A Very Thankful Birth Story

(I think this is the most excited I have ever been to write a blog post. Please excuse the excessive use of !!! and the length. I have a lot to say.)

I AM A MOM!

and this is how it happened.

Monday November 19th: My doctor and I talked about my options as I approached 41 weeks. It was decided that we would schedule a c-section for Friday November 23rd. I cried afterwards. I was looking forward to a natural birth experience, but having a healthy baby was top priority. 

4:30 am, Tuesday November 20th: I woke up not feeling well. I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for a few months, so it was not unusual to feel this way. This time was different, they were more intense and they did not let up even with various position changes. I cleaned the kitchen, sat on my birth ball for a bit and then decided to head back to bed to try to get more sleep.

6:30 am: I wake my husband up telling him about the contractions. I was nervous that they weren't going away (and excited and reluctant and a whole host of other emotions!!). I had a pre-operation appointment at the hospital at 9:30 this morning so Mike and I decided I would wait until the appointment and then let the nurse know how I was feeling.

I was barely able to eat some granola and yogurt between contractions, which were coming about every 5 minutes. Mike and I tried to watch a little television before he had to leave for school but I was too focused on the contractions to even comprehend the show. 

Mike left for school with the car (yes we have one car) and I was going to walk to the hospital for my appointment. Now I know this sounds crazy, 41 week pregnant lady walking to the hospital, but it is only about a quarter mile away from our place. And so I walked. And Mike went off to school.

9:30 am: As the nurse was interviewing me, I was still having steady contractions. I told her that I was not feeling well and that the contractions had lasted for about 5 hours. She suggested I get checked in to the OB department and get checked just in case it was labor. 

11:00 am: After getting checked in and hooked up on the monitors, I was checked for dilation. Guess what? I HAD DILATED 3-4 CM!!! WHOO!!! 
I was not leaving this hospital without a baby. A BABY!!!
I text my husband, who was still in class, that I was in the hospital and he should come as soon as class was done.

I am not sure of the time table from here on out but it went something like this:
throwing up
contractions getting stronger
husband came
more throwing up
sister-in-law came
made my husband stand by my side as a I squeezed his hand through every contraction
my water was broke artificially
contractions become worse
I moan through every contraction 
My husband tries to tell me some biology fact and I tell him to shut up
I decide I want the spinal block
I get the spinal block and it felt so weird
I apologize to the nurse and doctor for being so loud
contractions get to be about a minute apart 
I feel like I need to push
I cry
I push for 35 minutes 

7:40 pm: Raphael Francis Albano is born, beautiful and perfect.

 

I cannot telly you how thankfully I was to have a mostly natural birth. In fact, I thanked the doctor on call for letting me labor. I thanked my husband for being wonderful through everything. I apologized profusely for being such a hot mess during labor (no one seemed bothered by it!). And I am so glad our little man is healthy.

I truly have so much to be thankful for. 

Going through the labor process is one of the most painful and rewarding things I have ever done in my life. 

I am forever in love with my son. Having children is wonderful. 
I told my husband shortly afterwards that we could do this again.

oh and sleeping for 2 hours at a time seems awful, but you get used to it. I promise.