March 31, 2013: It was Easter. I was excited to make it to this point, at 37weeks and 3 days. I had plans of indulging at Easter breakfast at church and then Easter dinner at our friends' house, all complete with Buckeye cake. I joked with Joel that he should play an April fools joke on his boss the next day, text him and tell him that my water broke. It would be rough, Joel's other boss would be off all week with her kids on spring break, leaving Joel as the only person to do his job. Eh, so maybe it would have been mean, but funny none the less!
April 1, 2013: Joel didn't play a mean joke, but I did warn him that if I texted him anything baby related, that it wouldn't be an April fools joke, it would be the real thing. I worked that day, Joel worked, Ezra was at the sitter's. We had a good meal for dinner and had a good night with each other. We actually started thinking of all the "should do's before baby arrives."
April 2, 2013, around 4 AM. I don't know if I was already awake, or if it woke me up, but as I was laying in bed, I felt a trickle. It wasn't a trickle as if I was peeing my pants, it was a slimy trickling feeling. I quietly yelled at Joel, "Wake up! I think my water just broke!" Then I ran to the bathroom! I didn't want to get the fluid everywhere! Right as I made it to the toilet, a huge gush, right on the floor. Of course I couldn't have sat down first... Sure enough, my water broke!
Quick, what do we do next? Crap, there are no bags packed. I haven't made a list of what I actually need, who is going to watch Ezra? So many thoughts ran through my mind... all while sitting on the toilet for what felt like forever. When your water breaks, it doesn't just stop coming out... it full out leaks for, well until after the baby is born! It just doesn't stop! We hung out in our bathroom for awhile, kind of in awe that this was happening, kind of in a panic (at least I was), and really, trying to figure out what we really are supposed to do next. I was contracting, but nothing real regular, nothing strong. I asked Joel if we should wait and see what happens, but he said he felt more comfortable heading to the hospital as soon as possible.
Joel through stuff in a bag, we both took showers, I did my hair, called the dr, and was happy when my good friend Kristine answered her phone, chipper at 5 am, to come and watch Ezra. I knew she was off for the day because we had plans to get pedicures that day! I wanted to welcome baby girl with pink toes, but that wasn't happening! Kristine arrived around 5:30, we ran through some instructions for Ezra (which I had half a mind to write out a few days prior), and we left for the hospital. Like I said, water continues to leak, so a towel is a must for the car ride! And for trying to hide the fact that your pants are completely soaked from a 2 mile car ride and walk to labor and delivery! Thankfully my big belly excused me from the fact that I didn't pee my pants!
Unfortunately I still was checked into triage. About 3 hours after my water broke, the nurse checked me to assure that it actually happened (there really was no doubt when she removed her hand and it was dripping in amniotic fluid!). I hadn't made a change from my appointment the previous Thursday, and was still not contracting regularly. I knew exactly what was coming my way: Pitocin.
Unfortunately I still was checked into triage. About 3 hours after my water broke, the nurse checked me to assure that it actually happened (there really was no doubt when she removed her hand and it was dripping in amniotic fluid!). I hadn't made a change from my appointment the previous Thursday, and was still not contracting regularly. I knew exactly what was coming my way: Pitocin.
I don't know why my body refuses to pick up contractions and do something with them itself, but it somehow refuses to do it! Pitocin was started at 8, I started laboring hard immediately. Contractions came every 2-3 minutes lasting forever and increasing in intensity. People say it's no joke having a dry labor, but I'm saying, it's no joke dry laboring and laboring on Pitocin! It's no fun. I refused the epidural at lunch time when the anesthesiologist offered it before her lunch break. I had plans to go natural, but by 3 pm I was in tears. Contractions were one on top of the other, maybe I got a 30 second break... I literally felt like my pelvis was shattering, that it was breaking in two. Prior to receiving the epi, I asked if I could use the bathroom. I really had to poop! Our nurse Linda was adamant about me not doing it. She wanted to make sure I actually had to poop and not push! She told me that we would not have a toilet baby! I knew for sure that I didn't have to push yet. However, an hour later was different story! I was ready to get a baby out! I could not believe that I would already be there. I started at a 5.5 prior to the epi and an hour and a half later when I was asking to be checked, I was a 10! It was wonderful! I couldn't believe how quickly it went! Linda was positive that we'd have this baby before her shift was over!
I started pushing, pooping and all (I warned you!) I had told Linda that if she didn't let me poop prior to the epidural, that there was no way I was going to do it in a bedpan, it would just have to wait until I pushed! Sure enough! I apologized of course, but in reality, it didn't bother me at all! I was thrilled that I was pushing correctly! Linda was incredible during our whole experience. I was her only patient, Joel realized throughout labor that he knows her husband, and she was one of the most encouraging nurse I could have asked for. She was my second cheerleader! While I pushed, she massaged me, opening me up and even showing Joel that we had a little brunette in there! Pushing was awesome. It wasn't nearly as bad as when I pushed with Ezra. Linda didn't count to 10, she told me to breath when I wanted, to push when I wanted, she didn't tell me what to do. I am sure I didn't throw up this time because of it! We pushed for about 30 minutes, I watched in the mirror again, Joel watched even closer this time watching every little movement of baby girls' head descending! He wasn't even shy, moved the dr's light around making a spotlight for her grand appearance. Soon the OB came in, I pushed some more, and he had me stop to wait for the resident to come in. Let me tell you, having baby crowned for as long as I had her crowned is no picnic! The ring of fire is real people. I knew that with Ezra, but the ring of fire shouldn't last as long as it did... I asked the OB if there was an equivalent to what men could feel, he responded with kidney stones. I then asked him if he ever had them, and he said he hadn't. I then told him he'd never know what the ring of fire felt like! The OB resident did a fantastic job, Dr. Wisler did a fantastic job.
Hadley Ruth was born on April 2, 2013 at 6:31 pm. She was placed immediately on me, we were able to delay her cord clamping and she cried upon arrival into the world. As Joel will tell everyone, it went exactly like it's supposed to, we didn't have to wait to hear her cry! Hadley stayed on me through measurements, except her weight. My minor tear was stitched up, I was cleaned up, all while Hadley hung out with me and breastfed! It was amazing. A much different start than Ezra's birth. Hadley weighed 8lbs 6 oz, was 21.5," and is just simply put, beautiful. We love this little girl so much!
Hadley Ruth was born on April 2, 2013 at 6:31 pm. She was placed immediately on me, we were able to delay her cord clamping and she cried upon arrival into the world. As Joel will tell everyone, it went exactly like it's supposed to, we didn't have to wait to hear her cry! Hadley stayed on me through measurements, except her weight. My minor tear was stitched up, I was cleaned up, all while Hadley hung out with me and breastfed! It was amazing. A much different start than Ezra's birth. Hadley weighed 8lbs 6 oz, was 21.5," and is just simply put, beautiful. We love this little girl so much!
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| Hadley Ruth, welcome to the world! |
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| Ezra thinks he's excited to be a big brother! |
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| Our family of four! |
