L&D

The day I went into labor I felt the first two strong contractions during the five o'clock Mass. Oh boy, it almost knocked me over. I kept thinking throughout Father's homily, "please don't let my water break." By the time we got home I felt a couple more, but ignored them. I also felt the baby engage. I could literally feel her head wedged into place. It was such an odd feeling and I don't recall feeling such a strong engagement with my other three babies.

We all went to bed and by midnight they were a bit more frequent. By two in the morning I thought I should wake my husband up and get the kids ready. They were all suppose to be in the delivery room, but unfortunately the boys were sick, so they had to stay behind. I showered and groomed for I knew it would be a while before I enjoyed another long shower. The shower made the contractions come closer together and a bit stronger. My husband was dressed and the kids were all awake and very excited. We went to the media room and hung out on the sectional. We watched a marathon of Undercover Boss on the Xbox (Netflix). Meanwhile the contractions kept coming. I got my birthing ball and sat on it, rotating my hips to help baby come down. My goodness by three I had to hold onto my husband's neck and rock with him during the contractions. At this point I knew that I should go to the hospital because although I was doing the Hiblicens treatment at home, I still wanted to get some antibiotics in my system to prevent the baby from getting Strep B.

We tucked the boys back into bed and with our daughter in tow off we went to the hospital. The ride to the hospital was torturous at best. Every bump and turn made my insides hurt. We got to the ER and the security guard help get me into a wheelchair while my husband dealt with the bags and parking the car. My daughter followed me, she was very attentive and gentle. What a great little girl. We all went up to L&D and they put me in a triage room and sort of forgot about me...lol... oh so it felt. I knew this was the real deal, so I skipped their gown and dressed in the one that I delivered my other three kids in. The contractions were becoming almost unbearable. My poor husband's neck must have been sore because I literally was hanging off of it and rocking during each contraction. The nurse finally came and checked me in. She hooked me up to the stupid fetal heart monitor and TOCO monitor. I couldn't stand being on my back. It made everything hurt more. I allowed that thing to track me for about 10 minutes and then a really strong contraction came and I literally ripped everything off of me, jump off the bed, and grabbed my husband. I buried my face in his chest and we rocked back and forth. After that contraction I told him, "please tell the nurse to come check me b/c I need antibiotics before it's too late." He got the nurse and when she checked me I was four centimeters and very thinned out. She then announced that I was ready to go to the birthing room. I asked her to call my midwife and off we went.

In the delivery room I was so much more comfortable. The lights were dimmed and it was roomier than the triage room. We settled in and they even made a bed for my daughter in case she got sleepy. The nurse hooked me up to a walking IV and the antibiotics were administered (well one round). My midwife called that she was about 10 minutes away and I felt a great sense of relief because the doctor that was on call is an idiot with no bedside manner. Out of everyone it was my luck that she was on duty that night, so when my midwife showed up I nearly cried. By the time she got to me I was in full blown labor. I am usually a silent laborer. I don't want you to talk to me and I don't talk nor do I make sounds. I go inside myself to Lala Land. However, this labor was so VERY different. I made sounds (moans) that I didn't know could come out of me. I was humming and moaning my daughter thought this was hilarious and actually laughed at one point. If I weren't in so much pain I think I would have laughed too. I have a very high pain tolerance and hate that stupid question "from a scale of one to ten where's your pain?" I think it's stupid because unless I am dying I usually say something under five. However, my low number may be someone else's ten. Anyway, had they asked me to scale my pain I would have said ten without a doubt because I felt like I was dying. My husband was the best! He knew exactly how to support me and what to do. I couldn't have done it without him. He was my rock and I am crying as I write this because it's true. My midwife was awesome too. She was very maternal and allowed me to listen to my body. I labored standing, squatting, and on all fours with my birthing ball. My husband was always by me or holding me. My daughter whispered soothing words and rubbed my back.

