A Baby Story

Is A Baby Story still on TLC?  For some reason while in college, I was addicted to that show.  I watched it everyday.  I loved the prep, the aftermath, the baby showers, all of it.  And, I loved the birth.  I thought it was so spectacular to watch...a new life burst onto the scene.  I especially liked the women who were calm and collected during the birth.  They didn't scream, or grunt, or sweat, or swear.  They had their make-up on, and their hair done, and they kissed their husbands right after their baby was born.  And now I know that, like all other reality TV shows, it was completely scripted and a lie!

I did not do well with the c-section I had to have with the girls.  Due to pre-eclampsia I had to be on some drugs afterward and could not get out of bed for 24 hours.  I was very sick to my stomach most of those 24 hours.  Maybe that's why recovery was not a picnic for me.  Whatever the reason, I was determined to not have a repeat c-section with Baby Jack.

Jack has already revealed a piece of his personality in that he is on his own timeline and there's not much to do to change it.  He was breech long enough to make me nervous, but then flipped in plenty of time.  I carried him high the entire pregnancy and he did not move down as early as my OB would have liked, but he found his way eventually.  He was supposed to come on May 23rd, he made his appearance on May 25th.  He was sunny side up for all of my labor, making me have terrible back labor, but then he turned before
entering the world.

My OB was getting nervous when I went passed my due date and started talking about scheduling something.  Because I had a previous c-section, induction was not an option, so the something she wanted to schedule was a c-section.  I did all I knew to do to make labor start.  I ate spicy food, eggplant parmesan, pineapple.  I sat around hooked up to my breast pump.  I walked and walked.  And then, on Thursday morning, I made myself a castor oil cocktail then promptly pumped, and voila...my water broke!!

Labor was slow.  On Wednesday at my doctor's appointment I was dialated to a 2.  When I checked into the hospital after my water broke and my contractions were about 5 minutes apart, I was dialated to a 2.  And then, eight hours of real-deal labor later, my doctor checked me again....and I was a 2.  I was defeated.  Sure, he had lowered in the birth canal, and things were progressing, but I needed that number to have changed.  I voted for drugs...immediately, loudly, rudely, persistently.

Our fear was always that an epidural would slow or stop my labor.  It was a strange thing in my case.  Within two hours, I had dialated to a 5, but my contractions were further apart.  Labor progressed well, and soon(-ish), I was at a 10 and ready to push.  But, because my contractions were far apart, pushing was not super effective.  Three hours later, though, he was in our arms!

So, in case you missed out on the math, that was 20 hours of labor with 3 of that spent pushing.  Momma was tired.

So, now that I've done it both ways, I get to have an opinion.  **If I've learned anything in practice and in life it's that no two bodies are the same.  You could have had a c-section after carrying twins eighteen months before delivering a single baby naturally and it could be completely different than my story.  I get it.**  While laboring and pushing, a c-section sounded like a really good idea.  I did not have fun on Thursday and Friday morning two weeks ago.  BUT, when it was over, it was over.  Yes, I was sore.  Yes, there are things that I would never speak of in polite company that did not happen during my c-section.  But, now, just two weeks on the other side of it, I feel completely normal.  I can chase after 2 little girls while holding a newborn...I could not even do the stairs while holding one little 5 pound baby at this point after their birth.

I am grateful.  Grateful to have had the experience.  Grateful that it's over.  Grateful that no matter how these little humans joined our family, they are here and healthy.  Grateful that I don't have to do it again anytime soon!!

Love,
Momma