We are all finally home and thoroughly sleep deprived!!!! (or, my really really really really long birth story)

So, on the 25th of May, I had my 2nd NST of the week and my 38 week appointment during which my doctor determined me to be 3cm dilated. I was thrilled seeing as I had been in full "misery" for about a month. The baby's head had been down and low for so long, I couldn't sit properly or walk well. I was READY!!!!

I spent the weekend nesting like a maniac...I SCRUBBED the kitchen floor on my hands and belly/side! (squatting numbed my ankles and tile floor hurts your knees.) I cleaned up all sorts of thigns...I would lose it if I found a toothbrush on the wrong side of the medicine cabinet. I was insanely ready.

By Sunday I was walking around yelling at my belly. When I made it to Monday evening, I was nearly in tears. I had walked about 20 miles over the weekend and fielded hysterical phone calls from my mom who swore I should've been in the hospital Friday afternoon.

I set my alarm for 6am and went to bed disappointed. I woke up at 4:45am on Tuesday and decided the pressure on my bladder was more than I could bear, I nearly screamed when I saw lots of blood along with more of my mucus plug which I'd been slowly losing over the past week. 15 minutes later, I felt this pain in my lower belly. It was uncomfortable, but didn't make me flinch really. I snuck out to the living room and started to time them. They were 5 minutes apart...but not really painful. Now I was really frustrated...to top it all off, after an hour, THEY STOPPED!!!!! After 20 minutes they started again. Then stopped after an hour. During this time, I took a shower, fixed my hair, did my makeup and got dressed to go to the dr. I decided I would call in sick and go to the dr. early that day (I had a noon appt). I was a little vague, so DH got dressed for WORK!

Finally I got the point across: I was not sure if I was in labor, I needed to go to the dr. so they could hook me up to the monitor and see and go from there. He told me to drive myself! I looked at him and said: I can't stop every 5 minutes on the parkway! I swear, the 2 of us might be mentally challenged! Here I am in my 2nd pregnancy once again UNSURE if I'm in labor!

I call the doctor's office and explain my plight, they laughed at me for not knowing since it's my 2nd baby. I laughed, too. But, considering how far the hospital was, I preferred going to their office and being told "sorry charlie" instead of the hospital.

Turns out, I was having REAL contractions, they were a little erratic but the kicker was that I was 5cm dilated. The dr. said to me at that moment: Get dressed and get there NOW. He was worried he'd have to deliver in the office! So, off we went to South Nassau Communities Hospital.

There was my other dr. waiting, the room was amazing. I got changed and she came to check me almost instantly. I was at 6cm (30 minutes earlier I was at 5) and 100% effaced. Then, as they monitored my contractions and saw how strong they were, the dr. looked at me funny because I was NOT reacting to them the way most women would...i was on the phone talking to people and really only making a funny face or 2. I should've been in agony. (So it turns out I have an insane threshold for pain!) Due to my overly good feeling, the broke my water at 8cm (11:35am). Pediatrics had to be called in b/c the baby had passed some meconium...there was an army of specialists in my room in no time flat! It was amazing. (a little invasive, but reassuring at least!)

Finally at 1:47pm, after 9 hours of labor (I only had 4 hours the first time!), little baby Lucas was born. He weighed in at 5 pounds 9 ounces (so my growth sonos were correct) and was 19 inches long!

On Wednesday, he started vomiting blood...so he was sent to the NICU and stayed there. It was sad and hard. I cried so much, they were worried about me and someone was checking on me constantly. He either swallowed my blood on his way out or had a stress ulcer. We will never know for sure, but he had to fast for a day and a half and be hooked up to all sorts of things...IVs, tubes, wires, machines, etc...My dr. allowed me to stay an extra day as my platelet count was low. The staff was soooooo supportive that they allowed me to stay until midnight on Friday if I wanted. I received more hugs from strangers than I did at my wedding! Lucas was the ONLY baby in NICU, so we became pretty popular this week. Leaving Friday night was just about the lowest point in my life! I knew he'd be home Sunday or Monday, but the pain was intense. DH was my rock through it all. I wouldn't have made it without him.

Yesterday, I left the house to get some clothes to wear while I heal and shrink. I barely made it in the mall when my phone started ringing and beeping wildly. Lucas was ready to come home a day early!!!!

We left in such a rush, we forgot his clothes. He came home in his hospital shirt, blankets and a little knit hat some volunteers had made. The tears are gone now and replaced with nothing but smiles...even when he was up 3 times last night. DH was amazing with that, too...he heard him each time before I did and the monitor was between our pillows! He let me sleep through the first one. I honestly don't care about sleeping at night at all, my little boy is healthy again and home.

So the moral of this looooooooooooooong story is:

yes, it's totally possible to NOT know you're in labor, even after you've been there, done that! I still had a quick labor, but my 2nd took twice as long! None of it makes much sense, you just have to keep focused on the goal, a sweet child to love and care for.




I have to tell you all, it seems team blue has taken over!!!

eta---yes, that's my cell phone on my lap minutes after giving birth. I promised to call my mom ASAP so she could hear the baby cry (she's in FL) and we surprised her witha picture as well.

Message edited 6/3/2007 11:26:08 AM.

Welcome Home Baby Lucas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

congratulations!!! great story and he's beautiful!!!

thats a great story! Congrats to you all - he's beautiful and i'm so glad everything went well

Cheryl - wow - thats scary - so glad he is doing well - you guys look so happy - and little Lucas is beautiful!!!!

Congrats again Cheryl!!!! He is so adorable!

congrats!! he is just beautiful!!

Congrats he is so cute

Welcome home! Wow you had some baby adventure. I am glad Lucas is doing well!

congrats!!!! he's beautiful!

Great story!! Congrats to you all- he's beautiful!!!!!

What a story! So glad everyone is home and happy! He is adorable!

Congrats. He is adorable!

Wow what a story!!

I am glad to hear Lucas is A-OK and doing so well. Congrats to you and DH, you make a beautiful family!!

what a beautiful family! congratulations and I am glad he is home with you already

Wow, that is some birth story!!! Glad to hear Lucas is home and doing good

I love the picture of the 3 of you

Congrats and welcome to the world Lucas

Congrats!!

I am SO glad everything worked out, I was on the edge of my seat reading this! He is beautiful!!! Congratulations!!!!

Thank God Lucas is A-OK now! I can't imagine what you must have been going through while he was spitting blood & have tubs hooked up to him.

Congratulations & Welcome Lucas!!!

WHAT a story that is! Thanks for sharing it all!!! Welcome home to you and Baby!!