Thank you, Jess, for sharing all of the intimate (and hilarious!) details of Cam’s birth! We Moms can definitely relate to the “airplane pads!”
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I have been replaying the day I went into labor with my first child over and over again and trying to find the perfect words and how to write it just right! It was such a wonderful and amazing experience that sometimes the words to describe it aren’t even close to how I felt becoming a Mommy that day!
I went into labor at 39 weeks pregnant. At 38 weeks my doctor stretched my membranes in hopes of baby coming that night because she kept saying that I was going to have a really big baby. Actually, the day I went into labor, I was supposed to go back and have that done again. My husband was at work, and I decided I was just going to let my contractions get stronger and closer even though I was so freaking excited. He was due home in three hours, so I didn’t make him come home as soon as I realized I was in labor. I didn’t want to rush the hospital and be sent home. I paced the house, breathing, and keeping track of everything. I decided to go ahead and call my OB/GYN….keep in mind it was probably like 3:30am ( AND SHE TOLD ME TO CALL HER BEFORE GOING TO HOSPITAL). She answered; clearly, I woke her. I told her how close my contractions were and that I believed I was in labor. You want to know what she said to that……She said that if I can talk to her and am not doubled over in pain, that if I was in true labor, I wouldn’t be able to make a phone call. She said I WASN’T in labor!! WTF???? So, that’s why I delivered my baby not even twelve hours later, right Doctor???!!! I was so mad.
So, the husband gets home, I tell him and he took a shower and I gathered my bags. He was rather calm, I think he was in disbelief, it was too much for him to imagine that it was for real! At this point contractions were about three minutes apart. We got to the hospital rather quickly. For some reason I think the whole registering or checking in part took the longest! Once we got through triage and into my room, my parents and brothers were there. All I wanted was food and gum, I knew my breath was stinking!
I remember my epidural; it didn’t hurt as much as my second time around. I had a really good doctor and he was fast. I remember being itchy from that! My armpits and boobs were itchy. I was starved too! I so so freaking hungry, all I could think about was food. I was like, “let’s push out this kid, so I can eat!”
The nurse broke my water, but that did nothing. Then I remember someone suggesting that I could push to get the baby’s head down. All I heard was PUSH. When you are pregnant and hear PUSH, damn it, you’re gonna want to PUSH. DUMB IDEA. I pushed for nearly two hours and it did nothing. It made me tired. I was disappointed and pissed. I pushed and NO BABY, wtf? LOL, I was clueless. I should have just let my contractions work and naturally move baby down instead of pushing my body to its limit and exhausting myself.
About maybe an hour of waiting after I had done the pushing, I remember having the ever so famous “Need to Poop” feeling. Finally! I had been waiting for that lovely feeling for hours ! (I was a little nervous that I was actually going to poop, but I was told I didn’t…if I did, I think my husband wouldn’t have told me anyways because I was really paranoid about that!). So, the “real” pushing began!!!! I knew it was serious this time because the Doctor came in and looked ready for some action. It wasn’t my doctor, but that was ok, I was still holding a grudge to her anyways.
My husband and mother were in the room. I had them hold my legs, I couldn’t even feel my legs to hold them back while pushing. That was frustrating, I clearly remember my husband starting cry once he saw our daughter’s head of hair crowning. A few more “breathe!” and “push!” later, out came my gorgeous daughter! My screaming, healthy, beautiful baby! The nurses laid her on me and I remember doing this crying/laughing thing and when I did I could feel my belly jiggle. I mean JIGGLE. I remember looking down and seeing the placenta. I remember I tore, so they had to stitch me, that hurt worse than them pulling her out! Can you believe we still hadn’t had a name for that kid yet? Her Daddy got his way; he chose her name, Camryn Elizabeth. I mean really, at that point the nurse could have named her, I was just on cloud nine and didn’t have a care in the world. That’s a lie… I was still freaking hungry!
Once everything was calmed down and my family came back to the room and everyone passed her around, a nurse was so kind to find me some food…I remember exactly….a delicious turkey sandwich, mmm. Poor nurse, it was probably hers!
While I was in the hospital, there was a drill for the nurses. The alarms sounded and they had to line up against the walls, I remember this because my daughter was in the nursery and I swore that when I heard those alarms that someone had stolen my baby. It was not funny at the time! But now, maybe a little. We had gone on the hospital tour and they explained about the little anklets the newborns wear so that they can’t be taken from the hospital. So, of all times for a stupid drill, my child is in the nursery and my mind was going wild. Wonder how many other mothers thought the same thing!!!????
You know, when you are pregnant everyone tries to prepare you with their experiences? It does help you somewhat mentally prepare for the BIG day and at the same time scare the crap out of you. The one thing nobody told me was about the bleeding and pads I would be wearing after having my daughter. I knew I would bleed after labor and need to wear pads, so I stocked up on them. Um….I didn’t know that the pads in the hospital were the size of airplanes! When the nurse gave me the pads and ice packs, I about died thinking you want me to wear that!!! Then to wear it inside some fishnet looking, non-sexy underwear shorts things. HUH?! At least I had wonderful nurses. They were so nice and acted like we had been friends for years! But I was intimidated by the lactation nurse; I kind of just did my own thing that worked best for baby and me. I actually enjoyed the “hospital” food. Someone serving me my meals, IN BED! SURE!!!!!
I remember how excited and human-like it felt to shower, even though my husband had to help. I felt great, that is until I stepped out of the shower and freaking the blood went everywhere. I mean, that bathroom floor looked like I had murdered someone! I had no clue that bleeding was like that! I also had hemorrhoids. OUCH. Seriously, ouch. And for real, I just couldn’t get myself to do the sits bath. I tried. I had it all set up and my husband came in to keep me company, lol. He couldn’t help but laugh at me, so then I laughed and it made me hurt even more! No sits for me.
I look back and remember the day I became a Mother to one of the most important little people in my life! I was blessed to have the doctors and nurses that I did. I was blessed to share it with family. And so very blessed to have this little girl in my arms finally! She doesn’t fit in my arms like when she did as a newborn, but she does fit perfectly when giving me a big ol’ hug around my neck!!!! And every time I get that big hug, I remember the day she was born and how fast the time is going by! I hope I never forget any of that day!!!
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