P
purplecupcake
Guest
I experienced some preterm labor at 33 weeks and had been having irregular contractions on and off since then, but on Sunday I just felt kind of off, uncomfortable tension in my lower back. Monday morning after getting ready to go to my weekly staff lunch I was feeling a lot of pelvic pressure and could barely even stand on one leg to put my pants on. I decided not to go and to just relax on the couch and wait for DH to get home as we had an appointment with the midwife that afternoon.
After laying down I felt even worse so I told DH to come home as soon as he could. A little while later I had an uncomfortable contraction. I busted out my contraction timer app and once the next contraction started it told me they were 7 minutes apart - no big deal. I heard DH walk in the door as the contraction was ending, then heard a pop and felt a gush. As DH was running around changing and grabbing our hospital bag, I got a garbage bag and had him bring me a towel so I could protect his front seat, haha. I also, cleverly enough, had requested free Poise pad samples (they are for old ladies who pee themselves when they laugh or sneeze) thinking they would be good for postpartum use, so I used one of those.
As soon as we got in the car, I started having strong contractions that just would not quit. We had a 40 minute drive to the hospital and about halfway through, I thought to myself I didn't think I'd be able to do a natural birth after all, as I could not stand the thought of going through hours and hours more. With every contraction more fluid gushed out, but Poise came through for me and contained almost all of it!
We got to the hospital and while I was told I preregistered for this visit when I was there last time, they said I wasn't. I started panting and groaning so they just sent a wheelchair for me and DH finished.
Once I got up to L&D they had me change into a gown and gave me a cervical examination....I was FULLY DILATED and ready to go. They called in the midwife and I mildly panicked that DH was still not there. The midwife told me it was time to push just as DH walked in. He said I was yelling while grasping both side rails of the bed and he thought I was possessed like in the Exorcist lmao.
With the midwife holding one leg and DH the other, I pushed for about 20 minutes (it truly did feel like I was having the biggest poop of my life, but rather than hurting badly as I anticipated, it was a huge relief from the contractions). At one point she had me reach down and feel his head as he crowned. As soon as I got his head out, the midwife told me to stop as she took the cord from around his neck, then told me to push again to get out his shoulders. Just as the midwife was telling me to reach down to pull him out, he flew out with a huge gush of fluid that splashed DH and made him jump (HAHA) so the midwife caught him and immediately placed him on my tummy so I could pull him up to my chest.
We spent a few gooey moments together before DH cut his cord and they cleaned him up. We then got to spend 2 hours together bonding, learning to nurse with the lactation consultant, and all around basking in it all. Although he was 3 weeks and 3 days early, he is perfectly healthy, not a single complication! I fared just as well - only needed 1 stitch and was up and walking around as soon as we got to our recovery room.
So happy with my experience even though NOTHING went as planned, and very proud of myself for not even knowing I was in labor until I was in the most difficult part (transition)! But you know what they say...only Spartan women give birth to real men!
We were in the hospital for 2 nights. We were going to get released after 24 hours but my white blood cell count was high so they kept us for an additional night to re-check the next day. He is perfect and I am so in love!
After laying down I felt even worse so I told DH to come home as soon as he could. A little while later I had an uncomfortable contraction. I busted out my contraction timer app and once the next contraction started it told me they were 7 minutes apart - no big deal. I heard DH walk in the door as the contraction was ending, then heard a pop and felt a gush. As DH was running around changing and grabbing our hospital bag, I got a garbage bag and had him bring me a towel so I could protect his front seat, haha. I also, cleverly enough, had requested free Poise pad samples (they are for old ladies who pee themselves when they laugh or sneeze) thinking they would be good for postpartum use, so I used one of those.
As soon as we got in the car, I started having strong contractions that just would not quit. We had a 40 minute drive to the hospital and about halfway through, I thought to myself I didn't think I'd be able to do a natural birth after all, as I could not stand the thought of going through hours and hours more. With every contraction more fluid gushed out, but Poise came through for me and contained almost all of it!
We got to the hospital and while I was told I preregistered for this visit when I was there last time, they said I wasn't. I started panting and groaning so they just sent a wheelchair for me and DH finished.
Once I got up to L&D they had me change into a gown and gave me a cervical examination....I was FULLY DILATED and ready to go. They called in the midwife and I mildly panicked that DH was still not there. The midwife told me it was time to push just as DH walked in. He said I was yelling while grasping both side rails of the bed and he thought I was possessed like in the Exorcist lmao.
With the midwife holding one leg and DH the other, I pushed for about 20 minutes (it truly did feel like I was having the biggest poop of my life, but rather than hurting badly as I anticipated, it was a huge relief from the contractions). At one point she had me reach down and feel his head as he crowned. As soon as I got his head out, the midwife told me to stop as she took the cord from around his neck, then told me to push again to get out his shoulders. Just as the midwife was telling me to reach down to pull him out, he flew out with a huge gush of fluid that splashed DH and made him jump (HAHA) so the midwife caught him and immediately placed him on my tummy so I could pull him up to my chest.
We spent a few gooey moments together before DH cut his cord and they cleaned him up. We then got to spend 2 hours together bonding, learning to nurse with the lactation consultant, and all around basking in it all. Although he was 3 weeks and 3 days early, he is perfectly healthy, not a single complication! I fared just as well - only needed 1 stitch and was up and walking around as soon as we got to our recovery room.
So happy with my experience even though NOTHING went as planned, and very proud of myself for not even knowing I was in labor until I was in the most difficult part (transition)! But you know what they say...only Spartan women give birth to real men!
We were in the hospital for 2 nights. We were going to get released after 24 hours but my white blood cell count was high so they kept us for an additional night to re-check the next day. He is perfect and I am so in love!
