About 12:30 am on Tuesday morning, March 12, 2013, I woke up to a really bad cramp in my stomach. I thought it was strange and of course, immediately think, “Could this be a contraction?” but it went away and I felt fine. A few minutes later, I noticed it again. So, I lay in bed and waited and then got another one. Though they were not comfortable, I really couldn’t tell if they hurt or if they were just stomach ache type pains or cramps or what. I had to take a bathroom break, so I did and while coming back out, had another one. I walked around and went back to the bathroom and thought. I checked the clock and noticed these cramps were about 5-6 minutes apart. In my head, I really thought that when I started contractions one day, they would start out and then be sporadic for awhile and then over the course of a day or so, they would get close together and more painful and slowly I would go into labor. I would have plenty of time to learn what they were, what they felt like, and make decisions about what to do. But, for some reason these were 5 minutes apart and I was having a really hard time convincing myself that these were real contractions and that I was going into labor!!
I woke Vic up about 1:30 and told him my concerns and that I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I thought something was. 15-20 minutes later after some “cramps” coming down to 3-5 minutes apart, we decided to call our friends Katie and Kirsten, who were on call to come watch Atticus for us, if we went into labor at night. They came immediately to stay at the house so we could go to the hospital. I decided that if these were just cramps and I was not in labor, I would just let them send me back home. And I still wasn’t completely convinced that we were in labor. But, I was in constant contraction/cramp pain. Also, looking back, I realize my pain tolerance must not be what I thought it was. Or it could be the fact that these really did just pop up and start and come quickly so I didn’t go through a milder contraction phase? I’m not sure.
I barely had anything packed in a bag, because I just didn’t care – the contractions hurt. Two things I later learned:
1. Vic thought I had gas and that I couldn’t be in labor. He even TOLD Katie that when she arrived. Part of me should be a little irritated with him because why would he even question me? The other part thinks it is hilarious. Vic is the last person who would ever doubt someone about something like that, but I couldn’t believe he really didn’t think I was in labor and just had GAS!
2. Katie also told us later that she knew we really were in labor and not coming back. I’m sure that is partly her intuition and also because she is an ER nurse. She just knows these things!
We got to the ER, checked in, and walked up to Labor & Delivery stopping for contractions along the way. Why I didn’t let them wheel me up in a wheelchair I do not know; it took much longer to walk and stop; walk and stop. We got to the room about 2:30, found out we were dilated to a 6, and realized we had gone into labor on our own! Just 2 days before our mandatory c-section, we were in labor! So excited; although I was ready for that epidural as soon as they would give it to me.
Here’s a quick timeline of events as they happened:
3:00 - Contractions 1 ½ minutes apart
3:10 - Had my IV inserted; MUCH better experience than with Atticus; the nurse, Jodi, put it on top of my hand and had success the first time. With Atticus, they stuck me 3 times ending on top of the hand, but trying to insert in my arm first.
3:50 – Got my epidural; took about 10 minutes; this was also a MUCH better experience than last time. Last time, when they gave me the test dose, I got sick. This time, I told them in advance and they gave me Zofran which helped the sickness. A couple of times during labor, I was nauseous, but they said that was because so many hormones were rushing through me. And it ended quickly. Also, last time with my epidural, I remember expecting to “just feel pressure” when they inserted the needle but actually hated getting it because it HURT! I think the pressure was more painful to me. This time, it was so fast and easy and I didn’t feel any pressure that was painful. I will say that the anesthesiologist looked half asleep (he had just come out of bed and to the hospital) and made me nervous at first. But, by the end, especially after it went so smoothly, he was talking and laughing.
*also, got my catheter after the epidural! I am probably one of the few people who like a catheter. But, after weeks of having to go to the bathroom over and over and over because my bladder is being pushed on by the baby and being so uncomfortable, there is something nice about a catheter and relinquishing the worry of my tiny bladder filling up! TMI? Sorry!
4:15 – Dilated to a 7.
4:30 – Dr. Bertsch, my doctor, arrived! She just happened to be the on-call doctor. I was so excited!
4:45 – Dilated to an 8.
5:00 – Napped; I remember with Atticus, after getting all setup, I was so sleepy. I think the epidural, plus all the other things running through your IV just makes you so sleepy…
6:10 – Dr. Bertsch broke my water and I was dilated to a 9. In the meantime, my contractions are going strong and the baby’s heart rate is looking great!
6:30 – Met the baby nurse, Joanna
6:55 – doctors and nurses thought I was moving towards a 9.5 and started moving me from side to side every 20-30 minutes so the baby would also move around and start moving down farther so I could push.
