Random thoughts

Just some random thoughts on Harper's birthday that I don't want to forget.

• When I first came into the hospital I spent time watching stupid movies like "Bring it on" and "Enchanted", it was great to have such mindless fluff to watch.
• Popsicles are only good to a point, after about 4 of those I was tired of them. Being hungry was one of the worst things about the labor process. I had eaten at 8pm and wasn't hungry when we left for the hospital. I wish I had eaten something, by 10am my stomach was growling. By 3 pm with the extreme hunger and sleep deprivation, I could have killed someone. However I was surpised that I really didn't get snippy at all and G and I got along all day.
• The first nurse was really condescending and I didn't like her, I was glad her shift ended. I really liked the nurse I got after that. She and the Resident who helped when it was time to push were awesome and having nice staff I think really helped the day go by.
• I was surprised how little I saw my doc. I only got checked internally 3 times the whole day and he only did 1 of those. Then he came back to catch the baby basically. I was fine with that, just not how I thought it would go.
• At one point early on Gary and I were watching my contractions on the monitor and they were going about half way up the chart and I remember saying to him that I wondered if they ever went all the way to the top. Ummm, they do and it freaking sucks. How anyone gets by without an epidural is beyond me, you ladies are rock starts.
• Once I wanted the epidural and couldn't get it, it was excrutiating to have to wait. I mean I understood b/c the lady got paged, but that was a really bad hour or so while I sat with monster contractions and they really drained a lot of energy out of me.
• The last time before it was time to push they checked me and I was 5-6 cm and 100% effaced. This happened really quickly from the previous 3cm check beforehand. Anyway I was sitting there and heard this awful gurgling noise between my legs. It happened a few times and I called the nurse, who got the doctor. It took awhile for the doc to come and it kept happening. It ended up being the baby moving down and pushing air out, it was so gross. But this is what got the show on the road. I knew something was off and they checked me and said I could go ahead and push or let her head come down a little more, she was at -1 station. So, we let her slide out a little more on her own.
• When it was getting close to time to push, I got really really nauseous and couldn't stop crying. I guess I just got a big surge of hormones, it was all so overwhelming.
• I pushed for about 1.5 hours. I was scared of that, but it didn't hurt as I thought it would. It was really awkward to try and hold my legs though b/c they were so dead and my right hand was dead to the world from the RV. A nurse held one leg and my mom held the other leg most of the time. Everyone was right, modesty is out the door, I never thought I'd go for that.
• Gary was great the whole day. When I was pushing, he rubbed my shoulder and told me to push push push and reminded me to keep my chin down. He did manage to stay up above and don't think he got sight of anything too nightmarish, lol.
• It was a total nightmare after she was out. Sitting there waiting to pass the placenta and get my stitch, with everyone running around her and not really knowing what if anything was wrong. Waiting to hear her cry. Minutes turned into hours. It was not fun. And only getting to spend like 5 mins with her literally after she was born, it took me awhile to really absorb that I had a daughter. I felt bad the first visit or two, like I didn't really feel like she was mine. It was weird, but it changed at some point and I started to feel the fiercely protective bond. But it did not happen right away at all.
• Being the world's biggest wuss, I can definitely say, that with an epidural at least, labor is really nothing to be scared of.
• Gary has been so good with Harper. It really is lovely to see them together. She totally knows his voice and looks for him when he talks. He's going to be a great daddy.
• It's really freaking annoying how often you get woken up when you want to sleep at the hospital. Last night they came to check my vitals twice while I was trying to finally get some sleep.
• Nothing prepares you for the mess that comes out of you over the next few days after vaginal birth. Yuck. But I am sooooo happy that I didn't have to have an episiotomy, I'm sure that makes it 10 times worse. I have one little stitch and it hurts enough. I can't imagine dealing with a serious tear.