...So I laid down and you wouldn't believe the difference in the pain. It was so much worse than standing up and being able to move around. I would try and brace myself on the side rails, but it was intense!
Marcus and I talked about our dilemma. I had really wanted to go pain med free because I react so strongly to medicines. Ex: when I got my wisdom teeth out...they told me I was okay to go and tried to get up and fell off the bed...sedation--some people can drive home at that point...can you imagine!!!
He looked at me and said this is the point where you make a decision and I will help you hold to it. Just meaning that if I was going to do it med free, he would support me in that and make sure I had everything I needed to do it.
I realized I was being pretty stubborn about this pain med thing. I remember my sister Liz saying that she took the epidural cause you didn't win any awards by doing it naturally. No one is going to give you a trophy for that. haha. So true. I finally decided that it would be more comfortable and less exhausting to do an epidural. The other option probably would have made me feel really loopy and out of it, especially with my problem.
So, epidural in...wow! Quick and painless, numbed up the lower half. I laid back and they told me to get some rest. I couldn't believe how nice it was!
I was able to sleep for a couple hours and woke up with some pressure in my pelvis and on my rectum. It was definitely a different kind of feeling. Not to gross you out, but you basically feel like you have to go the bathroom (#2). I asked the nurse if that was the correct feeling and she said yup!
Alright...well, good, making progress. I was starting the shake and shiver...hormones releasing and my body telling me I was in the late stages of labor! She checked me and I was at 7 cm. It was great to finally make it that far and they said 10 wouldn't be long. Maybe another 2 hours.
Marcus and I sat up talking about things and I couldn't believe how quickly it went by. The pressure got pretty intense and I knew it was about time. The nurse came in and checked me and I was good to go. 10cm!!!
Time to Push:
The nurse set up stuff quickly and started telling me when to push and teaching me how. It took some time to get the hang of it. You want those pushes to do something!
I had to hold my breath and push for 10sec numerous times while contractions were happening.
Hard stuff. I thought I was good at multi-tasking, but this was a whole new level of that!
I was starting to worry my nurse was going to deliver the baby when she said it was time to call Nancy, my midwife. She was sleeping in the hospital, so it took only a few min for her to arrive.
She hoped right in, sleepy eyed and a bit frazzled, but she still was on her game. She worked hard to keep me from tearing and gave me a mirror to see the baby's head. Weird stuff, but pretty cool at the same time.
Within about 35min she was coming out and Marcus was told to catch her. I was laughing cause he said he should probably go wash his hands and Nancy said, nope catch her now. haha. He tried to help the baby's shoulders out, but she kept slipping. Then, pop! All the pressure was instantly gone. He placed her on my chest and she popped her thumb in her mouth. It was so cute! They told me she was definitely ready to try nursing so I should go for it. She ate the little bit of colostrum I was producing with ease. It was amazing! We got to keep her there for an hour until we would need to be moved to the postpartum care floor and she would need to go and get weighed and bathed, etc. Marcus was getting jealous...hehe...he wanted to hold her so badly! Finally, he got his chance and he melted... melted like chocolate! Holding your baby for the first time is pretty dang amazing! You can't believe that she's yours and how small she is and how beautiful (not that you're biased or anything ;))! It's crazy!
My epidural was wearing off in perfect time and I was able to get up and go the bathroom shortly after I gave birth. They put me in a wheelchair and took me and baby girl and all our stuff up to the postpartum floor.
The nurses settled me into my new bed and started asking me about pain meds. Now, I was thinking there was no need, I felt absolutely amazing other than being pretty shaky again from all the hormones rushing out of my body. (I had been sick the entire 9 months, and now, I was free. Free to drink water, juice, eat ice. You wouldn't believe the things I wasn't able to do because of the acid reflux, but it was gone!!!) The nurses kept giving me funny looks and asking me if I was sure I didn't want any pain meds, but what I didn't realize was I was feeling a little too good...
To be continued
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