7:00 – got new nurses, Emily & Angela
8:00 – another quick nap
8:30 – they inserted something to monitor contractions more closely (no idea what it was called)
9:00 – doctor started trying to see how the baby moved down when I had contractions; I did some pushing, although not actual pushing to deliver baby. She said contractions were good but baby was not moving down much
9:25 – after 3 hours at a 9, the doctor decided we needed to do a c-section. She wasn’t sure if the baby was just bigger and that is why he or she was not coming down, but that we should have been pushing and probably had this baby by now. This is where I fell apart a little bit with tears. Everything had gone so smoothly and I hated to do a c-section. But, I also trusted my doctor and really just wanted what was best for our baby and me. So, a few tears later and I was ok.
10:00 – received bigger epidural dose. I should also take the time to say that my epidural was also different than last time with Atticus. This epidural was better. With Atticus, even the first epidural dose made me completely numb down to my toes. This one, however, let me move my feet and ankles and I could feel others moving my legs. I could feel pressure, but not pain and still never any pain during contractions. During the actual c-section, I could still feel pressure, but no pain but just didn’t feel completely numb and like a giant boulder. So, somehow my doses were different, but I preferred the epidural with Grace than with Atticus.
10:29 – c-section began; they let Vic in, with scrubs, about a minute before it started. It’s funny because while you don’t know what is happening exactly because you cannot feel anything and there is a giant sheet in front of your face, there are doctors and nurses doing all sorts of things in the room. The anesthesiologist was wonderful and talked to me to let me know what was happening and wiped my mouth when I was nauseous (which only happened once this time and ended quickly!) and wiped my tears when the baby arrived. The baby nurse and neonatal doctor are off doing their work on the side before and when the baby arrives. There are nurses and doctors talking and working and walking around. It’s just very impressive.
10:51 – Grace Caroline Seidel is born! Dr. Bertsch told me, just like with Atticus, when the baby was coming out but that she didn’t know if it was a boy or girl yet. Then, she says “It’s a Girl!”. We were so excited to have our sweet baby here. Vic took lots of pictures and they showed her to me. She weighed 8 lbs. 14 oz. and was 20 ½ inches long. So, in the end she was a big baby and it was probably better to have done the c-section instead of attempting the VBAC with a big baby that did not want to come out that way.
11:20 – Wheeled to recovery room where they monitor blood pressure, give me more pain medication, do paperwork, etc.
11:45 – nurse brings Grace to me to feed her the first time. She latches on immediately and eats for about 40 minutes!
1:20 – leave recovery room and gets setup in postpartum room 382.
Once we were back in our room, we finally texted/called our families to let them know we had a GIRL and her name and some of the details. I think they were starting to wonder what was going on since we had last talked to them at 9:15 and told them we were at a 9 and getting close to pushing soon. The nurses brought Grace about 2:45 and I fed her again and we got to keep her for the rest of the day. GG arrived not long after that to meet Grace. And then our week began of having visitors, beginning the c-section healing process, and loving on our sweet Grace Caroline. We stayed in the hospital until Friday, although the doctor said we could go home on Thursday. But, there is something about having one more day to have nursery help, nurses checking on you, and the calm of being in a hospital room with help that made me want to stay. I can’t believe I’m saying that since last time, I wanted to leave so much by the last day because that meant Atticus’ jaundice was gone. We were so tired of being in the hospital. But, this time, things went so well, it was kind of relaxing.
As far as c-section experience, it was pretty much the same with Atticus. I stay in bed for 24 hours and then slowly they start to remove all of the stuff: catheter, IV, leg warmers (no clue what these are called, but they put them on my legs to keep the blood circulating while I lay there). The first time I get out of bed, I am so stiff and sore and have to make sure I do not get dizzy. Then, over the course of the next couple of days, I slowly take showers and walk around and take lots of pain meds and deal with the stinging of the incision. I can’t laugh too much without pain in my stomach, which doesn’t lessen the laughing, but increases the need to hold my stomach while I laugh! They took my staples out (22) on Friday morning and replace with tape strips. I have moments of feeling no pain and just stiffness and thinking “this is no big deal” and then back to moments of pain and stinging. But, overall, both c-sections were similar.
