All the Details

So even though B posted a quick post before with pictures and all the basic details of Y, I like to give more details and I know many of you want to know the details. With that said, we arrived here at the hospital about 15 minutes late at 6:45am. They quickly showed us to our room, got us settled, and hooked up my IV and pitocin. This really started the waiting game. I began to feel the contractions, mildly, right away. I let them know that I would definitely want an epidural and was curious when they typically give it. The nurse told me that they don't really give it at a specific time, it's more that they give it to me whenever I felt I needed it. That made me feel more relaxed because I wasn't worried about it being too late when I wanted it or whatever. So, since I arrived at the hospital dilated to 3cm we were thinking that I'd probably progress rather quickly...wrong! Three to four hours later with the pitocin near it's highest level I was still at 3cm. At this point I knew we were in for a long day. Once we reached 4cm (about 6 hours in) I started feeling the contractions more strongly, but still they were very tolerable. The doctor came in and decided it was time to break my water after which he warned that the contractions would get a lot worse so he went ahead and ordered my epidural. Looking back, I wish I had've gotten the epidural before he broke my water! Even after he ordered the epidural it was still an hour and a half before the anesthesiologist showed up. Needless to say, the doctor was write, my contractions did get a lot worst. For that hour and a half I was in hell. I will admit that at first it was fairly easy for me to tolerate but towards the end I couldn't take it anymore. B just sat there wondering what he could do to help and I could tell just by the look on his face how awful he felt having to watch me in pain and be unable to do anything about it. I have never felt such horrible pain as that and at the end all I could really do was cry. But once I got that epidural, I was in pure heaven! He said typically it can take up to an hour to kick in but for me it was instantaneous. I didn't feel a single thing, not even pressure, until later that is. So progression continued to come very slowly and by 11pm I was still only at 6.5cm. I was really feeling the pressure by midnight so they came in and gave me more drugs. I began progressing faster but the pressure was unbearable. Her head was really low in my lower back/butt area and that made it impossible to get comfortable and made the contractions and pressure that much more intense. Anyway, to speed this story up, the doctor finally let me start pushing around 12:30am when I was 10cm, we pushed for 2 hours and made very little progress. We had only managed to get her from a -1 station to a +3 station. So at that point, around 3am, the doctor comes in and gives me my options. He tells me that using forceps is not an option for me because of the gestational diabetes. He also tells me that I can continue to push her out vaginally but that if I chose to do that it would likely result in a 3rd or 4th degree tear. He said my second option was to have a C-section. He was honest to say that either way it wouldn't be easy because if we did the c-section since she was already at a +3 there would be some difficulties in getting her out that way as well. So I chose the c-section even with as much as I didn't want it because the truth is that I prefer a c-section over a really bad tear.

So at that point everything went well and she was born 49 minutes later. I was so exhausted that I ended up sleeping through the entire process, and no, they did not put me under. I went to sleep all on my own. In fact, the entire time I was pushing I would somehow manage to fall asleep between contractions even though they were only like a minute apart. There were several times when I ended up vomiting and others where I ended up having these uncontrollable shakes. But she's here now and it was all worth it. Now I'm just waiting for it to set in that I'm a mom. Life will never be the same, that's for sure! Anyway, Brandon posted all the other details and a couple of pictures below. Don't worry, there will be more to come. She's adorable and has really really thick hair. Right now she is in the nursery because he temperature keeps falling and they need to put her under the warmer. Also because I had gestational diabetes she now has hypoglycemia but they expect that to correct itself in the next couple of days. I'll try to keep you guys updated. Love ya!

Last Minute Thoughts

Okay, I should really be in bed getting some rest right now but I wanted to make a quick post and kind of document what/how I feel right now.

I'm 3cm dilated, so that's progress I can live with! I'm very nervous, very excited, very overwhelmed, honestly the list of emotions could go on forever. In slightly over 7.5 hours I will be in the hospital preparing to have my first child. I'm going to be a mom. Me...the girl who never really wanted kids in the first place is going to have a baby and is really really happy about it. The scary part is that it will be a title I carry with me forever, throughout all the eternities. Maybe that's why I feel so overwhelmed! I'm scared of labor. I'm scared of having to provide for a child, not financially because that we are prepared for, but physically and emotionally and spiritually. I'm not sure if one could ever be prepared for that. I suppose I look at it like I did when watching all those divers during the Olympics. I couldn't help but wonder what would run through their minds as they were on the platform and about to dive head-first into a pool of water. I feel like I have to be like one of those divers and just make the jump and have faith that something is going to break my fall. I need prayers, ya'll! And lots of them! I'm going to be a mom. I'm going to be a mom? I'm going to be a mom! I'm terrified.

I've waited for what seemed like years to meet my daughter, my little baby, my angel and tomorrow the time arrives. I'm excited. I'm overwhelmed. I'm...

Coming Soon...

Where should I even begin?!?! Should I start at the end or at the beginning? Honestly, I'm feeling so many things right now that I'm not even sure where to begin. I'm anxious, happy, scared, apprehensive, excited all rolled up into a ball really.

