The labor that almost was

6:52 AM

This is not as fun to write as Elijah's actual birth story will be (ha) but if I don't write it out then it will just sit in yesterday and I will be frustrated.


Rewind-
At 5 AM I rolled out of bed feeling like I had been ran over by a truck which was weird considering Kaleb and I didn't do much the day before. We went to visit our friend Sarah who had her sweet baby yesterday. Let me tell you-he is HANDSOME! I am totally not jealous at all. Ok, that's a lie but in all fairness she was due 9 days before me anyway. I was in bliss holding him so it took my longing away even for a little bit. That was the night before though and not even very late so to wake up at 5 am feeling ridiculously sore all over was just weird. I started a shower and told Kaleb my back was on fire. My entire spine hurt. Neck to tailbone felt so sore. I stood in a very hot shower letting the water beat on my back (it felt amazing) and had a contraction. I tried to not get excited. Contractions have been happening on and off for a week (ish) so I took it with a grain of salt and got out of the shower. I ate a bowl of cereal trying to decipher if my stomach pain was nausea or just hunger pains, texted Sarah, and went back to sleep (if you could call it that) for an hour, maybe.

7:30 am
Kaleb finally rolled over and opened his eyes, meeting mine, and immediately asked whats wrong. I told him I was having headaches and nausea and my back was killing me. We both had no idea what to think other then labor. It's our first baby, people. We literally have no idea how this guy is going to decide to make his arrival into the world. Kaleb had to be at work at 9 am so I was going back and forth deciding whether or not to get him to call in or not. Thankfully, we didn't have to make that decision. Kaleb called his boss and she immediately asked what was going on with me. He filled her in and she said he should stay with me (i could just kiss that lady). We went back to sleep just in case contractions would follow soon and decided when we woke up we would go walk around the mall to see if that sparked anything.

Noon-ish
We got up, dressed, and headed to the mall. Walked the whole thing, bought Kaleb a hat from Marshall's to semi-match one we got for Elijah, and then went to eat lunch at Chick-Fil-A. I got a salad since my nausea was still there and I had been making multiple trips to the bathroom. I ate the fruit out of my salad and then I was in pain. I made Kaleb take me home before we went up to the hospital to visit Sarah and baby Joseph again. I used the restroom for the 7th time within the last 24 hours. Pre labor is glorious, isn't it? Kaleb and I chatted about how this could be baby day. All the signs pointed to yes. His boss telling him to stay home with me was a huge deal. We took that as a major sign and ran with it.

2:30 PM
After visiting Sarah and baby Joseph we came right back home and laid down. We were trying to take advantage of any down time considering I could go into labor that night. Kaleb put a movie on via our laptop and I rolled away, falling asleep immediately. I maybe watched 10 minutes of that movie. I was in so much pain at that point that I knew I had to text some friends and ask for prayers. I know the power of prayer and I need some extra grace from Jesus. Texting back and forth with another mama friend she was giving me tips to relieve what could be back labor. I tried them all and nothing was working. The waves of intensity were coming in my lower back but trying to time them was pointless. It was all under 10 minutes so I knew that didn't mean much.

6:00 PM
Kaleb being the amazing man he is moved our TV and Xbox into our room so I didn't have to leave the bed. As if I really could anyway. He put on our John Mayer DVD and I tried to focus on the music since that's my plan for natural labor-breathing, focusing on music to get past the pain. I'm not sure how it will work with contractions but with back labor it was no use. It worked until another wave of intensity would hit my lower back and I felt like I was going to lose it. I had been texting my doula, keeping her posted. I finally asked her if I should just go to the hospital. Waiting on a reply, Kaleb and I got in the shower. I leaned on him and let the hot water hit my lower back. I finally felt like I couldn't stand anymore so I laid down in the tub of warm water for a few minutes until I just felt restless. Nothing seemed to be working. Got out and I immediately laid back down. I drifted off to sleep again without even realizing it. Kaleb came in to check on me and told me it worried him how much I was sleeping. It was worrying me a little bit too but I told him it was fine.

8:00 PM
We called labor and delivery and told them what was going on. The nurse suggested we come in to be checked mostly because she couldn't tell over the phone whether I was in labor or not. As we were getting our things together my doula called (I felt so relieved). She said the same thing as the nurse. There was no way of telling unless I came in and got checked but sadly she was leaving for the night. Poor thing had been at the hospital since 6:45 am. I completely understood.

8:40 PM
We arrived at the hospital and got settled into our room. The nurse hooked me up to the blood pressure machine and hooked up the baby to monitor his heart rate and my contractions. When she checked me at 9 pm my cervix was still closed but that Elijah's head is super low and that's probably where all of the lower back pain is coming from. Policy is to keep you there for at least an hour to see if you make change. If you're in true labor, you'll make change. We turned on the TV and chilled out for the next hour. I texted some mama friends, my sister, and my mom. Kaleb texted his mom who by the way had been worrying all day about me being dehydrated even though I was drinking bottles upon bottles of water all through out the day.

10:00 PM
I asked to be checked again mostly because I had to get away from those monitors so I could pee. The nurse checked me and said I was still closed but that my contractions were 2-5 minutes a part and that my doctor wanted to keep me another hour and see if I made change. She gave me the wonderful little jar to pee in so she could check my urine for protein and what not.

10:30 PM
The nurse came back in and told me my urine showed that I was EXTREMELY dehydrated. She gave me a huge glass of water and told me she needed me to finish it so she could fill it back up and give me more. My mother in law was right. And if you don't already know-contractions, or cramping of any kind can occur when you're dehydrated. The nurse told me the highest it can be is 4+ and my level of dehydration was 3+. How scary. Kaleb and I were shocked because I had been drinking water all day but she told me it must not have been enough.

11:00 PM
The nurse checked me one more time and I was still closed so she discharged me and gave me a list of reasons to come back in. Stuff I had heard before a million times. I wasn't super mad at that point because of how tired I felt. I wasn't sure my body would have been up to delivering a baby that night.

After finishing all the water I could and eating a sandwich we finally called it a night after an emotionally draining day. I woke up immediately an hour later with my shirt soaked in sweat. My hair was full of it, too. Other than being hot I actually felt fine so I ruled that out as having to do with all the water I had just drank or something. I continued to wake up like that through the rest of the night but still didn't noticed any more pain which I am so thankful for. God's mercies are made new each morning. There is a dull ache in my back but NOTHING compared to what it was all yesterday. I am a little sad to be waking up with Elijah still in my tummy but I'm so glad we went to the hospital or else I would have never known how badly I was dehydrated.

When E does finally decide to make his appearance I hope he does so in a normal way. Contractions or my water breaking. None of this back labor stuff, PLEASE! That was pretty awful. I am so very ready for him but all babies come out. No matter what, he won't stay in there much longer. My due date comes next weekend, folks. Be in prayer. 

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