This is also the time I should say how thankful I am and how good God is to us with this delivery. We wanted to go into labor on our own so much and God let that happen! Not only do I think this was better for my delivery because my body was ready to give birth. But, I got to actually experience what it was like to have contractions and the feelings of going into labor at my house and the entire process and emotions of it all. And then, while I was sad we didn’t deliver via VBAC, He knew better and took care of us because the baby was so big. He helped our doctor make the right decision to do a c-section and He has given me another good c-section experience. It is the best of both worlds! Sometimes it is important to be reminded that regardless of what you “want”, there is already a plan in place for you and things work out the exact way that they should.
We are just so happy to have Grace here. I will have more posts just about her very soon!
I woke Vic up about 1:30 and told him my concerns and that I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I thought something was. 15-20 minutes later after some “cramps” coming down to 3-5 minutes apart, we decided to call our friends Katie and Kirsten, who were on call to come watch Atticus for us, if we went into labor at night. They came immediately to stay at the house so we could go to the hospital. I decided that if these were just cramps and I was not in labor, I would just let them send me back home. And I still wasn’t completely convinced that we were in labor. But, I was in constant contraction/cramp pain. Also, looking back, I realize my pain tolerance must not be what I thought it was. Or it could be the fact that these really did just pop up and start and come quickly so I didn’t go through a milder contraction phase? I’m not sure.
I barely had anything packed in a bag, because I just didn’t care – the contractions hurt. Two things I later learned:
1. Vic thought I had gas and that I couldn’t be in labor. He even TOLD Katie that when she arrived. Part of me should be a little irritated with him because why would he even question me? The other part thinks it is hilarious. Vic is the last person who would ever doubt someone about something like that, but I couldn’t believe he really didn’t think I was in labor and just had GAS!
2. Katie also told us later that she knew we really were in labor and not coming back. I’m sure that is partly her intuition and also because she is an ER nurse. She just knows these things!
We got to the ER, checked in, and walked up to Labor & Delivery stopping for contractions along the way. Why I didn’t let them wheel me up in a wheelchair I do not know; it took much longer to walk and stop; walk and stop. We got to the room about 2:30, found out we were dilated to a 6, and realized we had gone into labor on our own! Just 2 days before our mandatory c-section, we were in labor! So excited; although I was ready for that epidural as soon as they would give it to me.
Here’s a quick timeline of events as they happened:
3:00 - Contractions 1 ½ minutes apart
3:10 - Had my IV inserted; MUCH better experience than with Atticus; the nurse, Jodi, put it on top of my hand and had success the first time. With Atticus, they stuck me 3 times ending on top of the hand, but trying to insert in my arm first.
3:50 – Got my epidural; took about 10 minutes; this was also a MUCH better experience than last time. Last time, when they gave me the test dose, I got sick. This time, I told them in advance and they gave me Zofran which helped the sickness. A couple of times during labor, I was nauseous, but they said that was because so many hormones were rushing through me. And it ended quickly. Also, last time with my epidural, I remember expecting to “just feel pressure” when they inserted the needle but actually hated getting it because it HURT! I think the pressure was more painful to me. This time, it was so fast and easy and I didn’t feel any pressure that was painful. I will say that the anesthesiologist looked half asleep (he had just come out of bed and to the hospital) and made me nervous at first. But, by the end, especially after it went so smoothly, he was talking and laughing.
*also, got my catheter after the epidural! I am probably one of the few people who like a catheter. But, after weeks of having to go to the bathroom over and over and over because my bladder is being pushed on by the baby and being so uncomfortable, there is something nice about a catheter and relinquishing the worry of my tiny bladder filling up! TMI? Sorry!
4:15 – Dilated to a 7.
4:30 – Dr. Bertsch, my doctor, arrived! She just happened to be the on-call doctor. I was so excited!
4:45 – Dilated to an 8.
5:00 – Napped; I remember with Atticus, after getting all setup, I was so sleepy. I think the epidural, plus all the other things running through your IV just makes you so sleepy…
6:10 – Dr. Bertsch broke my water and I was dilated to a 9. In the meantime, my contractions are going strong and the baby’s heart rate is looking great!
6:30 – Met the baby nurse, Joanna
6:55 – doctors and nurses thought I was moving towards a 9.5 and started moving me from side to side every 20-30 minutes so the baby would also move around and start moving down farther so I could push.
7:00 – got new nurses, Emily & Angela
8:00 – another quick nap
8:30 – they inserted something to monitor contractions more closely (no idea what it was called)
9:00 – doctor started trying to see how the baby moved down when I had contractions; I did some pushing, although not actual pushing to deliver baby. She said contractions were good but baby was not moving down much
9:25 – after 3 hours at a 9, the doctor decided we needed to do a c-section. She wasn’t sure if the baby was just bigger and that is why he or she was not coming down, but that we should have been pushing and probably had this baby by now. This is where I fell apart a little bit with tears. Everything had gone so smoothly and I hated to do a c-section. But, I also trusted my doctor and really just wanted what was best for our baby and me. So, a few tears later and I was ok.
