Hi, I have 2 kids

If you did not check out the other blog, Luke Edward was born on Tuesday, April 7th at 6:10 p.m. and weighed a whopping 9 lbs 1 oz. Shout out to my doctor and Ethan: "I told you so." Ignore the ultrasound from 2 weeks ago all you want, but listen to a woman when she tells you the baby is big. Just listen. And before I go into the details, a quote from my doctor as she is stitching me up: "If we do this again, remind me so we can induce you earlier." Um, are you kidding me? Okay...

I called the hospital Tuesday morning and I was the only induction scheduled so we were able to go. Thank goodness because I have no idea what I would have done if they said no. Other than cry. We got to the hospital and had to go through registration, even though I was pre-registered. By the time I got to the room it was almost 9:00 and when I was in the bathroom putting on the lovely gown I heard my doctor was there already. She checked me and I was 2cm (I was 1 on Friday). The pill was inserted and the wait began. Occasionally contractions would show up on the monitor but I never felt them. The great thing was that I wasn't hooked to an IV so I could get up and walk. I also didn't have a catheter--I am deathly afraid of them after a very painful one and was hoping to wait to get it until after some pain meds.

I had two great nurses and she suggested getting my IV in and ready in case it took a while and if I progressed quickly she didn't want me in labor and trying to poke me. Good thing because after trying several times in a 2 hr span they finally got it. I have small, thin veins with a lot of valves (whatever that means). They ended up heating a blanket and wrapping my arm in it to make the veins pop out and that worked.

Around 12:30 the doctor came to give me a second dose. I didn't have much of a change by then, and was nervous she was gonna send me home if that dose didn't work. Then the contractions were more regular and I could feel them, about 6 min apart. They were totally manageable and we decided I should try to take a nap. We turned the lights off, closed the door, and Ethan fell asleep instantly. I would doze off then get woken up by a contraction. Then there was a distinct moment when I realized that was not 6 minutes. I was trying to see the machine and finally woke Ethan up to check it. 3 min apart, then 2 min apart and it was painful. I waited a while longer and called the nurse for some meds. In her opinion it was too early for the spinal. She didn't want it to wear off too quickly. She suggested walking around after checking me because I was progressing and she thought if I could get my water to break it would happen very fast. I had visions of standing in a puddle in the hallway but didnt care. Nurses are not allowed to break water, so she called the doctor to let her know and depending on her appts for the rest of the day she was either gonna sneak away and do it, or come at 5:00.

We walked and I had to stop every 2 min and cling to the wall. The contractions were bad and felt like they were getting closer everytime. I went back to my room and tried a shower to "relax" me...didn't work. I needed intervention. The nurse checked me and I was 6. Yipee!!! She said it was a great time for the spinal and I couldn't agree more. My contractions were 1-2 min apart and not pleasant. I was holding it together for Ethan's sake, but man, they were brutal. I was kind of writhing on the bed, probably not attractive at all, but I just couldn't find a comfortable position. Because this is an "inserted" medication you cannot turn it off like pitocin.

Mr. Spinal said he would be there in 30 min and seriously I thought I was gonna die. I even did the math in my head about how many more contractions I would have til he got there. The nurse gave me an IV pain med to take the edge off but it didn't do anything. Nothing. Nada. Zip. So, I'm sucking it up, Ethan called my mom and sister and told them to make the 20 min drive over and again, more waiting.

Mr. Spinal showed up 30 min later, but his prepping everything took forever. Then, he had the nerve to answer his cell phone! He kept telling me to sit forward, sit back, move to the left, honestly, it was hell. I was leaning on my nurse, whimpering because I didn't want to cry outloud (you are welcome Ethan) and was in a lot of pain. She was a great nurse and kept telling me how good I was doing, that I should be proud of myself. I kept apologizing for acting like a big baby and I remember her saying "baby it hurts you complain all you want." Finally, the spinal was in. They laid me down on my back quickly and my legs were already numb. About 5-10 min later I was in a good place. I was ready to rest and take a nap. My mom and sister were there and all was good with the world...until the shakes.

