Hi there,
I guess I lied in my last post. Which was a long time ago. I recall saying something to the effect of, "I will post more often from now on....". Definitely a fail! But I have a very good excuse, it's even better than my last one. :) I had a baby! Now you may smile and cheer, and give me thumbs up.
A lot of you have asked how it went. Many of you have heard. But I wanted to recap some of it, so that I could share this experience with anyone else who might not have been filled in.
Because Jason and I were working in northern California all summer, we were concerned about the three hour long, windy car ride to the hospital. The hazardous HWY 96 is packed with wildlife, falling rocks, falling trees, crazy drivers, and plenty of other tricky things. For these reasons, we asked my OB to induce labor.
On the night of Saturday, July 21, 2012, we went to RVMC to begin the labor process. The hooked me up to a saline drip and gave me cytotech, a pill that ripens the cervix. They also gave me a sleeping pill, which they said would help me sleep through the contractions which cytotech would most likely induce. Well, guess what? IT BROUGHT ON THE CONTRACTIONS. So much so that I could not sleep, even with the sleeping pill in my system. So I was beyond exhausted and very frustrated that I hadn't had any rest the night before delivering a baby.
On Sunday morning my parents came and brought me goodies. Praise to mom and dad for seeing that my labor was fueled by strawberry smoothies. You rock.
The contractions increased in length and intensity throughout the morning. By noon I felt myself reaching pain levels that I had never imagined. Girls, ENJOY your period cramps because someday, the real pain arrives and you will be praying for those menstrual fiends to come back. Trust me.
My birthing plan had been to wait as long as possible and then maybe ask for an epidural. When the time came, I felt like it was right for me. So I asked for one.
Once the epidural set in, I felt so much better. And, to be honest, I am really glad I did it. In birthing class we hear about the potential side effects of the epidural, and our well-intending nurses often discourage them.
I'm not trying to say that an epidural is the answer to labor pains, or that those who choose natural birth are wackos psyched out on labor adrenaline. From my experience, it is a personal choice that every mother should be allowed to make without fear of criticism. Every body, every baby, and every delivery is different. Give mother the courtesy of being allowed to make their own decision about what is best for them and their baby.
I received my epidural at 1:30, and by 4:15 I was pushing. At 4:38 Zach was born. Naturally, I cried like ninny and was loopy from exhaustion (not from the epidural!). Having the epidural allowed me to focus mentally and physically as I delivered. I could still feel my muscles engaged as I pushed. I didn't feel numbed, but I felt relieved and in control. To me, that made all the difference. I recall the experience so clearly, and that's because I wasn't distracted by pain.
Of course, I realize that everyone experiences pain in a different way, and for some mothers, and epidural would not have gone over as well as mine did. I am grateful that I was able to have one without side effects and I encourage mothers to consider them.
On Tuesday, July 24th we brought Zach home from the hospital. For two months now we have been blessed by this little boy. He is smarter, wiser, and more commanding than both Jason and I combined. He's cuter too, but we can forgive him all of that. :)
It's true what they say; you forget the pain once the baby arrives. But don't let that scare you, because like all good things, it is worth the sacrifice. Forget the pain, and embrace the experience.
