Let's start with the doctor's appointment on Tuesday, April 14th where I was told my "bishop's score" was too low to schedule an induction like I had hoped to do. In fact, the doctor looked up my ultrasound which showed a due date of April 27th (instead of April 20th). Talk about depressing! So, the only thing I could do was schedule an appointment with him for a week out and play the waiting game some more, even though I had really felt like things were changing and I was getting really close.
Fast forward one day later. I woke up really tired, but I still made yogurt pancakes for breakfast because it's one thing I can get Naomi to eat! After cleaning up, etc. I sat down for awhile but could not keep my eyes open so I went to lay down in bed for about an hour and a half. Naomi climbed on me for a little while and then entertained herself with her princess clip dresses and some episodes of "Sofia the First."
After lunch and putting Naomi down for a nap, I found some energy to do some prenatal yoga. I had stopped exercising for about a week prior because I thought I was close to delivery and the strength exercises I was doing were giving me all kinds of lower body pains, but since I was now thinking I had another week until delivery, I knew I needed something, something like yoga!
After I finished that up, I felt great, so I took a super long soak in the tub with some Epsom salts. I was still trying to console my pregnant body, after all.
I was going to not cook dinner that night, but I had this idea to make pasta carbonara that I couldn't get out of my mind, so I made it. Since I knew Hylan would probably be late getting home, and because I was hungry, and because Naomi still doesn't really eat the food I make for dinner, I ate my pile of pasta and peas alone. After I finished up, and before I had a chance to clean up the kitchen, I sat down to change Naomi's dirty diaper and...then...I felt the gush...and I knew my water had broken.
Although every article you read says that the water breaking thing happens more in the movies than in real life (like 10% of the time), it has happened with both of my daughters now.
At this point, I wasn't all that concerned, but I was really surprised since I had mentally prepared myself for another week of pregnancy. As I was standing in the tub and using up all the towels in the bathroom, I kept thinking that I'd be able to get to a point where I could go clean up the kitchen, make sure Naomi was taken care of, pack a bag, and call Hylan to get home (maybe even have enough time for him to eat dinner). BUT...then...and this is the weird part...after I got up from the toilet, there was this water balloon-looking thing hanging out of me. Um...wait...what?
It was weird and uncomfortable and I still hadn't gotten to my phone to call Hylan and Naomi was not helping (she was happily playing with her princesses on the edge of the tub).
Did I mention that after a crazy wind storm the day before, this day it was SNOWING and there was at least 6 inches on the ground (pretty much the biggest snow storm of the whole year--go figure!)? And because of that, and the late yoga/bath of the day, and because I had made dinner, and because I wasn't planning on going anywhere, and because I was mildly depressed about being pregnant and tired, I decided to be a scrub and put my comfortable clothes on, pony tail my hair, and leave my face bare.
Up until the strange water balloon thing, I also thought I would have a few minutes to freshen up my face before heading off to the hospital. With Naomi, my water broke at 4:00 am and slowly leaked, but I had no contractions and didn't go to the hospital until about 2:30 pm, so that's why I wasn't panicked and thought I still had some time.
This time contractions hadn't started yet either, but the water balloon thing...what the...? It was a bit alarming and confusing so I started to play the "what if?" game and knew I needed to call Hylan right away, but I felt kind of trapped in the bathroom.
Needless to say, I got my phone and called Hylan who did not answer the first or second time because he was in an appointment, but he did call back within five minutes (this was around 6:30 pm) and I told him he needed to get home immediately.
Meanwhile, as I'm still standing in the tub, I'm trying to google "water balloon hanging out before delivery," but it was not yielding any information, all whilst Naomi is blissfully unaware playing princesses and watching TV.
Hylan's parents showed up soon thereafter and then so did he. We decided to call 911 because no one knew what the heck was up with the "water balloon" thing and I wasn't really sure how I could get myself put together and sit in a car and drive to the hospital.
