I’m not sure if it all seems like a dream because it happened so fast, or because it was 2 weeks ago already, or because things like this generally only happen in the movies and not to people in real life. That Saturday was just like any other Saturday. I do remember being tired and there’s a good chance I was grumpy too being 2 days after my due date. OK, maybe grumpy isn’t the right word. Inwardly bitter because I am not only impatient but I prefer to have some sort of control over big situations and babies and birthdays are things that are 1,000% out of my control. Sometimes inward bitterness has a tendency to seep out to the outside world as grumpy. Anyway, Jeremy- the awesome husband that he is, saw this would be the perfect opportunity for Noah and Daddy to have some one-on-one time and gave this mommy a break by taking him to the library. When they came home, the rest of the day panned out as usual. I had been in hibernation mode for the last 2 days and I remember at about 4 or 5 that evening just feeling like I wanted to get out of the house and walk. I’m not a fan of the mall whatsoever but I asked Jeremy if he wanted to go. Then I realized I would then have to get dressed and be presentable in public, so I settled for the car ride to Blockbuster to drop off some movies and a swing through Wendy’s drive thru. When we got home, I realized they made a mistake and gave me a chicken sandwich instead of what I had ordered. Maybe that’s the ticket. Maybe when I’m 1,000 months pregnant with my next child, I will just start eating Wendy’s chicken sandwiches. After dinner, I remember pacing in the living room, seriously walking figure 8 laps, waiting for Noah to think it was weird. Not because I was in pain or uncomfortable but I just felt like I had to move. Too bad that sense of energy wasn’t focusing me on cleaning like normal “nesters”! When we all went up to the playroom to watch a movie, I took up my normal nightly routine of sitting on the physioball, never really thinking it was actually doing anything (maybe just hoping it was!) but it was so much easier to get my big ol self off of the ball than the couch! I’m not really sure when I went to bed that night.
OK, now the part you really care to read….I woke up at 3:35 in so much pain. It didn’t feel like a contraction, but it was like a burning like my hips and pelvis were coming apart. It reminded me of how back labor burns (had back labor with Noah- not fun) but in the front. Earlier in the evening I was reading online about moms that had false back labor when their babies were positioned wrong. One mom talked about how excruciating it was when her baby turned but then the actual labor was so much less intense because of the baby turning. I had been having nights of false labor, in my back, a few times a week for the past few weeks. Apparently those nights were doing something! After I reach over and death-grip the covers, Jer gets up and says we’re going and is getting ready to hop in the shower. I thought he was crazy. There was nothing to time, we can’t go now! They’ll just send us home and think we’re crazy. Ok, wait, another burning sensation that I couldn’t walk or talk through (but nothing in my stomach, nothing like a contraction, just plain burning!) What the heck is going on? Gosh, this baby must be trying to turn! I had him grab the phone before he got in. Before his shower I was going to call the Dr (yet had no clue what I was going to say…I knew something was happening, but wasn’t having contractions, no water breaking, etc) then I tried walking and had another burning sensation (contraction?) not sure how long after. Then I went to the bathroom and just sat, the pains are coming faster and stronger. When Jer comes out of the shower I told him “I don’t think we’re going to make it”. I couldn’t imagine driving to the hospital like this… Then I told him I was serious and he had to get the phone and call 911. As we’re on the phone with dispatch they ask where I am (still on the throne, baby being born as we spoke) and they kind of yelled at me to get me on the floor. Evidently, you’re not supposed to give birth on the potty…who knew? So I tried to stand up and get on the floor, and Jeremy had to catch her. It was crazy. My body was just pushing for me and there was no way to stop it. When she was born, I had a split-second moment of that mommy joy, that “Oh she’s here!” and then I remembered I was on my bathroom floor. She wasn’t crying right away. Neither Jeremy nor myself had ever seen a baby this fresh out of the chute so to say, normally the doctors and nurses take them, suction out the nose and mouth, clean them off, and get them crying etc. She looked blue. Is blue normal? Probably not. Panic set it. They were asking if her chest was rising and falling….I saw the sides of her abdomen moving and she was gurgling. Shouldn’t she be crying? Why does she still look blue?! 9-1-1 where are you?! Jeremy had to go chase own the ambulance (seriously, dispatch, getting the house address right in a situation like this is pretty critical. It’s amazing what one incorrect digit can do for a situation!). Thankfully, the blueness was from her rapid birth that caused temporary bruising in her face. Finally the paramedics get there. They ask Jeremy if he wants to cut the cord and hand him a scalpel type thing. Jeremy decided he’d had enough adventure and excitement for one night. Then, after they have me walk down the stairs and climb aboard the stretcher, they inform me they’ll be taking me to EMH. All I wanted to know is if my baby was OK, so I agreed. Hindsight is 20/20 and I still wonder if I’d have been allowed to demand (for lack of a better word) that I be taken to Fairview. So, Jeremy stayed home and waited for my parents to come and met our daughter and me at the hospital. Again with the “awesome husband that he is” part: after delivering a baby and ambulance chasing, he was cool, calm and collected enough to clean up, have things (coats, shoes, outfits, cups,breakfast etc) laid out and ready for my parents so they wouldn’t have to scramble trying to get out the door with the boys. I still have no idea how this whole thing happened at all. All I know is at my appointment the Wednesday before I was 4 cm dilated and 90% but they still scheduled my induction for one week past my due date if she didn’t come. The doctor didn’t think I’d make it to Thursday (neither did anyone but me) but I don’t think she quite had that in mind! Thankfully the boys slept through everything (hooray for sound machines!) including the paramedics coming and going and they woke up at their normal time to my parents being here.
Everyone is adjusting well. The first few days home had me scared for when Jeremy went back to work. I think we’ve ironed out all of the kinks and things seem to be going well. Getting out with all 3? Now that might be a different story! Thankfully (seriously, thank you Lord!) she is a good sleeper. She’s a pretty calm baby and really only cries when she’s hungry. She will be able to sleep through a hurricane when she’s older- I have no idea how she sleeps through all of the noise with these boys now! The only one who is not adjusting well is me…What I am not adjusting to is just how quickly she is changing and growing!! She already looks so different than her newborn self: stretched out and no longer always in that curled up ball shape, too tall for newborn pants and outgrowing newborn clothes, her face less puffy, she just looks older!! I am starting to think that each kids’ infancy goes faster than the last. I know she’s supposed to grow, and that’s a good thing, but ya know, I’m a sentimental sap like that =)
mommamer 