Our little Stinker is here!! His entrance into this world was very dramatic and will remain etched in my mind forever and ever.
I was terrible about journaling my pregnancy this time. Ok, I didn't even take one pregnancy picture. Hopefully he won't look back at these archives and feel neglected. Basically it was exactly the same as my pregnancy with the Peanut except harsher morning sickness in the beginning and more sleep at the end (except for the very end..no one I know gets any sleep once they reach full term). I gained the same amount of weight, although I think I carried him a little bit more out front. At least that's what my stretch marks tell me. So yay, I get to lose 60 pounds AGAIN. I was definitely more tired this go round, but I attribute that to an energetic toddler and a busier work schedule. So, basically, I'm so glad that part is over!!
I decided to take the week before my due date off. I was ok at work physically (all I do is sit at a desk), but mentally I was sooooo over it. I wanted to finish up things at the house and spend some quality time with the Peanut. I had high expectations of going into labor right before or on my due date. I have no idea why I was so delusional. The week leading up to my due date I tried half heartedly to get the Stinker out. Walking here and there, spicy food, etc. I was very tired and could not accomplish one single thing on my to do list (surprise surprise). My mom had to come up and help me take care of Peanut because I was having a hard time keeping up with her.
Once my due date came, I was mad and cranky. I went 6 days late with Peanut, and there is no reason why I wouldn't follow the same pattern, but I thought I might get lucky. No dice. At my 40 week appointment I was 3-4 cm dilated and I had the midwife strip my membranes (ewwww she said membranes! get over it, it's going to get a lot grosser). I still felt zero signs of labor approaching. I got a little more serious about working the Stinker out. My mom, the Peanut, and I walked the mall like it was our job. I went walking with P at night and did squats up and down our street (I'm praying no one was looking out their window at 10pm those nights). Still nothing.
On Friday (3 days past due date) I started seeing some blood. Which is usually cause for concern in my eyes since I can't get poked with a needle without passing out, however, in this case there was much celebration. I continually saw some blood throughout the day, but felt zero contractions. Boo. By the time late afternoon came, I was willing to do just about anything to get things started. I just KNEW it was time, but I needed a catalyst. And the later the day got, the more likely I would be laboring through the night, and I didn't want to be tired. So, I tried one of the all natural induction methods. I'm not going to tell you which one. It was awful. BUT...contractions started steadily at 4pm, one hour after attempting the "technique". Woo hoo!!
Contractions were coming every 2-3 minutes but were only 30 seconds long, and I could walk and talk through them. I just paced around my room and watched TV because I was afraid if I did anything else I would scare them away. Around 6 or 7 I decided to sit in the living room so I could talk to the Peanut, mom and P. This made them much more painful, but they spread out to 6-7 minutes apart. I asked P to go get dinner because I knew I wouldn't be able to eat if they continued at the pace they were going. After a delicious dinner of chicken tenders and onion rings (I know, I know, but I was pretty sure it was the last day I would be pregnant, and I would have to start dieting the next day), I went to my room to get serious. That was around 8pm.
I texted our doula (who was our Bradley instructor last go round) and told her the situation. She said she would come when the contractions got to 4 minutes apart and 1 minute long. So I labored and labored pacing around my room and sitting on the yoga ball. After a few hours I started to get frustrated. While standing they were 2 minutes apart and 30 seconds long. While sitting they were 6 minutes apart and 1 minute long. What to do?
Around 12:30 I texted our doula again asking for advice. She told me to get in a warm bath (thinking that would slow things down), then get in bed and try to rest in between them. Then hopefully they would pick up in the morning. So I decided to try the bath. P filled the tub, then brought in a pillow so he could lay beside the tub and grab some sleep while I labored. The water felt AMAZING. It was seriously wonderful. The contractions were a little more intense, but I could really concentrate on them in the water.
Time started losing meaning at this point (which should have told me something...hindsight) but the contractions were coming closer together now and I had to moan through them. I couldn't get through it without P right by my side (so much for sleep!), and I was starting to feel some pressure (clue number 2!). Around 2:30 P texted the doula that it was time to come over. We both figured she would get to our house and tell us we had a long way to go before it was hospital time. She was on her way and told us to leave without her if they got to 2 minutes apart (which no one thought they would).
While we were waiting P said he thought he saw the mucous plug getting ready to come out (I know, gross, but it happened). I was like "are you sure that's not a head?!?!?", but he was pretty certain it was not. The doula finally got to our house around 2:45 and the contractions were very very intense. I was getting louder through them, and had started to shake (clue number 3!). She watched me labor through a couple contractions and I asked if she thought we should leave for the hospital.
Sidenote: We had planned on laboring at home for as long as possible because it SUCKS laboring in the hospital. We thought we would leave when I was around 8-9 cm (guessing) and then get the urge to push shortly after getting settled in at the hospital. And you know how plans always go your way right? Our doula was not convinced I was far enough along because I seemed so calm. Hmm. I felt calm between contractions, but was a little panicky through them. I decided to give it a couple more, then I asked again. She told me she would go with my instinct (however thinking to herself that it was way too early). So I decided we should go. I was nervous about having those intense contractions in the car and wanted to get that part over with.
