(This is a recovered draft that I found in Blogger-Land. It's not finished, but enjoy!)
Small Fry's due date was Thursday. September 23rd. I can't imagine not having her in my life, and I certainly cannot imagine having to wait 3 more weeks for her to come into the world. This seems like the slowest 3 weeks ever - couldn't fathom still being pregnant with her!
People ask me if I thought the doctor's messed up my due date and I honestly don't think so. The month before I found out I was pregnant, I took a pregnancy test. December 16th. It was negative. The next day, I got my period. On December 22nd, I had minor surgery for a cyst on my ovary. They did a blood test this time to make sure I wasn't pregnant before they cut into me. It came back negative, I went through with the surgery, my fertility was restored and I conceived sometime after New Years Day. January 20th, we found out we were expecting again, 5 weeks into the pregnancy.
My doctor was pretty sure that I wasn't going to get pregnant with the cyst on my ovary and with the other tests, I'm positive I wasn't. But at 37 weeks, I delivered at healthy 7lb, 5oz baby girl who, I believe, would have grown to 9lbs+ if she had stayed in until 40 weeks! No thank you!
I'm glad I delivered when I did. I'm glad she was healthy. I'm glad our bags were packed and Tater Tot was staying with our good (flexible) friends who took her in for just 3 hours at first, then over night, then one night more! I'm grateful my doctor broke my water in the bed instead of it happening while I was at work or in the car. I carried around a dark towel and wore dark pants, just in case.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
19.5 months, 37 weeks
The Road to Baby!
Mama Spud It's a good thing I did the bills today and some shopping. DON'T freak out - but we're going to the hospital soon to check on these contractions every 2-3 minutes. This may not happen tonight...
August 30 at 9:01pm via Facebook for iPhone
At 5:30pm on Monday night, I hurriedly finished my dinner and headed to work with a full tummy and a bottle of antacids. I wasn't really in the mood to work but it was a short, 3 hour shift, and I thought I could handle it. I started my shift at 6pm, cleaned up my counter a bit, talked to some friends, and helped a few customers.
Then I got a contraction.
No big deal, right? It happens. Braxton Hicks, probably.
As I'm talking to the head of loss prevention (a familiar face in the Fine Jewelry department, for obvious reasons of course) I have 4 more contractions and he doesn't notice. At one point, I stop talking and lean my head against the wall. They're not painful, but definitely uncomfortable. I go to the bathroom and try to walk around a little bit, but they keep coming every 3 minutes. I tell my co-worker, who tells my manager, who tells the security guy and soon a small crowd of people are around my counter watching and timing my contractions. Every 3 minutes. Every 2 1/2. Then, every 2 minutes.
After an hour, I am sent home by my manager and another co-worker follows me home. Even though it's only a ten minute drive, I think everyone is convinced I'm going to pop this baby out in seconds. If they only knew how long it really takes!
I try to relax and bathe at home until, after 5 hours, we finally go to the hospital. By the time we get there, they've been continuous for 6 hours. I am hooked up to a monitor for an hour and then sent home with the reassurance that I would be back soon, in more active labor, ready to have this baby.
Mama Spud Leaving the hospital after only an hour. She's coming soon, but not soon enough. Being sent home to "rest" between contractions... Argh...
At 5:30pm on Monday night, I hurriedly finished my dinner and headed to work with a full tummy and a bottle of antacids. I wasn't really in the mood to work but it was a short, 3 hour shift, and I thought I could handle it. I started my shift at 6pm, cleaned up my counter a bit, talked to some friends, and helped a few customers.
Then I got a contraction.
No big deal, right? It happens. Braxton Hicks, probably.
As I'm talking to the head of loss prevention (a familiar face in the Fine Jewelry department, for obvious reasons of course) I have 4 more contractions and he doesn't notice. At one point, I stop talking and lean my head against the wall. They're not painful, but definitely uncomfortable. I go to the bathroom and try to walk around a little bit, but they keep coming every 3 minutes. I tell my co-worker, who tells my manager, who tells the security guy and soon a small crowd of people are around my counter watching and timing my contractions. Every 3 minutes. Every 2 1/2. Then, every 2 minutes.
After an hour, I am sent home by my manager and another co-worker follows me home. Even though it's only a ten minute drive, I think everyone is convinced I'm going to pop this baby out in seconds. If they only knew how long it really takes!
I try to relax and bathe at home until, after 5 hours, we finally go to the hospital. By the time we get there, they've been continuous for 6 hours. I am hooked up to a monitor for an hour and then sent home with the reassurance that I would be back soon, in more active labor, ready to have this baby.
Mama Spud Leaving the hospital after only an hour. She's coming soon, but not soon enough. Being sent home to "rest" between contractions... Argh...
