It's been half a year since we became parents. It feels like it's actually been forever, but at the same time only a few months. While Bailey was napping today, I had a chance to catch up on some old episodes of Teen Mom that I DVR-ed this season, and watching the show got me to thinking about the days leading up to Bailey's birth.
Everyone (and I mean everyone) kept telling me how huge I was and that "no way is that baby going to make it to your due date". Well, I was huge, and my baby did make it to her due date...and then some. June 21st came and went, and no baby. I was so tired of everyone asking me "when's that baby coming?" like I had any freakin' control over it. I went to the OB's office on my due date, was barely dilated, and had my membranes stripped (this is going to sound ridiculous, but I think that was worse than actual labor) and was sent on my way with the promise that the "stripping" would send me into labor by that night. We had the bag packed, gas in the car, and were ready to roll. My mom kept telling me that most women go into labor in the middle of the night so off I went to bed, fully expecting to be awakened in the middle of the night and rush to the hospital. My alarm woke me up at 7 the next morning...no baby. Doc set my induction for a week later, June 28th.
I went into labor on my own early the morning before my scheduled induction (June 27th). I remember being woken up way early in the morning because I thought I felt a stomach ache. I sat in bed for a few seconds, didn't feel anything else, and passed out again. A few minutes later, I felt the same sharp pain and sat straight up in bed. I still didn't know what a contraction felt like and, after crying wolf and heading to the hospital a few times before, I wasn't about to go calling the OB right away. I got up a few minutes later to go to the bathroom, and the pain stopped me in my tracks. Yep, pretty sure this was it. So what does a woman in labor at 4:30 in the morning do? Well, if you're me, you run to the bathroom to comb your hair and shave your legs. I had to stop every few minutes to wait out a contraction and could hardly breathe by the time I was done but, damnit, I was determined to have smooth legs in those stirrups! So, then I figure if I can shave my legs I can take a minute (or 10 after stopping for each contraction) to comb my hair and put some mascara on. Call me crazy, but I didn't want my baby's first glimpse of her mama to be of some crazy-haired, tired-looking freak.
It was close to 5am and my contractions were between 2 and 3 minutes apart when I woke Scott up to tell him we needed to go to the hospital. If I had shaken him awake and told him we needed to pick up the newest video game, he'd have been up and out and had us at the store in 3 minutes. Apparently, a woman in labor, though, doesn't require the same level of speed. He took his time getting out of bed, played with the dog while I breathed through the pain like a frantic madwoman, and only hustled when I yelled at him that WE NEED TO GO NOW!!!
I can't remember the exact feeling of the contractions. Everyone always told me that they felt like bad menstrual cramps. Let me be the first to say that they in no way, shape or form felt like cramps. Cramps are a walk in the park compared to the pain of a contraction. I'm calling bullshit on this one. I remember that when I was having a contraction, my entire body was involved. I couldn't walk during one, couldn't sit up during one, couldn't talk. The anesthesiologist needed me to sign a form for my epidural and I couldn't even hold the pen because I was so focused on getting through the pain.
By the time we got to the hospital I was 6 cm. dilated and my first question was "Is it too soon for an epidural?" I completely admire women who can go through childbirth without the help of any pain meds. I, however, am not one of them and wasn't about to test my endurance that day. I highly recommend the epidural, by the way. It was smooth sailing after that and after 25 minutes of pushing our Bailey Reece was born at 11:48am EST. She was alert and healthy and beautiful. And, best of all, she was OURS.
In fact, I'd secretly love another baby soon...better go talk to Scott!
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