The last couple of weeks of pregnancy were rough –
My varicose veins were very swollen and engorged. It made simple things like getting out of bed, sitting and walking very difficult. I tried to keep active as much as I could for at least 15-20mins a day; walking, doing squats and prenatal yoga.
On Monday August 3rd, we had our almost 40 week check-up. Doctor said everything was great and that I was 2.5cm dialted and that I should deliver soon – so they said when I was 2cm dialted the week before.
Because of my growing issue with the vericose veins (one had even bled out), I was given the okay for an induction that coming Thursday the 6th at 9:30am.
My heart sank. I already had been wondering when was she coming and now I knew she would be here no later then Thursday. The feeling was so surreal and I was unable to sleep over the next few days. The night before the induction, I was so nervous. I didn’t know what to expect and I went on a clean streak – doing last minute prep for our baby girl. Later that evening, I found my hips to be very sore and I figured it was from all the cleaning and standing. I decided to do some squats, and mix in some Warrior II, side angle and triangle poses. I even prepped a yummy bowl of protein oats for breakfast, but something deep down told me I wasn’t going to get to eat them.
I was waiting for Patrick to come home to have our “last” meal before officially becoming parents. After he came home and we ate dinner, we both had trouble sleeping from the excitement and wonder that was to await us at 9:30am tomorrow. I was also having a few painful contractions here and there, but nothing consistent.
Patrick was finally dozing off at around 1:00am, so I asked him to turn off the T.V. Then I felt leaking. I had been leaking “fluid” a lot in the last couple of weeks but I knew this was a little different. I honestly felt like I was bleeding. I turned to Pat and tapped him, mind you he was still half asleep, and he said “I can’t do two things at once.”
“Pat, I’m leaking.”
“Oh, did your water break?”
“I don’t know.” – At this point I sat up in bed and this gush of fluid came out.
“Uh, yes it did”
“Okay, what do you need?”
I asked for a towel and sat in bed in shock. I couldn’t believe that at 1:11am my water broke. I honestly didn’t think my water was ever going to break nor did I think I was going to have a sleepless 48 hours ahead. I called the on-call nurse and they told me to take my time and they’d have everything ready at the hospital. We had 80% of our things packed – we grabbed fruit and took care of the bunny before we left.
On the way to the hospital, my contractions were picking up and were every 3 minutes. I could feel the pain increasing and knew active labor was coming. We got to the hospital around 2:30am and by the time I was situated in the room and evaluated at 3:00am, contractions were ever two minutes and I was 3cm dilated. Contractions were getting more painful, I was very nauseous and exhausted.
The overnight doctor had asked me if I wanted an epidural, I said yes but I wanted to wait it out since I knew it could slow down labor. By the time 4:00am hit, I was in massive pain, still nauseous and shivering as if it was below zero degrees. Patrick wanted to help, but he knew there was nothing he could do to ease that pain. I asked him to just try to massage my lower back, which did help for a short while.
The doctor came back in and rechecked me and I was 5cm dialted – baby was ready to come. I told her I couldn’t wait any longer and wanted to epidural. It was around 4:30am when the anesthesiologist came in to administer the epidural. Everything went in fine and I just had to wait ten minutes.
After those long ten minutes contractions were getting closer and even more painful then I could imagine. The doctor rechecked me and said I was dilateing faster then the medication could reach me. They ended up having to give me two extra doses. It was almost 5:00am and I finally felt much better. The doctor came back one more time to check on me and told me that since I got the epidural my contractions slowed, which was expected.
She also said they called my doctor to come in at 7:00am, even though he was scheduled for 9:30am, and hopefully baby would wait until he came. I never felt more relieved between that news and finally being pain free. I wouldn’t have wanted any other doctor to deliver my baby girl. I was able to take a nap until my doctor awoke me at 7:00am.
“Ready to get this baby out?”
He told me that I was dilated enough and that were going to push soon through contractions. Push? I wasn’t feeling any contractions, how would I know when to push and why was everything so relaxed? I had seen child birth in movies or read about them and this was nothing like it.
I didn’t know entirely what to expect because Patrick and I watched a birthing class online through Baby Center. We both worked weekends and nights and knew that we’d never make an actual class. At the same time I was relieved because everything was unfolding as time went on and I think had I went to one, I would have been more nervous.
Back to pushing – the doctor said that I just needed to push as if I was going to the bathroom. Two nurses came over to assist me and doctor said he’d let me know when a contraction was starting.
First contraction: “Push now!”
I pushed and didn’t feel anything except a massive migraine coming on.
“That’s it Sabrina you’re halfway there.”
I was semi-in shock. How was I half-way there, I couldn’t feel anything happening.
Second Contraction: “One more push and your baby girl will be out – push!”
Nurse: “Don’t stop Sabrina she’s almost out.”
By the end of that second push I thought my head was going to pop out and I felt a strange pain from her feet fluttering out.
Doctor: “All done Sabrina, congratulations.”
A huge relief came over me when the doctor said those words. I was so ready to be done with pregnancy and just meet my baby girl. He cleaned her up and placed her on top of me for our first skin to skin contact.
She was so precious.
I couldn’t believe this little thing was inside of me growing.
The look on Patrick’s face when he first saw her was pure bliss.
Seeing those tears of joy from him melted my heart.
This was our baby girl and we couldn’t be happier
♡
Nutritiously Sweet 