Some thoughts & a birth story

I just read back all my diaries for 2022, which didn’t take very long because I didn’t write much. This year, one of my goals is to write at least 5 days a week. Some diaries may be private, but I’m going to try my best to keep up with that goal. I am going to be 30 years old in 5 days, and I’m ready to rock my 30s!

The last year of my 20s consisted of me being pregnant, and having my wonderful beautiful baby boy. Being a mom is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t think I knew what love was before they laid him on my chest. I had a relatively easy pregnancy. And a very difficult labor.

BabyBoy was due on 8/27, and my contractions started at 3am that morning. They were kind of all over the place and hard to track but I felt like labor was coming. At 5am I woke up Husband and told him I think we should go to the hospital. The hospital was empty and it took us 30 minutes to find L&D. They sent us to triage. I was 4cm dilated. They told me to walk around the hospital for an hour, which was difficult because of my contractions. After an hour, they checked and said I was 5cm dilated. They brought me a yoga ball and told me to sit on it for an hour. That was when the contractions started getting really bad. Husband kept telling me to breathe but I swear they just tell you to breathe to stop you from screaming in pain. After an hour they told me I’m 6cm dilated and they can now admit me. I asked for an epidural but they told me I needed to go through 2 IV bags first to make sure I was hydrated. They were the slowest IVs ever. After we finished the IV bags, they transported me to my birthing room. I again asked for the epidural but they told me the anesthesiologist was busy and I waited another 30 minutes before he came. I remember, his name was Kevin and I told him he was going to be my best friend.

The epidural only worked on the right side of my body. I found out later, it’s called a half-epidural and it’s from the epidural not being placed correctly. The nurse kept having me lay on my left side so the drugs from the epidural would cover my left but every time I went back to my back I could feel everything on my left side. Then BabyBoy got stuck on my left hip and I couldn’t lay on my left side anymore. It was so painful. Everyone kept asking me what would help and the answer was MORE DRUGS but the anesthesiologist took an hour before he came and gave me something. I didn’t even ask what he gave me, but it worked. I only pushed for 30 minutes, which according to the OB, was fast. BabyBoy was born at 5:05pm, weighing 8lb 4oz and was 21 inches long.

I honestly don’t know how well the epidural worked because while the OB was stitching me up I could feel everything, she kept pushing on my stomach and I kept screaming in pain. I had two tears, a 3rd degree tear and a 2nd degree tear and I couldn’t walk for over a week. Recovery was tough.

But BabyBoy is 4 months old today and it has been the best 4 months of my life.