So this time it all started on Sunday.
I woke up feeling totally awesome and spontaneously decided to lug Patrick to church, despite Jeff's inability to join us and my previous decision that a 39-week prego has the right to forgo keeping the Sabbath. I had energy, spunk and plenty of rest. Patrick had been particularly hard to deal with the entire weekend so I was really taking a long shot. It was a bust, like usual, but I felt refreshed, like usual.
Later that night we all attended a Halloween party at my aunt's - everyone remarking on how "small" I was for being due in four days. Thanks, but no thanks. I felt huge. My Grandma and I were chatting and I was telling her how great I felt; that's when she said uh oh, you won't be feeling great tomorrow.
Good call, Grandma!
That night around nine o'clock I said my goodnights to Jeff, ironically asking him if he thought this would be our last Sunday night without a baby. (He said yes.) I went to bed, gradually drifting into a deep sleep when all of the sudden I felt a gush. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. Is that my water breaking? I run to the bathroom, wipe, and realize it's my mucus plug. Shooey, I'm not quite ready. I did some quick research online just to make sure, told Jeff we probably had 24 hours until d-day and went back to bed. Two minutes later, another gush. This time there was no mucus, just wetness, tinged in pink. Two minutes after that, I felt my first contraction.
I still wasn't sure if my water had broken so I called Labor & Delivery at the hospital who of course told me they would have to check me out to be completely sure. I told Jeff I would just run to the hospital quick and would most likely be home before midnight. I had five contractions on the way there and they felt exactly as they had with my labor with Patrick. So even if the membranes hadn't ruptured, I knew I was in labor nonetheless. After checking into the hospital and being admitted, the nurse came in to do the "DID YOUR WATER REALLY BREAK? TEST." After she checked to see how dilated I was, her hand came out and so did the rest of the water - ALL OVER. At that point I was 3 cm dilated and gave Jeff the call he was probably
While I waited for Jeff to arrive at the hospital I turned on The House Bunny and worked through some easy contractions. By the time the movie was over I was doubled over in pain every four minutes or so. Thinking back, I am so surprised at how intense my contractions became in such a short amount of time. Since I wasn't ready for an epidural, Jeff and I took a walk around Labor & Delivery and Postpartum. Even though the contractions were pretty insanely painful at this point and were easier to control while standing (with Jeff to lean/scream into), I just had too much pressure on my hips and couldn't walk any longer so that lasted only 20 minutes. A little later, I specifically remember looking at the clock. It was 2:30 am, I had about ten contractions that felt like death and told Jeff "alright hun, enough of this shit - time for the epidural."
My anesthesiologist looked like a Calvin Klein model, although I didn't have the energy to notice while he was preparing my back. I make Jeff leave the room when I get epidurals - I'm always afraid I'm going to ralph all over and he'll never want to kiss me again. I know, it's immature. Anyways, getting the epidural sucked; I felt lightheaded and yucky until it was finally in. Although I get an epidural to feel better, it feels worse in a lot of ways. The sensation of your legs/butt/half of your back being numb is horrific. You can't switch positions, you can't scooch your body in any way and your legs feel like redwood tree trunks. Literally. Can't. Feel. Anything.
After getting all numbed up Jeff and I were able to get a little shut-eye since we'd been up all night. At some point in the morning I realized my epidural had a "hot spot" and I began to feel contractions again on my left side. They were coming about every minute and lasting a minute or more. All I can say is: OMG. The doctor came in, checked me, said I was completely dilated and that she'd be back momentarily. When she got back she looked at my face and said "Now that's a face that's ready." I must have looked like hell. They shooed my parents out and I started pushing against the contractions immediately. Ten minutes and five pushes later, Connor made his grand entrance into the world! They laid him on my chest and I bawled like a baby. My tears were hot and wet just like his perfect, solid body. He was so heavy! I looked at Jeff and the tears in his eyes, both of us realizing our family suddenly had grown by one and all was right in the world. No, all wasn't right. All was perfect.
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