Pregnancy is something that I have experienced a lot of, especially lately! Each one has their own story just as unique as the delivery. Here are my stories of my boys and my current pregnancy up until my second trimester.
Dominic - my first one. The one I thought was the hardest (until NOW). I found out I was pregnant around 6 weeks along and could not have been more scared. I started with morning sickness (which um lasted all day and night for the ENTIRE nine months) at around week 8. I never really felt "ill" but more like I ate and then would just get sick. I had lost 30 pounds...never gained any weight with him at all. (well until I after I delivered him when my body decided to hold all calories that I consumed since it was in starvation mode for 7 months) I had what was known as hyperemesis or extreme morning sickness. I had zero relief from it the entire pregnancy. I was hospitalized on 2 occasions to be re-hydrated from it...not fun at all. I was even sick during delivery...yeah that is so much fun getting sick while contracting...um NOT! I had to see a nutritionist who just told me to eat every hour...which made me get sick every hour (um no thanks). I tried taking my first glucose test and could not hold it down...had to go back again and do it....I passed, success! I felt him kick for the first time during a scary movie at the theater...it was weird, cool, awesome and strange all at the same time.
Delivery for Dominic was just like my pregnancy...not smooth at all. I had 2 showers (one for my family and one for Gary's side of the family) and actually was in early labor during my second shower with his family. I told no one....I didnt want a huge production or anything and I knew for a first pregnancy that it takes awhile to get everything moving along. I was 37 weeks so no one expected me to be delivering any time soon. We made it threw the shower with contractions around 10-15 minutes apart. Went home...tried to go to bed. Yeah, that did not work. My contractions got stronger and came anywhere between 6-8 minutes apart. Finally around 3 am we called the Dr and off we went to the hospital. After being there, my contractions slowed back down BOO...I really did not want to go back home. I walked and walked and then started to feel really horrid pains in my back. Um, what is that??? Back labor...or so I was told. No longer could I walk, the pain was so bad it radiated down my legs. They gave me pitocin which made it hurt even more...ouch! I asked for some pain medicine (well actually an epidural and they told me no since I was only 4 cm dilated) and was given a narcotic instead. That was a big mistake...it only lasted an hour, I hallucinated and then when it wore off the pain seemed to be worse then before. I got to almost 6 cm and was given my epidural...AHH the miracle relief I was looking for! By this time (including the labor I was in the day before) I had been in labor for 40 hours. I was ready to be done...so tired and just wanted to sleep. 2 hours after my epidural I felt weird and told the nurse that I wanted to push....it was go time! I practice pushing for an hour and then the Dr came in. 3 pushes and out came Dominic....I was in awe at the easiness that it was. I measured big so I was told he could be 10 pounds at birth....He was perfect @ 6lb 15oz of adorableness. 1-27-02
Logan - we were trying for this pregnancy so I knew before I even missed my period that I was pregnant. Which, I might add, made the pregnancy go sooooo slow. We were very excited and told our family right away. We could only celebrate so much for a short time because right after we found out about Logan, my Dad was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 cancer. I started with morning sickness with Logan around week 6. It was not as server as with Dominic but I did have it all 9 months. First 5 months was all day long and then after that it was just in the morning. (oh I could totally handle that!) I did have some complications with this pregnancy as well. I was hospitalized around week 7 for sharp abdominal pains which they could never explain. Then I was diagnosed with a thyroid condition (nodule goiter). I then failed my first glucose test and had to take the 3 hour test...which I passed thank goodness. I felt him moving much earlier than Dominic at around 4 months! It was bubbles, butterfly type movement. Awesome and strange again at the same time. Braxton hicks started for me around month 7 with this pregnancy. To me having these made me not believe I was in labor when I really was! On Tuesday (3 days before I delivered) I was leaking fluid...went to Magee and saw a Dr that was not mine who said it was normal stuff and to go home. I measured 4 weeks ahead for the whole time so my Dr had a sonogram scheduled Thursday to make sure I could deliver him without a c-section. (side note: I had back surgery 2 months before I got pregnant and should actually have waited 6 months till I full recovered before conceiving. Everywhere you read it says can take 6-12 months to get pregnant and ours happened the FIRST try...figures, huh?!) I woke up that Thursday all wet....um what? this again...Gary said we had already been to Magee about it and we can just wait. We had a Dr apt and the sonogram scheduled for that day and we would find out then. So we got up, got ready, shipped Dom off to school and then headed to the sonogram. Logan measured in at 7lb 7oz. Okay, I am good for delivery. We went to Eat N Park for lunch and then the mall to start Christmas Shopping...then off to the Drs. I told the nurse all about the morning and she asked me what my contractions were at. I said oh between 5-6 minutes...she looked at me and quietly said that she is pretty sure I am in labor and would be going to Magee after the apt. Dr came in to see me, gave me an exam and whosh...omg what is that?! She laughed and said your water. Am I packed and ready to go? Um yes...but HOLY CRAP I AM IN LABOR? Yikes...
Delivery for Logan was so easy...it makes me scared for the next one. I got to the hospital...um no beds...crap. I had to sit in the lobby (on top of a stupid pad thing, yuck) and wait. Into labor and delivery we went. Gary was great...my Mom was great...I was great. They asked me if I wanted my epidural and I said nah...they dont hurt. So I have no been in labor since 545 this am when my water first was leaking and I was only 1.5 cm dilated...CRAP! They gave me pitocin and I waited....the contractions were now every 3-4 minutes....nurse asked me if I wanted my epidural and I said sure. 4 tries (um ouch) and I thought I was numb. WRONG...did not figure that out until after I was shaking like I was having a seisure and had another anes dr tell me they had to re-do it. Another hour and 3 sticks later...AHHH. Sitting there when your contractions are every stinking minute bent over hurts people! After that....it was smooth sailing...well until the Dr told me that I still was not dilating. They put my pitocin up to the "unsafe level" according to the monitor and my Dr said that I had to start dilating. I looked at my Mom and Gary and said, Shit wonder if she is going to make me get a C-section? At 150 am I said to the nurse that I was in pain and needed more medicine...she looked and said..."no hun you need to push!" YAY....10 minutes of pushing and 3 pushes later, out came Logan. 7lb 8oz of perfection. 10-16-2009
Now here we are with baby #3. This baby was def a surprise, we had not planned on trying until Logan was 18 months old. So far things are worse than with either of the boys. I have hypermesis again...have already been to the Er to get hydrated once. I get sick all the time. The different thing is that with this one, I feel like I have the flu all the time. It was not like that with either of the boys...I just feel sick! I have had a sinus infection and a cold already...super fun! I am so tired, probably because I already have 2 kids to keep up with. I will def keep posts about how things are progressing this time around. I had to take one glucose test already because of failing one with Logan.
