Listen, I know I've told the Cliff Notes Version of AD's birth story here before, but I need to work on my attitude this week, so the time seems ripe for a Series of FORTUNATE Events.
First of all, I love a good birth story as much as the next gal, but if you are currently recovering from your 36 hours of unmedicated back labor which ended in an emergency C-section requiring amputation from the naval down, or some such horror, my birth story is, um, not for you at this juncture. Okay? Are we all set on disclaimers? If you have received this blog post in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the message without copying or disclosing it, etc etc.
My pregnancy with AD was uneventful, if annoying. The way I felt about pregnancy was that, at best, it wasn't that bad. And at worst, well, you know, fuck that shit. This is partially due to logistics in my case. I'm an extremely small person and my frame and torso are more efficiency than penthouse. When I'm sitting, like I am now, the bottom of my ribcage and the top of my pelvic bone touch. This meant that I was uncomfortable pretty early on and AD's head remained wedged under my ribcage for months on end. I'm not sure when you last had something wedged under your ribcage, but it tends to put you...on edge. Plus, I had wicked bad sciatic nerve pain, which is literally a pain in the ass. So, are you sufficiently sorry for me now? Oh, fine. I'll admit that there was an element of good old-fashioned bad attitude too since this is far from serious, as far as pregnancy goes. And if your eyes haven't rolled completely out of your head yet, I'll add that I also ran throughout my pregnancy.*
I knew that there was a possibility that I would have AD before my due date, since this is pretty common in my family. My mom had both my sister and I at least 3 weeks early. But, in your first pregnancy you don't so much as WHISPER something like this lest every medical professional and grizzled pregnancy veteran laugh bitterly in your naive face. SUUUURE you will have her early, mmm-HMMM! You just keeping hoping for that, NEWBIE! See how that works out for you! CACKLE CACKLE I HAVE SUFFERED AND SO WILL YOU!
Anyway, one Sunday night when I was about 35 1/2 weeks I started having contractions during the night, which were really no big deal since I had tons of Braxton-Hicks (painless "fake" contractions) throughout my pregnancy. I went to work the next day, had contractions most of the day, no biggee. When I still had them Monday night and into Tuesday morning, I made an appointment and when the doctor checked me I had lost my mucous plug (don't ask and SURE AS HELL don't Google) and was leaking fluid. This is basically game-over for pregnancy these days since once that happens you can get cooties and bird flu and what-not if you don't get the show on the road. So, they admitted me.
They gave me an IV and a steroid shot for AD's lungs (just in case they weren't fully developed), which freaked me right out, as I knew it would. Before this, I had never been in a hospital for any reason other than routine doctor visits. I'd never been to the emergency room, never stayed in the hospital, never had an IV or anesthesia, NOTHING. Thanks Midwestern farm stock gene pool! Don't ask me how I planned to handle an epidural, which I was fully prepared to have.
As beginner's luck would have it, I wouldn't need to find out since they finished breaking my water shortly before 7:00 and AD was born at 7:20. Wait, WHAT? I know. I totally missed the window for the delicious, delicious drugs and fully dilated in about 10 minutes, pushed a couple of times, aaand Done. I'll add that the good thing about not having drugs is that you are totally cleared for getting up and eating a Quarter Pounder Value Meal an hour later, which is what I did. I highly recommend it.
AD was 5 lbs, 3 oz and 17 1/2 inches long. They brought her to the NICU since she was technically pre-term, but she was totally healthy, if a bit of a lightweight. We left the hospital about 30 hours later. And a Tantrumer is born!
This is a preemie outfit and she was positively SWIMMING in it.
39 comments:
After hearing about your easy delivery, did all the naysayers cluck their tongues and tell you to JUST WAIT UNTIL THE SECOND ONE? DOOM!!! DOOOOOOOM!
That photo of AD in the boppy pillow cracked me up. She looks slightly pensive. And totally adorable.
How strange. I just posted Luke's birth story today too! It was also a 20 minute deal. Moms everywhere are spitting on us right now!
AD looks sooo tiny! I never had little ones like that.
Pensive! Totally pensive. In a totally adorable monkish way.
I, too, love birth stories, esp. the kind that don't involve sawing through the pelvis, etc.
And...I cannot help but heed your call. Exercise during pregnancy! I did it, I regretted it, I lived to tell about it!
I, too, am a runner, only that's actually "runner," as in I've run my same slow, is-she-running-or-walking? three miles three to four times a week my whole entire life. So I thought I'd be a runner during pregnancy, too. After all, I'm a natural athlete, right? Ahem. Also, I get a little homicidal when cooped up, and who needs that? That lasted until oh, the second trimester of my first pregnancy, when I started limping--then hobbling--then using a CANE. Five billion dollars in PT/orthopod costs later, I figured out I'd sprained my quad, which is that big butt muscle that pretty much operates everything in the leg. Anyhow, I didn't run at all for my second. I walked, decorously, for my exercise.
I love this story, and I love that we are now onto the series of Fortunate Events. You are never one to disappoint.
