Labor Day: Remembering Labor

My friend Kathy coincidentally gave birth 3 years ago on Labor Day and I always found that to be quite fitting, considering how laborious the nature of birthing is. As part of Rocks in My Dryer's link-up for Labor Day, I'm sharing my labor story. {That's me and SoJo on the left, not my friend}

How long was your labor? 21 hours

How did you know you were in labor? I started having contractions at 2:30 in the afternoon I was scheduled for an induction (it was scheduled for 7pm). Of course this happened right as I was trying to lie down for a nap to "rest up" for labor that evening. My son was 11 days overdue, which is why the induction was scheduled.

Where did you deliver? Hospital.

Drugs? Hell yeah!! I wanted to try natural delivery but was not counting out an epidural. I thought that my years of meditation and mindfulness training would get me through the pain but my god!! My mother warned me, but I was not prepared for contraction on top of contraction with less than a minute to rest in between. And this was when I was only a few centimeters dilated. After a few hours, I begged for that needle. I could barely breathe through those contractions.

C-section? Unfortunately, yes. After my 12th hour of hard labor, things weren't progressing. Those idiots at the hospital insisted that I still do the induction, despite arriving at the hospital in labor. They would have sent me home if I had refused the pitocin because I was only 4 cm dilated, and it's not like I live next door to the hospital. Knowing what I know now, I should have went home and gritted through those really close together contractions. But I thought that when they got so close together that it was a sign that delivery was near.

Plus my son looked big on my ultrasounds and ended up weighing 9lbs 5oz and having a pretty big head, shoulders, and hip circumference.

Who delivered? Doctor Miss Cold Fish. Our insurance was accepted at a practice with like 8 doctors, so each time I had a pre-natal visit I'd meet a different doctor. Of course the doctor I disliked the most delivered my son. She was very dry and didn't have the best bedside manner, but she delivered my son safely. That day, like in many hospitals, there were a bunch of c-sections so I had to wait in line for one. That cracked me up (probably was the drugs too). She had done 2 or 3 already and my husband prayed that I didn't hear her say during the surgery that her arm was cramping up (I didn't hear that, thankfully). Needless to say, I wasn't happy with my birthing experience and would have done some things differently if I could go back again (midwife). But I didn't feel depressed or cheated like some people feel. Honestly, I was just glad to have it over with as I was terrified of labor and delivery throughout my entire pregnancy and since I was a little girl (my mom had 5 kids, so I thought about that a lot)

Stop on over to add your story and check out some of the other posts. It's fascinating reading!

Pulling Out My Hair, Unintentionally

Many of my mama friends warned me this would happen. That luscious pregnancy mane that I loved tossing and flipping is now filling my hairbrush and my clothes and my floors and pretty much everything in the house. It's kind of gross, actually, because it's everywhere--tickling the back of my shoulders, sticking to SoJo's wet, drooly hands, and it's even curled its way into my cooking. Thankfully there were no guests eating with us that day. The worst is when I'm washing dishes and a hair gets onto my hand and is impossible to get off because it gets slippery with the water. O my poor distraught life! When shalt my troubles end?

I remember my mom's gasp when she was changing my youngest brother's diaper and found one of her hairs wound around his, well, you can guess what, and it was pretty red. No wonder he was crying so much beforehand. That image has stuck with me so now I'm always checking SoJo for hair wrapped around his various extremities.

Interestingly, I found that the reason one's hair seems thicker during pregnancy is that hormones prevent it from falling out. A non-pregnant woman loses about 50-100 hairs a day so once a pregnant woman delivers, she'll eventually lose all of that hair that she held onto during the pregnancy. I guess I thought that hair loss would happen sooner, but now my question is how long will this continue?

Induction: Tomorrow, 8pm

I chickened out today for the induction, which was scheduled at midnight. I just couldn't see myself getting enough rest between my appointment and some of the other things I needed to do away from home today. Plus my husband was working and I wanted to make sure he had some rest time too. So tomorrow we will just be relaxing as much as we can before the trip to the hospital. I really don't want to be induced, as I would rather spend the first few hours of labor at home or at least not strapped to monitors. But I guess in the end, everything will turn out fine. I just need to be brave and not get too scared...this happens all the time to lots of women. I will try to keep that in mind. And who knows, he still may make his debut tonight or tomorrow!

Happy Easter!...still waiting for our little bunny

It has been our last relaxing weekend...as I will definitely be a mama sometime this week! I am scheduled to be induced at midnight on Tuesday (not sure why they do it so late, it's not like I'll be able to sleep afterwards), so I assume S will be born on Wednesday, but hopefully not Thursday. I am scared because he will probably be a big baby and I don't know how difficult birthing him will be. But at the same time I am excited and ready to get this over with. I know I'll miss being pregnant, as I had a really easy pregnancy and loved feeling him move (he's moving now). This past week he's been moving like crazy and I imagine he's trying to get out!

So the house has been cleaned, pansies have been planted in the pot outside, the fridge is stocked, and my bags are in the trunk of the car. Send your good thoughts and prayers my way for a safe (and easy!) delivery!

40 Weeks

I am just here biding my time until S decides to break free of my womb, I thought I'd post a picture. Sadly, it's hard to tell I'm pregnant here (just fat) but the other photos weren't very flattering...I swear my husband always takes the shot right before or after I smile.

