Annabeth's (Really Long) Birth Story :: Part 2

Part 1

I left off on the night before I was going in to be induced. Like I said, I'd had contractions on and off on Sunday, but nothing consistent. I slept fairly well, but was up bright and early because we had to leave for the hospital at 7:00 AM.

Two days shy of 42 weeks pregnant. BLESS.

I got up, showered, did my hair, and grabbed a few more things to take to the hospital. My mom was sweet enough to get up early and make me a delicious breakfast since I didn't know how long it would be before I could eat again. By this time, those random contractions had all but stopped. Lovely. I had really thought that they might be the onset of labor, but no such luck.

I knew I was going to wake up Griffin before we left to say goodbye, but he ended up waking on his own. We got him out of bed and I got some good snuggles before we took some pictures and headed out.

Surprisingly, I was not the hot mess I expected to be when I said goodbye to my first baby. I thank God for that because anyone who knows me would've probably bet on us having a DEFCON 3 emotional situation. Griffin didn't seem to be alarmed that we were leaving because I wasn't having a total meltdown. Once again, thank you, Lord.

I was also at complete peace about being induced. I knew that I'd given it 12 days past my due date and that it was time for her to come out. I think that's another reason why I was so calm leaving Griffin; we'd had 12 days to have our "lasts", if you will. 

We got to the hospital shortly before 7:30 and went up to labor and delivery. They got us in our room pretty quickly and then my friend Janelle who is a labor and delivery nurse came in to say hello. I was so disappointed because her shift had just ended when we came in, but I was able to talk to her about some questions and fears that I had and she put my mind at ease. She also had chosen my delivery nurse and told us we would love her.

My last birds-eye belly shot!

After Janelle left, our L&D nurse Dani came in and introduced herself. She knew we wanted another natural birth, aside from the Pitocin, and was very supportive of that. I knew I liked her right away; she had a fantastic bedside manner.

Soon after Dani started getting everything ready, the anestheisiologist came in to say hello. She was incredibly kind and gave me her spiel and asked me some questions. I shared with her that as long as it was safe for the baby, we were planning to have another natural birth (except for the Pitocin, obviously). She wished us well and left.

Dani checked me and said I was still at 3.5 cm and about 70-80% effaced. Once she got my IV set up and the Pitocin started pumping (a little before 9:00 AM), she strapped me to the fetal heart rate monitor and said I could pretty much do what I wanted-- walk, sway, bounce, etc. I decided that I wanted to walk for awhile, so Tyler and I walked around the floor for about 45 minutes to an hour. While we were walking, my mom arrived. She was a great support to me during Griffin's labor and delivery and we'd decided to have her join us for the labor process once again.

We ended up going back to the room around 9:45 and I tried some different positions. I stood and swayed for awhile and then rocked back and forth while standing up. I remember that I really started to feel the contractions while I was swaying. I eventually ended up back in the bed.

We turned on a movie, but shortly after it started, things started to get more intense. I remember just laying on my side, but shifting back and forth as I could. I labored on my side for quite a few hours with Griffin as well. My mom and Tyler were great; they kept asking what they could do for me, but for a long time, I just wanted to be quiet and focused. They were very respectful of this. It was really encouraging for me to know they were there if/ when I needed them. I labored quietly and on my left side for probably close to an hour before I really needed Tyler.

Like I said, it was around 10 am when my contractions really started to get intense. I'd heard Pitocin contractions were awful, but I'm going to tell you what-- you can't comprehend how awful until you actually have them. My Pitocin contractions were much worse than my worst transition contraction with Griffin. They started out much like regular labor contractions, but they got bad so, so fast.

Starting at 10:00 am, I had contractions every two and a half minutes. I absolutely could not get on top of them. They were coming so fast and they were so intense that I could barely breathe through them. I was trying every position in the book and it truly felt like one continuous contraction. It was so much different than my labor with Griffin; his was long and intense, but I could get on top of the contractions and come down off of one before the next started.

