Friday, September 23, 2011

Birth: Can we talk about this???

I had originally started this post on Sept. 6th, which shows how naive and dead-wrong I really was when I thought I'd be able to actually get things done with a newborn.  You live you learn!  And boy have we learned a lot already.  But first, let me inform you on how Addie came into this world...

So in good fashion, Adelaide decided to come on her due date.  I love that she's punctual already!  I had a feeling on Saturday that she may decide to make her appearance the next day.  I was somewhat achy and had just been feeling, well, different.  Greg and I spent the entire day finishing up little projects and then while relaxing on the porch, a doe and two fawns came walking onto our front lawn.  I took it as a sign.  :)

Sunday, August 21st, I woke up around 7:30am still feeling really achy and was having minor labor pains.  I thought it was probably more false labor pains and that they would go away, though I had never had them in the morning before.  I decided to just relax and, embarrassing enough, I spent the morning watching a marathon of "Keeping up with the Kardashians."  Sometimes you just need a little bad TV, so sue me!

I noticed that my contractions were getting stronger and closer together but I was still not confident that this was the real deal and didn't want to be one of those pregnant women who come to the hospital just to be sent home because of a false alarm.  So, I kept letting Greg sleep, thinking if it were the real thing, I'd let him sleep in for one of the last times.  Then my friend Lauran texted me telling me that she couldn't sleep all night because she just had a feeling that I was going to go into labor and asked how I was doing.  When I told her that I actually think I may be, she told me to "duh, wake up Greg!"  LOL.  Then she advised me to call our mutual friend Lauren to confirm that what I was feeling were actually contractions since she had just had a baby 4 weeks prior.  Sure enough, when I called Lauren she advised me that yes, they were definitely labor pains and that I need to start timing them and to wake up Greg.  So, at 10:30am, I finally woke up Greg to have him help me time my contractions.  They were about 5 minutes apart and getting quite strong so we decided to head to the hospital.

Upon arrival we were told that I was only 2cm dilated and that we could "walk the hall" for a couple hours to see if we could get things to progress.  So we walked, and walked, and walked, while trying to entertain ourselves by counting carpet squares, counting steps, doing fun turns at the end of the hall, etc.  I think the nurses thought we were crazy.  Whatever we did, it worked, because when I got rechecked my contractions were a lot harder and closer and I had dilated to over 2.5cm.  Now let me just tell you, I thought I had a high tolerance for pain, but after almost dying feeling my contractions at 2.5 cm, I realized that I am a wuss. W.U.S.S.  How people have a child without any drugs, I don't have a clue.  I know the saying is "you don't get a medal for having a drug-free birth," but I, for one, think you should.  I couldn't imagine going through the whole birth feeling those awful contractions!  So here's to all of the mommies who endured labor without drugs...and here's to me for embracing modern medicine and just saying yes to the little miracle known as an epidural. :)

Now my epidural was not given without complications.  Long story short, it was put in the wrong space in my spine and gave me a spinal block from my waist up, not my abdomen down, which doesn't help for the whole "not feeling the birth" concept.  After pulling the epidural, lots of oxygen, and waiting for the ability to breath and swallow to come back, we tried it again.  I'm sure you think I'm crazy for trying it again, but refer back to the wuss comment...  This time it worked, kinda.  It numbed the area it was supposed to, and then some.  I got a lazy left eye and my left arm and leg were tingly.  Yup, only me.  But it did the job of blocking labor pains, so all in all, I would call it a win.  Lucky for me, by that time my Mom, Aunt Sheila, and cousin Lyndee were there to help with comic relief, ie. calling me a pirate.  Oh the little things that get you through...

After that things progressed rather quickly.  So quickly that we thought we had until 3am and sent Greg to get some food for himself at 9:30pm, only to call him back to tell him I was dilated 8.5-9cm.  Oops!  Before I knew it my doctor told me that I was 10cm and I could start to push any time.  Wait, WHAT?!  PUSH?!  My respone?  "Hold the phone, can we talk about this?"  I was SO paranoid that the epidural didn't work again that I was NOT all about pushing.  It just happened so fast I didn't have time to mentally prepare.  I know, you'd think 10 months would be enough time to prepare, but it wasn't.  At least it wasn't enough for this chick!  After realizing that there was no negotiating the whole pushing thing I thought, whelp, let's do it!

With my amazing cheering section composed of my husband, mom, doctor, and nurse, I pushed that little girl out in 22 minutes!  She came out just a kicking and screaming.  I knew right then I'd be hearing a lot of that scream the next few months, and I was right.  :)  Adelaide scored two perfect tens after her birth and was ready to nurse ASAP.  She's a great little eater like her parents!  I still don't think, even after 5 weeks, that I've really grasped what a miracle we've been blessed with.  I just stare at her all the time in awe.  She's growing SO fast and changing every day!  And with every new day comes a new lesson, taught to us by none other than, Adelaide.  I can tell that this is going to be quite a fun and interesting ride...

Adelaide Elizabeth Walther
Born 10:57pm, 8-21-11
6 lbs 4oz, 21.5 inches long