Anyway, we only got around to taking pictures of my pregnant body last weekend, despite the fact that I am 40 weeks/4 days along. My mom has some photos from my baby shower, but she is pretty computer illiterate so I or my brothers need to get the photos from her camera to the computer for her. So this is the best that I have right now. I am wearing my favorite shirt and the only pair of shoes that I've been able to squish my feet into for the last 3 months. I don't think that I got that big compared to some people I see in the OBGYN office (gained about 22lbs), but I should say that I was already overweight when I got pregnant.

Another Overdue Day

Finally I can sit down here and write a little on my blog after being at the doctor's for most of the afternoon (and sleeping late this morning!). First off, thank you to everyone who has been leaving such nice and positive comments on my postings. I've been visiting all of your blogs and am happy to have "met" you all. I intend to leave some postings of my own on them all. I also need to get myself over to Dolce Diva Designs where I've been tagged by Dawn.

So it's the same old story here, just waiting for S and nothing happening. I know many women must feel this way, but it truly seems that he is never going to come out! In retrospect, this will all seem like a drop in the bucket of time, but right now it is eternal. I had the non-stress test where they monitor the baby's heartbeat for 20 minutes and also an ultrasound where they said he is at least 9lbs, probably more. But from what others have told me, they aren't exactly accurate with the weight. They wanted to induce on Sunday night, but I am going to wait until mid-week, as I want to see if he'll come naturally. All of the tests said everything looks great, the placenta is still functioning well, my fluid levels are good, his heart rate is excellent, etc. So because he is not under any kind of stress, I am going to wait it out. I am still just a fingertip dilated and I have another appointment on Tuesday morning to do the tests again. If he's still not here, they will most likely induce on Wednesday. A couple of my friends who've been induced have had bad experiences where they were in the hospital for 20 hours of labor and then had a c-section. I wish there was some sort of rhyme or reason with labor, where at least something was somewhat predictable. If I knew an induction would lead to a c-section, I'd just opt for that to begin with. But I guess that is some of the excitement about having a baby: the unknown. It is interesting that with all of the medical research out there that there is still so many unexplained things about labor.

I'm Still Here...The Answer I Keep Giving all those callers!

Well, it's my 2nd day of being overdue, and I have yet to feel any cramps, contractions, or obsessions to clean my ceilings, the curtains, and the drains in my sinks. It's been a pretty good day though, as my dear mother came up for a visit and took me out shopping for some new underwear (how exciting). As any of you who were ever pregnant know, your underwear really takes a lot of abuse during pregnancy. So I look forward to wearing these once the postpartum period is over. It was nice to be with my mom and have her reassure me that everything will be ok in the end. I should say that I have 4 younger brothers, so she should know what she's talking about having endured 5 natural labors.

On another note, my mood was definitely lightened yesterday when I learned that I had won a Milk Chic Nursing Cover and Diaper Dandee from Hip Mama's Place, a great site I found via the Ultimate Blog Party. I'll definitely take some photos and write about it after I get it in the mail so you can see if you'd want to get one for yourself or someone who is breastfeeding. It is a pretty good deal at $24 with free shipping. Also, if you use the Hip Mama's Place code (HMP) at checkout, you get a free Diaper Dandee (a carrying case for diapers/wipes).

One more thing, Hip Mama's Place has another cool giveaway, a Diapees and Wipees Holder. Go over and enter a comment today, as the drawing is next Tuesday.

Overdue and Frustrated

It's been a weary 24 hours...I've been a little depressed and a lot restless, waiting for this guy to come out! I am getting a little freaked-out now, not that he is late, but about facing labor and delivery and the unknown (when's it gonna happen, how painful, c-section, etc.). I guess I worry he is going to be a giant baby, like 10 pounds, even though I was 8 and my husband was 6.

I had a doctor's appointment today and the results were the same as last Thursday--barely dilated and not effaced. I haven't had any contractions, just a teensy bit of cramping over the weekend, and I've been walking a lot every day hoping to get something going. I was even raking and working in the flower beds on Saturday, squatting and bending. I am scheduled to go back on Thursday for tests and an ultrasound, so maybe I will have progressed by then. Plus the full moon is on Friday, so maybe that will bring on labor by pulling on my "bag of waters" (such a weird term!).

The funny thing at my appointment today was that they had the wrong chart. I've never had that happen before, but the attendant said that I would need to have an antibiotic shot before labor due to a positive strep test, but at my last appt. they said I was negative for that. It turns out she had the wrong file. To be fair, I usually go to my local satellite office, but since a doctor was only there one day this week, they sent me to the larger office to be checked. So maybe this somehow was a result of that. I'm glad I was paying attention, and not sulking at the fact that I am still pregnant!

Due Date: Tomorrow!!

I've been getting too many phone calls lately, with that same question: "Are you in labor yet?" Despite my thankfulness for everyone's concern, I've decided not to answer the phone any more. Believe me, I can't wait to tell you all when Soren arrives, and you are probably a lot more patient than I am at this moment!

But since I am just a teensy bit dilated (I know, too much info!), and am not having contractions that I know of, I think he's a bit reluctant to enter into the world at the moment. Hopefully before Easter though!