Totally different from Eleanor's in every way. I don't have as many details because it was a little crazy so times are approximate. I know it sounds hard to believe but honestly I just don't think I realized I was in full blown labor because of how different it was from when I had Eleanor.
January 4th. Went to triage because baby was being quiet. Everything looked pretty good at the time. 35 weeks 5 days at the time
January 12th: Doctors appointment, dilated to a 1 to 1 1/2 and 60% effaced. 36 weeks 6 days.
January 19th: Doctors appointment, mentioned quiet baby again and had a nst. Baby passed that. 37 weeks 6 days
January 21: Baby had it's quietest day yet, so again I was sent to triage and was there from about 5:30-7pm. I was a good 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I am now 38 weeks 1 day. I prayed on the way home that the baby would come soon because my anxiety was getting a little bit much because of the decreased fetal movements.
I was having cramping shortly after but figured it was mostly just from the cervical check although some of it was probably braxton hicks contractions. I also hadn't had a really good poop for a few days so figured I needed to do that too. That night I was feeling contractions and I was breathing really heavy and yelling at times through them, but again didn't think they were real. I was trying to time them but would forget to start or stop the timer and they were a few minutes apart but they didn't seem like they were lasting long. With Eleanor I didn't have any without pitocin so I didn't know what to expect. At some point Rob left the bedroom because he couldn't sleep.
January 22: Around 4:30 I woke up and felt something different. It felt thick so I wondered if maybe it was my mucus plug or a clot or something. Later realized it was likely my water breaking since it was not intact when we got to the hospital but I didn't leak a ton like with Eleanor so I didn't know. I called for Rob at this point and he came off the couch and I said call my dad I need to go to the hospital (because I was in pain). This was about 4:50 he called. I was still really feeling like I had to poop and Rob kept telling me to sit on the toilet but I couldn't. It hurt to sit. I did poop a tiny bit on the floor because standing felt better. I kept going from standing and wanting to lay on the bed and rob kept saying we need go now. I remember saying at one point I felt like I needed to push but I was scared. Even after that though I was still like I just need to poop. He helped me get pants and underwear on and put slippers on my feet because I only had a t-shirt on. Even after he finally got me in the car and we were leaving the driveway I was saying this. He was saying it's way to much pain for needing to poop. I don't remember exactly what time we left the house but I do remember at one point looking at the clock and it said 5:40.
Rob then made the comment how they were about 3 minutes apart, and at that point I was thinking well then how many more am I going to have before we get there. I was screaming and trying to push out what I thought was a poop every couple minutes and at one point I think I did poop a little and said that.
We got to the hospital a little before 6 and pulled up to the maternity entrance and Rob went to grab a wheelchair and the security guy came out to help and it took me a minute or two to even be able to get out of the car because I was having a contraction and screaming. I was wheeled in and the nurse at the entrance was asking me my name and date of birth etc.. because we hadn't called ahead. I'd thought about it but I was worried that because I could talk between contractions they would tell me I didn't need to come in yet. So random I know. So I could barely talk and when she tried to get me to sign a consent to treat form I just scribbled my name. Literally just a scribble.
I was having another contraction and was yelling again and I think they could tell how bad it was because the rushed me into a room, helped me get my pants and underwear off and onto the bed. The nurse checked me and said I was complete and I was in shock. In 12 hours I had gone from a 3 cm to 10 cm.
I remember a moment of panic because Rob wasn't in the room, he had initially walked in with my purse and I thought it was still sitting in the entryway and said something about my bag and where is my husband?
So at that point the room started filling up with nurses (there was at least 6 plus my doctor) and they got everything set up and I realized I was going to have this baby right then in that triage room. I wasn't going to even make it up to the delivery room. Oh and I realized at that point I wasn't going to get pain meds. But it appeared I was going to get the vaginal birth I'd hoped for.
