Prepping For Labor: Mason's Birth

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This is the original post from my family blog that I wrote back in July 2011 from Mason's Arrival. Enjoy the story!

MASON ROBERT ALLEN

7/18/2011

8:52pm

7 lbs 4 ounces

20 inches

Monday, July 18th 7:30am, Matt and I arrived at the hospital for our scheduled induction. I was induced with half a pill of cytotec and then we waited, and waited. I was 2-3 cm dilated when we arrived at the hospital. Doc didn't come back until 1 to check me. I was having just very small contractions up until then. Doc came in and I was unchanged and did the other half of the pill. I started to feel more contractions but really they were just like the braxton hicks I had been having for the last month just more regular every 1-2 minutes. Doc said at the check up at 1 that I would be picking up and that Mace would be here around 4:30. We called our doula to come in anticipating active labor to start. She arrived and we just talked and watched me really do nothing. She left around 3:30 to give us alone time and asked us to call after the doc did his check again.

The doc arrived at 5 and one look at me told us either he brakes my water or I go home cause he could tell I wasn't much further along. I didn't want to home so we let him break my water. I was 4cm dilated at this point. Within 30 min of my water breaking I started to feel what real labor felt like and was wishing for the barely there contraction I had earlier. I made Matt call the doula to come back in cause I didn't know what to do to get comfy. I asked Matt about 10 times if he really contacted her and he assured me he had. I was starting to panic because it hit me that this kid was going to be here soon. When my doula arrived she jumped right into action. At this point I can't really remember what happened. Matt and my doula have been filling in the blanks for me and telling me what happened. I labored in the bathroom for a while and the nurse had started the bath tub and I immediately wanted to go in there because I was hoping for a little relief. I got into the tub and for about 2 min had a little relief and then, bam, contractions happening again. My doula started timing the contractions and gave up because I was in hard labor but not having the regular contractions of hard labor. My contractions were for only about 30 sec and 1.5 min apart and STRONG! I hated the nurse because she would make me go into an awful position in the tub so that she could take the heart beat of Mason. She would take the doppler and push it into my stomach during a contraction. Every time she came in the bathroom I said, "He's fine, you don't need to check. Don't push." Every time she would check he was fine, as I said.

In the tub I started to feel like I had to push and by the third time I told my doula I think I had to push she ran out and got the nurse who checked me and told me to get out of the tub and go to the bed. As I made it to the bed I had another strong contraction and finally made it to the bed. When I got there the nurse said she called the doc and he was on his way. After what felt like forever the doc arrived and I never felt happier. He checked me and I could tell that there was a little pushing happening. He said that my cervix was pretty much gone but a little bit and said, "let's just go ahead and try pushing." I did one push and he said, "Oh, yeah this baby's coming out." He also said that Mason was sunny side up and that I had to push in the WORST position possible, flat on my back and use handles to pull myself up. I pushed for about 50 min. Matt was amazing during the whole day, but the look on his face when he told me that Mason had a TON OF HAIR, he was so proud. Matt couldn't believe what I was doing and what was happening and was so very impressed with how birthing is. I remember looking at him for strength to keep pushing and just looking at how happy he was was amazing. At the very end Mason did a 180 degree turn in the birth canal and was delivered in the normal position for babies to be born in which makes it a little easier. Right as Mason came out, I remember seeing the nurse and the doc jump backwards as the remaining bag of water attempted to soak them. I remember laughing slightly and thinking, "payback for you hurting me and the doc telling me to push harder when I was already pushing as hard as I could!" I still don't remember a lot of details and some things come back as Matt or my doula tell me but it just kind of feels like a cloudy dream thinking about it.

One detail I didn't forget to mention is that, I didn't have an epidural. I didn't even have time to think about it because from 5pm-8pm I went from 4cm - 10 cm. Once my water broke I was in hard labor and stayed there for the entire time. The doc let me do mother directed pushing where I call the shots for how long I push for and everything which was really nice. No one was screaming at me counting. It was just a great, but very difficult experience. My biggest frustration is that I couldn't figure out why I couldn't get comfy to help relieve the pain. The pain was more of just really, really bad cramps, but I just couldn't get comfy to help me thru it. I am so happy that I accomplished the type of labor I wanted and that I survived. I am so happy to have my little mini-Matt here with me. It is truly amazing what the female body can accomplish from making another human to delivering a human without too much harm to either party.