Tuesday at 2:09am via Facebook for iPhone
We arrive back home at 3am. I fall asleep before my head hits the pillow, thinking to myself, "I'll wake up if the contractions get too strong."
Wake up, get the Tot ready, diaper, backpack, breakfast, pack a lunch, pack a change of clothes, where's the baby doll?, find the baby doll, shoes on, shoes off, shoes on NOW!, carseat wrestle, "I am only one Mommy!" (And I am too tired for this shit!)
We arrive back home at 3am. I fall asleep before my head hits the pillow, thinking to myself, "I'll wake up if the contractions get too strong."
Mama Spud 8am. No baby. At home. Surprisingly I slept a little. We'll see what today brings... Thank you for your thoughts and prayers guys!
Wake up, get the Tot ready, diaper, backpack, breakfast, pack a lunch, pack a change of clothes, where's the baby doll?, find the baby doll, shoes on, shoes off, shoes on NOW!, carseat wrestle, "I am only one Mommy!" (And I am too tired for this shit!)
Mama Spud 12pm. Feeling crappy. Contractions are uncomfortable - to say the least. Tater Tot is at preschool allowing me some quiet time. Sleepy but uncomfortable...
Tuesday at 12:03pm via Facebook for iPhone
Pick up Tater Tot from pre-school and try to nap again while she takes her afternoon nap. Feeling some contractions, but nothing regular. Getting frustrated because I thought I'd be in active labor already, if not already having a baby.
It's good news! All that contracting is finally paying off!
Pick up Tater Tot from pre-school and try to nap again while she takes her afternoon nap. Feeling some contractions, but nothing regular. Getting frustrated because I thought I'd be in active labor already, if not already having a baby.
Mama Spud 9:30pm - Nothing. Nada. Just painful contractions without rhyme or reason, overall irritability, and the feeling that I'm about to drop a watermelon any minute now. Doctors appointment tomorrow afternoon.
Go to bed, tired and irritated. Cranky and contracting (slowly) all night long. Hoping to get things going, I drop Tot off at pre-school and go straight to the mall to walk for two hours. I make sure to stay hydrated so I won't be told I'm contracting because of dehydration. When I pick up Tater Tot from pre-school, I take her straight to our friends (the Parsnips) house and lay her down for a nap. I pick up Spud and we head to the town across the river for my 3:30pm doctor's appointment.It's good news! All that contracting is finally paying off!
Mama Spud 37 week checkup. 4:30pm. 3cm. Contractions 2-5 minutes apart. Going downstairs for observation. Might be tonight - might not
Wednesday at 4:41pm via Facebook for iPhone
It is tonight.
I am admitted to triage and they monitor me for an hour. My contractions are progressing and I'm already 3cm dilated. The wonderfully kooky Nurse Heather has me walk for 15 minutes around the Women's Hospital - up and down hallways, in and out of lobbies - until it's time to be checked again. The nurse says she thinks I'm still 3cm. My doctor comes down from her office upstairs and checks me again. Close to 4 cm.
Three cervical checks in two hours aren't very fun.... It's going to get worse.
It is tonight.
I am admitted to triage and they monitor me for an hour. My contractions are progressing and I'm already 3cm dilated. The wonderfully kooky Nurse Heather has me walk for 15 minutes around the Women's Hospital - up and down hallways, in and out of lobbies - until it's time to be checked again. The nurse says she thinks I'm still 3cm. My doctor comes down from her office upstairs and checks me again. Close to 4 cm.
Three cervical checks in two hours aren't very fun.... It's going to get worse.
Mama Spud 6:45pm My water broke. 7:00pm moved to my LDRP room.
Mama Spud
10:15pm Just walked a few laps around the hospital. Contractions getting stronger and longer. Resting in my room to recharge for a second. UPDATE: JEFF FOUND THE GOLDEN GIRLS ON TV!!!!
Wednesday at 10:20pm via Facebook for iPhone
We're still joking, laughing, walking, bouncing, leaning and swaying. Somewhere during this time, I reach 6 cm - thank God!
We're still joking, laughing, walking, bouncing, leaning and swaying. Somewhere during this time, I reach 6 cm - thank God!
Mama Spud
12:30am. Just got out of the shower. Feeling a little better and refreshed. Come on baby! September 2nd is a good date... :-) 9.5 hours already.
Yesterday at 12:31am via Facebook for iPhone
Ok, it's serious now. The shower helped a lot but it's starting to get harder to walk or talk during contractions. I refresh my makeup, which is a staple for me during my births - don't judge.
I stop typing. I'm still checking my Facebook via my iPod, but not responding to much. I'm feeling the need to go to the bathroom, but I'm nowhere near ready to push. I try to explain that to the nurses, that I would just rather go in the toilet than on the table in front of everyone!