So, in dramatic fashion, an ambulance came and whisked me away VIP-style to the hospital. My contractions had just started about then, and I still was calm, but I felt relieved to be in the ambulance because I felt like I would probably make it to the hospital in time and hopefully my doctor would be able to get there. (By the way, real contractions are a lot less painful than purely pitocin-induced contractions.)
We arrived at the hospital and the EMT guys wheeled me right up to labor and delivery, the nurses called my doctor and hooked me up to all the monitoring devices, but still no one had any answers on what the water balloon thing was. And they sure didn't hold back on the poking and prodding. Ugh.
I had plenty of time to order an epidural. Hylan had time to register at the front desk and get some dinner. My doctor showed up and was the only one who had an explanation for the "water balloon" thing, which if I understood it correctly was part of the membrane of the amniotic sac that had filled up with amniotic fluid (just like a water balloon). He had a technical term for it which I wish I could remember, because still no one else has ever heard of such a thing. Apparently, it wasn't really that serious, but how were we to know? I sure didn't want to tug on something and have a baby's head pop out. That would have been scary.
Until I had the epidural, I was uncomfortable (so much leaking...ew) and in some pain, but just relieved to be in the hospital and also still kind of in shock that this was all happening when one day ago I was told it looked like we were still at least a week out! After the epidural, I was a lot more comfortable. The nurses started me on some pitocin to help me get going a bit faster. And we just relaxed, watching a few episodes of Property Brothers on HGTV.
I asked the nurse if she thought I would deliver a "tax baby" and she thought it wouldn't happen until after midnight.
At about 10:30 pm, she checked me and said that she would come in again in about an hour and probably call my doctor at that point. And then my doctor walked in. He did some checking and said, "it's just about time to have a baby."
They prepped everything. I was super relaxed and comfortable from the epidural. He said "push" and a few minutes later, a small episiotomy, and about 4 pushes, Rosalie was born. It was kind of amazing how fast that part went. She was was born at 10:58 pm, tiny and cute!
Rosalie Maybelle Harper
April 15, 2015, 10:58 pm
6 lbs, 6 oz, 17 inches
Daddy snuggles!
I was there too, though this is the only picture of "me" there is. ;)
cute sign the nurses made
Now I understand why people prepare and pack their bags for the hospital days/weeks in advance because all I had was literally the shirt on my back. So, the next morning Hylan went home to shower and get some clothes for me and Rosie as well as my cell phone charger.
first outfit
flamingo hat
We left the hospital the next day around 6:30 pm (it would have been earlier but do you know how efficient the discharge process is?). We were just ready to get home to Naomi and be done with the hospital and all the poking and prodding and laying around.
And I felt okay this time around, not like with Naomi where I felt awful and dysfunctional physically and emotionally.
Daddy and his girls!
flamingo butt!
Rosie girl has been a dream baby! I can't believe how well she eats, sleeps, and doesn't cry. I keep thinking she is going to grow out of this, but so far she is a super happy and contented baby. And we are actually getting enough sleep around here. That makes everything better! Husbands should be home from work more often. :)
I'm recovering well, much faster than with Naomi and that third degree tear. Not to mention, I've been able to stay upbeat and positive this time around too. And no stress/anxiety with the whole breastfeeding craziness either. (The Baby Brezza Formula Pro has been one of our best investments!) Everything is going so well, that Hylan, the girls, and I have already made a trip to Costco by ourselves. I've been able to stay on top of keeping a house clean and clothes laundered as well. What a difference this time around.
Life is good. What a pleasant surprise to have such a happy baby. We have had so many friends and family offering help, giving us gifts, and making us meals. It is so appreciated!
And now my parents are in town to help out for the next two weeks. These are special times!
1 comment:
She is beautiful--congratulations. I love reading about your experiences with your babies, because I can relate so much! I'd never heard of the baby brezza, but it looks kind of awesome. Breastfeeding went better this go-around, but we're back to formula again and if that machine were a bit cheaper, I think we'd go for it ;)
Post a Comment