When he didn't arrive as expected on Monday, June 6 (a Keroack is always on time, but I wont go on about that little detail...) I stepped it up a notch. I went to acupuncture and even got the acupuncturist to mark all the "labour spots" with jiffy marker so I could continue to press them. I ate spicy food daily and eventually got to the point where I was sprinkling cayenne on everything. I walked and walked and walked. I went for a bumpy car rides. I took homeopathics and drank litres of raspberry leaf tea. I was sure every night that "tonight is the night." I made Ben dance with me to Black Eyed Peas "I've Got a Feeling." I was positive that would do it. I did absolutely everything shy of riding a horse...
Finally, on Thursday the 9th I was starting to chill out. Dishes were piling up again, laundry was lagging, I was starting to ease up on the continuous "waiting." Ben suggested a movie that night, Bridesmaids. We went with my parents (awkward, but hilarious and full of cry-laughing all around). I was finally relaxed.
Friday, the 10th, I woke up at 7:00am and felt like something was starting...I thought my water had broke. I called our midwife and let her know and she said she would be over in a little bit. By 7:45, I was 100% positive my water had broke. Our midwife agreed.
The next step was to go to the hospital and get an IV of antibiotics for something very common called GBS. I would have to do this every 4 hours. After the first shot, our midwife recommended we could go home before the next shot because my contractions hadn't really started. We were due back at the hospital by 1:00, and by then the contractions were already 2 minutes apart lasting 30-45 seconds. We got into the car and drove 20 minutes back to the hospital. I of course started this drive by doing the math to figure out how much of the car trip I would be in pain. Breathe.
After the second shot we decided that even though I was nowhere near "active labor" (4 cm) that I could not possibly go home. I had to wait it out in a pre-labor room...for 6 hours. Contractions still every 2-3 minutes apart. Do that math. It's also worth mentioning that technically none of this is included in how long my labor was. Most people just include it though, as they should.
Active labor must have started around 6pm, and time was very much a blur by this point. For 8 hours (this part "counts" now) Ben, my Mom, and our amazing midwife Misty all took very good care of me, keeping me moving, giving me water, cold cloths, and rubbing my back. This part sucked but was more of a blur than early labor was, plus I knew I was getting somewhere now so that was the tiniest bit reassuring. The last step, "pushing stage" was about 2.5 hours (this counts too, haha) and it better. Ben said I became another person. I felt very determined and very excited to be almost done and FINALLY get to meet my son, the little guy who had been kicking me and hiccuping all the time for 9 months.
He was born at 4:46am on Saturday, June 11 weighing 7lbs. 12.5oz and when they put him up on my stomach I was instantly in love. Then immediately in shock, "Oh my God...Oh my GOD!!" He's finally here. There is a couple of pictures (a little too inappropriate to post) where my face changes from excitement to a very stunned amazement and shock. It was completely worth every bit of discomfort. And for the record, I would do it again in a heartbeat. But not for at least a few years!
We stayed in the hospital that day, and decided to stay the night as well, just to get some help from nurses with feeding etc. Neither of us slept a wink, and the next morning were very anxious to go home. My parents, luckily, were still here for a few more days to enjoy him and help us out with cleaning, laundry, napping etc. Ben's parents were also around often to help out and visit, and his brothers, sister in law and two year old neice came for a visit on Sunday.
It's still setting in. So much love. So much bright-eyed amazement. I have never been so tired, but so blissfully happy.
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