She is here!

At 39 weeks and 2 days Bronwyn Alice came charging into the world.

The whole pregnancy, I had assumed she would be early.  Bertram was nearly a month early.  I heard that second babies often come earlier than the first.  So I waited and waited.  I had some random contractions/ Braxton-Hicks for the last three weeks.  I kept watching to the mucus plug, a bloody show, anything that would tell me the time was near, but nothing happened.

So, since she wasn't going to be early, I started counting down til my mom arrived.  I really wanted her to be there, especially since Aaron really isn't comfortable around blood, and my mom worked as a nurse for 35+ years.  So last night around 9, my mom arrived.

I woke up around 2 or 2:30 this morning, from a contraction.  Not a very strong, or painful one,   So I laid around for a while, and had a few more.  Aaron woke up and suggested I time them, which didn't occur to me, for some reason.  I think because they seemed irregular.  After an hour of timing, they were 4 minutes apart, lasting a minute each.  (In the birthing class, the teacher said for second babies follow 7-1-1 (7 minutes apart, lasting one minute, for at least an hour)).  I called L&D, they asked how I was feeling.  I said the contractions weren't too bad.  The said to drink 2 big glasses of water and take an hour-long shower, then lay down.  I drank, and lasted 40 minutes in the shower, and then laid down.  It was probably almost 6 at this point, and the contractions were getting worse.  Aaron said, we'll we probably need to get ready to go.  Mom asked if she had time to shower.  I said sure, it seemed like there was a lot of time still.  Aaron's folks came over to stay with Bertie at 6:45, and we took off for Kaiser.

The contractions were getting worse.  We got to Kaiser a little before 7.  Aaron dropped off my mom and me and went to park.  We walked in, and then I was on the floor on all fours in front of the elevator.  An orderly asked if I needed a wheelchair, I said no.  Then he asked again, and I said "well, I won't be a hero."  I got wheeled up for floor 5, crying and grunting the whole way.

We got to the desk, and the nurse said "what can we do for you today?"  I said "I'm having a baby."

I got a room, got changed, was feeling "pushy".  The midwife came in, and checked me.  I was expecting to be a 5 or 6.  Then she said the words that filled me with dread: "Alright, you're dialated to 9cm! So you can start pushing when you're ready."  I said "but can I still have an epidural?"  (I already knew the answer, but I asked anyway).  She said it was too late, that if she broke my water, baby would come quickly.  I was in a lot of pain.  So I asked for NO2, as it was supposed to help.  (Spoiler alert: it didn't).  I used it some, but gave up quickly, because I couldn't feel a difference.  I also was worried about GBS, since i was positive,  I knew I needed the antibiotics.  They hooked it up, but I didn't get much before everything was over with.

I was writhing around on the bed, crying, groaning, and making all sorts of embarrassing sounds.  Then my water broke.  But not just broke, like exploded across the room, all over the midwife, and the other nurse.  I was also so sweaty.  The iv tape wouldn't stick to my skin.

I was still screaming, crying and groaning (and probably other sounds).  The nurses and Dr (who came in after I drenched the midwife), took the bed apart, and had me curl up to push.  To be honest, it was terrible, and I wouldn't recommend it.  Epidurals are so nice.  And I will be the first to admit I am no badass.  It felt like I was pushing for a long time.  It was probably 10-15 minutes total, maybe less.  At one point the Dr said the head was halfway out, and I think I said "pull her out!", which of course, didn't happen.  My legs wouldn't stop trembling, which meant, I couldn't curl up to push very well.  I know I said at least once that I couldn't do it (which is something I swore I'd never say while giving birth). Her head came out, so I assumed the pain was done (since that's presumably the hardest part). But the rest hurt too.  Also, I had my eyes close almost the whole time, not sure why).

At 7:35am Bronwyn was here.  6lbs12oz, 18 inches long.  Fairly small, but almost 1.5 lbs more than Bertie.  She was waxy, and not crying too much, and didn't have a cone-head.

The placenta hurt some too.  I had a 2nd degree tear, and I may have gotten cut before hand, I'm not sure.  The stitching hurt, I got a lot of lidocane, and an injection of Fentanyl.  But it hurt.  And baby was over having her weight, and getting checked out (there was some slight mecronium staining.

Then I got her back, and she immediately started rooting, and latched quickly and well.

My dad, Aaron's folks and Bertram came to met her.

Bronwyn ordered a MatchBox car garage for Bertie.  He was really thrilled.  And he was excited to hold her.

She had and passed her hearing test.

All in all, a pretty good day.  She's nursed a bunch, has pooped 3 times and peed twice.  And, unless something odd comes up, we'll be going home tomorrow.

I'm still in a decent amount of pain, but it's not bad, considering that all I've had is Tylenol and Motrin.