I'm aware I'm way overdue to keep this thing updated, but I'm here now and taking advantage while this story is fresh on my mind and I never want to forget it. Lucas' birth story.
I actually had a good pregnancy, I would say great but I didn't love being pregnant, so I will settle with, "good." I had terrible pelvic pain the last few weeks that literally caused me agony and brought me to tears at night when I would *try* to sleep. But I didn't have bad heartburn,swollen feet, or have to pee a lot like a lot of preggos. I still suffered from a good bit of work stress, but, such is sales.
My due date was 11/27/16. I knew Lucas was going to come early. I didn't really have a reason to think this, even the Dr told me to plan to go past my due date. But that didn't discourage me, I told everyone I thought he would make an early appearance, I even said something told me he would be born on the 18th.
I went to my regular appointment on 11/17 at and everything was normal, I was only 1cm dilated, and there was no sign of an early labor. That afternoon,
I continued my "operation: Baby" duties, which included:
bouncing on my bosu ball (or yoga ball?)
eating pineapple
eating Scalini's eggplant parm (extra spicy)
walking
taking a peppermint oil and Clary bath
squats
Around 4:30am, I had a cramping sensation that felt like I needed to go to the bathroom. I waddled to the bathroom and nothing happened. I went back to sleep. I felt it again. I decided to take a bath. I kept feeling this cramp-like sensation, but it didn't hurt and wasn't consistent. I started timing them anyway and text my sister a "just in case" text since we had already decided she would be in the delivery room but being in Orlando, would need advanced notice. She wanted to head to Atlanta, but I wasn't convinced I was in labor so I asked her to hold off until I could call the Dr when they opened in a couple hours. I told Chazz I might be in labor, he didn't really seem phased but did ask if he should call into work. I knew this would be a long process and told him no. After the sun came up, I went for a walk around the neighborhood because I heard that real contractions would intensity with walking whereas false ones would subside. They didn't subside. I called my Dr and they asked me to come in so they could confirm if I was, in fact, having contractions. I called my sister, Shonda, and gave her an update. She was already packing her things for Atlanta. I told her I still didn't think she should come just yet because I hated the fact she might make a 7 hour drive for nothing. She said she didn't care, that being away from me was stressing her out and she wanted to take her chances.
I took a shower, straightened my hair and put on a little makeup (if I was in labor I wasn't going to look super cray in pics). Chazz packed his bag (because of course he didn't do it weeks ago when I asked him to). He seemed to be in slow motion, not at all like in the movies when the husband is all frantic and out of control. In fact, he was so calm that it irritated me and we spent a good bit of the morning bickering. Which really aggravated me, I mean. HELLO- I'm in labor (maybe) here!
We got to the Dr around 10am. The cramping was getting more uncomfortable, but I could still walk and talk. Once hooked up to the monitor, they confirmed, I was 3cm dilated, 90% effaced and definitely in labor. They told us they were sending us straight to the hospital, I started crying hysterically. I had done everything in my power to get this baby to come and I was so over being pregnant, but I was terrified to actually have to have a baby. I wasn't ready!
Chazz and I get back in the car to drive across the street, we start making our rounds of calls/texts to family and then we can't get out of the parking garage. Apparently, the credit card reader was down and you could only use cash- which we didn't have. The attendant was particularly unhelpful and a bad contraction came at the right time, where I got to yell,"I am in labor and need to get out of here!" at her. She let us go for free.
We arrived at Piedmont and checked in (pretty cool it's almost like checking into a hotel). Once we got to our room, I changed into my own floral, pretty hospital gown that was a shower gift (also for pictures, duh). The nurses came in and introduced themselves, I cried again (I told you- I was terrified). It was getting real. I was offered an epidural but told Natalie (my nurse) I didn't want it too early and it wear off, she informed me that it doesn't wear off. I was then like, oh yeah girl, run it.
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| working from the bed |
The anesthesiologist comes in for my epidural, I cry again (still scared, and now scared of this needle). I held Natalie's hand whilst crying and got that mug. Man, that thing is magic. But, as it turns out, the epidural stalls labor, so they break my water and had to start Pitocin to make the contractions more effective. The day dragged on.. at least to some, it went by pretty fast for me, and I was still working from the hospital bed. The epidural went from amazing to annoying when I couldn't even move my toes. I didn't like not having any control over my body.
Family started to arrive, my mom being first and Shonda quickly following. Then my in laws arrive. It was a really long evening for them.
Around 9:00ish, Natalie told me I would start pushing (cried again). The family all hugged me and it was game time. Pushing took 2.5 hours, during that time Chazz kept insisting that I have a cold rag on my forehead, despite me telling him he was gonna wipe off my eyebrows and I needed them on fleek for pictures. I had him play DJ and turn on some music, but that didn't help. Pushing was hard. And exhausting and I was getting discouraged. Natalie asked if I wanted a mirror and I was like, hex naw girl. Then she told me it would be motivating for me if I reached down to feel his head. I touched his head with the tip of my finger and it was so gross that I was already questioning my mothering. Lucas was stuck and couldn't get past my pubic bone. I only had 4 hours to push or we would explore doing a C-section. Right at 2.5 hours, Natalie says, OK I'm going to tell the Dr you're ready!
They wheel in the "baby cart" which had the scale, etc and I cried AGAIN. Having a baby is very emotional business. I told the Dr I was afraid of tearing and he then decided it would be a good idea to debate whether tearing or a episiotomy was better..instead of just being encouraging and saying we wouldn't need to worry about it at all (insert eye roll). I don't remember much of the part with the Dr except that Chazz picked a spot on the wall and never looked down there like a good boy. Before I knew it Lucas was almost out and the Dr says to me, Megan, reach down and pull him out. I told him I couldn't reach that far, but he insisted. I Kourtney Kardashian-ed it and pulled that baby out!
Shonda cut the umbilical cord and I couldn't enjoy the next few moments fully because NO ONE told me how TERRIBLE delivering the placenta was! I swear, my 70 year old male Dr must have put on a pair of stilettos and jumped up and down on my uterus. That was worse than delivering Lucas. And Natalie had turned off my epidural by then (I thought we were cool?). I let that slide because she was so wonderful and stayed past her shift to see me deliver and hugged me after.
Lucas has some pretty gnarly scrapes and a big cut on his head from rubbing on my pubic bone for so long, and we both somehow had a slight fever, but otherwise was perfect. Lucas Gray Walton, born 11:49pm 7lbs 11oz.
The following days deserve their own post... maybe I'll get to that in like a year or something...
