You would think I would know a bit more about how it feels to go into labor, and when I should head for the hospital after my first baby. But let me tell you, I had no clue. With my son, I went to the hospital because my water broke, and then afterward I had contractions. But with my baby girl that was not the case, and we even had a false alarm trip to the hospital (which is now in the town over from us since we moved).
My son was two weeks early so I was thinking that my daughter might also be early. Everything I read or heard told me she would be since my first baby was. But she was just content to stay in there as long as she wanted! My daughter was born just 4 days before her due date, which was August 30th. (Born August 26th)
I was a bundle of nerves, I was anxious because I had rapid labor with my son (and with her) so I was so worried that I wouldn’t know the signs of labor in time and we wouldn’t make it. Second and subsequent babies come out faster, and if I already had a rapid first labor and delivery, then who’s to tell me I could make it the 20 minute drive to the hospital??
Well spoiler, I did make it! And my baby girl did decide to come out faster, so fast in fact that her whole face was bruised from her decent through the birth canal, and her head perfectly round! The nurse told me that she wished she could show people what the perfect head shape would be of newborns. What a great compliment, if I had any actual say in how my girl arrived, my body did all they work, not my brain. As a matter of fact, I don’t think my brain was even working during any of the delivery, I was in so much pain.
But let’s go back a ways, and start at the beginning. The false alarm.
I woke up at about 7:30am a week before my daughter was born, and the bed was wet. Now I didn’t wake my fiancé up because I had to make sure it wasn’t just me wetting the bed. So what I had been told, was if the liquid has no smell (ick, I know) then it’s most likely amniotic fluid. So I walked to the bathroom and did the check. No smell.
I had also heard that if it is your amniotic fluid, then you should be able to cough and more would come out. (Because you obviously can’t hold that in!)
Well I tried that too, I even hopped around a bit and nothing happened. So I was going to go back to bed. Well I walk back to the bed, to see my fiancés face staring at me wondering if I was ok.
I said “I don’t know but I feel fine”
But he convinced me we should at least call and see what they say at the hospital. They asked if I checked to see if it smelled, I told them no and that nothing else had leaked.
The lady on the other end told me to come up and get checked just in case. So I called my mom who rushed to us, I panicked and ran her through everything that my son needed for while I was gone, we got in the car and drove to the town over, which was about 20 minutes to the hospital.
We were taken to a room and I was hooked up to monitors, dressed in a hospital gown and tested.
We waited for the test to finish as we got to listen to our babies heartbeat and movement.
The results came back… I had indeed, peed myself.
I was embarrassed, and of course when I went in to work everyone had already heard I was up there and had to ask what happened. So I just had to laugh and say she is just kicking my bladder and I peed myself in my sleep.
Well the next week, I woke up at 6:45 am, feeling the urge to go to the bathroom, and I don’t mean pee. And once I got back in bed the cramping got worse, I tried moving and I even tried going to the bathroom again, as I still felt like I needed to go. I sat in there for a while, and started googling ‘do labor contractions feel like you have to poop’…
Well turns out yes they do. I went in the bedroom and quietly woke up my fiancé and told him what was going on, I was in quite a bit of pain, trying to get dressed. He asked if I was serious or if it was just another false alarm, I said
“No, these are contractions, we need to go.”
I called my mom who hurried over again, I was trying to walk her through the morning stuff again for my son and I had to keep stopping every few minutes to just bend over in pain. needless to say I didn’t fix my hair, or put on makeup like I had before my son was born, I was feeling the pains with this baby.
We threw the hospital bag in the car and off we went, the whole way after each contraction, I felt exhausted and like I had just ran, I couldn’t even talk during the contractions. And they were happening every 2-3 minutes.
We made it to the hospital and they brought me a wheel chair so that it didn’t have to walk anymore. I had to stop 3 times in the parking lot on my way to the doors. And since the hospital was technically not open yet, the “visitors” main elevator to the labor and deliver floor wasn’t on, so the nurse ran us down a couple halls to the service elevator.
We arrive on the labor and delivery floor, and we get to a room, all the while I keep doubling over with contractions. I change into the hospital gown, they have me sit back in the bed and check my dilation, and for the life of me I don’t remember what it was but I believe it was 5cm.
I told the nurse I needed to pee, and so they helped me stand up after I was hooked up to an IV.
The nurse said she wanted to get the IV in as soon as possible knowing my previous baby was a rapid labor and delivery.
She said “I don’t trust people like you!” And laughed as she hooked me up.
I stood up and my water broke. Not only did it slash on me off the laminate floor but it also got on my fiancé haha!
I waddled my way to the bathroom, leaking fluid the whole way. I sat down on the toilet, they left the door open in case I needed assistance getting up. And after sitting on the toilet for a while my doctor walks in and sits in the couch talking to the nurse asking questions. I said it felt like I really really needed to poo….. I asked if it was ok to if it happened. My doctor said if it comes out sure but absolutely no pushing.
“Do not have that baby on the toilet.”
Well I didn’t go but I also couldn’t get up. The nurse and my fiancé rush in to get me up and on the bed. Which honestly was such a feat! But I made it!
After laying down, the back labor began… and I don’t know if it was because I laid down or what but let me tell you…. It’s no joke. Back labor has to be the worst pain I have ever experienced, and I’ll be the first to admit, my whole life has revolved around pain.
They asked if I needed pain relief, I said yes but it was too late for an epidural, I had to wait for the anesthesiologist to come out of a cesarean surgery a few doors down.
He came in and apologized but said he could give me an injection that could potentially help.
Writhing in pain I agreed to everything he said without really listening if I’m honest. I couldn’t pay attention to anything but the pain in my spine. They man was extremely nice and gentle, and was as quick as he could be after they sat me up.
Unfortunately it didn’t work. He came in after the birth and asked if I was doing ok, and to see if it did help me or not. I said I didn’t think so, and with an apologetic look he said that sometimes, that close to delivery, they don’t help, but it could sometimes take the edge off. And then turns out we knew each other from my work! He asked where I worked and he said I knew I remembered you from somewhere, he took his mask down and I recognized him as well, and he just had welcomed their 4th baby about a month earlier!
Any way back to delivery, I actually yelled with this baby, I remember feeling embarrassed but the yelling seemed to help so I didn’t hold my breath as much pushing. And my little girl decided to enter this world with her arm against her face. So she gave me more of a struggle there!
She also descended so quickly that her entire face was bruised, as well as having what they called a stork bite. She still has it 4 months later, faded, but there. And a birth mark on the back of her head under her hair line. Part of the stork bite, but this one hasn’t faded at all. Such a unique girl and I love it!
My girl was born at 9:51am, 8lbs 4oz, and 21 inches long with the chubbiest of cheeks. (My son was never chubby anywhere on his body so this was new)
My doctor said I had some tearing, probably the same places as before, and she said, “I’m not surprised you tore, that’s a big ass baby!”
The nurse behind her said “ you can’t say that! Haha”
“Yes I can, it’s true!”
I just laughed, I was tired but so happy to have my girl in my arms. And what a funny thing to remember after such a painful experience. I think she knew I needed a laugh, and she delivered. (Haha, get it?)
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas time, and have a great new year, remember pain is temporary, and love will always make the pain lesser.
~A
Ink & Embers 