P&D-OF COURSE they did. And it's certainly possible that I'll pay dearly at some point. Of course, no matter how miserable you are, someone is always waiting in the wings to tell you how much worse it will be in the future. YAY motherhood!
Melospiza-A CANE? Oh, that sucks. Walking counts! I'm not talking about just running, which obviously not everyone can do for a variety of reasons. I had to stop running for a while due to the sciatic nerve pain but luckily was able to go back to it after it went away.
I did nothing exercise wise for my first two pregnancies and gained 50lb with each- perdy!! Then with the third I wised up and ran until 36weeks every other day 6-10km because I was determined not to gain 50lbs.
After 36 weeks I started biking because when I ran I felt like the baby was literally going to fall out. The day I delivered I had biked 15km. My labour with him was a breeze, labour and delivery was two hours.
When the midwife came to check on me the day after he was born she asked if I was hurting anywhere. I told her my birth parts felt fine but I think I pulled my hamstring from biking. She seriously thought I was crazy, he he.
TWENTY MINUTES? TWENTY MINUTES?!?!?! GOOD HOLY SHIMOLY I AM SERIOUSLY ENVIOUS.
AD with the Boppy? Priceless.
Love the Fortunate Events. More, please.
I wish I had that kind of birth story... mine is a little more, err painful... It is posted someone on my blog - ah here you go: http://matthewstechnicoloredworld.blogspot.com/2007/04/my-birth-story.html
It was so painful I chose to post the story as it came from my doula plus how the hell would I remember those details I was pushing 524654646 hours ;)
As for exercise, I had this plan when I became pregnant: Gain the right amt of weight, eat only the calories I needed, exercise every single day, and come out of child birth looking as good if not BETTER than before I had a baby. HA!
I gained something along the lines of 70 lbs?! I ate like a cow EVERY SINGLE DAY of pregnancy. And I did exercise (YMCA water aerobics for pregnant ladies and I either rode the elliptical machine or the recumbent bike AND lifted weights as well) right up to my 3rd trimester.
Then all hell broke loose. I stopped (the holidays and a vacation actually happened in there...) AND I ate EVEN MORE (ICE CREAM!!!) I also just felt I could not do it any longer. I am small person as well. I was huge and SWOLLEN and exercise seemed to make this infinitely worse...
Additionally, I think, I swear, I think I broke my pelvis during pregnancy. I was miserable and hobbled about like I was 100 yrs old because of the pain in my pelvis and legs. The pain was unbearable so that even riding the recumbent bike felt like hell.
I did try working a few times during the 3rd trimester by walking/jogging on a tread mill but it was half hearted and please note the above mentioned swelling became worse so much so that my socks felt like they were cutting off my feet!
Sigh. Next pregnancy, the plan is the same as the previous pregnancy. Only this time, you know really sticking with the plan... who knows, I am SO not going to stress about it if it does not happen!
I am also fascinated by this topic if you cannot tell by my long old comment here... I would LOVE to be able to run throughout the whole pregnancy - that would TOTALLY rock!
LOVE IT! Sounds much like mine!
http://nogainnoloss.blogspot.com/2007/05/httpnogainnoloss.html
My "exercise" during pregnancy consisted of walking the dog, until my daughter was also sitting on my siatic (sp?) nerve and I could barely walk at all.
Link is (not that i expect anyone to actually read it, but you can...)
http://nogainnoloss.blogspot.com/2007/05/httpnogainnoloss.html
THANK YOU guys for posting those links! If you have a link to your birth story, please post it! I LOVE THAT SHIT.
I kept swearing my kid was coming early too, and everyone laughed until she actually did (36 wks. 3 days.) I had a quick, easy, epidural-less delivery too, and a five pound three ouncer who was also healthy and normal. Exercise, incidentally was the occasional walk around the neighborhood and water aerobics at the Y. Same this time around with Eli, except that both times by thirty two weeks I was on bedrest and my only exercise consisted of a stroll to the bathroom.
I love that story. You are an inspiration to all of us who haven't been through labor yet.
P.S loved your explaination of the sciatic nerve pain
She is so cute and tiny. Awwwww.
My mom had me and my brother quickly as well. I'm hoping it's genetic, becuase I am NOT excited about a giant needle in my spine.
Oh, she is so cute and tiny! And good on ya mate for the easy delivery! That's awesome. I'll post birth stories soon. That's good blog material right there. Oh, and as far as exercise during pregnancy - I had been working out three times a week before I got pregnant the second time. The day I found out I was pregnant I stopped working out and never looked back! Yeah, not the smartest course of action.
There are so many birth stories and name posts in my reader, I'm basically hyperventilating with joy.
cool, thanks! you made my day. Wonderful birth story, and I will not hate you for a relatively "easy" delivery (are they ever really easy?!). I will blog my pregnancy exercise disaster for you for shits and giggles.
I might have to jump on the bandwagon and put up my birth story if for no other reason than so I can sing the praises of my epidural that I didn't want and turned out to be the greatest thing in the world.
she's so cute and tiny and I can totally picture her slamming doors on you
oh and I did some yoga until I ended up on bedrest and then the most excercise I got was walking to the bathroom! I'm still on that same excercise plan now
Love the tiny baby in the Boppy pic.
