Lucy's birth story…

So that I can document and remember the precious event, here is Lucy's birth story...
(To read Colty's birth story click here )

I was so over being pregnant. You know when you get to that point? The point that if this child doesn’t exit your body, you are going to become an even bigger, crankier, hot mess than you currently are? Well that was me. So I polled my Facebook friends on what methods they used to kick into labor. At this point I was considered full term, so I was okay with giving birth. And yowza on the suggestions I got: spicy food, lots of walking, sex, and castor oil. Meh. Nothing that I thought would really work. But I thought, well, other than the castor oil, I might as well give them each a try. Worst case, nothing happens, which occurs if I do none of them. Best case, I go into labor! So, Saturday (June 1^st) after being home allllllll day long, and me feeling giant and exhausted due to the 90 degree weather we had been having, we opted to run out to target. And well, I had pity on my poor homebound husband and suggested to head to Canal Days and grab a bite, and hit up target later. Of course he was game. So over to Fairport we went. As we headed over, I got a call from Susan, inquiring if we were going to make pastelillos that night. I had mentioned to her the prior day that I wanted to make Spanish food and she had offered to come over and help. SO when she called, we shared our plans to head to Canal Days and they could meet us there if they were interested. So they did. Once we got there, we walked. And walked. I drank lemonade and had an Italian sausage. Walked some more. Ate some roasted almonds and did more walking. Got caught in the rain, which felt amazing, and did more walking. We hung out in the ungodly heat for 2 hours! By the time we decided to go home, I was very much uncomfortable! We then decided to head home and whip up some pastellilos for a late night (8pmish) snack and invited Christy/ben and mom over to come grab some too. It was a fun time of eating and hanging out. I think that night I headed to bed around 11. But as I lay in bed, I was getting some serious contractions. They were painful and I was so uncomfortable. I got out of bed to stand beside it and lean over it to sway and do breathing exercises. I remember crying and thinking that I was so done…sooo done. Oh yeah, I skipped a “method” that we tried, after during a shower…hey-o…. Anyways, I decided, I better time these awful contractions. And nothing. 4mins, 5mins, 6mins apart they were. Nothing consistent, and nothing that I thought were labor. Just some no fun Braxton hicks. After timing them, I thought I might as well head downstairs and relax rather than stay upstairs in bed uncomfortably awake. So I went to lay on the couch and watch TV. And I ended up falling asleep. Only to be awakened at 2:50am by a slight sensation that I was peeing myself. I made it off the couch and onto the tile when the ”floodgates” opened and good Lord, my water broke. I stood there thinking, “wait am I peeing myself or did my water just break?” and as it just kept coming with no end, I knew it was go time! So I waddled to the bathroom making a detour into the kitchen for a towel so as to not keep making a mess. As I sat in the bathroom, I was trying to decide how to get Alfie. Id left my phone by the couch and didn’t want to scream up and wake up Colton or alarm Alfie. So with towel in hand I shuffled back to the couch and then back to the bathroom (I’d forgotten just how much fluid one has and how it does not stop coming out at an intense amount. I called up to Alfie on my cell and said “sooo im pretty sure my water just broke. Based on the amount of fluid that is coming out, I’m pretty sure it’s not pee. Oh and be careful cause it’s on the floor”. I hung up and then called the on call number for my OBGYN and told them what was going on and waited for the doctor to call me back. At which point I heard Alfie come down and when he got to the bathroom, commented that I had not accurately warned him about where my water broke as he had stepped, barefoot, right into the liquid mess! Nasty! I told him I had called the doctor and will see what they say before alerting the masses, and he said he was going to head back up and hop in the shower. As I sat there waiting for the doctor to call me back, I was just pouring out fluid. I’d forgotten how much really comes out and I feel bad for people who don’t get to experience their water breaking. It really was like it happens in the movies, with the exception that the movies make it seem like it’s a onetime gush instead of the constant flow that it really is. If they did, there would be far fewer scenes of well-meaning passerby’s helping the pregnant mama into their nice cars without so much as a towel to sit on! Anyways, the doctor called back and said to head to the hospital. And we did…an hour later! LOL we had bags to finish packing, calls and texts to make, a child to take to my moms and all while wandering around the house with a towel wedged between my legs soaking everything up…and yes we threw that towel out when we got to the hospital. Luckily we had been there the week before for a false alarm water leaking, so we knew exactly where to park and where to head. We were at the hospital by 4 and promptly headed to triage. Usually they ask you all these lame questions about how much fluid you are leaking and such but when they saw me hobble in with the nasty soaked towel, I’m pretty sure they had their answers. I then changed into the gown and laid on the bed. Which is really nasty as you are just consistently pouring out fluid. It’s like peeing