I stood up out of the tub and sat on the toilet. I had been feeling pressure and was 90% sure I just had to poop (I was wrong). I had my next contraction on the toilet and OH MY WORD it was so much worse than in the tub. I stood up and the next one came almost on top of it. I believe at this point I was leaning on our doula b/c P was running around getting our bags in the car. We were definitely leaving for the hospital NOW because the pain was so intense. I had about 4 contractions just trying to get from the bathroom to the garage (and we have a tiny house). It was bad. And I kept thinking, we're going to get to the hospital and I'm still going to have hours of this pain! I can't do it!!!!
We got in the car and our doula said, just take it easy, no need to rush. Unless she says she has to push. Then hurry. Famous last words. I got in the car backwards in the front seat leaning over the back and grabbing on to the infant carseat handle. I could not sit (clue number 4). As soon as P started driving through the neighborhood I had a monster contraction and at the peak of it...by body started pushing. NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Worst timing ever! I freaked out and told P, "I'm pushing!!!!". Then I lost control. I was screaming, moaning, crying through the contractions. P went from 20mph to 90mph immediately. The pain was so intense because I was fighting that urge to push. I literally had my legs crossed in the front seat. The trip to the hospital was the longest 20 minutes of my life.
By the time we pulled up to the entrance I was dripping in sweat and bawling my eyes out. Then my water broke. I told P that it broke and he immediately tried to get me out of the car (Oh no! Not the fabric upholstery!). However I had just started on another contraction and you could not pry me from my grip on that carseat if you were the Hulk. After that contraction was over, we had to be buzzed through the front doors, buzzed through the elevator, then buzzed through the lobby. I'm grateful that they have such tight security there, what with all the baby snatchers, but it was not making keeping a baby in much easier.
When we finally got to the nurses station, a nurse met me and asked if I wanted a wheelchair. Um, no thanks, just want to have a baby, k? I think our doula told her the severity of our situation, or someone said something to make them take me seriously, because in a nano second she was rushing me into a room yelling "second time mom!!!" I guess that's code for "she's not faking it, she's really having a baby!". I was so relieved to be in a hospital room (weird right?) and I didn't pause for a second to be told what to do. I ripped my robe off and threw it on the couch, then climbed on the bed (with my shoes still on) and started ripping off my clothes. I couldn't quite get my bottoms off, so my doula stepped in and ripped them off. I love her assertiveness. Then I started to push.
At this point I think the number of hospital staff in the room went from one to twenty. Everyone was running around all panicky trying to get the tools laid out and the infant stuff set up. P was just now getting to the room because they made him fill out a paper. Someone was trying to get me to raise up so they could get the plastic sheet underneath me. Yeah, right. All I could do was let my body finally push. It hurt, but it was way better than holding him in! A nurse came over to check me (seriously?? I'm pretty sure I'm ready...) and announced that I was complete and at a +3 station. Duh. We all know that the time is NOW. The head nurse (the one that met us in the hall and showed me our room) came over and put her hands down there and told me to just grunt through the contractions and not to push because my doctor wasn't there yet. HA! HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! That's like telling someone with food poisoning not to puke. I'm not consciously doing it LADY. I think she saw the look on my face because she changed her tune instantly. She was still trying to get me to slow down so I wouldn't tear, but there was no stopping this train. A few serious pushes in and his head was out. I felt some relief, and then heard "push, push, push!" So I did, and the rest of him shot out like a torpedo (a nurse actually said that).
So at 3:55am, our little stinker was born. A whole two minutes after we arrived at the hospital. I got to hold him for a little while while we were waiting for the doctor. When she arrived (about 15 minutes later) he got all of his measurements taken while I delivered the placenta and got stitched up. He was a whopping 8 pounds 13 ounces (exactly the same as his sister) and 21.5 inches long. He had the cord wrapped around his neck once, but the nurse that caught him was amazing and just unwrapped it as he was coming out. There was also a knot in his cord, which is really rare. It can be dangerous if it's tight, but thankfully his was not. Such a blessing!
After the excitement was over and I filled out all of the admitting paperwork (ha), we were left to ourselves to process everything that had just happened. Basically my labor was about 12 hours long if you count my very first contraction. However, I was really only working at it for a few hours before he was born. So different from the last time! In hindsight the timing couldn't have been better for the experience we wanted. BUT, it was really really scary thinking we could have had a car baby. God was definitely looking out for us that night. Now we are just basking in newborn wonderfulness. Peanut loves her little brother, and I'll update her side of the story later. If this Stinker's entrance is any indication, he is going to be a handful!
Disclaimer: I have not proofread this at all. Forgive me for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. I have had no sleep. The end.
