home. Boy was I glad we were wrong! I had dilated more and they felt that although I was in early labor sending me home would result in me coming back when I was too far along. I have to agree with them, I probably would have stayed home till this little dude popped out! Over the next several hours we went through hospital check-ins and contractions growing stronger. Around 6am I finally felt like I could benefit from an epidural. This time around we had no waiting. And M was allowed to stay in the room. Two tries later and, an almost passed out husband, the epidural is in and working! Now on to the waiting. Around 8am I am put on pitocin to speed up labor since my contractions aren’t getting closer. I was all about pitocin this time around! I didn’t have to feel the contractions and that means we are one second closer to meeting our little dude! The pitocin did exactly what it should do…speed up my labor. Once it’s finally time to push I am overwhelmed with emotions and start to cry. Yes, here I am pushing as hard as I can looking into a mirror, which was amazing! Seven sets of 3 pushes later, Z enters the world & our family feels complete.
Over the past 4 months my heart has doubled in size & continues to live outside my body. I know people tell you that you can love your second just as much as you first and they are so right! Your love divides and equally spreads over your little ones. I am so blessed to be on this journey we call motherhood and I wouldn’t change one second of it. I look forward to sharing more with you all in the future!
much love-
danielle
xoxo