There was none of that this time. They came and they came and they came. And they were horrible.

Dani was so diligent about coming to check on me every 30 minutes on the dot. At 11:30, we expressed to her that I was struggling big time (as if she couldn't figure that out on her own) and we asked if she would check me. She did and I was only at a 4. If you can't do basic math, that's only one half of a centimeter in two and a half hours of Pitocin. That's not a whole lot, friends.

I was so discouraged when she told me that. I started crying because I knew I could not do these contractions all day and all night. I just really wasn't progressing a whole lot and I was already exhausted. I labored on the bed for another thirty minutes before I knew that wasn't going to help anything anymore.

I decided to get in the shower on the birth ball to see if that helped. A little side note for you: Tyler had left his bag in the car (on purpose) when we got the the hospital. I was very bothered by this for some reason. I wanted him to have his basketball shorts, a t-shrit, and flip flops in case I needed him to support me while I was in the shower. So of course, when it came time to shower, he had none of this. Y'all, I FREAKED out. He was wearing his jeans, shoes, and a button down and I was so disturbed that he was going to have WET CLOTHES TO MEET THE BABY OH MY GOSH. You know, because I'm sure that's what my 0 minutes old baby was going to be focused on. The shower was set up in such a way that he was able to help me and not get wet at all, but that was after his nearly 42 weeks pregnant wife practically bit his head off about not having his FLIP FLOPS.

I got in the shower around noon. I bounced and I bounced and I bounced. I sat on that ball and had hot water spraying on my back for each contraction for the better part of an hour. Tyler stayed in that hot bathroom with me, rubbed my shoulders, helped adjust that shower nozzle and held my hand the whole time. I am so thankful he's mine; I couldn't have done one minute of the labor process without him.

While we were in the bathroom, I brought up the e-word... epidural. I was feeling so beat down. I said this before, but I virtually could not get on top of my contractions. It was the most intense physical and psychological pain I've ever felt and this is coming from someone who labored for an unmedicated 21 hours. Pitocin is NO JOKE.

I knew that I could not continue to labor like I was for hours and hours and still have the energy to push out a baby. I remember snoozing off and on between contractions with Griffin, but there was none of that this time. I asked Tyler if he would be disappointed in me if I got an epidural and he couldn't have said no fast enough. He expressed that he wanted me to have the labor experience that was right for me, that he knew I'd been working hard and that I was tired, and that he absolutely wouldn't be disappointed in the slightest.

Truly, I knew he didn't mind either way, but I kept asking him. He kept giving me the same answer, but for some reason, I needed to keep pressing the issue because that's just who I am. See? He's a really good husband.

I cried and he kept talking through things with me until we came to a decision. Again, I'm so incredibly thankful for such a supportive, level headed husband who understood my desires for a natural birth. I couldn't have asked for a better birth partner.

I'm going to finish this up in a few days with one last post. I promise I won't let two weeks go by before I post the last installment. It's important to me that I remember the details of AB's birth and that means being quite wordy, apparently. Thanks for hanging in there!

Five on Friday :: Found on the Internet

I'm linking up with the ladies today for Five on Friday! 

Since I'm still spending a great amount of time nursing Annabeth, I've been finding some fun stuff poking around on the web. I thought I'd share some things that I'd found via Pinterest, my Feedly reader, and through friends. Consider this my Five on Friday "Found on the Internet" version! 

1. Ham, Ham, and more Ham

Both of our families were in town this past weekend for Annabeth's dedication on Mother's Day. We had a ham on Sunday (one of my favorite meals!) and we were left with the ham hock plus a few baggies full of ham. What to do besides freeze the hock for soup? Of course we'll be having ham and cheese sliders from Tasty Kitchen. They are so easy and super delicious. But we needed something different. Enter Fettuccine Ferrari from Samma's blog. I made this last night (I subbed a random shorter cut of pasta I had in the pantry-- it had some fancy, weird name) and it was fantastic. Tyler and I both liked it a lot and said it would be great with grilled chicken this summer. If you have leftover ham (or grilled chicken), make this. You could even just add more veggies and leave out the meat. It's quick, easy, and tasty. Two Haney thumbs up!