10:00 – received bigger epidural dose. I should also take the time to say that my epidural was also different than last time with Atticus. This epidural was better. With Atticus, even the first epidural dose made me completely numb down to my toes. This one, however, let me move my feet and ankles and I could feel others moving my legs. I could feel pressure, but not pain and still never any pain during contractions. During the actual c-section, I could still feel pressure, but no pain but just didn’t feel completely numb and like a giant boulder. So, somehow my doses were different, but I preferred the epidural with Grace than with Atticus.
10:29 – c-section began; they let Vic in, with scrubs, about a minute before it started. It’s funny because while you don’t know what is happening exactly because you cannot feel anything and there is a giant sheet in front of your face, there are doctors and nurses doing all sorts of things in the room. The anesthesiologist was wonderful and talked to me to let me know what was happening and wiped my mouth when I was nauseous (which only happened once this time and ended quickly!) and wiped my tears when the baby arrived. The baby nurse and neonatal doctor are off doing their work on the side before and when the baby arrives. There are nurses and doctors talking and working and walking around. It’s just very impressive.
10:51 – Grace Caroline Seidel is born! Dr. Bertsch told me, just like with Atticus, when the baby was coming out but that she didn’t know if it was a boy or girl yet. Then, she says “It’s a Girl!”. We were so excited to have our sweet baby here. Vic took lots of pictures and they showed her to me. She weighed 8 lbs. 14 oz. and was 20 ½ inches long. So, in the end she was a big baby and it was probably better to have done the c-section instead of attempting the VBAC with a big baby that did not want to come out that way.
11:20 – Wheeled to recovery room where they monitor blood pressure, give me more pain medication, do paperwork, etc.
11:45 – nurse brings Grace to me to feed her the first time. She latches on immediately and eats for about 40 minutes!
1:20 – leave recovery room and gets setup in postpartum room 382.
Once we were back in our room, we finally texted/called our families to let them know we had a GIRL and her name and some of the details. I think they were starting to wonder what was going on since we had last talked to them at 9:15 and told them we were at a 9 and getting close to pushing soon. The nurses brought Grace about 2:45 and I fed her again and we got to keep her for the rest of the day. GG arrived not long after that to meet Grace. And then our week began of having visitors, beginning the c-section healing process, and loving on our sweet Grace Caroline. We stayed in the hospital until Friday, although the doctor said we could go home on Thursday. But, there is something about having one more day to have nursery help, nurses checking on you, and the calm of being in a hospital room with help that made me want to stay. I can’t believe I’m saying that since last time, I wanted to leave so much by the last day because that meant Atticus’ jaundice was gone. We were so tired of being in the hospital. But, this time, things went so well, it was kind of relaxing.
As far as c-section experience, it was pretty much the same with Atticus. I stay in bed for 24 hours and then slowly they start to remove all of the stuff: catheter, IV, leg warmers (no clue what these are called, but they put them on my legs to keep the blood circulating while I lay there). The first time I get out of bed, I am so stiff and sore and have to make sure I do not get dizzy. Then, over the course of the next couple of days, I slowly take showers and walk around and take lots of pain meds and deal with the stinging of the incision. I can’t laugh too much without pain in my stomach, which doesn’t lessen the laughing, but increases the need to hold my stomach while I laugh! They took my staples out (22) on Friday morning and replace with tape strips. I have moments of feeling no pain and just stiffness and thinking “this is no big deal” and then back to moments of pain and stinging. But, overall, both c-sections were similar.
This is also the time I should say how thankful I am and how good God is to us with this delivery. We wanted to go into labor on our own so much and God let that happen! Not only do I think this was better for my delivery because my body was ready to give birth. But, I got to actually experience what it was like to have contractions and the feelings of going into labor at my house and the entire process and emotions of it all. And then, while I was sad we didn’t deliver via VBAC, He knew better and took care of us because the baby was so big. He helped our doctor make the right decision to do a c-section and He has given me another good c-section experience. It is the best of both worlds! Sometimes it is important to be reminded that regardless of what you “want”, there is already a plan in place for you and things work out the exact way that they should.
We are just so happy to have Grace here. I will have more posts just about her very soon!
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