I know what you're thinking...'Manda - Labor Day is in September!' - yes I'm well aware of that, I'm talking about Birth Labor! As in,
on this day yesterday, last year, I went into labor w/our little girl!
Here's what happened
March 8, 2010 - I woke up just feeling 'off'. Granted, I had off-feeling days throughout the pregnancy, and I figured it was just one of those days...9 months pregnant, you don't feel like yourself.
So, I woke up, I was having very uncomfortable lower back pain and wasn't feeling the best. I told Brad, he asked if he should stay home, I said, don't worry, go to work.
Brad headed to work - on a SIDE note, Brad teaches at a school 40-45 min away from where we live. Last year, Brad carpooled w/someone...and you guessed it, it happened to be the week for Joy to drive. Brad told me later that he KNEW he should have just driven himself that day - he just 'had that feeling'
Going on - I got myself ready for work - I.E. throw on comphy pants and a sweatshirt to go work at the Y, got Strummer
(who was 16 months old) dressed and off we went to the Y! I remember that I didn't do to much that day. I kept on having to go pee, but when I did, it was clear. I was still having lower back pain, so I was texting Brad what was going on - who then, was talking w/some of his co-workers on what was going on. Then one of his co-workers who's room is right next to his - Yvonne Dewein
(who by-the-way, USED to live in Algona with her husband who was my sisters' HS choir director - crazy how that works!) and she told brad that she was pretty sure i was in the early stages of labor! Brad relayed that info to me. All this time - I was talking w/some of MY co-workers on how I was feeling and they thought it would be a good idea to call my doctor. So - when Brad texted (or called, can't remember - we did both that morning) about whas Yvonne said, he URGED me to call Dr. Parsons to see what I should do. Seeing - that he was A: At work - so they would need to find a sub B: He was 45 min away C: he would need to call his dad
(who lives in downtown Des Moines) to come and pick him up at school to take him to Boone!
On a side-note - I was induced with Strummer. So, I really had NO clue and how you felt or what happens when you go into labor naturally.
Around 11, I call Amy
(my doctor's nurse) - tell her what's going on and after giving her my gut feeling - she said - better come to the hospital just to make sure! Then my list of calling started - first, called Brad saying find a sub and call your dad so he can come home, then called Trisha - my first person I talked to about watching Strummer if I happened to go into labor during the week - and she was busy, then called Shannon - my back-up, she was busy...hmm, what was I going to do w/my 16-month old son?? I was being slightly frantic because I knew it would not be good to take him with me. Plus, I do remember child watch was going to be closing soon. Then THANKFULLY my fabulous co-workers at the Y
(I remember Mindy, Danielle, possibly Amy), said - just leave him here. We'll watch him until Brad gets into town! THANK YOU!
So - I ran home, grabbed my bag
(which I mostly had packed - did forget some things), my computer and camera and headed to the hospital and at 11:20am, I checked myself in the Labor & Delivery. They had me hooked up to monitors to track my contractions and then had to 'check' me. I was have progressive contractions and at a 1-1/2. An hour or so had passed and I was at a 3 - and in Boone, they'll officially put you as being 'in labor'. So - the calling of other family members began! I'm pretty sure Brad was w/me by the time I was officially in labor. So - Brad called his mom to see when she would be able to come, so she could watch Strummer. In the mean time, Paul (Brad's dad) watched him. I called my mom telling her the good news. Which here is another funny thing. My parents were just down on Sunday for a visit. I had told them how my appointment had gone (which I think was on Friday). I remember discussing that Dr. Parsons didn't think it would be anytime soon, because there wasn't to much progession 'down there'. We even talked about trying to get the contrations started up at my next appointment since my parents were leaving for Hawaii the week Edyn was due! When I had called my mom - I asked her to guess where I was. I think she guessed the hospital. Then I said - your granddaughter will be arriving soon, when will you be able to come? Then I called my siblings and I'm sure Brad called his siblings. The last person I called was the Super Nurse Tera! She is one awesome friend. She was the nurse that we had while delivering Strummer at Mary Greeley. We had a good connection and was re-connected through Facebook (along w/a couple other nurses) and then again when she started coming to the Y! Well - when she found out I was pregnant, she asked if I'll be going back to MGMC. I said sadly no, I was going to deliver in Boone - and the reason I was so sad is because I wouldn't have her! Then she said, you give me a call when you're in labor and I'll try and make it to be there for you! Doesn't she just rock?? Well - she had texted me back saying she was working that day, but if I was still in labor when she was done working, then she would come. Tera also was texting me encouraging words on her breaks! Thanks Tera!
Then we had - the waiting game...Brad and I watched a lot of The Office. I do remember one of the nurses didn't think of was going to be staying because I looked 'to comfortable'. I said I take pain well - to a point. So - we waited and waited and waited....my parents came....and we waited (you see where I'm getting at). Now it was the evening - the contractions were getting harder, but I was staying at a 3! Impossible! I walked, I did the whirlpool, and nothing was helping. THEN - the dreaded Back Labor came into play! Believe me ladies - back labor pain is worse than contraction pain! This was around 10ish - I think I dealt w/it for about an hour or so. During this time, Tera called me saying she was done w/work and wondering if I was A: Still in Labor and B: If I wanted her to come and see me. Yes and Yes! (and she had just worked a 12 hr day at MGMC - and then came to boone at nearly 11pm!) Also - since it seemed like it would be awhile til Little Miss wanted to make her arrival - my parents headed to their hotel and get some rest.
Meanwhile - I'm in unbearable pain because of the back labor, contractions are 2 minutes apart and I'm not doing well. Finally I decided to get an epidural. I REALLY thought I could manage without it. I guess not. I remember being in SO much pain and it being hard to think straight and not being at all comfortable. It seemed to take FOREVER for the epidural guy to come. At this point, it was around midnight or later. Tera came in around the same time I was receiving the epidural. After a 1/2 hour or so, it starts kicking in and I'm feeling relatively better. I could still feel things, but it just took the edge off.
(Which is what the anesthesiologist likes to have for the epidurals.) Which I found it was better than the epdirual at MGMC. I couldn't feel A THING when I was in labor with Strummer.
Tera was super helpful in making me feel more comfortalble, helping me find different positions to lay in and when the time came, helped me w/the pushing!
Apparantly - all I really needed for the epidural! In less than an hour, I went from a 3 to 10! The nurses were extremely surprised! So - once I was getting close, they called Dr. Parsons and she arrived at the hospital just in time! I was ready to push! Lucky me, pushing has been the easy part of my labors! I pushed for 13 minutes and out popped Edyn! (
Seeing she was almost 2 lbs smaller than her brother - delivering her was a breeze!)
Edyn Vernette arrived March 9, 2010 at 2:31am! Weighing in at 7 lbs - 1 oz and Measuring at 19-1/2 inches. She was 2-1/2 weeks early and perfect! She did need a bit of oxygen because her umbilical cord was loose around her neck in the womb (maybe that's why she came early).
I was exhausted, but SO excited!!! Brad was too!
Tera took some GREAT pics of the delivery and afterwards. She also was so extremely helpful, by going out to McDonalds
(the only food place open in boone at 3am) and getting me food. I was STARVING! :P
God suprised us w/this pregnancy and we couldn't be more grateful for His gift of our precious little girl!
Thanks to EVERYONE who helped us while we were in the hospital and who helped us while I was pregnant and during this past year! We Love You All!!
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During Labor - since it was a surprise going early - I didn't get one last belly pic!
(I can tell you, I was measuring 46 inches around) |
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| Welcome Edyn Vernette! |
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| Almost 1 year old! |
