last time i blogged, i had a hunch that the doctor did something right and put my body in motion to go into labor. and it turns out she did, because the night after i wrote that, at 1:22 AM, i started having contractions. brett and i had just gone to bed, and he was already sound asleep snoring. so i started timing them thinking they were probably false ones like the night before.
then they started getting worse, and i couldn’t lay in bed any longer. i went downstairs, hopped on the computer, and got back to working on the app i started writing last week.
3 hours later, i woke brett up. i could barely talk (or code) i was hurting so bad. we got the suitcase and drove the 2 miles to the hospital (so convenient). they stuck me in a wheelchair, and brett nearly broke his neck trying to keep up with the guy driving my wheelchair 50 miles an hour down the hallway. by 5:30 AM, i was in the hospital bed, and 3 cm dilated. the day had finally come.
by 7:30 AM, the contractions were hellacious and the anesthesiologist was taking his sweet time. brett was getting pissed and couldn’t stand watching me squirm. the guy finally got there and gave me my epidural, and it was the best i’d felt in months. i don’t know how any woman has given birth without one, but… kudos to you. i could never. the epidural was heaven. the only part that sucked about it was the fact that i got a wicked contraction right when the guy was putting the needle in. the contraction hurt 20 times worse than the needle did. i was expecting so much worse after everything i’d heard.
the next few hours flew by. brett had ESPN and the first day of football–dude was on cloud 9. i had my epidural and ice chips and jolly ranchers. my mom and brett’s family were visiting off and on throughout the day. brett was above and beyond supportive. it was pretty much smooth sailing (other than the obvious discomforts of labor) until 4 or 5 that afternoon when the pressure started to kick in. the discomfort from the pressure was almost as bad as the pain from the contractions before the epidural. it blows my mind how something can be so uncomfortable that it’s almost painful. totally different feeling. i couldn’t even describe it to brett.
finally at 6 PM,the doctor said i was fully dilated and we were ready to go. and at 7:24 PM, on august 30, caylin corinne was born. the first infant i’ve ever held was laying on top of me in my arms. absolutely the scariest and happiest moment i’ve ever experienced. i think i was in shock for the first night/day–all i could do was stare. i kept looking at brett and saying, “we made a freaking baby”. unbelievable.
the hospital we delivered in is really nice (lots of comforts, private rooms, decent food, lots of attentive staff, amazing doctors), but it’s obviously not home. we spent 2 and a half days there and were ready to get out. brett especially, since he had been sleeping on a cot made for someone about a foot shorter than him. i’m glad we stayed, though, because there was a lot to be learned in those first couple days from the nurses. neither of us knew squat about babies. not that we know much now, but we don’t feel like complete idiots anymore. plus they had really good french fries.
so far, it’s been an incredible experience. everyone told me my maternal instincts would kick in, but i never knew it would be this intense. oh my god. i can’t stay away from her. between that and the hormones fluctuating, everything is making me cry. not a bad cry, but just… super sensitive. brett was holding caylin sitting on the other couch the other night, and i started crying because i actually missed having her in my arms. we went to lunch for less than an hour the other day while my mom stayed and watched her for us, and she was all i could think about. that little face just gets me.
i know it’s early on and we only have 8 days under our belts, but at this point, i don’t (yet) mind the multiple feedings/diaper changes throughout the day and the middle of the night. we’ve all been getting good amounts of sleep, caylin is sleeping in 2-3 hour increments, and i’m absolutely loving all of it. before last week, the thought of diapering/baby spit-up/etc made me want to vomit. and now… all that means nothing compared to how happy i am. i could sit with caylin in my lap and stare at her for hours. cutest thing i have ever seen. even when she farts on me.
and i have to brag on brett. dude deserves a medal for being so perfect. i’ve never seen him happier. he is such an amazing husband, and now dad. he does nothing but take care of us. through the pregnancy, the labor, and now taking care of our first baby–nothing but constant love and support. i am beyond lucky. he jumps up to help whenever we need him. diapers. feeings. medicine. taking loki out. making breakfast. anything. i never have to ask, and he is glad to do it. he loves the hell out of this little girl. it is just the most awesome thing to watch.
i had no idea what to expect when caylin finally came, but this is absolutely more than i ever could have hoped for.