I am so thankful that I have been blessed to have a baby. For so many years I thought that it would never happen. I am just so thankful.

Check out some pix just after the birth!

~Us with my Doula, Merrie~

~Matt holding Mason for the first time~

Poor Mason

~Mason icing his finger like the big boy he is!~

Mason and Daddy went on a healthy little walk last night. Mason took a spill and injured his pinky finger. (ripped off his fingernail) Daddy fixed it all better, even with dealing with a screaming fit throwing toddler! I was at symphony rehearsal last night so Daddy took care of Mason all by himself. GO DADDY!

Today the finger is swollen, and Mason is not using that hand at all, or as little as he can. So I am currently waiting for Mason's doc office to call back to let us know if they want us to come in to get him checked out or not. So is the day of a mommy!

Baby Pool

Two bloggers I follow, CONGRATS to Jen on her baby girl arriving this week, and Katie who had her baby boy in Dec, both had their babies in the 39th week of their pregnancies. These ladies ran during pregnancy. Both ending running at different times but they both ran. Many people have been telling me that I am going "pop" any day now! (thanks a lot lady who told me that I am basically HUGE) And because I ran it means I will have an early baby. (There was a lady in my prenatal yoga who ran until her 39th week, yes 39th week!, and was still pregnant at 41 weeks)

So should we start casting our votes now as to when I will hatch this baby??? I have said in the beginning that I think it will be the week of the 18th of May, generally around the 21st. I am currently 36 weeks.

Fun facts:

My due date is May 14th.

Had a doc apt yesterday and the Doc said that baby is super high and that there is no dilation at this point. With Mason I was 3 cm at 37 weeks. ( I am telling my body though that I can not have this baby until after May 4 because of the concerts I have to play and the studio recital. Plus mom isn't coming in to town until the 13th.)

Baby still likes to go transverse (sideways) during the night.

Mason was induced at 39 weeks due to Matt being deployed with the Army 3 days after Mace was born, so no idea if Mace was going to be on time or late. I was induced with cydotec and my induction was considered a failed induction because I only went from 3cm to 4 and did not enter active labor at all. Then we broke my water and 3.5 hours later, kid was out and screaming up a storm.

I think he was sucking his thumb last night. It was a different feeling than hiccups but the same rhythmic pattern. ( I was a big time thumb sucker)

I have no idea if I was early, late or on time. (I'm adopted). And Matt was slightly overdue at, oh, 2 weeks late!

Soooo... let the voting begin. Maybe a prize will be in the cards if someone is right!

WHEN AM I HAVING MY BABY? (to view pix of my ever expanding belly check out my weekly recap posts using the LABELS button on the left.)

April Week 2 Workout Recap

Sorry I'm a day late. It has been a little hectic for me around here. Hubs is working a different schedule so my weekends with him are a little off. It is what it is, but I will sure be glad when/if his schedule goes back to the norm.

GUESS WHAT!?! My due date is exactly 1 month from today! YEA! I have been told by some women that I am ready to pop now, and others think I still have a long way to go. My belly is getting bigger every single day. I wake up every morning with 50 First Dates syndrome going on, I think, WOW! I have a HUGE belly! How do I get out of this bed? 

Pregnancy Changes: I am getting HUGE! I am bigger now than I was with Mason. But per the hubs I am not as swollen in the face and look better. I am way past the days where I could see my feet. Bending over to clean up toys feels like an impossible feat for me and I often ask Mason to pick things up for me to help me. (he does most times now by the way) Also I just can't do everything around the house. Laundry and dishes, Matt is picking up the slack for me thankfully. Came home from church yesterday and Matt got off early from work and sorted and put away all the laundry, which had been sitting for the better part of a week. THANK YOU HUBS!

Also the baby is more "down" over the past few days as I have had to pee a ton more. But he still has plenty of room to move around because he likes to go transverse (sideways) when I am sleeping. I often wake up to feeling the hiccups in my side than super low like normal. And as you read the other day, I am still a fire breathing dragon at night! Oh so fun!

