Naptime Reflections

This week there is no work allowed. No school days being marked off the calendar. It is the Week of FUN. A.K.A. Trying to cram in as much summer fun as possible into five days because you've been home bound for the last five weeks waiting for a baby to be born. Obviously we are also taking things easy but we are still getting out.

One last swim in the pool before it officially closes.

Lunch at the pool.

Ladybug got to enjoy one pool day on the outside. She could barely contain her excitement as you can see.

While Lovebird has not shown a hint of jealousy she has been waking up in the middle of the night. This was actually happening pre-baby too. Thankfully it's not every night and after a few minutes of cuddles she will go back to bed easily.

Lovebird got to go on her first daddy date. Technically you normally have to wait until you turn two but becoming a big sister is a reason to break that rule.

Beach Time

As you can see Ladybug was just as excited about her first beach trip as she was her first pool trip.

The kids found a great "hole" that someone else had dug.

I'm sure there will be many more pictures of this week to come!

So I feel like I need to make sure I write out this birth story ASAP before I forget any details of that crazy 47 minutes. Yes, I said 47 minutes. While I am known to always have short labors and deliveries this was a tad crazier and faster than we had ever expected. I guess those weeks of strong Braxton Hick contractions really worked! I should say that going into this delivery I felt a tad apprehensive after Lovebird's more difficult birth with her in the wrong position and having her hand by her face as she entered the world. I should also note that we have not one picture of labor or delivery because things went so fast. In fact 5 minutes after Ladybug made her big entrance I looked at Prince Charming and said,"Grab the camera! We don't have a single picture!!!". Thankfully Grandma walked in at that moment so she could take over photo duty. So like I said I was a little apprehensive about this delivery because of what I went through with Lovebird. The biggest issue with my last two deliveries was the awful back spasm I had on my left side. So this time I had instructed Prince Charming that no matter what I did not want to push while lying on my back. Even if at the moment that is what I wanted to do he was to not let me.

I really do not like myself in this picture but this is the closest thing to a labor and delivery picture we have so I'll guess I have to use it. I think the blood pressure cuff was going off because it looks like all the blood in my arm is in my shoulder!!!!

So after weeks.....and weeks of strong Braxton Hick contractions that would be two minutes apart and that fooled us way too many times that they were the real thing we finally set a date to have Dr. Kirsch break my water. We had waited a week past my due date and would have waited longer but an ultrasound showed that my fluids were low and we were not given any more time. The date was to be Saturday morning and while it was nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel Prince Charming and I really wanted things to happen naturally with as little medical intervention as possible. We have strong opinions about the benefits of natural birth and didn't want to interfere with that process. I woke up Friday morning and set to work making sure things were clean and everything was in order. I was not feeling great but when you're 41 weeks pregnant are you suppose to feel great? I continued on taking a short break every hour. We had promised the kids one last pool trip and so Prince Charming decided to get off of work an hour early. As soon as I had all the kids ready to head down I started to feel a lot of pressure. No contractions really but I was definitely not feeling like going to the pool. I was not going to disappoint the kids though at the last minute and so we headed out. It was hot and I was uncomfortable. While at the pool Lovebird had a complete meltdown. She wanted to go into the pool with daddy but she didn't want to leave mommy. Looking back we think she realized what was happening before we did! We packed everything up and headed home. Walking to the van was not pleasant but I still really didn't feel like I was having contractions. Once we had everyone buckled Prince Charming commented that I was sweating profusely and asked if I was OK. I told him I wasn't sure and lets just get home. The two minute car trip home I had a contraction. Not any stronger than the ones I had the previous 5 weeks but definitely different. When we got home I went straight to our bedroom. The kids seemed incredibly loud even though they were only talking to each other. I started feeling very shaky and had another contraction. I told Prince Charming to take a shower NOW. I went down and grabbed some fruit and crackers and lied in bed while eating my snack. I stopped shaking. Maybe it was just low blood sugar? I started feeling better. Then two more contractions. I texted my sister to maybe get ready to run out the door to watch the kids. I then went back and forth on whether I should go in to the hospital or not. I start trying to get ready just in case. Prince Charming is now trying to get little ones bathed and in pajamas as quick as he possibly can. It sounds like sheer chaos to me. I then have a contraction that could almost count as painful. Remember that I have never had a painful contraction until after my water has broken. We page the Dr. to just talk to her. Then another contraction and I decide we are going to the hospital. We left the kids and told them that Grandma and Grandpa would be coming and would stay with them until Aunt K made it. The fact that we left like this was a total God thing because I still wasn't convinced that this was the real deal. I would never leave the kids like that unless of an emergency. If we would have waited though we most definitely would have been breaking out that Emergency Homebirth kit.

Dr. Kirsch visiting the next day.