Ok, I guess I'll start with the small news first...I'm 2cm dilated. I know, big whoop, right?!?! That's what I said, and my doctor's reply was, "well it's better than you were last time." To which I had no reply because in all honesty he's right! The other news...I told the sonographer at my doctor's office today that it felt like I was carrying around a cinder block in my belly. The sad part is that she probably isn't that far from being a cinder block! So I'll start from the beginning: When we first start the ultrasound the sonographer's first comment was on how big of a head she has. This didn't surprise me because, well, we Lovett's are notorious for having HUGE heads, I mean, you've seen my head, it's no cantaloupe or honey dew melon...it's a full on watermelon! (And not the cute personal seedless kind either). My second thought was about how I had to push that watermelon sized head out! My third thought was that her head is probably more than half her body weight. All jokes aside, she then went on to tell me that she's a little over 4000 grams (which is close to 9lbs). Now being that I still have 2 weeks to go, that's not a good thing!!! Needless to say I was rendered speechless at that point. She then tries to comfort me by telling me that that estimate is +/- a pound so she may only be 8lbs. This lady must seriously take me for an idiot! So I look at her and say, "or she could be 10lbs." She then points out that she was hoping I would miss that point...well guess what lady, I didn't!!! Anyway, she then says that she's gonna take a closer look and do another analysis and then says that she is actually somewhere between 8 & 8.5 lbs. I'm still not comforted, I guess i shouldn't have laughed when my doctor told that other lady her baby was monstrous! But it was awesome to see her on the ultrasound again, we were able to see her hair and everything! So at least she won't be a bald-headed baby with a big head. hahaha, sorry I really couldn't resist.

Then it was time to meet with my doctor. He said the main concern with gestational diabetics is the baby's shoulders. These babies tend to have broader shoulders, thus making it more difficult to push out vaginally, but the problem is that they can't tell until they attempt to deliver the baby. For this reason, some doctors just decide to do a c-section and skip the attempt at a vaginal birth all together. Lucky for me, my doctor wants to try the vaginal birth! I do not want a c-section unless it is absolutely necessary. As for when he wants to try this vaginal birth...how about Wednesday, September 3rd. That's right, if she's not here by then of her own free will and choice then she will be forced her through induction. This is the cause of all of my different emotions. I really, really, really do not want to be induced! I want her to come when she's ready, I dunno, I guess I'm just a lot more comfortable with that. But I guess if I do have to be induced then at least it's only 4 days before her due date. But I am praying (as all of you should do with me) that it will be vaginal delivery and before the scheduled induction.

So, yes, today has been a bit emotional for me, but I have been assured by both the sonographer and the doctor that she is really healthy despite her size and all of my pregnancy complications. And in the grand scheme of things, that's all that matters anyway! So as for where we stand now, I have a doctor appointment scheduled for Tuesday and an induction scheduled for Wednesday, but my bag is all packed and I'm ready to go in at anytime before then if she's ready. So I guess you should all prepare yourselves to meet Y because she's coming, one way or another! Keeps us in your prayers!! Love 2 all.

P.S. I may have left out some minor details, if I have then forgive me and I'll add them later. I guess my mind is slightly overwhelmed at this point. Not sure why, but it is! ttyl

News From Today's Visit

So I'm 30 weeks, woohoo!!! Today I had a doctor's visit and I must say I'm very happy with everything. I'm down a total of 5 pounds now, blood pressure was 149/91 when they checked it using their electronic machine but only 130/75 when they checked it manually. Of course the manual method is far more accurate so that is the number that they used which is much more normal that the first number. My sugar levels are excellent as well and both myself and the doctor have concluded that when I don't cheat and eat what I shouldn't then my numbers are fine! So since everything has been going so well lately, I asked him if he still predicted that he would be inducing me really early. He said that all the factors that would give him cause for concern and lead him to induce (large baby, excessive weight gain, high blood pressure, high sugar levels) seem to be under control (whew) so as of right now he predicts that I will probably definitely go full term (which is 37 weeks). He did say though that if after that, say 39 weeks, he checks my cervix and it seems ready then he would go ahead and induce me at that point because he wouldn't want to risk my blood pressure increasing. Needless to say, I can definitely live with that!

I also had a friend tell me something that I kinda found a little gross so I asked him about that. She told me that during labor, you're pushing so hard that you can poop, so not to eat anything prior to labor that would cause me to have loose stools (gross I know, but I was curious), so I preceded to tell the doctor this and ask if it was true. He then explained the physics of it to me and well now it makes perfect sense. He told me to imagine 3 tubes that are side by side with no give whatsoever. Then imagine that a abnormally large object is squeezing through one of those tubes. Then he asked me what I thought would happen to anything that was inside those other 2 tubes. Honestly, I found it extremely humorous at that point. B says that if that happens he's leaving the room. I laugh even harder when I picture his face. It's classic!

So yeah, now that I've stopped laughing, I'll end this post by saying that I had a great Dr. appointment today! And you'll get to have more of these updates because now I'll be going to the Dr. every week with NSTs (non-stress tests) starting every week after 32 weeks. I'm looking forward to it but for now I have to get back to packing...ttyl.