It's time to share my story!

I've decided to join the rest of the world and start a blog. Why, you may ask?

• I wanted to share my stories and keep all my friends and family connected
• I couldn't find many "first time mom" blogs, which is a shame because new moms need each other
• My brother, the ultimate blogger, told me to do it (and I always listen to him)

It is a shame I didn't start this earlier. Luckily, it is all still pretty vivid so I should be able to recall my first 7 weeks of motherhood. Hopefully this blog won't be too disjointed. As my brother said, I'm going to have to "think, blurb, deal with her, blurb, go to bed, blurb and then submit". So...here goes!

Birth story

Sept 20 - I go to the doctor and tell her I'm very anxious to have the baby and I wish she would hurry up (she was due on the 23rd). Being a first time mom, I didn't understand that keeping the baby in for a longer time isn't so bad...at least I was getting to sleep through the night! Dr. Porter tries to "get things started", which did not feel so great. At that point, I was 3cm and 80% effaced.

Sept 21 - I have some cramping, but I had that last month after my exam also. We try timing them, but they are too sporadic.

Sept 22 - Trying to get my mind off the strange pangs/cramps, I go shopping. I drive around town with my parents and we end up at Wegmans...our normal hang out. I hold on to the cart, in case I get any more of those strange stabbing pains. We get some drinks and sit outside. Dad tries talking to me during these pains. I ignore him, of course. Who walks around Wegmans in labor? I do!

Sept 22 evening - I'm getting tired of these stabbing pains now. They are about 15-20 minutes apart and we call the doctor. Dr. Fernandez is on duty and says I need to wait until they are closer to 6-8 minutes apart. Is this going to take another 3 days? I want to die and to make matters worse, we put on Blades of Glory. Well, that fruity movie did the trick and my contractions were about 8 minutes apart within a couple hours.

Sept 22 8pm - We head to Arlington hospital and hit bumper to bumper traffic on 66. Surprise surprise! Andy is pissed off and I'm just trying to contract in peace. It was joyous! We arrive on a busy night and have to wait for a labor and delivery room, before they can examine me. Mom and Dad are already on their way, although I told them to wait until I call with an update. I finally get a room around 10pm and the nurse says I am still 3cm, but will get admitted. My contractions are all over the place and far apart, but they still hurt!

Sept 23 2am - I finally convince my parents to go home and get some sleep.

Sept 23 2 to 8am - I don't know if these are contractions or someone stabbing a knife into my pelvis. Everytime I get one, I have to push myself off the bed because I feel like I'm going to explode. I have an IV and have to call someone everytime I need to use the restroom, Andy is sleeping on an uncomfortable couch (but I don't feel too bad about it) and the hospital is so busy that no one has examind me since 10pm.

Sept 23 8am - Morning comes and I haven't slept. I didn't think contractions would feel like this and I'm so relieved when Dr. Fernandez enters my room. He examines me and his jaw drops. He says "I don't know how you did it, but you are 7cm. You must have a high pain tolerance. Let's get you an epidural now!" It was music to my ears. I call my parents and brother and tell them to hurry up. Mr. Epidural comes in the room and starts swabbing my back, just as Jr. shows up. At this point, I'm trying to be discreet in front of my brother, but I really want to get this baby out and don't care who sees it. The anethesiologist tells me that if I have a contraction during the epidural insertion, I can't move. Who is this guy kidding? After a night of pain, the epidural was cake. I felt the pinch and the cold pressure shooting through my back, but nothing compares to a baby pressing on your pelvis. Epidurals are GOOD!

Sept 23 9 to 10am - My parents arrive and it is a big comfort to have them there (even though my dad feels the need to touch everything). Mel and Glenn arrive too. I didn't think I wanted anyone there, but at that point I could care less. Something didn't feel right and I think I was reacting to the epidural. I was shaking and threw up. I felt better after that, I think.

Sept 23 10 to 11am - The shaking gets worse. I don't remember who else was in the room, but I remember my mom and Andy on both sides of my bed. I just kept saying that I didn't feel right, then my eye sight started to blur and that is all I remember. When I woke back up, there were doctors and nurses all around me. I knew something was up because they were running back and forth, yelling commands and Mr. Epidrual (the most in demand person in L&D) was right by my bed. My mom wasn't there and Andy was next to me. I kept saying "what is happening? what is going on?" and started crying. I was told that they needed to get the baby out now and my legs were thrown into stirrups. All the coaching, counting, breathing and pushing lessons were thrown out the window. Dr. Fernandez said I could push for a few minutes and then I'm going for a c-section. I wasn't letting this happen and pushed. Andy said that he had never felt something so strong and could barely hold my arms. They tried the vacuum, then forceps and that was it. They threw up the sides of my bed and started wheeling me out. I was so nervous and still in shock, but told Andy to get the camera! I tried to scan the hallways for my family and finally saw my mom outside my room. She said "everything will be OK" but I could tell that she was scared too...and trying to hold back her crying until I was out of view.

Sept 23 11:19am - I'm numbed, Andy is rushed in and Katie is pulled out. I don't feel a thing, except for pressure. They won't let her cry because of the meconium but they say she is fine and the cord was wrapped around her neck. Andy can see her, but I'm strapped to a table. Finally, someone yells "LOOK MOM!" and I get a glimpse of my baby as they run her to an examination table. They clear out her lungs and I finally hear her cry. I tell Andy to go take pictures, so I can see what she looks like. They clean her up and whisk her and Andy away to the nursery.

I'm left with the doctors and nurses as they stitch me up, count scalpels and crack jokes. My doctor says he is glad he read the book on how to do c-sections last night. I'm not amused. I don't know what just happened and wish I could see Katie and my family. I'm taken to recovery for 3 long hours because they were not able to find me a room in the maternity ward. Eventually, they get me a room and I get to hold my baby.

It is surreal. I don't feel like a mother yet. Maybe I was still traumatized, maybe it was all the drugs, maybe it was the fact that I couldn't even walk or get out of bed. It was quite an ordeal, but we finally had our little Katie and she was definitely the cutest baby we'd ever seen.