My last post was at 36 weeks. But I actually went into labor at 37 weeks 6 days, the day I normally post my latest bump pic. I stayed in labor until the following day when I became 38 weeks exactly.
Oddly enough, I had dreamt many times that Lena would be born May 24. That's the day I went into labor, but I ended up staying in labor for around 30 hours!
The morning of, I woke up after a really good night of sleep. I had had bronchitis for the last week or so and hadn't slept much, but a few days prior to going into labor, I was able to get meds to help me sleep. My husband and my parents were in town for the long holiday weekend. I had a really big breakfast. Every meal I ate like it was my last in case it actually was the last one I ate before going into labor. I tried to stay with protein and some carbs for energy!
Around 10am, my contractions felt like more than just my belly tightening. I didn't think it was the real deal, but I let my doula know anyway. She said what I was describing sounded like back labor and she opted to come over and help me get relief and observe my contractions.
When she arrived, my husband and I went into our bedroom with her and did some positions and pressure points to help me with the pain. It really wasn't too painful then but certainly uncomfortable. When my contractions got pretty close together, we decided to go ahead and go to the hospital since I was Group B strep positive. I would need antibiotics every four hours during labor and I was sure this baby would come quickly. Boy, was I wrong!
Upon arriving at the hospital, I was asked what I was at my last cervical check. I was 2cm and 50% effaced. They checked me and saw I was at a 4. They immediately got me into a room and my husband, my doula and I got comfortable and prepped ourselves for the big day ahead. Since I was GB positive, I had to start antibiotics right away. This may sound crazy, but the most painful part of the entire thing? My IV! My entire left hand is yellow and green from bruising. It took them three jabs. And I mean they stuck a needle in my wrist and shoved it in several times. Apparently I have the toughest skin they'd ever seen? Hurt like hell. And so did the antibiotics. Those were the only times I cried out of sheer pain. And I cried hard. I had to do this seven times total.
We were there for so long and progress came so slowly, I'm not really sure what the exact timeline was, so forgive my vagueness!
I believe I was at 4cm for maybe 10 hours? During that time my contractions were regular and pretty strong. I feel like I handled them very well though. My doula said I must have a high pain tolerance bc I managed to keep a good sense of humor most of the labor. It was my way of staying calm and not becoming too frustrated at my lack of progression.
My doula had us do lots of different positions to try to move labor along. For some unknown reason (probably lack of sleep and food), I wasn't able to walk around because I would become light headed to the point of almost losing consciousness. If I stood, I had to hold onto my husband for dear life to not fall down. We did a lot of middle school swaying/dancing that day!
After being stuck at a 4 for so long (which is still considered early labor, not active labor), the nurse and my doctor brought up pitocin. They basically said I could take pitocin and hope it increased my progess or go home and wait for active labor to kick in.
My husband and I really struggled with this decision. My contractions were intense enough that I knew I wouldn't be able to just go home and rest. But neither of us wanted me to start a pitocin drip so early in the labor process. We knew it could potentially cause me to be unable to handle contractions, need an epidural, or even put Lena in distress and require a C-section. We really couldn't come to a decision on this one. Fortunately, we know our OBGYN personally, so we called her to discuss our options further. While my husband was on the phone with her, the nurse came in to check me. I was at a 6! I had progressed and gotten over the hump into active labor. Feeling encouraged, we continued to labor and get through contractions. We just knew the end had to be close now!
About 8-10 hours later, I was maybe a 6-6.5? We had mixed responses from the nursing staff. Either way, I was stalling again, and my contractions were even starting to spread out. My doc said since I was in active labor, I could have my water broken and that might speed up the process.
I had to have my water broken with Elise but I had had an epidural so I didn't feel anything. Having my water broken with no epidural was no picnic. I was pretty sure the tool my OBGYN used reached all the way to the baby!
Once she broke my water, the contractions really intensified. I did a mixture of standing and swaying, leaning against my husband for support during contractions. He whispered words of encouragement and little inside jokes to make me smile. I also rocked in a rocker to music my husband downloaded for me. That's something I really needed. For whatever reason, once that music started, I was reminded why we were there and I just cried.
A few hours later, my contractions once again faded out. I was stalled again at 7cm. Once again, the subject of pitocin was brought up. At this point, I had been in labor for about 27 hours. I was exhausted and starving. I knew pitocin would up the game and I just knew my body wouldn't handle it well. I was worried I wouldn't be able to push her out and would need intervention.
After yet another conversation with my husband, doula and my mom, and lots of crying, we decided to try for an epidural. I felt like such a failure until my husband held me and reminded me of what I had accomplished and how few women could've handled it the way I did. Seeing him tear up as he expressed how proud he was of me and how I made him a believer in the birth without fear movement meant more to me than I know how to express. I knew now was the time to give my body a break and bring our daughter into our arms!
Even though I knew I needed a break, I was still terrified of the epidural itself because of my previous experience. We had to make sure it was a different doctor and thankfully it was. He did an amazing job. Unlike with Elise, I didn't feel a thing. During or after the epidural. Once it kicked in, my body just kind of involuntarily passed out. I don't think I've ever felt that kind of exhaustion in my life. I'm not totally sure what time I woke up, but I knew something was different bc of the pressure I was feeling between my legs. I couldn't stop shaking and I didn't know why. Our doula said it was my hormones prepping me for delivery. I felt miserable and she said that oxytocin is the best way to make that go away. Best way to get oxytocin was a big long hug from my husband. It worked! It took him a solid 5 minutes to get me to stop shaking, but it felt amazing. The love hormone at its best!
The nurse then came in to check me and barely stuck her hand in there and started to walk off. "Um, do we get to know what it is now?" She just said "oh it's a baby, I'm calling the doctor in!"
My doctor arrived and I pushed all of 12 min! Way better than the two hours I pushed Elise out! She came out and they laid her on my belly.
She cried quite a bit, and then she suddenly stopped as I spoke to her. She heard my voice and stopped crying for just awhile. My husband and I were just swimming in tears and smiles.
We waited for the cord to stop pulsing and then my husband cut it and went with our daughter to get checked out and take pictures.
Once Lena was out, I had to deliver the placenta and then get stitched up. It didn't take too long and luckily I didn't have to feel a thing. I had a second degree tear and a tear in my clitoral hood. That one still hurts when I pee!
As soon as they finished with Lena, they gave her back to me so I could breastfeed her. She had a bit of a shallow latch at first, causing me to need a shield after a couple days. But eventually we got rid of it and she nurses wonderfully now!
During that time is when my parents brought in our oldest daughter to meet her baby sister for the first time.
I wasn't really expecting her to be there so soon, but I suppose after almost two days of waiting, my family got impatient!
5 days after I had been admitted to the hospital, we finally got to go home!
It still hits me like a ton of bricks daily that we now have two children. We MADE two human beings. And they are beautiful and healthy. We cannot believe how incredibly lucky we are. Lena's arrival feels like a missing puzzle piece has been found. It started to feel like that the day I got her positive pregnancy test. But now, I can't believe we've lived this long without her. Our family feels complete now and our hearts could not be happier!
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