Fleur Marie
12 Days to our due date I had been working on the new slip covers for Mom's old glider but decided I should round up all the stuff I needed for the hospital stay. There was quite a bit of shopping to do. Nursing bra's are my nemisis. NEMISIS. It took me two FULL days of shopping and returning and looking around to get everything. I'm talking eight in the morning until 6 or 7 at night. I was hoofin' it. Anyway, I was able to get everything I needed for my lists completed on Wednesday (April 29th) So on Thursday the 30th I spent the day making sure I was happy with what I got (robe, bra, etc, PADS PADS PADS) and I didn't forget anything. It took a long time to get the baby bag packed.... first outfit? Took me forever to choose! Anyway I got that one packed but that's it. I thought I still had at least 10 days to get things done.
Fast forward!
Midnight April 30th: contractions start. Brady says- I think it's tonight!! I laugh, say no way, and suffer through another contraction. He said "Well, either way we should go to bed, because if it's time you should get some sleep before we go in, and if not we still need to sleep." So to bed we went.
Fast Forward!
2:00am May 1st rolls around. With me rolling around the bed in PAIN. We started tracking my contractions to make sure they were within the allotted time to validate going to the hospital. They were progressing enough that we decided to run around the house to gather everything for the hospital! While I suffered closer and more intense contractions. Literally digging through rubber-maids in the basement bent over in pain looking for flip-flops. That's right. Flip-flops. (This process took a lot longer than I thought it would...)
Fast Forward!
We finally had everything loaded and got to the hospital around 4:00am. Since it was after hours I was admitted through Emergency. WHICH WAS EMPTY. There was only TWO people in there. TWO PEOPLE IN EMERGENCY. It was so bizarre.
This whole time I'm bouncing between completely distracted by the contractions and repeatedly saying to myself- this is happening? I'm having a baby. I'm having a baby?
I was wheel chaired up to the maternity assesment ward (where they check you out and decide whether to admit you or send you home for a while.) They monitored my contractions and the baby's heart beat for about half an hour, and checked to see that I was 3cm dilated. I was, so they admitted me and clocked active labour as beginning at 4:37am.
Fast Forward!
We're in our labour and delivery ward- contraction are getting worse and more frequent. WORST PERIOD CRAMPS EVER. So I quickly stripped down and hopped into the shower, kneeling down semi-sleeping on the floor haha. Brady sat on a stool just outside the shower hosing me down with his arms propped sleeping against the wall. It was glamorous, haha. Stayed in the shower until about 7am. At this point I was starting to loose it on the contractions and decided it was time for the epidural. Called the nurse, told her I was ready for it and she coordinated with the anesthesiologist to come, etc. Brady helped me towel off between contractions and I eventually got out to the bed.
Between getting out of the shower and getting the epidural, it kicking in, I had 4 HARD contractions. It made me so grateful I decided to get the epidural when I did... I would not have remained sane through more of those, ahhha.
Fast Forward!
Nurse had been monitoring contractions, baby heart beat, etc. Brady and I were semi-sleeping and talking about how excited we were (making puns about the name we were thinking of... April showers bring May -------! We thought we were pretty funny). Around 10:00am Friday morning my doctor dropped in to do a quick assessment then peaced it. It was her OR day so she was stopping in between surgeries, as my labour went on they would be speeding me up and slowing me down to try to time me with her schedule.
Fast Forward!
Around 11:15am doctor stopped in again to break my water. THIS SPED THINGS UP. Contraction on the monitor went crazy, haha. I was so grateful for the epidural!
At some point the epidural started wearing off so I got a small top up. After that, I don't' remember the time, but Brady and I both fell asleep for quite a while, then I woke up feeling like someone had stuffed me full of cotton "down there" so I called the nurse in and she checked me. 9 centimeters dilated! And the head was right there. She hurried off to organize the doctor and assisting nurses, etc. She told me I should be at 10 cm in about half an hour. I didn't believe her. I was going to be ready to go right away. I called her back maybe 15 minutes later and said I felt the need to push and she needed to check me. I was ready to go!
So she got me set up to go and had me start to push! I guess I was a really good pusher, because things went way faster than she thought. Three pushes and her head was lodged in there ready to pop out. We needed the doctor STAT!
Unfortunately my doctor was in the OR and it was the middle of a shift change so nurses were coming and going and things were everywhere. My nurse was a little frazzled because I was ready to go and things weren't happening. They had me trying my hardest not to push... and she said "I have delivered a baby before, so if we need to I can.... " DOT DOT DOT.
Anyway we waited for the doctor and everything for about 10 minutes and the doc came in - three pushes later she was out! Delivery started at 1:57pm (when the nurse had me "practicce" my first push- pfft.) to the birth at 2:11pm. With the 10 minutes or so of waiting for the doctor clocked me in at about 6 minutes of actual delivery time and 6 pushes. Only 3 stitches, thank goodness!
Anyway this all doesn't really matter. What really matters is that birth and pregnancy and what I've experienced of motherhood is amazing and beautiful. It will change you. I never though I had this much empty room in my heart for something else to fill. Everyone tells you that but as they pull this screaming, purple gremlin out of you- your heart just bursts. It doesn't matter that she looks like a mandrake root or is covered in icky stuff- for those moments nothing matters, she is your whole world. When that screaming babe is placed on your chest and she immediately calms and snuggles in to you... your whole existence and purpose is condensed into those few minutes that you will cherish for the rest of your life. It is the most beautiful thing I have ever done. She is so beautiful!
Fleur Marie Pomerleau
May 1st 2015
2:11 pm
7lbs 3oz
20 inches
It's been a crazy few days, and I don't have the brain power to tell much else, haha. But Saturday May 2nd was our last day in the hospital (we were discharged around 3:45pm). Mom went over to our house and organized so much of it (remember? disaster zone craziness of packing with contractions at three in the morning?) She cleaned up everything and set up more of the baby room and cleaned and just made it so incredibly beautiful. I love my mother so much. Holy cow could I cry more? Tears are just a' streamin'
Anyway, this wouldn't be a complete birth story without mentioning my wonderful husband. He is my everything. I couldn't imagine raising our daughter without him- there is so much joy in doing this together! Being exhausted and hangrey and realizing you haven't actually, really gotten to snuggled in days... Hugs are better, moments together seem sweeter, everything is just... more. Brady has jumped into this baby business faster than I have, I was to scared to do the first bath- but Brady wasn't! I was scared to burp her for the first time- so Brady did it! I swear he even changed her first diaper. I'm so grateful for his fearlessness and confidence in himself and especially in me. He has shown me in his actions and with his words that he trusts me care for our daughter and knows I will make the best choices for her until she is able to make her own. I am grateful for the security, support and love that he gives both of us.
