Weeks 1
and 2- November 16-29
Sunday- 4
miles at 9:30 pace
The remaining
days- 0 miles
Comments:
Isaac Emmanuel was born on November 17, at 6:19 p.m., weighing 8 pounds, 1
ounce, and measuring 19 inches. Giving birth was truly one of the most
difficult things I have done, and I have so much more respect for any woman
that has given birth.
On Sunday’s
run, I felt good. I started having more contractions throughout the day
(looking back I know they were contractions). I started to not feel well that
evening, and cancelled Ian’s parents coming over. I just felt off. That night, I
began having more contractions. I couldn’t sleep, and kept the light on as the
idea of even trying to sleep stressed me out. We kept track of contractions,
but they weren’t the 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute, for one hour that we
had been told was when we should go to the hospital. At one point in the night,
I stood crying with Ian hugging me because I was in pain and wasn’t sure at
that point I was having contractions. I felt like a wimp, and wondered how I
could possibly give birth. I threw up a couple times, as well. My appointment was
scheduled for 11 Monday, but Ian called to see if we could get in earlier, and
we headed there for nine.
At the
appointment, I had a non-stress test and ultrasound, and everything looked
good. I had gone down three pounds since Thursday, as I hadn’t been able to eat
or drink and had been throwing up. Then the doctor check and I was 5-6 cm
dilated and was sent to the birthing suite. I felt relief at that point knowing
I was actually in labor and not just being a wimp. My nurse talked to me about
my birthing plan and I told her I didn’t want to have an epidural or c-section,
but was open to nitrous oxide. She monitored my contractions, and told me I was
having them every 2-3 minutes, but was only really feeling the strongest ones.
I felt relief again there. My nurse suggested I try to eat some lunch since I
hadn’t eaten. I had a couple bites of grilled cheese and tomato soup which I
didn’t keep down. The doctor checked in and gave me the option of getting my
water broken, but I decided to wait a bit. Around noon, I was about 8cm dilated
and decided then to get my water broken. For the next two hours, I trekked
through more contractions. Then, the doctor checked and I was only 8-9 cm
dilated. I was devastated. I thought for sure I had to have progressed further.
I was feeling exhausted after having not slept since Saturday night, and not
having any food in me. At that point, I decided to use the nitrous oxide. It is
similar to laughing gas, but it’s not an anesthesia. You still feel the pain,
but you disassociate from it. From 2-4 p.m. I used the nitrous to get through
the contractions. It heled me relax more and gather some strength. When it came
time for pushing, however, my nurse took it away from me. She had been
surprised by how much I was using, as your hand is supposed to fall away from
administering it when you have too much. That happened a couple times, but
other than that I was stuck to that mask. I wasn’t pushing effectively because the
nitrous was making me so relaxed. So for the next two hours, I pushed and cried
and demanded a c-section and epidural and threw up on myself. The nurse was absolutely amazing in
pacifying my demands, basically saying the doctor would be in soon and we could
discuss it. The doctor used the vacuum to help the baby get by my pelvic bone.
They thought he might be a bit asymmetrical coming out which was making things
difficult. Then, at 6:19 p.m., baby Isaac finally arrived. Ian cried. I was in
awe and shock and totally exhausted and thrilled I finally had a baby lying on
my chest. I didn’t quite have the easy labor I was hoping for but I know my running
100% helped me get through 18 hours + of labor on no sleep or food.
These past couple weeks I haven’t even
thought of running. I may go next week with Lucy. I’ve gone out walking a
couple times. However, my days are full of Isaac, holding him, nursing him,
changing him, bathing him, taking him to doctor’s appointments, and being up
with him all night (he doesn’t know that he’s supposed to sleep at nighttime).
Several people have asked if I would keep this blog going post-birth, and I
will definitely try. Now, it’s time to hold my little bundle of cuteness.