Prepping For Baby: I have pulled out all of Mason's old clothing and started sorting for baby. All the NB 0-3 stuff is organized and in the closet. The 3-6 and 6-9 are still lining the floor waiting to be sorted. I also hung up the curtains in the guest room to my mom when she gets here to add a little more darkness in the room.

Prepping Mason For Baby: It's more of how do I prep myself to help prep Mason for baby to arrive. I asked a mom yesterday who just had her new baby how her other son handled the tradition to being the baby to big brother. We talked for awhile and she shared her advice. I am very scared about Mason not letting me hold the baby or hitting the baby because the baby is touching me. He does this with Matt. He doesn't like it when Matt gives me a hug, he gets jealous. But I now feel a little better that maybe, just maybe Mace will do ok. But only time will tell.

Workout Recap: 

Sunday: rest day

Monday: Gardening

Tuesday: rest day (Had final meet with the Doula before baby, Matt learned how to deliver a baby if it happens super fast at home!)

Wednesday: 2.5 mile walk on treadmill

Thursday: 1 mile walk; 1 hour 15 min Prenatal yoga (class is getting harder. Belly is so big that getting in some positions or staying in some is getting really challenging)

Friday: Walk outside. about 45 minutes. Too beautiful of a day to stay inside.

Saturday: rest day (church easter egg hunt. Got to trek up a small hill to help find easter eggs. Wore me out!)

Total Mileage: 3.5 known for sure. not sure how much we did on our walk
35 weeks pregnant

Where's The Fire?!?

In my throat! Holy Heart BURN! I had massive heartburn when I was pregnant with Mason but it didn't start until 36-37 weeks. This one, 33-34 weeks I have had massive amounts of heartburn and boy howdy it has not been fun. I am already up to a 4 pillow stack at night. And it only hits at night. After a few hours I can lower the stack of pillows to 2 but nothing lower than that.

~Mason at 2 days old for his baby blessing. Check out the full head of hair!~

Old Wive's Tale- Have heartburn? Baby will be born with lots of hair. In my case with Mason this statement was TRUE! Mason was born with a full head of hair including sideburns. And he was/still is a hairy little beast on his back. I love to tickle his fur on his back and it makes him giggle every time. So if this is true again, baby could be born with hair all the way down to his butt by the time he comes out! (j/k)

Also I seem to share my pregnancy symptoms with my best friend in AZ and am always apologizing to her for causing massive amounts of heartburn, she told me yesterday that she started taking a Rx to help her out. Wish I could.

Here are the helpful hints that people say help pregnancy heartburn but if all else fails just know that you are going to be a fire breathing dragon and it is ok because you could have a very hairy baby when they are born!

Eat small frequent meals, slowly- Hard to do when you are at the end of pregnancy where you are possibly getting sick again or you can't eat as much so when you can actually eat and feel ok with eating we tend to just woof everything down as quickly as we can. Don't do this apparently.

Take Small Sips of Liquids- I don't know about other moms, but often I feel like I am guzzling water all day long and either I have a huge desire for water or I know I have to drink water so that I don't start contractions (dehydration can cause early labor and contractions so drink up) So I try to make sure I drink the recommended amount of water everyday and often that means that I just take a few large gulps. No sips for me. I guess I should work on that.

Don't Eat Right Before Bed- I have been eating right before bed lately because if I don't I am starving at 2am and will go raiding the fridge for something, anything that might sound good to me. I am already up in the middle of the night to go pee I really don't want to make a trip downstairs for some food and then go back to bed so this one can not apply to me.

Keep Your Head Higher Than Your Chest- Already doing this. Even with 4 pillows I still have massive amounts of heartburn but if I don't have pillows I will actually throw up the stomach acid. Yeah, so much fun it is.

Try An Antacid- Did you know that Tums now makes a gummy chewy antacid so that we don't have to eat the chalk stuff anymore. With Mason I kept a very large bottle of Tums next to my bed and popped them like crazy but they didn't really help. And they tasted nasty. So I might just try doing the chewy ones to see if they are better, but like I said the Tums didn't help me with Mason.

So fire breathing dragon I was and am. And probably will be every time I get pregnant. Here's hoping to another furry baby! (now watch baby will be bald!)