Also, in this post I will be making a detailed "birth story." For anyone who is squeamish about hearing about labor and birth, just an FYI, I want a detailed documentation for my own reasons, so you might want to just skip through until the pictures at the end (no gory birth pictures. Just belly pictures and baby pictures)
Beginning birth story. (warning for the squeamish)
So, Monday was perfectly normal. No labor signs at all. Didn't think anything was happening any time soon. I joked with my manager on the way out that night "I'll see you tomorrow, unless I have a baby, in which case I'll see you in 8 weeks."
I get home and I can't remember if I had any cramping on the drive or if it wasn't until I got in. But I do know that from my car to the front door I thought my water broke. I thought "Oh crap." but didn't panic too much because I didn't feel any wetness really, I just felt a "release" or a "pop" which is what some people have said that the water breaking is like.
I went upstairs and just went to the bathroom (pregnant bladder often has to pee when leaving work and again when getting home). On my underwear was a small amount of discharge, but didn't think anything of it. Underwear was not wet, so I shrugged and figured that my water hadn't broken after all. When I got up there was a huge mucus mass in the toilet. So apparently the pop I felt was the mucus plug loosening. Again, no big deal. that can come and go and not be a sign of anything.
I do remember at that point having some "cramps." Didn't think much of it really, so I laid down on the bed with Rob to talk about what we were going to do for dinner. We dawdled around and the cramps started coming and going which wasn't something I was used to. But I wasn't going to say anything quite yet. This was probably around 8:45pm or so. We finally decided we were going to eat dinner. During dinner the "cramps" continued so I decided to start timing them. They were lasting about a minute and coming about 4 minutes apart. I decided to tell Rob I thought I was in labor and sent a couple texts to people I needed to tell. I also was making sure I was drinking a lot of water since water can help dispel braxton hicks contractions or false labor contractions. I also made sure to move around and unloaded and loaded the dishwasher. Contractions continued.
Around midnight I decided I would take a shower as another method of seeing if this was "the real deal." Rob said he thought it was a good idea. So I took a shower and the contractions continued regularly through the shower. I informed Rob when I got out and we decided we would try to take a nap. I didn't go to sleep right away as I had stopped timing contractions while in the shower (obviously) but I wanted to get a feel for where we were at.
Things were still about the same. About a minute and a half long about 3 1/2 minutes apart. Since the midwife had told me not to worry about coming in until they were 2 minutes apart for a couple of hours, I decided to try to sleep as well.
I slept for about an hour and a half. I made note that it was about 2am and I was shaking uncontrollably. I was a little cold, but I just figured I was probably colder than I could sense due to the contractions. Looking back, this was probably "transition." I had read that during transition the woman will shiver and shake, but I still thought it was too soon for that to be happening. that and the contractions were still 2 minutes long and like 3 or 4 (or more) minutes apart. I was a little nauseated so I made sure to have my trash can pulled close to the side of the bed.
Rob woke up around 3:30 or 4 and noticed I was shivering. I told him I was cold, even though I wasn't really as cold as it would seem I was. He tried to cuddle up against me for body warmth, but the pressure of his body against mine and even though he wasn't holding me tight, it was just extremely uncomfortable. So I told him no and he piled on the blankets. When all was said and done, he said I had 6 blankets on me and my whole body was still convulsing uncontrollably with every contraction. I was moaning and my teeth were chattering, but I also felt very warm. It was quite odd.
I ended up vomiting in this stage a couple of times. I regretted having eaten so much for dinner.
Contractions still about 2 or 2 1/2 minutes long about 2 minutes from the end of one to the beginning of another, so they're still counted as being 4 minutes apart.
I don't remember exactly what time it was, but sometime close to 4 or 4:30 or so I told Rob that I really needed him to call Pam (our Doula) to see if she could remind us of how to tell if the contractions are 2 minutes apart or not. My memory said that what the app I was using to time contractions said was "correct" (in that they are 4 minutes apart) but I was praying that was wrong and what the midwife actually meant was that they needed to be 2 minutes from the end of one to the beginning of the next because that's what I had and had been experiencing for a couple hours and with the shaking I just didn't think I could handle it at home any longer. I wanted to be at the birth center with Pam and a midwife to help me. I felt I had lost control and was a little scared we weren't going to make it.