yourself anytime a contraction (which had started on the car ride over) or laughter or cough (which oh yeah, I had a cough from a cold the prior week… no bueno for the impending c section) hit. After the triage doctor came around they concluded that yes I was in labor and yep we can go ahead and prep for c section! So of course the next thing they did was start my iv. Which I hate. I have tiny veins. Super awful veins to try and get and they never have success the first time. And this time was no different. Luckily the nurse that attempted, didn’t even think to try until she was sure she had a vein and then wham…success! I appreciate when they don’t poke just for the sake of trying. At this point we settled in expecting to have a long wait. Alfie went to grab a coffee and something for breakfast and I laid around doing nothing. I had minimal contractions but nothing to focus my breathing on. Eventually Alfie wandered back. Unsuccessful at getting any coffee since the coffee shops hadn’t opened yet. But  shortly after he got back we got word from the nurses that they were prepping the OR! WOW talk about fast! By now it was 5:45am. From here everything moved quickly. The anesthesiologist came in to see me to explain what would happen, they gave me the liquid medicine that you have to drink prior to surgery (it takes like a very tart, slightly nasty syrupy “shot”) and then its go time!! Alfie was sent off to go change into the scrubs as they directed me to walk into the OR. It’s so strange to do that. With Colty I had my epidural so they wheeled me into the room, but for Lucy (and when I had my cyst removed) they have you walk into the room.  It’s weird, cause its noticeably chilly in there, and nothing like you see in Grays Anatomy. It’s VERY bright and open, with the operating table in the middle. There was myself, the anesthesiologist and maybe 2 nurses. Next came the dreaded spinal. I had a bad experience with my epidural for Colty and so was super nervous for the spinal. And to make it worse I didn’t have any “support” in the room. They don’t let your spouse in until after the spinal and right before the surgeon comes in. So they had me straddle the table (it is really narrow, like just slightly wider than your body) and hug a pillow so that your back is really curved. Then they stab you. Lol okay not really but kind of. They go with between your vertebra's and poke you. It’s painful for about 5 seconds and then they are done. You lay down and wait for your bottom half to numb. And it does. It’s so weird! One minute you can feel your legs and then over the course of 10 minutes you cant. They had Michael Jackson playing and I knew…I knew it was going to be a good day and I thought how special it was to hear my favorite right before I was to be delivering my lil lady! Then they let Alfie into the room. As I started to numb they just check in, asking if you can feel this, can you wiggle your toes, etc. I was FREEZING! Which is normal, and as with Colty would shiver really really bad. I didn’t realize that was normal too, but the anesthesiologist was great and got me more blankets and that helped. They also, didn’t have to pin my arms out (in the Jesus stance) as long as I kept them there myself. Which I said I would do. And finally the doctor comes in, and its go time. They warn you a few times, that you won’t feel any pain, just lots of pressure and tugging. With Colty I felt none of that, with Lucy I felt lots of tugging and pressure. They also warn you that it will be quick to get baby out, but a lot longer afterwards to close you up.  And they were right. They were in for a few minutes and then you feel a lot of tugging and pulling and then “WAHHHHHH”. The most precious sound ever. You never realize how anxious you are until you hear that cry and they announce all is okay. Like I said our anesthesiologist was fantastic. He took video and pictures of me kissing Lucy and some of Alfie doing the same. I have watched these videos so often, marveling at the large bundle that just came out of my body. It’s amazing to think those little arms and legs are the same ones that kicked and nudged me all 9 months and are here now for me to hold. How people cannot believe in a higher power when they look at a baby is beyond me. Lucy was born at 6:37am. Such a quick delivery! Alfie held her until they wheeled me out of the OR and into the recovery room. This is where it gets kind of fuzzy. I remember them letting me hold Lucy, but it’s pretty tricky when you can’t sit up and are still laying flat. I think they put Lucy on to nurse, but she didn’t do much and I didn’t put her on. Talk about weird… attempting to nurse but not being with it enough to assist. Thankfully the nurses do a lot of helping, and any self-consciousness about modesty goes right out the window! I think they kept asking me how my legs felt and whether I could move or lift them. I had to wait until I could move both legs before they would let me move into my room. I don’t remember getting into my room much. From that point on, I don’t have much of a memory other than what other people tell me or snippets from pictures or bits that come back to me. I know I had visitors and I think I texted a few people but not sure about conversations or whether I made sense at all. I remember being exhausted, and unable to keep my eyes open. I remember people talking to me and me just falling asleep mid convo. LOL I’m pretty sure my sister and friends got some fabulous pictures of me looking, acting and saying who knows what!! And that (in a long winded nutshell) was how my beautiful Lucy Leigh came into this world. And man is she perfect…so.very.perfect!