Then my doctor came in and I was slightly relieved. I was worried I was going to get stuck with the on call from when I had Eleanor and I did not like her (and even Rob felt the same). I mean it that moment I didn't care, but leading up to the end of the pregnancy it was a concern of mine.
I thought my motivation for a vaginal delivery was going to be finding out who this baby was and meeting him/her but all I could think about was how much this hurt and how I wanted some relief from the pain once the baby was out.
Rob finally came in at some point and was a bit stunned to already see part of the baby's head. It was a oh this is happening moment for him too.
I was parched at some point so Rob fed me ice chips (so movie ish right?) and I remember saying that it hurt and how encouraging the nurses were. They were telling me I was doing great. I pushed with Eleanor but that didn't end with a vaginal birth so I wasn't sure what I was even doing but they were telling me I was doing good.
I probably pushed a few times each contraction for maybe 4 or 5 contractions. They had me reach down to feel the head at one point. I vaguely remember the head and shoulders coming out and then she was on my chest. I still had my shirt on so no skin to skin right then but she was in my arms. January 22 2016 at 6:21 am. Less than 30 minutes after getting to the hospital.
Then my next question was what is it because I couldn't see and neither could Rob. One of the nurses said girl and I said I knew it. Mallory Diane was here! Mallory was one of two names Rob was okay with out of the hundreds I suggested. Mallory worked better with our last name I think. Diane is Rob's mom's middle name as well so there is a sweet family connection with that.
I didn't cry but I looked up at Rob who was a little bit. I think I was in a little bit of shock and just couldn't process it or something.
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| 5 minutes old! |
I guess I tried to pull her up closer but because the cord was attached they told me not to. I don't remember this but this is what Rob said happened. I do remember my doctor saying he was going to tell the other doctor (who had delivered Eleanor) that I could have a vaginal birth after all. Ha, take that! After the congratulations and everything we headed up to the actual delivery room.
There I delivered the placenta and because I had a few tears I needed a few stitches on the bottom. I could have had one on the top too but it wasn't enough that they felt it was necessary. So then my doctor stitched me up and then he left.
I got my shirt off at some point and did skin to skin. This was before Mallory was even measured. We did that for a while, I attempted nursing which wasn't bad at all. It helped that I kind of knew what I was doing even though it had been a few years since I'd nursed a brand new baby. After that the nurse did her measurements. She was 7lbs 2 oz and 19 1/2 inches. She got her newborn screening and tests. 9/9 APGAR.
I was helped up to the bathroom to clean up a little bit and Mallory had her first bath.
My parents showed up with Eleanor and my niece while we were still in the delivery room. We made them wait in the hallway while we introduced Eleanor to Mallory. She was a little hesitant but very quickly warmed up and was telling my niece and parents to come and see "Malwe" When it was time for her to go she cried that she wanted Mallory to go to her house.
That whole first day I kept up with the pain meds they gave me,but after Saturday morning I didn't take any. I was obviously sore from delivering a baby and had the expected cramping and had some extremely sore arms from holding my legs, but I really was feeling great. So different from Eleanor's birth. We went home Saturday night.
Overall we've adjusted fairly well, Eleanor really loves her as do we obviously. Rob's back at work today so I'm nervous about that a little bit.
Mallory still has some slightly elevated bilirubin levels but the doctors aren't concerned by it really. I worry sometimes about how much she sleeps (not a problem per say) and her short nursing sessions but she's been having wet and dirty diapers so I try not to.
I haven't had pain meds with the exception of two ibuprofen (just an over the counter dosage). There has still been cramping and I'm quite sore from her birth. Bleeding has been tolerable and my arms are finally starting to not be as sore.
Overall this experience was so different from Eleanor's in pretty much every way. From water breaking with pitocin induced contractions and pushing resulting in a c-section after nearly 24 hours to not even realizing I was in labor really and having contractions for 8 ish hours (I think) and an un-medicated vaginal delivery in under 30 minutes.
I probably wouldn't choose a un-medicated delivery again but I'm pretty proud of myself for doing it!
)
