Aug 31, 3 weeks 3 days post baby

Well it’s been a few weeks now and I thought I should take a minute and post the events of Liliana’s birthday:)

We decided to induce a week early, as you already know. So the morning of Aug 7 we went to the hospital and were admitted just a little after 7am. I was started on IV fluids and had to lay on my side while they asked me a ton of questions about my medical history and whatnot because the baby’s heart rate was really high (as in around 200 bpm) and that’s not necessarily a good thing. Thankfully after a little bit it went back down, it was so high due to the little bit of caffine I’d had that morning before we got to the hospital. Once we knew she was ok, my pitocin was started around 9am. Contractions took a little while to show up and when they did thankfully they weren’t too painful.

A lot of people think that being induced means a more painful labor but really, I guess it depends on who is administering your medication. My nurse started the drip really slowly so that I wouldn’t be hit all at once and the drugs would simulate more natural labor. It’s a lot easier on your body that way. So when my dr came in to check on me around 10am, I was still doing really good. I was about 3cm at that point and 70% or so effaced and the decision was made to break my water and let that help the contractions, rather than up the meds.

I had to stay on the monitor for a while longer to make sure that the combination of the meds and my water being broken wasn’t too hard on the baby, and then they let me get up and walk around for a while. Doug and my mom walked the L&D hallways with me for probably about an hour when I decided I needed to sit down because the pressure on my hips was just getting too much. Back in the room I sat on one of the birthing balls that were available and tried to relax. Gravity is a wonderful thing and sitting on the ball really helped, because my contractions in that position were much stronger than when I was laying in the bed or even walking around.

I think I was on the ball for about an hour or so when we decided to move me into the tub in the bathroom. Standing up off the ball was about the grossest thing ever, since my water had been broken there was a huge gush when I got up and I left a nice big puddle on the floor and a trail from there to the bathroom. It just looked like water but it felt like I was peeing everywhere lol. Anyway I got in the tub, turned on the jets, and put a cold washcloth on my head. The water really helped me back, though the contractions slowed down again. 4 cm now.

After about 45 minutes or so I got out of the tub and back into bed and back on the monitors. 5 cm. At this point we decided to get some kind of pain relief because contractions were now about 3 minutes apart, lasting 1.5-2 mins each. I was checked again when the meds were started (no epidural, I had half Demerol and half something else. Half of this was administered through my IV, the other half went into my hip via shot) and was at 7cm. I was told to pay attention to my contractions and when my body started to push without me controlling it, we were probably ready to go.

Not 10 minutes later (without the medication kicking in at all, I might add) we were calling the dr to come deliver me. 3 minutes, 1 contraction, and 3 pushes later and Liliana was here. Most of the last hour was really fuzzy to me, I remember being on my left side, gripping the side of the bed, closing my eyes and trying not to cry. I remember yelling at Doug not to touch my hip or lower back because it made the pain worse. I remember asking what the baby was since no one had told me. Doug cut the cord before they put her on my stomach, but I missed that. I had to ask later. It was kind of like I was in this really painful dream and when I woke up I had another hospital bracelet on (which I do not remember being put on me) and a crying baby on my chest. They had to sew me up while Lili had her checks done (8 & 9 APGAR scores) because I ended up tearing a bit since she came out so fast.

Liliana Grace was born at 4:15pm, 8lb, 20.75 inches after about 7hours of labor. She had a little scratch on her forehead from when they broke my water, but her head was barely coned at all and she has a tiny red birthmark on the very top of her head. She also has the same birthmark that Kaetlynn has, a red patch in the middle of her forehead that only shows up when she’s really mad, and my same crooked toe that both of the other kids have as well. She is absolutely perfect, only crying if she’s hungry or gets ignored for too long. She sleeps pretty good at night too, though we have had our share of nights that she wants to be up all night. Not to cry, just to hang out. Still means we don’t get to sleep. Doug has been amazing helping in the middle of the night if I just can’t handle it anymore. Logan loves his “baby stister” and kisses her all the time. Kaety says that Lili is the number 2 princess, she is still number 1. I see some sister-rivalry happening later on in life… I have lost about 20 lbs already (which is more than I gained during the pregnancy, so so far I’m coming out ahead) and did my first workout yesterday to get my abs/core back into shape and I’m sore as hell because of it, but in a good way :) .

As I write this Lili is reminding me that she wants attention so I need to get back to the chair where I spend 90% of my day feeding my newest little pig.