I'm not an eloquent writer, sorry folks. Here are the basics...
So I woke up on Tuesday the 21st at 6 am to contractions. Never was able to get back to sleep. They were definitely different from the braxton hicks I'd had forever, but not bad yet, so I let the husbandperson go off to work like normal. Started timing contractions around 9 - they were never less than 5 minutes apart, but they didn't last terribly long, just 30-45 seconds. Emailed the husbandperson that this might be labor. Later I check my phone and he had tried to call me like 10 times. Mental note: Keep phone nearby me next time.
I didn't do much of anything all day except play on the computer, time contractions, and debate if I'd be able to make a wedding on Saturday if I had the baby on Tuesday (still haven't decided this yet). Called my midwife around 2, and gave her a heads up. Told the husbandperson to not come home from school early, but to not stay late to do tutoring either.
He got home a little before 5, shortly after the contractions started to get more intense, and I was very glad to see him. I didn't want to be alone anymore.
We headed off for the birth center around 6pm, and that drive kinda sucked. Couldn't really lean forward during contractions, so felt them pretty bad in my back. We think she wasn't quite anterior during labor, because I felt a LOT in my back. Not sure it was actually back labor though, as she did come out anterior. Who knows. Anyway, got there and got settled into the room. By about 8 or 9 or so, my midwife was in the room basically non-stop unless she was getting me something. She was great, suggesting different positions and rubbing my back during contractions. Oh! I had had a little bit of bloody show early that morning, but basically nothing until late that night, then it seemed for a bit like non-stop bloody mucous. It was all kinds of lovely.
I'm not sure when exactly I started pushing - around 1 or 2 am, maybe? My cervix wasn't dilating equally on both sides (shouldn't have been on just one side for so long) so we had to do some position changes to get that out of the way, and I didn't feel like pushing until I had to. Quite frankly, it sucked. Actually, all of labor sucked, but I really was not a fan of pushing. It was kind of half just me/half coached. They wanted me to hold the pushes longer than I felt like doing (I think they could tell I was sick and tired of the whole thing
) but I was NOT going to push without feeling the need to. I had to have the breaks in between contractions. Finally, at 4 am Wednesday after 22 hours of labor, I heard extra excitement during a push and managed to open my eyes and look down in time to see her little body emerge. They immediately put her on my chest and put a towel over her. Holy crap, I'd done it! I think her apgars were 8 and 9. Like I'd wanted, my husband was the first to find out and announce what flavor of baby we had.
The placenta came out pretty soon afterwards (probably within 15 minutes) and they declared it a big one. Once the cord wasn't pulsating, it was clamped and cut. The husbandperson actually cut it! I was surprised. I did end up with a second degree tear, and 7 stitches. I swear the stitching took forever, but I've had basically no stinging when I go to the bathroom, so I'm thinking she did a good job. They did the newborn exam, and my daughter was declared just perfect.
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Eowyn was not overly interested in nursing at first. Sleeping was the order of the day. She did catch on to the idea that boobage = a good thing a little later. We all napped a bit, did the postpartum instruction thing, and then came home. Our dogs are quite intrigued by this little poop machine we've brought home. I think our little dog is freaked out by the fact that this...
thing moves on its own.
Our oldest and calmest dog is very curious but very gentle. The middle one has actually growled at the others when they've tried to get near her. We can't decide if he wants to cuddle her and raise her as his own, or if he wants to eat her.
And yeah. That's pretty much it.
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sweet baby girl.
