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Monday, April 18, 2011

Welcome to this world!

Seeing as how I haven't blogged in weeks, I figured that the story of my cute son is important and exciting enough to blog about!
My mom arrived to Oregon on a Tuesday, hoping the baby would arrive soon-- which was awesome. I've missed her so much. I dragged my big self into looking decent for her arrival and picked her up at the airport. We have a tradition of eating hot wings and a salad together, so we went to applebees and pigged out and talked for a while. She was super tired, so I took her back to my condo and let her sleep while I went to activity days. The next couple of days was nice just hanging out with her and running errands. It was finals week for me, so I spent a lot of time on those, unfortunately. I wanted them all done before Isaac make his appearance in this world.
Lo and behold, I was checked into the hospital on Friday morning around 6:30am. My mom came with me while Phill was at work. Labor is long... so we figured he could work until I called him and told him to come. As I waited in the room and changed into the ever so flattering gown, I had one more final that I had to do before I was done with the semester. Let me tell you... it was super hard to concentrate on that final when all I could think about was Isaac!... and labor.
The doctor came in and broke my water around 7:30am-ish. THAT made everything way more intense. I put on my diaper and my mom and I walked the halls. It was really fun for a little bit- laughing and joking... but my contractions were coming in way stronger than before. We would be walking, and I would have to stop and get down on my hands and knees or squat down to be able to get through it. No one can prepare you for the pain of labor. It's literally indescribable pain. The best way I can personally describe it, is that your bladder is completely full, you're having an intense menstrual cramp, while a 300 pound person is jumping on your insides.. downstairs.  There is my attempt.
My mom and I tried the birthing ball, and that had absolutely no success.. it actually made the pain worse.. so we continued to walk the halls. I'm glad my mom was there because she kept having to remind me to breathe and relax through my contractions. She also decided that we would play mind games to try to get my mind off of the pain. We decided that we would have to take turns and name off famous people that their first or last name started with 'G'. Let me just tell you that 'G' is a very hard letter to deal with when you are in pain. We played that for a while, and finally I could barely stand the pain. I just started crying, so we decided to try taking a bath, thinking that would help. I had my mom call Phill and tell him to come, because I just wanted him there because things were getting so intense for me. By around noon or one (I'll be honest when I say that I'm guessing with these numbers. That whole day is kinda just a blur), I had just about had it. I could no longer talk through my contractions. THEN my nurse broke the new that the anesthesiologist was going into surgeries, so if I wanted an epidural, then I should probably get it then... otherwise I would have to wait a couple hours to get it. She said this in a middle of one of the strongest contractions yet... I debated with my mom for a while, and just decided that I would get it (I know, I know... lame me. I didn't make it through all natural. But hey, I'm okay with that. I'm pretty sure that I would have killed someone... and spit out some serious profanity... if I had gone the whole 20 hours all natural).  All I have to say is that getting the epidural was nothing like I thought it was going to be. It really didn't hurt at all.. it was just really uncomfortable because I could feel the tube thing in my spine. It was a weird pressure. At first, the epidural only affected my left side, but then finally went to both sides.  Phill arrived just as the epidural started to kick in.. so he saw the best of me :) To be honest, I was pretty bummed that Phill didn't see the hard labor (partially so I could get some serious "you're the best and strongest woman I've ever known'' points.).
Anyways, I figured that I would be able to get some rest with the epidural, but I wasn't quite able to. It made me nauseous, so that's all I could think about.. and Isaac... and the pushing part... so I was pretty restless. I did get maybe an hour of sleep in after I threw up.
So around maybe midnight, the epidural started wearing off on my right side... OUCH. My Dr. came and checked me and I was dilated to an 8 (I had been dilated to an 8 for a couple hours now), and only one side of my cervix was completely thinned out. By then I was so exhausted, anxious, and so ready to be done that I broke down pretty good. I couldn't tell you why I was crying, really... but I did..
So once I got that out of my system, I really felt like I had to go to the bathroom-- like numba 2. So, I told my nurse and I was all paranoid that I needed to poop, and I couldn't because I couldn't walk from the epidural. She kinda ignored it, but finally I was like.. alright, Teira (that was my nurse)! I really feel like I have to push! My Dr. came and checked me, and I was for sure completely dilated finally, and ready to go! So, he left and I started pushing. I got my second wind of energy and pushed like it was nobody's business. Within a couple of minutes, Phill and my mom look, and he's comin out! So she rushed to get the Doctor, and Isaac made his appearance at 1:46am on April 9th.. They put him on me right away. I can honestly say that I had no idea what to do. I was so overwhelmed that I wanted to cry out of happiness and out of the- "oh my gosh, I have no idea how to take care of a baby" thought.
He weighed in at 8 pounds, and was 20.5 inches long. He has ginormous feet, and he is easily the cutest baby alive.
He shares the same birthday as my Grandpa Allen :)
I love him so much, I can't even describe. Even when he screams bloody murder when I change his diaper! (He hates being naked), and through all the sleepless nights.
I love being a mom, and I couldn't ask for anything better.
I am so thankful that my mom was able to be here for the birth. She was so kind and helpful and generous to me, Phill and Isaac and I had so much fun with her being here. I miss her and hopes that she comes back... like tomorrow (hint, hint mom.)
Now, I'm off to feed my little man. :)
I'll add pictures later!


5 comments:

gjzaugg said...

i love the way you write! whenever i read your blog i just laugh, thank you for that.
but anyways, CONGRATS on your cutie pie! and i'm impressed you did it, i'm thinking i'm going to die in labor (whenever that is i happen to be prego and such). One of my friends did it all natural and such and said it was soooo easy and not really painful. i literally laughed in her face and said i'd deliver a rhino... sooo it's going to hurt.

Laura said...

Ok, one of my pet peeves is the whole concept that a woman who gets an epidural isn't a real woman. That attitude just annoys me. Giving birth is a beautiful thing no matter how that baby gets here and how can it be good for the baby to have a mama that is in so much pain that her only emotion upon giving birth is just relief to be out of pain? God created epidurals for a reason. So don't feel bad for 5 seconds about the epidural!
Anyway, I am so glad that the both of you are healthy and happy. There is nothing in this world so wonderful as having a newborn baby to snuggle - they are so fresh from Heaven and you can feel it! That was a wonderful birth story. Congratulations!

deonthemom said...

So glad I stumbled upon your blog. I love your birthing story. It made me cry. It is amazing isn't it? Congratulations! Can't wait for those pictures!

Kristen Larson said...

Ahh, Alise, that is super cute. I was smiling when you said you had to go on a walk while you were in labor... If you couldn't run, walking is right up your alley.

Can't wait to see you soon!

Congrats on the little one.

AmyJune said...

Congratulations!!!!! Enjoy snuggling your precious little one.
I love reading birthing stories.