Labor Stories- Michael first

So, everyone keeps asking me about the baby, of course. When's it due? Is it a boy or a girl? Are your children normally early or late, etc. And it's gotten me remembering alot about my past 4 labors, so I thought, since I've never done a good job of journaling or anything, that I should write down what I remember now, while it's still refreshed in my mind. I'll just do one at a time, so as not to be toooo boring! :)

MICHAEL'S BIRTH STORY:
We were living in CO, of course. Michael's due date was May 1st, 2002. We did not know if he was going to be a boy or a girl. I was really nauseaus (SP?) the first trimester. My worst day I threw up 7 or 8 times, I went home from work that day. The rest of the time, I worked; I was in my first year of teaching, 1st grade. Sometimes I pushed a trash can into the hall and threw up in it. Sometimes I took the kids out for an extra recess and threw up outside. . . enough of that.

Mom visited once and helped me figure out how to ease my calf cramps, I was bending my knee up to try to massage it relaxed; but I should have straightened it and pointed my toes up! I remember that was a lifesaver! I ate wheat thins all the time, always had a box with me at school. So much so that they told me the baby was going to come out square.

On April 1st, I was having contractions like crazy. My school nurse got concerned and made me lie down in the nurses office. After over an hour of observing my fairly regular, long, strong contractions, she convinced me that I may be in labor and needed to go to the hospital . . . This was significant because when I called Robert and told him I was going to the hospital, he kept saying "Yeah right. April Fool's" I told him over and over and he wouldn't believe me. I finally just said something like: "Ok, I'm going home to get a bag quickly, and going to the hospital. I hope to see you there." I don't really remember how I got home, or when he was convinced, but he did join me somewhere, etiher at home or the hospital. (I know now that I just have braxton hicks like crazy, but at the time, I didn't know any different, and a nurse was telling me to go.)

They sent me home, of course, as Michael's b-day isn't April Fools Day. It jump started our preparations though. We were moving just next door, into a larger apartment in two weekends. Mom and Dad came down to help move. The Friday we started moving, I had my 38 week appointment. Dr. Skyles was concerned because I had high blood pressure and was really swollen, neither of which had been present earlier. I explained that we were moving and she ordered me to not touch a box. Not exactly complete bed rest, but close enough. She wanted to check me on Monday, and said that if my hypertension didn't go down, she may induce. Anyways, we got moved and I felt better. Mom and dad had to go back, so we went. . . somewhere . . . on Sunday, and my blood pressure was down, and it was obvious my swelling was down, so they went home.

Monday, April 15th, I went back to work. At 5 mins until the end of day bell rang, I felt like, well, like I really, really needed to get to a bathroom. Finally I went to the office bathroom and asked my secretary to send someone to my room to finish dismissing my kids. Before I knew it, there were 10 women outside the bathroom door asking how I was, if my water broke, etc. I went to the hospital and sure enough, I had a slow leak water break. Poor mom and dad, moved all weekend, drove until early Monday morning, worked all day Monday, then got right back into the car to drive the 8 hours back again. Amy says that Mom almost left dad because he wanted to jump into a quick shower before getting into the car . . .

Meanwhile at the hospital, I asked if I could avoid the stimulants, so long as the baby was in no danger, and just wait it out so that my parents could make it. Around midnight my plan to go without an epidural was abandoned, and then I slept well! :) Mom and dad arrived in some kind of record time, and were there well before Michael arrived.

(I have to pause and ask Robert details here beacuse he remembers the numbers, times, weight, etc. much better than I do.)

Michael was born at 6:27am, he weighed 6 lbs, 7 ozs, and was ? 19 inches long. Full head of dark hair. My doctor wasn't delivering because she had been on call the entire 24 hours previous and the new doctor didn't know that I didn't know the sex of the baby. I remember when he crowned and she said "There's a full head of black hair" that I thought "I knew it was a boy" but didn't say anything (I was too afraid to guess- and in TOO MUCH PAIN at the time). When he was born, no one said anything to me for what seemed like forever!!!! I had to ask "IS IT A BOY OR A GIRL?" and they finally answered boy and passed him to me . . . :) :) :)

Well, I think that's long enough. . . . Please comment adding any details you remember, things I don't know, or even correcting mistakes I may have made! :) Thanks! ~Nicole