In the car we paged Dr. Kirsch again but never heard back. About five minutes into the drive I have a contraction that was most definitely the "real thing". I ended up having a total of 5 contractions on our 15 minute ride to the hospital. As we pull up to the door Prince Charming tells me he'll drop me off at the door. I did not want him to leave me for a minute but I also knew I did not want to walk through the parking lot. As I get out of the car I notice that my pants are wet. Did my water break? When? I have never questioned my water breaking as normally it is always extremely obvious. This would be why I'm always terrified it will happen out in public. I walk in to be checked in. I know that I can't waste a minute of time. I tell the lady at admissions that I'm having contractions 2-3 minutes apart and that this is my fifth baby. She looks as though I just pulled a gun on her. She tries to speed up the gentleman taking the information. Now I know he wasn't that slow but he definitely was not in any hurry. At one point I looked at Prince Charming and said that we would be having a baby right here. The original lady overhears this and says she is going to take me up herself. I initialed and signed a paper. I have no idea what I signed and at the moment I could have cared less. We are finally met by the lady who was coming to get me and I switch wheel chairs. She tells me she's taking me to a triage room. I tell her that I will be delivering in a triage room. She quickly changes her mind and a nurse tells her to take me to a labor room instead. I tell them to page Dr. Kirsch. I know that something is wrong because Dr. Kirsch is always so good about calling back. They tell me they first have to check me. Seriously? So during a contraction some young guy walks in and introduces himself as a resident. The fact that he does this during a contraction tells me he is not experienced. The nervousness in his voice also does not bode well. I don't acknowledge his introduction because I'm busy having a contraction. I'm waiting for Prince Charming to speak up. We have an agreement that a female nurse or Dr. is to check me and preferably deliver and it's Prince Charming's job to speak up and enforce this. Before he had to the awesome nurse present looked at me after the contraction was over and asked if that would be OK or if I would prefer her. I said I would prefer her and only women in the room. The young resident almost seemed relieved and left. I don't even mess with the gown as I know I have less than two minutes to be checked or I'm going to have a contraction while lying on my back. Thankfully I was wearing a black swim top so I didn't have to worry about anything being ruined. I was 8 cm. and my water had broken. I remember I was going to ask for a birth/exercise ball because I wanted to lean on something but I only got out, "I need.." and another contraction came and so I turned over and leaned against the head of the bed.

{Now past this point things are "labor blurry". I believe this is God's way of helping you forget the pain so you will have more than one child. I must say though that this time I do recall more than I ever have.} I have 2 more contractions and I then ask them to call Dr. Kirsch again. I think I said she's not going to make it about a dozen times. I maybe even panicked a little about this but another contraction came to take my mind off that little predicament. They then call Dr. Kirsch's house and get her. They slap on my hospital bracelets. This would be the only "routine" thing that gets accomplished. Prince Charming then has a conversation with the nurse about who is going to deliver if she really doesn't make it. The nurse said that she could. I missed most of this conversation as I was having a contraction. I do remember hearing "doing this for 25 years" and "I train the nurses in emergency deliveries". Sounds good enough to me. You're hired. The nurse asks me if I would like her to go and find a female Dr. to deliver. I tell her that I think she is more than capable of delivering and that I really don't care anymore because the baby is coming no matter who is here. Prince Charming was doing an amazing job at rubbing my back, making sure someone would be there for delivery, and trying to hold my hand at the same time. At some point here another nurse mentions an iv. I tell them there is no way they are doing an iv. While during contractions things are extremely intense, I am feeling completely fine in between them and was still able to smile and talk normally. The next contraction I have to push. I am still waiting for the infamous back spasm. The nurse is now telling me to blow and to not push as she doesn't want me to deliver too quickly. This works for the next two contractions. I then have a contraction that basically brings the baby all the way down and just when I thought I had made it through it without giving in to that urge to push my body took over and I couldn't not push. I tried to keep breathing but it was too late. The head was out and after one small push came the rest of her onto the bed. I looked back and saw Dr. Kirsch running into the room and I heard her say, "Oh Shoot!". I then saw the baby and I thought it was a girl but wasn't for sure as things were a little blurry. I then asked Prince Charming who verified that it was a girl. Dr. Kirsch then asked, "Why didn't you call me?!?!". I told her we did twice and the nurses said they had tried as well. It was then realized that something was wrong with her pager. She was far more upset about her just missing things than I was. From my perspective she was there because she was the first person I saw and she was the one who took care of the baby immediately and all the fun stuff that happens after delivery.

We had left the house at 7:10pm and we had a baby at 7:57pm. I think the craziest part of the whole night was the fact that when I got into the car I was not convinced that it was really going to happen that night. Oh did I mention that it was not only a full moon but a blue moon? Hmmmm...makes you wonder if all those tales of full moons and going into labor have some truth behind them.

So ready to go home!

So the best part of the whole thing was I never had my infamous back spasm. I realized that is what is the severely painful part of delivery. While yes the intensity of delivery was still insane it was not really painful.

"Let's get out of here!"

Prince Charming and I feel like we had a homebirth but in a hospital. It was the best of both worlds.

The nurse told me she had never had anyone go home after 24 hours. I find this hard to believe. Sleeping at home is sooo much better than sleeping in that hospital bed.

So obviously Ladybug did not like the idea of being evicted and wanted to come on her own terms. We were so happy to avoid induction. Even if it was only breaking of the water it is nice to let God dictate these things not medicine.