Blizzard Baby

Apologies, it's been awhile. I was a bit busy HAVING A BABY.

Amazingly enough, it actually happened on my due date, but not really at all like I thought it would. During a blizzard where we got 18 inches of snow, of course. Mike dug us out once the day before (I was having contractions Sunday night already, the blizzard was Monday, the baby was born Tuesday). When we went to bed Sunday night I was having contractions about 15 minutes apart. I woke up to write down the times and they slowly moved closer together and got way more intense. By 1:00 am they were about four minutes apart so I called the hospital and they said to come in.

The four or five blocks to the main road weren't plowed, but luckily we have 4-wheel drive. Mike told me later he was scared we were going to get stuck, but at the time I couldn't think of anything except horrendous contractions.

They admitted us a little after 2:00 am and I continued to have contractions for awhile - about 2 minutes apart. Unfortunately I wasn't dilating at all with them (I was at about 2 cm and sticking). The doctor suggested we walk around to try to get things moving. The labor and delivery wing was u-shaped and pretty small. We'd walk to one end, stop in front of the nursery window, have a contraction, and walk to the other point of the "u". Then we'd stop in front of the door where the doctor was sleeping in a recliner (there were 22 blizzard babies born over the course of those couple days). I would have another contraction staring at the doctor's sock feet.

After 45 minutes of this, the doctor checked again ... 2.5 cm. I wanted to bawl. Or die. The most awesome nurse in the world, named Cindy Brady, finally just said if you want to get an epidural, just do it already. I was having contractions every two minutes for 90 seconds. I said yes, please.

It was awesome. The needle wasn’t even scary. I told them they should sell it on the streets. I could see my contractions on the monitor, but I couldn’t feel anything. I started to take a nap.
Suddenly the doctor and nurses were there, turning me on my side and pulling out the ticker tape from under the monitor that tracks the baby’s heartbeat. The baby was distressing, her heart rate was down to 65. All I could see was Mike’s face. He looked like he was going to throw up. They put a monitor on her head. After a few minutes, things seemed to be back to normal. I thanked God.

Since I still wasn’t dilating, they started a pitocin drip. We waited and dozed and then the doctor was there again. She said after every contraction the baby’s heart rate was dropping. Nothing as drastic as before, but she said there are certain patterns you don’t mess with, and maybe the cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck, or maybe the placenta was separating. She said she wanted to do a c-section right away. I wanted to talk to my mom. They were snowed in at home, but Mike was keeping them posted. I talked to my mom and tried not to cry. Later, my sister said at this point my dad said “this is bullshit” and they started digging out to get to town.

They wheeled me to the elevator and it went down to the surgery floor. Mike went with Cindy Brady to put scrubs on. At this point I didn’t feel scared. The anesthetist was so nice, and explaining everything that was happening. Mike got there and sat by me. They said I’d feel a lot of pressure, but I didn’t. I was moving my feet in circles the whole time. Then the baby cried and it was wonderful. And they said she looked beautiful and her head was big. I said that was Mike’s fault, and everyone laughed. They held her around the curtain and I thought she looked like my mom’s side of the family. Then Mike went with her and they cleaned her up. Then they brought her back over and I touched her little hand and it was all worth it.

soon?

39 weeks, 5 days. No baby yet. We went shopping all day yesterday (Saturday) and walked around the park today. I bought a pineapple this morning because one of the baby books said it worked for induction. But, so far, nothing. I have been having hella braxton hicks tonight, maybe that's a good sign. Of all the luck, they're predicting three feet of snow tomorrow (it was 80 today). Maybe the change in barometric pressure will get things rolling, like a full moon or something. It does ruin my plan of wearing flip flops to and from the hospital however. And so, the waiting continues.

maternity, schmaternity

I'm officially on maternity leave starting today. It's a little bit bizarre - I keep feeling guilty like I should be checking my email or something. I think it would be better if there were an actual baby to take care of, but I'm trying to appreciate the extra time to get everything ready, keep the house clean, etc. No updates on the labor front - I had some contractions last night for a couple of hours, but nothing regular or that painful. My aunt is in town for the weekend and has requested the baby be born by Sunday morning so she and my cousins can meet her. At this point, I am not optimistic.

39 weeks, 2 days

Interesting night last night. At the end of the day I had my 39 week doctor's appointment, which Mike came to, thank god, I probably would have freaked if I had been by myself. My blood pressure was a little high (for the second week in a row), which I know is just because I worked all day and was running around. Also because I'm 39 WEEKS PREGGERS and a little nervous and apprehensive. Also, because I know more than doctors. Just ask my husband.

Anyway, to be safe the doctor sent us up to labor and delivery for monitoring with the ominous farewell "you may or may not be going home tonight". Yikes. Which actually would have sucked because I don't think this kid is ready to come out yet - i wasn't dilated at all, so if an induction didn't work it would have meant a c-section. Anyway, they hooked me up and ran some tests. I actually was having some contractions, but apparently not very productive ones. The baby sounded great which is always comforting.

So we stayed there for a few hours being monitored, my blood pressure went down and they sent us home after all the tests came back normal. When we got home, I didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. This last couple of weeks have been such a weird waiting game, it's kind of exhausting. I feel better after sleeping like a rock last night, always a treat this late in pregnancy. So that's the update. I'm working from home today and then I'll probably call it quits. I'm pretty much at a stopping point with all of my projects, and the doctor said they would induce me next week if nothing happened by my appointment Tuesday. I hate to take away from time off with the baby, but if it's going to wack my blood pressure out it's probably for the best to be done. I will have to think of some ways to occupy my busy brain, however, or I'll drive myself crazy.

hurry up and wait

Ugh - it's been a LOOONNNGGG time since I posted last. Jesus.

I guess I've been a little distracted - yeppers, bun in the oven. Due in just nine days, actually. Can you believe that? I suppose I should have been recording all the preggers ups and downs for the masses, but I did it in my own journal instead (on PAPER, even - shocking). Some things are kind of weird and gross and private and wonderful - and pregnancy was one of them for me. But because now that wonderment has given way to just WAITING, and that in a few days whatever shreds of modesty I ever had will be pulverized by a room full of medical staff, I might as well start sharing again. I'm going to need something to do over maternity leave (ha, ha). But seriously, I would like to document what the end of the strange crazy trip of pregnancy feels like, as well as the beginning of parenthood.

So stay tuned for b-day (but hopefully not too long).