Tuesday morning, the day before he was born, Brian left for a one night camping trip with a few of his buddies from his police squad. It was only an hour and a half away, one night, he'd be home by 2ish the next day (Wednesday). And I really did have two weeks left so although I was a tiny bit worried for him to go I would have felt like a mean wife if I had said no. He was really looking forward to going. The only catch was that I didn't really know he wouldn't have cell reception where he was at. I kind of found that out too late in the game for me to say I didn't feel too comfortable with him going. But you know, I did still had two weeks to go!
(warning- this is about childbirth so if you don't want to know about mucus plugs and such things stay away. i'm not shy about discussing these things.)
So at 1:45am Wednesday morning I woke up having to pee, and within minutes or less contractions started. I had been having painful braxton hicks consistently for weeks by then and had been super uncomfortable for days, like more than I ever was with Quinn, so I didn't think too much about the pain and discomfort I was having. I just thought to myself, I feel like he's coming sooner than later but it better not be tonight! I laid back down and tried to go back to sleep but I couldn't. I had to go to the bathroom again and when my mucus plug came with I knew things were about to get real. And I couldn't believe it was happening then! I know you can loose it way before you go into labor but these pains were a little different and I just knew (i had been feeling different all day)... even though I was telling myself this. is. not. happening! My husband is sleeping in the woods somewhere far away and I have a needy/busy toddler that is going to wake up in about five hours! (and she freaks out crying if she sees me in pain, even if I try to hide it, she knows.)
I laid down again trying to sleep and waiting to see if these contractions would keep coming or not. After I realized for sure that they weren't stopping, and I could no longer sleep because of everything happening, I got in the shower. I really was so tired and just wanted to go back to sleep but I knew that if I wanted to get anything done I better do it now before things got too intense and before Quinn woke up. And I was planning on showering that morning before a doctors appointment anyways. So I showered, got a few more things together in mine and Quinn's bags that were already half packed, and then laid down again to see if I could get some sleep since it wasn't too crazy yet (I also thought that I would have a lot longer of a labor than I did.) I called and texted Brian and texted every single guy he was with! (he gave me all their numbers incase this were to happen.) Of course I still couldn't sleep and I started to be all like... all the things must be put away and everything so clean! And I knew it was now or never so I swept the kitchen floor and cleaned up like a crazy pregnant lady in labor taking breaks for contractions to come and go. In the end I realized it was way better that I was up and moving even though I really wanted to just lay down because I was still tired. I felt so much better to be standing, I mean hunched over the counter, and swaying/moving during contractions. Even though my legs were so tired I just could not sit! It was way more uncomfortable if I did. Being able to be up and moving and actually getting a break in between contractions was also a welcomed surprise this time around. I was all like ohhh this is what women mean when they say they feel fine in between and it gives them a little break until another pain comes. With Quinn I was shaking uncontrollably during and in between from the very beginning (I never got a break with her, ever!). As much as I wanted to try moving around to help things along all I could do was lay there and feel like dying. So this was a big blessing that I could get things together and done in between the pain since Brian wasn't here and because I had Quinn to think about too.
By this time I think it's about 4:30/5am and I know Brian's mom is awake (we planned for her to take Quinn) but she had to be home because the kids she watches come early. I texted her saying that today was the day and to plan on having Quinn sometime soon and that I still haven't gotten ahold of Brian, and that I would call my mom in a couple hours once she was up to come over and help get Quinn up. My mom got to our place around 7:30. By this time the contractions were the kind I had to concentrate on working through. She helped me get Quinn up and ready for Brian's mom to pick her up after she took kids to school. We still hadn't gotten ahold of Brian, surprisingly I wasn't freaking out too much about this. (I knew eventually they were going to be at a spot to hike that morning that would get reception. I was just praying that he would actually remember to check his phone!) But things were working out as best as they could! Quinn was picked up by 9am. I realized I hadn't eaten anything since the night before and I knew I wouldn't be eating much at the hospital so I forced myself to eat some cereal when I couldn't finish it and decided it was finally time to get ready to leave for the hospital. Brian finally called when we were halfway there.
My mom helped me get checked into triage. I felt like we were there for forever waiting for a delivery room. But maybe it just felt like forever since I felt like I was dying. When they checked me I was at a 3 and 80% effaced. They hooked me up to monitor the baby and consistency of my contractions. This was torture. I was so sweaty and in pain that those elastic belts were were so itchy and driving me nuts because I still could not sit! I feel like we made it to the hospital just in time because the contractions came full force right after we got into triage. Finally after I knew that Brian wasn't going to be there for a while longer I asked for an epidural. As soon as I asked they wheeled me up to a room and was given one within minutes, they hadn't even gotten the room fully set up. I think it was around 12pm by then. Things were getting crazy. Oh, and Brian got to the delivery room literally two seconds after I got the epidural. Lucky him. He wouldn't have liked it but I'm sure I would have made it much longer without one had he been there! I don't think they checked me again for another hour or more. I don't really remember what I was when they checked me the next couple times. All I know is that my water was still intact and the nurse said it was literally right there bulging and she tried breaking it a couple times but she couldn't. She had me moving a lot the next few hours because Luke's heart rate would decelerate often. She was quiet about it, which didn't help me think calmly about it. I don't know the details cause they wouldn't tell me much but I heard her calling up the NICU just incase. I was freaking out.
My water still hadn't broke and I started to feel crazy amounts of painful pressure because of it... the nurse checked me. I was at a 9 and then things got super crazy! I thought I would be waiting a little longer to push until I got to a 10 but nope! As soon as she said I was at a 9 and I was clearly (loudly) feeling the pressure and pain, and because of his heart decelerations, they started having me push right away. Everyone came rushing in, setting things up, and the doctor kept telling me to push, like none stop. I was pushing but didn't feel like I was at all. Apparently the doctor just wanted the baby out fast and wasn't waiting for a contraction to come. Finally the nurse realized this and helped get things under control and he was out with the next few minutes. I couldn't believe I had just had a baby! Everything happened so fast. Oh and my water shot out every where sometime during all that. They were so intense about getting him out NOW that I was so worried once he was out. They took him to the warming table right away and said I was loosing a lot of blood. They gave me pitocin to control my bleeding. Luke had swallowed meconium so he was still on the table being suctioned and his heart checked. Luckily, he only got a little in him and after what seemed like forever I finally got to see him, nurse, and be skin to skin for the next couple hours. I really was in shock and couldn't believe I had another baby. He was perfect. And I realized, I love having babies! It is the most amazing thing your body can do. It feels incredible! Everything was so much better this time around that I even told Brian that we could have a third just minutes after he was out. I did tear along my scar tissue from my old episiotomy but only needed a couple stitches. Which was like nothing compared to the first time around.
Recovery, nursing, adjusting to a new baby, everything has been wayyy easier than I thought it would be this time around. Thank goodness! Quinn of course had to, and still is adjusting but has done so much better than I thought she would. It's definitely work juggling two babies when daddy has to be working but I think I was well prepared for the job and I couldn't be happier doing it! I feel so blessed to have this little family of mine. Life couldn't get any better.
^^^couldn't even get a picture of her holding him for the first time because she pushed him away within seconds.^^^
^^^her present from baby Luke.^^^
^^^and then this is all she wanted to do.^^^
^^^this was the next morning. Brian went and got her so we could have some just the four of us time and she could have us without all the family around like the night before. it was perfect being together that morning. she was so good and just wanted to change her new babies diaper over and over.^^^