There came a point when I was desperate. I felt like I couldn't do it, so I needed to know my progress. I asked my midwife to please check me. Although I have never had meds during labor, had she told me that I was only five I think I would have succumbed to relief. However, when she checked me she said I was seven and so I knew that I could hang in for the hardest three. Hard is not even the correct word - unbearable is closer to what I felt. It was the oddest thing, I was very conscious of all of my organs. It was like I could literally feel them shifting and moving as the baby descended. Also, because she was so little she still have plenty of wiggle room and was not still like most babies. She was very active during labor which increased my pain (by A LOT). Those last three centimeters were horrendous. I asked my husband to get my rosary and I prayed the rosary to get me through it. I cried and prayed. I prayed and called out in a horsed whisper, "Ayi Dios Mio, Ayudame," (My God please help me). When I am speaking during labor, it's bad, when I am speaking Spanish during labor, it's REALLY bad.

When I thought I couldn't bear anymore I asked my midwife to check me again and when she did I was TEN centimeters, but with a small lip which she then had me get on all fours on the bed to see if that would helped. After that she messed with me a little, while I begged her to please stop and then she announced that I could start to push when I felt the urge. Honestly, I didn't feel any urge this time. All I felt was baby's head bearing down, but I was afraid it was a bowel movement and I begged my midwife "Please don't let me poop on myself. That's never happened to me and I don't want it to," she said, "Honey, it's the baby's head not poop, don't hold back." With that said, I went within myself. I was completely still and silent. I lied down and did small pushes (as recommended by Dr. Sears) while doing some deep quiet breathing. I did this for a while and they thought I had fallen asleep! Hahaha. My husband leaned in and said, "Baby you can't sleep you have to push," I opened my eyes and said "I have been pushing." My midwife checked and said "Yes, you have been. Baby is right there. Next contraction don't hold back." She then put some wet gauze around my perineum and started to squirt me with, I have no idea with what, I never asked. Anyway, it felt good. I then pushed four hard pushes while everyone yelled "the baby is right there, she has lots of hair, good job," and then everyone got really quiet and told me to stop pushing. I later found out that cord was wrapped at least three times around baby's neck.

Once cord was unwound I delivered a beautiful baby girl. She came out with a loud cough and a good scream. I tried nursing immediately, but she was very mucous-y and so they had to aspirate her really good before she nursed. We waited until the cord stopped pulsating and my husband offered to let my daughter cut the cord, but she declined once she heard that it may be difficult to cut through, so my husband did it. We were all instantly in love. My daughter cried and kissed her little sister and told her, "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me," which made my husband and I cry. It was a very beautiful birth. I wish my boys could have been there. That would have made it perfect.

PS these days I have no time to edit and catch typos, so please excuse anything that makes little or no sense. I am really sleep deprived :)

She's Here

Our beautiful baby is here.  I will not give her b.day online, but will say she was born at 9:34 AM.  She weighted a petite 6 lbs and 5.5 oz and 18 inches long.  She is beautiful and healthy.  Although she is the smallest of all our children her birth was the most painful.  I had a beautifully painful labor with no complications and the baby successfully nursed immediately after birth.  I will write more later...

Nope, not on Oprah's birthday

Today is Oprah's birthday and no baby.  Of course there's no baby because I had to get sick first.  Yup, I got the bug that the boys had.  I spent the entire night at L&D getting hydrated and making sure the baby is doing well.  However, I am trying to see the bright side of things.  I am glad I got this virus because my body will build antibodies that will get passed down to the baby via breast milk.  The thing that sucks is that my husband has been using all of his paternity leave, so by the time this baby makes her gala entrance I will probably be on my own.

I betcha...

...my daughter will decide to be born tonight.  "Why?" you ask, ha, because it's snowing, because our hamster just died, because my other son has broken his foot, and because my other son is sick with a stomach virus!  That's why!  

Why me?!$&%!+*%!!!

Waiting...

Nope, my bundle of joy is not here yet.  I really don 't mind waiting because I don't like to mess with God's plan.  I was asked if I wanted my membrane's strip or if I wanted to be messed with and my answer is and will always be "no."  She will come when the good Lord is ready to bless us with her presence.  However, the anticipation is building.  This labor is a bit different then my other three because I have to time my hospital arrival just right.  See, I tested positive for Strep B with this pregnancy and will have to be given two rounds of antibiotics prior to delivery.  Well, I can try and use Hibiclens, but I don't think that it will get here on time - either my pharmacist has to order it or I do from Amazon.com.  I just don't want to chance my baby's health, so antibiotics (with lots of acidophillus) is the answer.  With this in mind I have to plan on arriving at the hospital before I am ready to push.  With my other three I labored mostly at home and when I arrived at the hospital I was already about seven centimeters and go time was shortly after.  


