Monday, February 7, 2011

LEO - Part 1

Well, I really have been wanting to blog, i.e. document for myself, all about Leo's entrance into the world, but I have been finding that what everyone tells you is true...time flies when you have a little one to attend to! So at least when I have a few moments where he is sleeping and the dishes are done, etc. I am going to start my record. Read it at your own risk!

Tuesday, January 25th

Still waiting for Leo to come on his own. When I tell people that I am to be induced Wednesday morning they all tell me he will come on Tuesday...not true. I made a Walmart run and got one of my last chocolate fixes for a while, a Frosty at Wendy's- a medium! It kind of feels like I am going on a trip or something...I am cleaning the house, cleaning out the fridge, doing our laundry, etc.

(Yes, right before we left the hospital I let Nick take a picture of my huge belly to document that I was indeed carrying a porker for nine months!)

Wednesday, January 26th

I actually slept! We wake up early and get dressed to go to Willowbrook Methodist Hospital; when we get there we park, grab our bag for labor with snacks for Nick and cards and reading material for me, climb the stairs to the 2nd floor, make one last trip to the bathroom, and check in. I fill out one little form and then they take us back to our room- our nurse's name is Rosalind. She gives me a hospital gown and I change and get in bed. She starts the IV of pitocin at about 7:30am. We take a picture and text people that we are starting.

Before long my doctor arrives- they had initally said that they would break my water around lunch if we hadn't progressed enough by then, but my doctor wants to get the show on the road and she breaks my water at about 8:30am...what a weird feeling. We call my mom and let her know she might want to get to the hospital sooner rather than later.

While Nick and I wait, we watch my contractions on the computer screen; one monitor shows my contractions and the other shows the baby's heart rate. I slowly am starting to actually feel the contractions and can tell when one is happening without looking at the screen...but they aren't too painful yet. Nick is a good sport and watches my morning routine of GMA, Regis & Kelly, and The View with me while giving me ice and handing me my phone when I get a text.

Shortly after my mom arrives we decide to play cards...it has been a few hours of laying there and I am getting bored. So Nicholas, my mom, and myself start playing 3-14 (a card game) and I take bathroom breaks every couple of hands; The View is on tv in the background; by the last few hands I am holding my breath during the contractions as they are getting stronger and definitely hurting. I made it a goal to finish the game and then ask for some pain medication...I was pretty cranky the last few hands but I won and we hurried to call the nurse. She asked if I was ready for the epidural...sure! I mean, if now was the time to have it then YES! I will not even pretend to be one of those women who want to do it naturally...and especially after having an epidural I think those women are crazier than ever!

1 comment:

kellebelle said...

I'm glad we get to hear about these events from your perspective. Thanks for sharing!

When I had Cadence (with an epidural), I also couldn't even imagine why in the world anyone would want to give birth without pain medication. Somehow I did a 180 by the time I had Camilla, and I birthed her and Cora naturally. I guess that makes me one of the crazies. ;) I think it's wonderful we have both options. :)