Brooks was due October 6th, 2012. I had high hopes that he [like me, I'm told!] would be born on time, but as that Saturday came and went with no signs of labor, I knew he was going to be very late. At that point I was walking at least 2 times a day, rubbing primrose oil on my belly, and eating spicy foods like it was my job. On Wednesday, the 10th, my mom and I went to the organic market where one of the women working in the essential oils/vitamins section told me to eat an entire pineapple [an ENTIRE PINEAPPLE. yes.] I was having some contractions then, so I sat on a stool in my parents kitchen and ate the entire dang pineapple. I thought my tongue might burn off from the acidity.
That night I woke up in labor. I was excited then- encouraging the contractions as they came- every 10 minutes at night, while I was trying to sleep. They continued throughout the day, though more spaced out... and then again through Thursday night.
By Friday I was beyond exhausted. I had my 41 week appointment at the OB/GYN that morning, where the doctor looked at me and shrugged. She told me I could take Benadryl or she could prescribe a sleeping pill so I could get some rest [which i refused] and told me I was dilated to 2.5 cm. I cried on the way home.
That evening we tried to walk some more, but I was too exhausted to even make it to the end of the driveway with my contractions coming every 5-7 minutes. I called cried on the phone to the doctor around 7pm and we drove to the hospital [also known as- the most uncomfortable 15 minutes of my life].
After a nice triage nurse called my doctor and encouraged him to let me stay, I was checked in and got an epidural. My body finally relaxed then and I dilated pretty quickly- we watched Friends on the TV in the delivery room and checked the baseball scores [the Nats were in the playoffs, I think] If said doctor had showed up at the hospital when he said he would, I think Brooks probably would have been born around 6am. Instead, he didn't show up until around 10am. I was dilated to 9cm and my water hadn't broken yet, and only a doctor was allowed to break my water. So, since the doc didn't show up until 10am, and my water still didn't break on its own, I wasn't fully dilated until around 10:45 or so. I pushed for about an hour until Brooks was born at 11:39am on Saturday, October 13th, 2012.
I remember seeing Brooks for the first time and crying...trying to get him to nurse, then being hustled out of the delivery room [for what reason, you ask? i have no idea.] And then I ordered lunch. A personal cheese pizza, nacho cheese doritos, and a ginger ale. Most delicious meal I've ever eaten. After only having ice chips [and sneaking saltine crackers and apple sauce] all night long, I was ravenous. [side note- do you remember the first meal you ate right after giving birth? one of my girlfriends had her dad bring her Chic-fil-a french fries, which i thought was a fantastic choice.]
And then, reality set in. I was so unbelievably exhausted, but so excited to finally see Brooks and tell everyone his name! I didn't feel connected to him right away- which I felt terrible about - but I had read a lot about giving birth and knew that some women felt this way for a short period of time. Of course, I loved him, but I felt like I barely knew him! Looking back now I can't believe I ever felt like that.
So here it is, 2 years later, so I don't forget it! It feels like just yesterday and also like forever ago. Happy birthday, my sweet Brooksy boy. I love you more than words.
I'm leaving out a lot of the details that I wasn't too thrilled about at the hospital. I think I'll have different plans whenever we decide to have another child- I'd like to look into a doula, a midwife and a birth center. If you have recommendations on any of these people or centers in our area, please let me know :) [also, i am not currently pregnant. ]
I remember seeing Brooks for the first time and crying...trying to get him to nurse, then being hustled out of the delivery room [for what reason, you ask? i have no idea.] And then I ordered lunch. A personal cheese pizza, nacho cheese doritos, and a ginger ale. Most delicious meal I've ever eaten. After only having ice chips [and sneaking saltine crackers and apple sauce] all night long, I was ravenous. [side note- do you remember the first meal you ate right after giving birth? one of my girlfriends had her dad bring her Chic-fil-a french fries, which i thought was a fantastic choice.]
And then, reality set in. I was so unbelievably exhausted, but so excited to finally see Brooks and tell everyone his name! I didn't feel connected to him right away- which I felt terrible about - but I had read a lot about giving birth and knew that some women felt this way for a short period of time. Of course, I loved him, but I felt like I barely knew him! Looking back now I can't believe I ever felt like that.
So here it is, 2 years later, so I don't forget it! It feels like just yesterday and also like forever ago. Happy birthday, my sweet Brooksy boy. I love you more than words.
I'm leaving out a lot of the details that I wasn't too thrilled about at the hospital. I think I'll have different plans whenever we decide to have another child- I'd like to look into a doula, a midwife and a birth center. If you have recommendations on any of these people or centers in our area, please let me know :) [also, i am not currently pregnant. ]
