What I Know Now: Overdue, Labor & Delivery
After three weeks of doctor visits where I was apparently showing no signs of getting this baby out on my own, I was induced 8 days after my due date. This is certainly not how I planned on going into labor and I was a bit nervous of the consequences and knew that this increased my chances of having a c-section. But, after a LONG few weeks of waiting, my husband and I were excited to meet this baby we’d been trying to name for months. We had one final date night {Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Hot Tub Time Machine – don’t judge, there was nothing else out…} and our family was in town so we were ready.
6 a.m. we rolled into the hospital, a little jittery from a sleepless night and anxiety. We were shown to our room and made comfortable. Not 20 minutes later we hear a woman screaming, and I almost jump out of my skin; “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH… It hurts so bad!!! AAAhhh!!” Hubs and I lock bewildered eyes and I swallowed hard. When she let out another blood-curdling scream, hubs jumped accross the room and “earmuffed” me. THAT certainly didn’t put my mind at ease, but a few minutes later we heard an adorable cry and I was comforted knowing that it would all be worth it.
At 5 p.m. with water broken and pitocin flowing, contractions on a steady minute-apart schedule, a successful and glorious epidural, the nurses checked me hoping I was a seven or eight based on the contractions. I was a four. The doctor came in and found that the baby had actually moved farther up instead of downward and his recommendation was that we have a c-section or I could have been in labor through the night without knowing what was ahead. Having mentally prepared ourselves for this scenario the night before, it was an easy decision for us. And with that, the doctor said, “You’re going to have your baby in 30 minutes!”
In the operating room, the radio was on, I was sufficiently numb and breathing deeply, and the doctors were keeping me distracted with talk of politics, iphones, and anything under the sun until my husband was able to join me. Not ten minutes later, with my husband holding my hand, did I feel a long-awaited lightness and heard a little jittery cry. I knew it was coming, but at the same time it was so unexpected: I didn’t actually make all of this up, there really WAS a baby in there. And from the table I saw his little blond head and pale skin – clean as a whistle like he had just taken a bath. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment. At 8lbs. 8oz. and an AVERAGE sized head thankyouverymuch, little Owen finally made it to us and we couldn’t be happier.
So without further ado, my final What I Know Now:
- How could one week sound longer than 9 months? Being overdue was stressful on all levels. I was puffy from head to toe, an 8lb. gain in water weight the last month and having trouble sleeping. But in retrospect, 41 weeks was definitely not too long to wait for what was coming.
- An overdue pregnant woman cannot be left alone with her thoughts. Is he too humongous to come out? Am I going to have a c-section? When I go to my appointment will they induce me on the spot? I needed to be watched like a hawk and my sister flew in to do just that. She had to change her return flight 2 times because we went so past due.
- The closer we got to the delivery day, the less I cared about a “birthing plan.” I didn’t care who was in the room; you could line up all my ex-boyfriends to witness the event for all I cared. I just wanted to have that baby.
- I think everyone just remembers the last thing they did before they went into labor and tell you that’s what you need to do to go into labor. Get on the elliptical, eat a Haagen-Dazs or spicy food…
- My husband and I are on different crying schedules. At our wedding, he cried like a baby and was stoic in the delivery room. However on the wedding day not a single tear graced my face, but in the delivery room the anesthesiologist had a second job of wiping my eyes. Is it too much to ask to have a sentimental moment with my husband?
- When I saw Owen for the first time, I thought “Why didn’t we do this seven years ago?” …Pregnancy hormones and cute wrinkly babies play crazy tricks on you…
- My subsequent thoughts: He’s big! How did he fit in there? Look at the size of his mouth! Why aren’t they showing him to me? Hurry up and clean that baby off so I can see him. Who does he look like? I was sure he’d have my head or Jason’s head on his body, but who is this kid? Aw… I can’t believe he’s here, he is BEAUTIFUL.
- Lots and lots of visitors at the hospital, which was great. I had no idea how tired I’d be though. And so much coordinating working around his feeding schedule. On the one hand, about 2 dozen people had seen me naked by this point, what’s one more, but on the other hand, I loved having a little private moment with my boy.
- With the c-section, I was at the hospital for four nights. I can’t imagine being there for a shorter period of time because he’s such a science experiment… what is making him fussy, how often does he need to eat, what does that sound mean? The nurses were amazing and my first night home I had a hysterical moment where I seriously matter-of-factly was ready to pay those nurses cash to stay the nights with me to figure this kid out.
- But he’s a good baby and I think we are doing well. He’s a very sweet boy, never fussy unless he’s peed on his blanket while I was changing his diaper and didn’t notice.
- Speaking of, he has already peed on me. Hubs and I were working together on a serious diaper overhaul, four hands to one newborn sized diaper. I was readied with a second diaper to block any oncoming waterworks which was necessary two seconds later. When I lifted my defensive diaper, I was stunned by a wiley water hose to the face {and newly washed hair}. Jason jumped a foot and nearly choked laughing when he projectile pooped right after. He’s certainly keeping us on our toes!
- I think I did okay with pregnancy brain, but now I suffer from what my sister calls, CRS {Can’t Remember Sh…} I set out to do ONE thing each day {like this post, which I wanted to write in the hospital}, and some days even that one thing doesn’t get done. My mind is cluttered with feeding times, number of wet diapers, who’s visiting when, and when the last time I ate was that I can’t even remember to return a phone call.
- My best new-mom trick… I can fall asleep in 30 seconds anytime, anywhere.
- Another last shout out to my hubby for being a rock. As you can imagine, emotions run like wine through our house these days and my husband has gotten quite the crash course on how to console a worried/upset new mom. Despite my moments of hysteria, I have never been happier.
And this is what new moms do: stay home and stare at their little cubs doing absolutely nothing.