Looking back, again, dummy, I was very deep into transition. But again, I thought it was still too soon.
Rob called Pam and left her a voicemail. I then requested that he call the birth center to ask them because I really wanted to go in.
He finally got a hold of the midwife and she said she needed 30 minutes to get there, but we could come then.
Rob started getting things together and getting the carseat into his car.
Meanwhile, I had transitioned. I needed to push. I never knew until being in that position that it isn't like the movies tell you. No one has to TELL you to push. It just happens. And you CAN'T stop it. I went to the bathroom thinking (hoping) that I just needed to pee (as I had been trying to go pee every hour like they told us to do in our childbirth preparation class) or maybe I had to poop. Nope. It was a baby. I had probably 3 pushing contractions while on the toilet and my water broke I think with the first pushing contraction. Rob finally came back (I say "finally" even though it probably wasn't that long) and I asked when we could go because "I have to push and I can't stop it." He said that we could go then so I worked through the next contraction and worked my way outside and into his car. I had him grab a towel because I wasn't sure if I'd continue to leak or you know, heaven forbid, have the baby IN the car. Though I didn't tell him that was part of my concern. I just told him it was because my water broke and I wanted to try to protect his seats.
In the car ride I had I think another 2 pushing contractions and then while trying to walk to the door of the birth center I had another one.
I think we got to the birth center a little after 5am. Rob had the midwife, Susan, bring a wheel chair because I wasn't really sure I could stand without gravity taking control and walk enough to get to the birthing suite. Unfortunately, at the same time, it was really uncomfortable because I'd already been pushing for a while and well, you try sitting when there's a baby right there in your birth canal!
I told her in the elevator I was really sorry but I had to push and I can't stop it. She told me to just try to blow through the contractions and she made a little chitchat with me. I guess to try to help distract me.
She said we were just going to bypass the NST and bloodpressure check which they normally do. I was very glad. I couldn't have handled doing that right then.
Finally got to the room, Susan had me lay on the bed just to check the progress. She said "Oh! I can see why you needed to push. You have a baby right there!"
I reached down and sure enough, I could feel a little hair. I was crowning before we even got to the suite!
She started the water for the tub and told me to try to blow through the contractions again and she got the baby warmer all set up and everything. I can't remember if I had any more contractions while laying in the bed or not. I think I may have had one or two.
Pam arrived and soothed me by talking me through, telling me I was doing a good job and everything.
Finally the tub was full enough and they told me I could get in. The water felt SO good. I wished I'd had it longer, but you know, everything was so fast!
I was a little worried because Susan was trying to find the baby's heartbeat, but was having trouble. I guess he was just so low that it was difficult. She did eventually find it though.
Once we had everything situated as far as checking baby's heartbeat they gave me the go ahead to push if I felt the need. Pam gave me sips of Gatorade between contractions. Susan did some perennial massage between contractions and while I was pushing.
There were a lot of comments about how much hair he had. At least an inch long. It was floating around.
Rob captured the pushing phase in the tub right up to the point that the baby actually came out. Unfortunately his phone was notifying him of low storage so he stopped. And then unlike some births, when Xavier finally came out, there wasn't a pause between head and body. At 5:49am he just came right out. He shot right up and out of the water. Susan later told me that she'd never had a baby shoot right out of the water. She literally had to catch him. Normally they stay under the water and float around for a little while and acclimate and they tell the mother to lift their baby out of the water. Xavier just wanted out and up on my chest apparently! Susan put him on my chest and he cuddled down and cried. His hands and feet were a little blue, but the rest of him was warm and pink.He got a 9 on his first APGAR score.
We snuggled for a little while, had a quick check to make sure he really was an Xavier and not a surprise Elise, and when his cord stopped pulsing the cord was clamped and Rob was offered to cut the cord. He didn't want to though so Pam did it for us. When his cord was clamped he peed on me. LOL 5 minutes old and he's already peeing on people. His mother at that!
