Warning: Birth Story entangled within the rest of the story
I used to think of December as a very busy time of year due to parties, the many different holiday celebrations we were invited to (living outside of Utah for most of our married years, we have friends who celebrate all different holidays, in which we would join in), deadlines for Stephen's projects (this hasn't changed...we just changed who the projects are due TO), and of course, preparing for Christmas itself! However, 2011 has been a different kind of busy, one where, if we didn't have Quin to show for it, we'd like to forget happened.
I'm not sure where to start, and I don't want to sound like I'm whining (I'm not, because really, I ended up with the best end of the entire package), but it did start out looking as though things were just not going to work out.
We moved to Utah already knowing that we were expecting to have a new addition in our family. Family members rallied round, prepared to come and take turns helping in our home so that we could adjust to life with four munchkins, and Stephen saved up as much sick leave as he could so that he could work part time when the help left. Then, my mother was offered a wonderful opportunity to switch careers. Sadly, this meant forfeiting the weeks of vacation days she had saved up, and we found out she'd no longer be able to come stay with our other children while I delivered. BUT, it was all going to be OK, as Stephen's mother still had vacation days she was willing to use to come be with us, and our neighbors said they could cover while I delivered so that my mother-in-law could spend her time here with me rather than just the kids prior to the birth.
On the 11th of December, I was sure I was in labor. I awoke at 2 AM with the same sort of contractions I'd had with Payge's delivery. Every three minutes, strong enough to make me not enjoy my day, but not painful--just consistent and tight. By 10 PM, I was certain that we had labored this way long enough, and I should go in because with Payge, it didn't get hard until minutes before she was born. Really, her labor was easy, it was the pushing that was horrendous! I was worried we'd kick into that gear soon, so I called my neighbor to come over.
We went in, and they monitored me. The contractions were consistent, and did show up on the monitor (yes! They were real!). However, I'd not dilated past a 1.5, and my cervix was completely posterior still. So, they sent me home, and the nurse told me that she was sure, based on the consistency of my contractions, I'd be back by morning and see my little one on his due date.
Three days later (yes, THREE), I went to my doctor's office to see how things were going ( a girl can get a little impatient when she's actually contracting. I still feel bad for my Zac, as we were on a walk to the library when a really strong one brought me to the ground, and he didn't know how to respond. I told him to just give me a second, and we'd finish up our walk, which we did). I had made it to a (drumroll please...) 2. BUT, according to the doc, everything was better lined up and ready to keep going. This was a Wednesday, he told me to make another appointment for Monday (such faith, eh?).
During this time of slo---ooo-w progress, we received word that my mother-in-law had been rushed into the ER to have emergency gall bladder surgery. Not only did she have to have the surgery right away, but then they had to sew her up and send her to another medical center to finish the procedure because they didn't have all of the tools necessary to finish the job. Needless to say, we weren't going to have her visiting anytime soon (at least not to take care of our kids! She'd been through plenty.), as she was very sore and recovery has been slow going. On top of this, our sister-in-law rear-ended a guy in a BMW (and he wasn't a happy camper), another sister-in-law was going in to have her wisdom teeth removed and reacted horribly to the relaxation drug she was to take prior to the procedure that she fell out of her car (she wasn't driving) and onto her face when the door was opened. Her eyes were swollen, as well as her jaw--so those two weren't going to be helpful. AND my brother's wife ended up with a c-section two days before we went into labor with our son due to a doctor who decided to break her water when she was only at a 1. (I will refrain from venting about that here, due to my desire to use profanity, which I try very hard not to do).
Anyhow, the week passed, and I actually went to my Monday afternoon appointment--ha ha, kidding! That would have been the peaceful way to end it. Actually, Monday morning I recieved a phone call from my doctor's nurse that he was sick with the stomach flu and didn't want to pass it onto me (kind of him, I thought), and that I needed to postpone my visit. I was already overdue, so I didn't see a reason to to be too upset about missing a visit. He's a great VBAC doctor (the one I went to with Chayce) and I didn't want any other doctor delivering my baby, so I hoped (and prayed) that he'd recover prior to my labor picking up speed.
Tuesday, I went in to see my doctor (yes, he was feeling better), and we chatted about a few of the more gentle induction methods given my almost 2 weeks past due state, and then I turned him down and told him we'd just have to see where things went from there. Oh, and did I mention that I was almost to a 3 at this check-up? Yay for progress!
Wednesday morning, I woke, again at 2 AM, but this time there was no mistaking that I was feeling what I'd felt immediately prior to Payge's delivery. Progress while sleeping...very nice. I waited until 8ish to call my neighbor (I wanted to make sure that this was REALLY it...in hindsight, I almost waited too long). By 9, we had the kids at the neighbors, and me all checked in and ready to go. They said I was at a 6, but then the contractions hit so hard, and so heavy (literally, no breaks...whew!) that by noon, I was done pushing Mr. Quin into the world. I don't really know what to say about those contractions, except that I think that if THAT is what most women go through to have a baby (remember my past labors weren't that strong), then whew--you are brave women. This is the first time I felt the need to cry during a contraction, and I finally understood why women might want an epidural. I did, persist, however, and didn't ask for one, which in the end was a huge blessing, as I'm pretty sure recovery is much faster without that in your system (plus, no catheter, and no one has to help you figure out how to go to the bathroom again before you can check out!). Our mother/baby nurse was surprised to see me walking around our room when she came to check on me, as no one told her we were coming in painkiller free.
I must say that I'm very, very grateful to my sister-in-law who had come in from out of town to take care of her mother (remember, gall bladder?) and sister (wisdom teeth episode), as she also called and offered to take our kids from the neighbor for two days. THANK YOU!! Did I mention she also has a 1 year old who wasn't too happy to be sleeping somewhere other than his own bed, and therefore waking much earlier than usual? And to the sister-in-law who was willing to drive to come get the children in order to bring them to the farm where watching them, their grandmother, and their aunt would be a bit easier.
Anyhow, December is over now. We have survived in our home without help--wait! I should say without daytime help. Our neighbors have each brought over dinners, and I feel truly blessed by them as well. But I was happy to ring in the new year, a new month, and hopefully see where 2012 leads us. Stephen is back to work full time, and I'm sort of getting the hang of this. Give me a few weeks, and I'm sure it'll be even better.
