Ok, I will do this while I can

Thought since some family was here chilling with June, I can write about my labor experience before it is all forgotten!

         Last week was a long and hard work week, it was one of those weeks were it just dragged and dragged.  We had a lot of things planned to do before baby comes, pediatrician, clean the house, pack a bag, finish baby laundry loads, ect.  We had an appointment for Sept 30th to meet and greet a pediatrician, Baca's mom was coming Saturday (the 18th) to come cook a meal and find some material for baby bedding.  We woke up Saturday morning and started cleaning (well, Baca did most of the cleaning)!  After a couple of hours he got the baby room, kitchen and living room done, which left the bedroom with all the extra crap from the other rooms and of course the worst to be last.  By that time Deb and Shannon were over and preparing a meal and figuring our plans for the day.  We eventually went to the Dancing Crane store and then to Hancocks Fabric Store to get the material for bedding.  I had been to JoAnns Fabrics before but wasn't set on anything for sure.  I was determined to find something that day.  We ended up walking (me waddling) and going through fabric in the store for a couple of hours.  I got a chance to sit down once we got the material I wanted.  I let Deb handle the measurements and I sat back and realized how long I had been on my feet.  It was time to go home and eat the delicious meal Shannon provided.  Once we were home and belly's full, Deb and Shannon left.  I kept thinking about how I need to pack the bag for the baby, but since it was so late it could wait until tomorrow.  At the time, the most recent dream I had was waking up in the middle of the night, sitting on the toilet and my water breaks.  I sat on the toilet crying and griping at Baca how we hadn't packed the bag!!
       The next day we planned on finishing the house, packing the bags, and taking the poops out on a good walk.  It was a usual night, hard to sleep, but was ready for the many bathroom breaks I would be taking.  I slept through most of the night until I was woken up by a wierd cramp.  I hadn't had any cramping sensations through out my pregnancy so, that was an interesting wake up call.  I get up and make it to the toilet (baca had followed and stood waiting to be next).  I wiped and looked down, realizing it felt different I asked Baca to turn on the lights.  The tissue was covered in blood and I look in the toilet to find it in the same condition.  It was a LOT of blood (sorry if this grosses anybody out).  So, after I get a little freaked out I grab the phone and call the doctor.  We both assumed it was the plug or the 'bloody show'.  The doctor was a bit unsure about me going in, but just to be safe she called the hospital to let me know I was coming.  I was still in the mindset of it will be ok, just a check up.  We got on our clothes and brought a blanket.
        We got to sit in the emergency room for about 15 min before someone finally came.  At the time I was just a little tired and not too anxious.  I kept telling Baca- this is an in and out show, I promise they will send me home to wait it out for another 3 weeks. We finally got to a room and the nurse came in and started the check up.  After determining I was fully effaced they told me they are going to watch my contractions.  They asked the question 'have you had many contractions and how far apart were they?"   I just thought- lady I haven't even kept track of 'em because they haven't been annoying or anything.  The nurse came back in to check on me and looked at my contractions.  "Looks like you will be having a baby today."  I couldn't imagine the look on my face.  Baca sat smiling and looking excited.  All I could do was think about that dumb bag we never packed.  I think I cried a bit still dumbfounded.  I had sent a couple of texts to my mom (the first one was at 2:30 am on the toilet saying we were gonna get checked out).  She had told me she already knew it was going to happen tonight.  Being 75% effaced and her hanging low in my pelvis was a good sign from my last doc appointment.
        It was about 3 am when we were checked in and I was for sure dilating.  I can't remember the times everything happened but it seemed to happen all very fast.  My birth plan was to hold out as long as possible with out an epidural.  I don't know why.  I can't recall why I thought it would be a good idea.  I started out with some ok contractions.  I used the medicine ball, breathing techniques, ect.  I started getting the shakes and had a couple of bad ones that made me cry.  Walking around a bit helped keep labor going.  The bed was calling me for a break.  It didn't take long to be sitting there and she was kicking or punching and I thought 'huh, this is uncomfortable'.  All of the sudden the little girl went incredible hulk and punched, a giant gush of water followed with a massive contraction.  I remember screaming and groaning, and I heard the nurse call in ( I thought she heard me from the room but apparently baca had jumped up so fast and pushed the button).  All I asked for was drugs- give me drugs!!  The nurse comes in and says she has to get a certain amount of fluids in me.  Another contraction came, and I truly can say I am a vocal person.  It was the most painful experience I have ever had.  Poor Baca just stood as I tried to grab something, and the nurse thankfully helped me breath.  I went through about 4 more contractions and begging until the doc came in with his epidural.  The conversation was short and I was ready.  Thankfully, it kicked in pretty quick and I didn't even feel a lot of the contractions.  I also had to lay on my left side because it was better for the babe (causing the epidural to get me more numb on my left side).  It felt like a few minutes until I had to push (not really, it was a couple of hours).  My contractions were really hard to track, but since I was on my left side more, I got to enjoy wonderful back labor on my right side.  I def let them know when one was coming so  I could know when to push lol.
         She was 'sunny side up' so at 10 cm she got her flipped.  They also had to use the vacuum to help her a bit.  Thankfully she came and the doc said ' wow, she is small'.  Hearing that, I thought ok, maybe 6 or  7lbs.  They put her on the scale and she came up 4lbs 3 oz!!!  That was a little scary and was thinking I would have her with me by then buuuuuuuuuuut- the placenta wasn't coming.  A bit later, the placenta still wasn't coming.  They started to poke and knead and it was VERY uncomfortable.  My doc had to go in and get the placenta which was glued to the TOP of my uterus.  Lets just say, by then I had given up on keeping any emotions in.  I was bawling and grunting while it took them about 30-45 min of trying to get the placenta out.  I guess it was pretty bad because I look over at Baca to find him crying.  Prolly the sadest sight I have seen! (during labor he almost passed out a couple of times and I had to yell at him to drink water! ) Finally...it was over.  I only got to hold her while they were working on me so it was a hard time to focus on her.  Everything looked good and later we got to go and see our itty bitty girl.  I cried anytime I saw her. She was so small and I was worried how we can handle something so fragile looking.  She is beautiful though!
        Now that we are home with two very sleepless nights behind us (she woke up every half hour) I can't not think about her and love her!  We have to fatten her up and we went to see a pediatrician today to check her weight.  So far, so good.  Sorry for the long story, I just thought I should get it in now before I forget and decide "lets get pregnant again!"  (Just kidding!)