Susan asked if I wanted to deliver the placenta in the tub or not. I didn't really feel like moving so I went ahead and did. It came with just 2 pushes later and someone asked me what that was like. Honestly, it kind of felt like pulling out a tampon. It was scooped up in a bowl and Rob said it was put down in front of him which kind of grossed him out. The rest of the birth didn't gross him out but that part was weird.
Anyway, shortly after the placenta we went ahead and got out of the tub and I dried off and laid in the bed while he had his 5 minute APGAR (9 again. Still slightly blue on hands and feet.)
Pam continued to give me Gatorade while I was recovering. My belly felt so weird. It was still pouchy (obviously) but my whole abdomen felt so... empty.
Susan checked me over and I didn't tear or anything.
After a while, they brought him over to the bed with me and we started trying to breast feed. He latched on the right like a pro and did really well. When we switched to the left we had a little bit of trouble and we are still having issues on that side. But over all it's all good.
So we snuggled in bed for a good long while. When they were finally ready they did his weight and measurements. He was 8 pounds 1 ounce and 20 inches long.
The birth center environment was pretty nice. They for the most part just let us be. Because I was group B strep negative and didn't have any tearing they said we could probably go home around noon. I went ahead and made my calls in to work (Rob really wanted me to call in "not pregnant." I am pretty sure what I said was just I'd just had my baby so I wouldn't be coming in.) and to the HR department to notify them that I needed to start my leave.
Pam hung out for a while, and then once we were all settled she went ahead and left. It's kind of funny. She brought her bag of labor support/doula supplies and didn't end up using any of it. She was there to help rub my shoulders get me Gatorade and also help the midwife some since the baby nurse didn't get there until a while after Xavier was born.
The baby nurse helped us give Xavier his first bath. Then we dressed him in his cute little "Hi, I'm new here" outfit complete with stripey Baby Legs and sneaker printed socks.
My parents and sister showed up around or 3 hours before we were discharged. So we got to spend some time with them and let them meet their new grandson and nephew.
Around 12:30 we were discharged however we were told that he was borderline on his billiruben levels so I was informed I needed to make sure to feed him every 2 hours to flush it out. Also was instructed to make sure to increase my caloric intake and drink lots of water and make sure to eat high protein, iron and complex carbs.
We drove through Taco Bell (as I hadn't had anything really to eat other than some Gatorade and snacks since dinner) and then went home to spend some more time with my parents and get everything settled in the house.
Edit: Something else that I meant to say before was that labor and pushing out the baby was definitely the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. However, it is true that as soon as it's over it's hard to remember just how bad it was. Like, I remember thinking during the labor that I never wanted to have another baby again because it was so bad. But now thinking back, what I read was true that it's a pain with a purpose. And it has a very adorable end. And I really can't remember the pain. Just that it was painful.
End birth story for the squeamish. ;)
Our first pediatrician visit was the next day, Wednesday. I liked the doctor's office. The doctor asked if I wanted to circumcise and when I said no, he said "I don't blame you." And over all, he said that Xavier was perfect!
Susan also came on Wednesday for a 24 hour check up. Everything looked good.
Over all the only problem that we've had has been the whole feeding every 2 hours. Susan said at the check up that since it's so hard to wake him I could probably let him go 3 hours.
I tried really hard to keep track of feedings and diapers on Thursday. Friday and Saturday I kind of slacked. It was just too hard to make sure I had my phone out and time it and set timers. Though I do set a timer at night to try and make sure that I got him up to eat.
Tuesday night did discover that Rob is really good at getting Xavier to go to sleep after his feedings. We have a pretty good system going of me feeding then after it becomes obvious that I can't console him any longer with feedings or diaper changes, Rob takes over. And Rob has been really good about changing diapers too.
Well, this post is ridiculously long at this point. I will do my best to try and update when I can and put pictures. I'm going to go ahead and close out now.
Here's the last belly pictures I took:
and here are some pictures after the birth.
With Daddy.
Looking at Mommy.
Ready to go home!
These next two were on Thursday. So when he was 2 days old.
This was on Saturday after a very satisfying feeding session.
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