Because of the antibiotics I am now a bit more cautious.  On Thursday night / Friday morning my husband was working when some pretty steady contractions kicked in.  Since he works an hour away I called him and asked him to come home.  By the time he came home they were about 6 minutes apart.  Pretty scary since I go from 4 centimeters to 7 in no time (according to history).  We got the kids up and we all went to the hospital.  At the hospital I had my bloody show, so they said that I was / am definitely in stage one.  The hooked me up to the TOCO and monitored my contractions.  They were pretty strong and coming about every five minutes.  However, when my nursed checked me I was only 3 centimeters!  Ugh.  I decided to walk for about an hour and then I got re-checked and although my cervix was more effased, I still hadn't dilated more.  They asked what I wanted to do and that was easy, "I want to go home!"  So, my hubby, me and the gang came home.  We've been bonding, playing games, and just waiting... 


The contractions are not as steady, but they are still coming.  We are planning to go "shopping" aka walking today to see if we can get this thing moving along.  


Yes, she will come when the good Lord is ready, but God also wants us to help ourselves, right?  Remember that joke with the guy drowning and the boat, helicopter, etc...

She's coming...

...sooner or later.

On Monday the kids were off from school, so we decided to take them to see Gulliver's Travel (save your money) and then go run some errands.  We had a big breakfast and then off we went.  After the movie we walked around the mall and picked up some needed baby items.  We walked and walked and walked.  It was a long day.  By seven my back was killing me.  Later that night I felt the first "real" contraction and thought "hmmm." By Tuesday contractions were about 30 minutes apart, but not very strong.  I knew it was the beginning...

So yesterday we had a lovely day, full of anticipation.  My husband and I were busy bees.  We washed all the baby's clothes and rewashed her bedding.  We cleaned the house, well, I started to, but he forced me to go rest and took over.  The kids were very excited.  

By four O'clock the contractions were 15 minutes apart, so I decided to call my midwife.  I spoke to her nurse who told me to go to the hospital and I insisted "absolutely not."  I know my body and knew that I still had (have) a long stretch in front of me.  I rather labor at home with no intervention except maybe some "ahem," (lol) with the comforts of my surrounding and my loved ones.  I ignored the order and ran a hot bath. I enjoyed my bath while my husband cooked.  Later on we ate dinner, I made cookie batter that my hubby baked, and after tucking the kids in we watched "It's Complicated," which was hilarious.  Oh my gosh, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin are so freaking funny.  And I love Meryl Streep, so the movie was a treat.  The contractions kept coming, but were becoming less predictable.  

After the movie we went to bed and I was actually able to sleep through the contractions, so I knew that I was right in not going to the hospital.  At 5:30 this morning the mother of all contractions woke me up and so I thought maybe I should shower and groom, just in case.  Shaving your private with a big belly in front of you is not recommended!  Very dangerous and thank goodness I didn't have to go to the hospital for another reason (insert sheepish smile).  After my shower, I dressed, and went downstairs to make my son breakfast and see him off to school.  By the time the little ones woke up I was having really strong contractions, so we decided to keep them home from school, just in case.  By coincidence I had an appointment with my midwife, so I kept that appointment and we went in to check on my progress.  

My midwife checked me and said that my cervix had changed a lot since my last visit.  She also said that I was in early labor and was 2 centimeters dilated.  TWO?!  Are you kidding.  I don't mind laboring, but dang, that was a whole lot of pain for a measly two centimeters.  Ugh... I am so happy that I didn't go to the hospital and I am so happy to be home with my wonderful husband and children.  

So, here I am relaxing until I feel it's time to squat, drink tea, eat pineapple, and mess with some pressure points. My body and my baby will dictate when she is born.  She won't be eighteen and in my uterus, right?! I'm not stressing and as I see it, she will come sooner or later...