1am - 8cm. Ok, it's transition. I stop walking because I'm not steady on my feet anymore. I stop bouncing on the ball because I lose my balance during contractions. I sit straight up in bed, cross legged, like a beautiful birthing Buddha. I rest my head back against the perpendicular head of the bed between contractions and actually manage to doze for just a few minutes.
2am- I ask the nurse to check me again because I think I'm close. Still 8cm, but stretchy. I start focusing on a sprinkler on the ceiling, the doctor and nurse joke that many women pick the same particular spot to focus on. I don't scream. I barely speak. I vocalize through soft moans and intonations. At one point, I look at the doctor and say, "That's it. No more kids. No more kids."
Later, Jeff told me that he thought I said, "No more kidding." That's when the doctor's face changed and we all started getting more serious. I wondered why she didn't laugh at my joke. The pain is getting more intense.
2:35am - 9cm. We still haven't decided on a name.
2:40am - I ask if the window is still closed for pain medicine or an epidural. Jeff, dutifully, reminds me that I'm not as in pain as I was when I sprained my knee. Then, I was crying so hard that when I called Jeff, he could barely understand my words. I can do this. I don't need it.
2:50am - I feel the urge to push. The room goes silent. The nurse watches my reaction to the urge. It ceases and I rest for a moment and then - it's go time. I have to push. Now.
The doctor checks me and I'm 10cm. She (stupidly) tells me to stop pushing and I say, "Yeah right!" There's no way I'm stopping this train now. The room has been in preparations around me and I haven't noticed. During this birth, though, I have my contacts in the whole time so I'm more aware of my surroundings. And, I'm not drugged out of my mind.
4 pushes and she's out.2:58am. I tear slightly. The doctor waits to clamp the cord until it stops pulsing. I take a picture of my daughter's cord being cut by her daddy. I put her to my chest and then the doctor says, "Ok, one more push."
"Oh! I forgot about that part!"
Skin to skin. I kiss that little cream cheese face that looks just like Tater Tot and say, "Hi Delaney." Spud says, "See? You knew what you wanted to name her all along.
Ok, it's serious now. The shower helped a lot but it's starting to get harder to walk or talk during contractions. I refresh my makeup, which is a staple for me during my births - don't judge.
I stop typing. I'm still checking my Facebook via my iPod, but not responding to much. I'm feeling the need to go to the bathroom, but I'm nowhere near ready to push. I try to explain that to the nurses, that I would just rather go in the toilet than on the table in front of everyone!
1am - 8cm. Ok, it's transition. I stop walking because I'm not steady on my feet anymore. I stop bouncing on the ball because I lose my balance during contractions. I sit straight up in bed, cross legged, like a beautiful birthing Buddha. I rest my head back against the perpendicular head of the bed between contractions and actually manage to doze for just a few minutes.
2am- I ask the nurse to check me again because I think I'm close. Still 8cm, but stretchy. I start focusing on a sprinkler on the ceiling, the doctor and nurse joke that many women pick the same particular spot to focus on. I don't scream. I barely speak. I vocalize through soft moans and intonations. At one point, I look at the doctor and say, "That's it. No more kids. No more kids."
Later, Jeff told me that he thought I said, "No more kidding." That's when the doctor's face changed and we all started getting more serious. I wondered why she didn't laugh at my joke. The pain is getting more intense.
2:35am - 9cm. We still haven't decided on a name.
2:40am - I ask if the window is still closed for pain medicine or an epidural. Jeff, dutifully, reminds me that I'm not as in pain as I was when I sprained my knee. Then, I was crying so hard that when I called Jeff, he could barely understand my words. I can do this. I don't need it.
2:50am - I feel the urge to push. The room goes silent. The nurse watches my reaction to the urge. It ceases and I rest for a moment and then - it's go time. I have to push. Now.
The doctor checks me and I'm 10cm. She (stupidly) tells me to stop pushing and I say, "Yeah right!" There's no way I'm stopping this train now. The room has been in preparations around me and I haven't noticed. During this birth, though, I have my contacts in the whole time so I'm more aware of my surroundings. And, I'm not drugged out of my mind.
4 pushes and she's out.2:58am. I tear slightly. The doctor waits to clamp the cord until it stops pulsing. I take a picture of my daughter's cord being cut by her daddy. I put her to my chest and then the doctor says, "Ok, one more push."
"Oh! I forgot about that part!"
Skin to skin. I kiss that little cream cheese face that looks just like Tater Tot and say, "Hi Delaney." Spud says, "See? You knew what you wanted to name her all along.
Mama Spud
Welcome Delaney Caroline! 7lb,5oz 19.5 in 2:58am ct 9/2/10
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