2. Patio Furniture DIY

My mom and I repainted an iron patio a few years ago. We used a pretty yellow spray paint and while I have loved the color, it just hasn't held up well. Maybe it's because it's been about 3 years. I have been thinking about repainting it, but this post from my friend Rachel really inspired me to get my behind to Lowe's and spray it again. We use it almost everyday in the summer, so it really needs to be done soon. Maybe a new umbrella and cushions will be my reward! 

3. Aldi

I have noticed that my grocery bill just keeps getting higher and higher. No matter how many coupons I have and how much I try to use what's in my pantry, it's nearly impossible to keep it reasonable week after week. My sweet friend Kara (we went to college together!) wrote a great post on why she shops at Aldi and what she does and doesn't buy there. I love reason #2; Kara has such a heart for the Lord and people. Make sure you add her blog to your reader; she has a great sense of style and three of the most darling children I've ever seen! I shopped at Aldi this week and ended up spending only $60! I did buy a kickball, plate, and cup for G and didn't buy my meat there, but I'd say that's a pretty good deal! Plus, Griffin thought it was the best day of his life when he got to put the quarter in to get our buggy. Small pleasures.

4. Organizing vs. Purging

We are putting our house up for sale soon and I'm preparing by going through each room with a fine-tooth comb. Well, as fine-tooth as I can with two little ones demanding a great deal of my time. I loved this post by Tsh about how different decluttering and organizing really are. I found myself nodding as I was reading and thinking about the post days later. I think she's really on to something. I wouldn't consider myself a minimalist and I probably never will, but many of her points were spot on. 

5. Kids and Starbucks

It's no secret that I like to frequent Starbucks as much as I can. I can't help it; it's a sickness. It certainly helps that the Cincinnati area is very light on drive-thru Starbucks. It's rare that I want to drag my three year old and his 13 pound (plus heavy car seat) sister into a storefront for a coffee. This pleases my husband and our budget, obviously. But we do have one drive-thru near Trader Joe's, so if I'm in that area of town, I'll often swing through for vanilla macchiato. Griffin begs for a cake pop every time we pull into the parking lot and I usually rarely indulge him. I loved that Raechel posted about what she gets her kids at Starbucks. I think Griff would go bananas over this as he always begs for "just one sip of your Starbucks coffee, Mama!" This way he can have his own treat that isn't a ball of sugar on a stick. But you can't blame him, can you? Those things are so stinking good. 

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! I'll be back on Monday with the second installment of Annabeth's incredibly long birth story.  And just because I can't help myself, here are a few pictures of my kiddos. We're so glad spring is here to stay! 

Annabeth's (Really Long) Birth Story :: Part 1

Well, I figured that since my baby is about to turn 3 months old, it was probably time to get her birth story on paper... or, blog, I guess. I have loved reading Griffin's birth story here and there over the last three years and it's important to me that I can do the same with my baby girl!

Let's start at 40 weeks.

That is a big old 40 week belly. Whew.

I was due on Wednesday, January 22. If I had a dollar for every person who told me they though I'd have the baby early or on time, I'd be a wealthy woman. And honestly? I agreed with them. Griffin came 48 hours after his due date and in my heart of hearts, I thought we'd meet this baby before or very close to her due date.

To that, I say, "Bite me, heart of hearts." Apparently I don't know much about my own child and body.

So 40 weeks came. We had our 40 week doctor appointment and although I adore my doctor, he scared the pants off me with all of the risks you run by going over your due date. I think I cried out of fear for about 24 hours. I even called one of my favorite nurses back and talked to her about it. Thankfully, she reassured me that it's his standard speech and that they weren't worried about the baby at all.

