I figure I need to get this down now before I forget! It's a pretty good story, but my mom says it was boring. Sorry, Mom.
I planned to start my maternity leave from work a week before my due date. I (incorrectly) assumed that I would go early again, since Harlowe was 5 days early and usually the second kid comes sooner than the first. So my week off was spent watching TV and running errands with my only child. We had fun, and our house was actually very tidy and clean before Avery's arrival, which was great!
I spent Friday afternoon walking around the outlet mall hoping to spark something. Nada. Saturday I woke up decided that would be the day. I could feel it. Based on...current happenings, I wondered if my water had ruptured. It definitely hadn't broken, but maybe I'd peed myself. Hey, it could happen. Harlowe and I went to Costco with my mom, went back to my parents' house for lunch, again, I wondered what I was leaking. Harlowe went down for a nap around 3 when the contractions started. After calling the doctor and Chris (who was at work still), my dad drove me to the hospital. Contractions were getting serious at that point, just a few minutes apart. I was super excited when the triage nurse checking me in was the labor and delivery nurse that I'd had with Harlowe! She was amazing and I could finally tell her in person how much I appreciated her. Her shift was ending though, and the L&D nurse I had was equally good, so all's well that ends well.
At this point I thought I was dying. My contractions were 1-2 minutes apart and crazy strong. I spent about an hour in triage before they moved me to my own room and the anesthetist showed up shortly after that. I didn't think I'd want an epidural so soon, but I was damn happy to see him when he arrived in the room! Here's why: my body had been very hard at work. I started at 2cm dilated when I started the day, and was now at 7 just 3-ish hours after my labor had started. Once the epidural kicked in, I was so happy. Like, really happy. I couldn't feel any pain, but I could still move my legs and wiggle my toes. I didn't think it would be like that. I napped, I had a bite of Jello, we watched some Pirates of the Caribbean.
My water finally broke around 9 or 10, but I "wasn't allowed" to have the baby until 11:45, due to the antibiotics I was being administered. There was meconium in my amniotic fluid, so NICU and the doctor arrived around that time to do a test push to see where I was at. My test push was very effective. Notable quotes:
Me: "I can feel something there, but it doesn't hurt."
Doctor: " I should think so, there's a frickin' head right there."
Chris and I liked 8/30 as a birthday better than 8/29, so we waited until after midnight to get cracking. Push 1, head is out. Push 2, body is out. Time of birth: 12:02. I know. The doctor said I should have 12 more kids if this is how I deliver them. And that's it! Avery is beautiful and perfect and a rock star sleeper, unless she's in her bed.
