I have started this several times over the weeks but never get to finish so this may be long...
I wanted to share my labor and delivery experience for those interested and while it was fresh on my mind but now it has been 4 weeks but here it goes..
I went for my weekly visit on Tuesday the 5th (of April) and saw someone other than my regular doctor. I was 2 cm dilated. She stripped my membranes and said to expect some cramping and spotting. I started cramping as soon as we left there and had cramps the rest of the day but didn't think much about it since I was expecting them. I woke up at 3am with horrible cramps and decided they might be contractions so I got up to move around, eat, drink and time them. At about 4:30 I realized they were getting closer so I woke my Mom up and we kept timing them. I called L&D and they said wait til they are 2-3 mins apart before coming in. At 5 they were ranging from 5 to 7 mins apart so I woke Patrick up and we started getting ready to go! We ended up leaving home around 8am when they were 3 mins apart. I had eaten breakfast but lost it before we left and couldn't eat anything else. I was not excited about going in on an empty stomach but there wasn't much I could do at that point! I was in triage for a little bit while they monitored me to see if they were going to keep me there. I was so excited when the Dr came in to check on me and it was MY doctor!! I had planned on it being a different Dr since I was scheduled for an induction the next day. She said I was staying and she was going to go work on getting me a room! They had to clean a room for me so we had to walk the halls while we waited which too forever it seemed! My contractions started getting worse as we walked and I would stop and lean against the wall or squat through them. FINALLY my room was ready! As soon as I got in there the nurse checked me and I was almost 5 cm so I asked for an epidural figuring it would take a while for the anesthesiologist to get up there but he arrived fast! Patrick held me still while I got my epi. It was definitely not comfortable and I jumped once even though I was trying very hard to be still. As soon as it was in I didn't feel anymore contractions! The time passed as we watched tv and hung out. I started feeling the contractions again in the evening so they upped my dose and before I knew it I couldn't feel anything. I had a great epidural.. no hot spots! This may be TMI but I know before I delivered I wanted to know every detail from my friends that had just delivered so... the worst part for me at this point was the catheter. You're not supposed to feel it I guess and even though I was completely numb I felt the pressure of it and I hated it! At 9:30 when I was checked I was 10 cm and ready to push! We pushed with a few contractions but I was so numb I wasn't feeling it at all and even though they said I was pushing the right way they wanted me to be able to feel it some so I wouldn't be pushing all night so they lowered my dose and had me sit in a crazy position for 30 mins and then we started pushing again at 10. For the first 45 mins or so of pushing it wasn't bad just intense since I was trying so hard but the last 15-20 mins it hurt pretty bad! I pushed for 1 hour and 15 mins. She came out at 11:15pm! They held her up and then laid her up on my chest and Patrick cut the cord. I was so concerned about getting pictures.. haha. Patrick said later that was all I was saying! Tale pictures, Take pictures! I tore a little so they stitched me up while Bailey was being cleaned and checked. Patrick was taking pics lol.
It took 3 hours for my epidural to wear off enough to get up and go to the bathroom. It took two nurses to get me up and walking but I made it. The next two days were the worst as far as being sore goes. I didn't ask for any of the good meds so they just had me on motrin but the day we left the nurse decided I should take the vicodin which helped a lot so I filled the script! Getting out of the bed and off of the couch were hard for about a week.
Bailey had a touch of jaundice so the second day we were in the hospital she had to lay in just her diaper under the blue light with the little goggles on and she hated that! The pediatrician said most babies love it b/c it's warm and cozy but not my child... she screamed! By day 3 (well Friday so I guess technically day 2 of Bailey's life) she was just on the little light blanket and not under the lights anymore and we got to go home that evening! The first night she did not sleep! Patrick and I ended up sleeping in the nursery, me in the lazy boy with her and Patrick on the floor! We had to take her to the pediatricians office that day to check on her jaundice. The rest of the first week was better. She was happy when she was awake and was sleeping 3-5 hours a time at night! Having my Mom stay with us was so wonderful, she was able to sleep at night so in the morning when I was super sleepy I could nurse Bailey and take her to Nana for a couple hours and get some more sleep! I wish she could have stayed longer!!
Friday the 15th when Bailey was 1 1/2 weeks is when the screaming started. We were running errands for the first time with her. We would take turns staying in the car with her because we didn't want to take her inside everywhere yet but it was still a big day for her so we figured that's why she was so upset but it continued day after day and seemed to be getting worse so we took her back to the pediatrician and they said she was perfectly healthy but had a strong personality so she was just going to voice her feelings whatever they may be. The crying got worse and I knew something wasn't right so we went back and saw a different doc and she said it might be acid reflux or possibly colic so she started her on zantac for acid reflux and suggested Mylicon for gas. We started both but she would spit the zantac out so she was only getting a little of that and we weren't noticing a difference in the crying. I was doing lots of research on colic and talking to a lot of friends about it and had pretty much decided that was what it was :( We took her back just yesterday after I had a horrible day with her on Monday and they said it is colic for sure and a pretty bad case at that. Poor baby girl, I hate watching her cry!! We are now able to get the zantac in her by mixing it in a little of my milk that I pump and she drinks it all! Today was a much better day so we will see how it goes from here! She is still going to cry but anything we can do to help it is great!
I have to go to bed now so I will try to finish later and fill in the rest of the details!
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