I have to ask - IF you are planning on having #2, aren't you sort of scared? With such an easy birth (well, relatively since it is giving birth after all), I'd be terrified that the gods would see to it that the next time around I'd suffer triplefold!
Shelly-HELL YEAH I'm sort of scared. The way I see it, one of two things could happen: either I have some marathon 48 hour payback birth, or I drop the next one on the bathroom floor/in the backseat of the car.
You want birth stories? But there are four of them. None all that interesting.
JMC-Hel-LO, perfect for a series! I've got nothing but time here! Also, there is no such thing as a boring birth story. They are all MIRACLES, blah blah blah insert flashing heart avatar here. Actually, I am just interested.
Could she be any cuter? Honestly!
I ate a hospital grade chicken salad sandwich as they stiched me up after Eddie. It was the best thing I ever ate. Ever.
And P.S. even though I labored with Eddie forever, I had Cait within an hour of getting to the hospital.
I suppose I should write down my labor story at some point, if only to make Zoe feel horribly guilty at some point in her life.
As far as exercising during pregnancy goes, I was the poster child. I had just stopped dancing right before I got pregnant so I didn't have the chance to scare anyone in dance class (or, god forbid, on stage!) with my protruding parts. But I teach Pilates and taught right up to my 9th month. In addition, I worked out with weights, swam, walked, and hiked a ton.
I moved in my first trimester so it was only after I had Zoe that I found out how lame I really was. The hiking trails that took me an hour when I was pregnant now take me 15 minutes!
Okay, I'll do a short series, but it might be a while. You may have noticed that I have only posted 2 sentences so far this week, and I'm not sure I'm going to have a chance for more, but if I do it will be a lot of run-on sentences like this one about East of Eden and From the Corner of his Eye, because I'm behind on my book reviews for that damn challenge I signed up for.
Nice work Tessie. I do not ever want to experience "natural" drug-free childbirth. NO THANK YOU. But I had 8 lb babies. Pretty average, but large headed. They popped right out with the appropriate and disgustingly extensive amount of damage you might expect. All in all, pretty much run of the mill births.
Hey, so...
I ran through both my pregnancies. Including the day before I had both my babies. I was running 4 miles a day, about 4-5 days a week. I have a running problem. I can't NOT do it. Both boys were healthy as ox (healthy as oxen?), and I was able to start run/walking again about 10 days after I had them.
Oh right, and the birth story of my second:
http://momommy.blogspot.com/2007/07/light-and-air.html
Not all that exciting.
I have to say I'm not a big fan of birth stories. Especially since I have not had a child and the though of something coming out of THERE makes me queasy. However, yours wasn't too bad. And the tiny one is adorable!
Aww, what a sweet picture. I hope if and when I have babies, my labor is as quick as yours was.
18 hours of labor. That's all I have to say as my squinty eyes glare in your general direction...
Oh, and, I applaud you for your pizza delivery style birth (30 min or less or it's free). Seriously. That ROCKS! The exercise thing, man, I was just too FUCKING TIRED! But I only gained like 20 pounds while preggers...
Banana: The needle thing kind of freaked me out, too, but I guarantee you it's WAY BETTER than contractions...
I just wanted to comment on the exercise and pregnancy comment. I ran until 30 weeks with SD, and only stopped because of some spotting, but I continued walking and lifting weights. I think this helps so much and my opinion is that it is just as bad to stop doing something you have been doing beforehand as it is to begin something that you have never done. Now that I am pregnant again, I have a new doctor, this doctor I believe is a bitter ex-runner and doesn't want me to run. I took his advice for a week and then decided I would listen to my body! I feel so much better when I run, plus, I gained 50+ pounds with SD and I was running, I shutter to think of what will happen if I don't run!
I just wanted to comment on the exercise and pregnancy comment. I ran until 30 weeks with SD, and only stopped because of some spotting, but I continued walking and lifting weights. I think this helps so much and my opinion is that it is just as bad to stop doing something you have been doing beforehand as it is to begin something that you have never done. Now that I am pregnant again, I have a new doctor, this doctor I believe is a bitter ex-runner and doesn't want me to run. I took his advice for a week and then decided I would listen to my body! I feel so much better when I run, plus, I gained 50+ pounds with SD and I was running, I shutter to think of what will happen if I don't run!
Don't know why it posted twice, you can delete one of them!
That story is flippin' awesome. I love hearing positive birth stories. It almost neutralizes the terrible 36 hour no epidural all pain delivery stories you so often hear.
I exercised during my pregnancy. Mostly through the whole thing but I got a little lazy in the middle. Towards the end when I was big-ish people would stare at me funny at the gym. I guess they were a tad disapproving. Kid was fine though and so was the labor.
My sister's birth story of her daughter is very similar to yours. I had such high hopes of mine being at least somewhat similar but it was not to be.
What a cutie!
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