Into week 40 we went. It came and dragged on and on and on. And next thing I knew, we were back the next week for my 41 week appointment. I had a NST (non stress test) and an ultrasound where everything looked good. The baby was measuring around 8 pounds and 21 inches and I had plenty of fluid. I was checked and I was about 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced. This was all well and good, but I hadn't had one contraction. I hadn't dropped. Things looked fine on the inside, but it didn't look like much was happening in the way of labor.

After these things, we sat down with my doctor. As I said before, he is a wonderful man and I appreciate him so much. He's not the doctor who delivered Griffin; he moved and I still can't talk about it without tearing up. I know, healthy. Anyway, my current doctor was very much on board with our desire to have another natural birth. Since the baby looked healthy and there wasn't a concern about her immediate health or safety, he said he was fine waiting until week 42 to induce.

However, what you have to know is I was D-O-N-E. I was huge and in pain and exhausted. I just wanted to meet my baby, but again, I wanted to have another natural birth. He told me that if I wanted to be induced, he could do it on Friday, January 31 or Monday, February 3. Tyler and I talked on the drive home and decided that if she hadn't come by then, we would induce. I felt a great amount of peace about this and thought she would surely come before then.

Again, my heart of hearts just isn't as sharp as it once was.

A "date" to my 41 week appointment

Sweet girl! It was kind of nice to have a bonus ultrasound.

My parents were planning to come when I went into labor to keep Griffin. Because they live 5 hours away, we did have a backup in case they didn't make it in time, but my labor had been so long with Griffin that they'd made it with plenty of time to spare before he was born. Since baby sister decided to be born during the WORST WINTER EVER, we were a bit nervous about the questionable weather. After my appointment, they decided to drive down that day so that they'd be here in the event that I did go into labor spontaneously and the weather was poor. I'm so glad that they did. They kept me and Griffin occupied during the long days of waiting.

This seems normal.

And wait we did. We got to Sunday and I still was very, very pregnant. In the week and a half that I'd been overdue, I'd tried EVERYTHING to get un-pregnant. Seriously. Everything. Massage, spicy food, walks, acupuncture, other... things. I tried it all. No dice. So when Sunday rolled around and I still hadn't contracted once, I resigned myself to the fact that I would be induced the next morning.

Truly? Even for someone who wanted a natural birth bad, bad, bad, I was okay with the induction. I wasn't thrilled, but my main goal was a healthy baby. And I just wanted my baby. I didn't care how she had to get here; I just wanted to see her face. After all we went through to have her, I was focused on simply meeting her. It was all about the end result for me.

We had a wonderful day on Sunday. We went to church and my mom made everyone their favorite appetizer while we watched the Super Bowl. I was able to really soak up my last day with Griffin as my only child and I was also prepared for what I knew was to come the next day. That night, as we were watching the game, I started to have some inconsistent contractions, but SPOILER ALERT, they meant nothing.

After I put Griffin to bed (and bawled my eyes out), I put the rest of our hospital stuff together and went to bed. I wanted to get up early to shower, do my hair, and eat a good breakfast before getting to the hospital for our 7:30 AM induction time. I didn't sleep well that night because I was feeling a whole host of emotions-- excitement, nervousness, anxiety, and disbelief that the day was finally here. We'd been waiting for much longer than 9 months for a chance to have another baby and I was bowled over with gratitude that our miracle was finally coming to pass. I also enjoyed a final night of (somewhat interrupted) sleep. It was a good day and I was beside myself with excitement that we'd be holding our baby within 24 hours.

Our last night as a little duo.

I'm going to continue this in another post because with the way I'm going on and on, you'll be here reading for the next week. My word with the long winded. I promise I'll post the second part tomorrow, so stay tuned!

And bless you, you're probably thinking that this whole portion has nothing to do with her birth, but to me, it was a big part of her arrival. I guess that's what happens when you reach the nearly 42 week pregnant mark. Bless.