I remember the shakes after the epidural I got with Ryan so I thought it was no big deal. The nurse asked if I was cold and I said no, then she said those aren't spinal shakes those are "complete" shakes. As in 10 cm complete have a baby kind of shakes. And my first thought was, are you telling me I basically went through an entire labor with no pain meds? WOW. She checked me and yes, it was time. She called the doctor who was on her way already and bam time for baby.

Thank goodness I didn't want any longer for the spinal because they would have said it was too late. The contractions were still 1-2 min apart but I felt nothing. It is the weirdest sensation to have someone grab your legs and you watch them do it, but not feel it. They were worried I wasn't going to be a good pusher since I couldn't feel anything but oh well. No way I could have pushed him out without meds. No way.

The entire pushing was about 30 min, much quicker than Ryan's over 2 hrs. But, things got a little scary, the magnitude I didn't really get until after it was over. First they gave me oxygen, then there was a quiet discussion about the baby's heart rate, I kept asking and everyone said he was fine. Then there was a request for a pediatric respitory team. More discussion of heart rate which was not quiet. Then a vacuum. Then a request for a bigger vacuum and the doctor telling me I had to deliver him now, we could not wait. I couldn't do more than push like I had been with her telling me if they were effective or not. I heard the head was out, and then the doctor said something about shoulder distosia, and that he was stuck and literally the nurse pushed my mom out of the way, almost dove to my stomach and dislodged him by pushing hard on my pelvic bone. It was so weird to watch since I felt nothing and all I can say is that nurse rocks...and thank goodness I did not feel that!

Luke's respiratory nurse said he was fine as soon as she heard him cry. This boy is loud. He has an ear piercing scream that sounds like a bird you would hear in a tropical rain forest. After they weighed him I heard my doctor say wow. Then she spent a lot of time "fixing" me.

Needless to say this has been a very slow recovery. I could barely walk the first few days. My sugars have not gone back to normal, but yes Flynn, I had 2 donuts and they were delightful :). I have a never ending headache, among other "injuries" that I cannot even discuss. I spent the night in the hospital but decided to come home after that. They weren't doing much but
checking my vitals anyway. I look pale and am on iron supplements. Today, the 6th day, I am up and around more. I made my own lunch and am learning to not be so dependent on Ethan because he goes back to work tomorrow. I have to say that eventhough labor and delivery scares Ethan and he doesn't say much during the process, and I know he would rather not be there, he has been the best dad and husband.

I am breastfeeding. I did not have such a reaction to it like I did with Ryan. I am trying to keep it up to generate a good supply, then hopefully will start pumping soon. I am having that feeling that breastfeed is all I do all day. I find it hard to start anything-like a shower-because I'm worried Luke will decide he needs to eat again and scream and don't want to put Ethan in that position. Also, his screams terrify Ryan. Sometimes I'm feeding every 20 min because he fell asleep during, sometimes its an hr, sometimes 2...I just have no idea and I hate that. Its not like with a bottle where I could go take a leisurely shower and not worry. I just worry. I actually think Ethan kinda wants to give him a bottle and has offered. One night he did take 2 ounces of formula so I could get some sleep because his days and nights are mixed up and I had been up for about 3 days.

Ryan has been a bit more cranky, but other than that, seems to love his brother and wants to always pet his head and check on him. With Ethan at work tomorrow it will be interesting. He tells us he yuves baby yook. he is still on his basic schedule and taking naps. he thinks its unfair that Luke gets to sleep in our room when he can't, but we remind him that Luke wakes up a lot and cries and Ryan hates his hungry cry.

Speaking of, there seems to be a lot of squirming coming from his favorite nap spot-the carseat. Last night he actually went 2 whole hrs between feedings, and is just waking from about a 2 hr nap where no one had to hold him. Yay! Another plus is that he does not need a pacifier to fall asleep. Time to go feed the chunky monkey. We're doing a weight check at the ped tomorrow so I will fill you in. The other blog site has some pics up.