D day or should I say B day

I decided I'd better break up everything I want to blog about into a couple different posts. Or else I'd have one insanely long post. As of these aren't long enough...This is Lyla's birth story so there may be a few details you don't like...You've been warned.

8 days before my due date, I woke up and started getting ready for work. Little did I know I would be so lucky to have our little girl Oct the 10th. 8 full days early! It was literally a dream come true. As I was getting ready for work, I started having contractions. It was about 7 when I realized they were starting to hurt. As Rem was getting into the shower, he heard me saying "ouch!!!" pretty loud. He asked if I was ok. I assured him I was but that I wasn't sure if I'd be making it to work on time. I thought for sure the contractions were just a tease. Another 10 mins goes by- another contraction. I fixed my hair- another contraction. Did most of my make up- another contraction. I picked out clothes for the day and another contraction. By 20 to 8 I decide I better tell work I'd be late. I thought surely the contractions would stop. I told Rem to go ahead and go to work. That way he could prepare for a sub just in case. I started texting my doula Cori. I wanted to go for a walk for distraction but she suggested a bath instead. If my labor was false, the bath would relax me and I'd stop having contractions. 45 mins later in the bath, I let Cori know the contractions were still coming and now were closer together- about 7 mins. Oh boy (girl would actually be more fitting)... Cori was enroute to our home and I told Rem he should come home.

We went for a walk but couldn't go too far bc I constantly needed to go pee! I tried to eat some breakfast... And it came right back up. Rem asked if we needed to go to the hospital but I told him I wanted to stay at home as long as possible. My doula, Cori was awesome. I was soooo glad to have her. When I asked Rem if we could hire Cori he was indifferent. Needless to say after all was said and done he was very glad we'd hired Cori. Cori helped me by timing my contractions, suggesting different things to do to maintain control and most importantly she could handle the vomit! After hanging out in the family room, we decided I should try another hot bath. The bath felt awesome. I felt so much better. I lasted in there a while before the pain started to get bad again. Finally a little after 1 Cori made the call we should head to the hospital. I say she made the call bc by this point I wasn't talking very much. So when Rem asked again if it was time to head to the hospital, Cori answered for me. Again, I was so glad she was there!

When we get to the hospital, I go in the wrong door- awesome. Someone brought a wheelchair for me. I had pre registered with the hospital so the check in process would go smoother and quicker. That was a waste bc the computers were down- awesome. Someone asked me how far apart I was- as I'm in the middle of a contraction. Cori answered "3-5 mins" See, I told you I was glad she was there! After dramatically filing out paperwork in between contractions and stating my name, date of birth and address half a dozen times downstairs, we headed for the elevator. And here comes another contraction. I remember pitifully screaming "stop stop stop" bc with every contraction I'd jump out of the wheelchair, turn around and brace myself by gripping onto the arms of the wheelchair. We make it upstairs and the nurses check me. "you're about a 5/6." "sweet!!!" I thought to myself. And we quickly shuffled across the hall to a labor and delivery room while I was in between contractions. The nurses I had were awesome (Sorry I'm using awesome way too much in this post). They let me position myself in the bed how I wanted so I could get comfortable. At one point a doc came in and said I absolutely had to be on my back so they could monitor the baby's heartbeat. Ughhh. Loser. Fine but only bc it's for my little girl. Her heart rate was doing fine. And I stayed on my back as long as I could. I tried being on all 4s again. Which I ended up w my face buried in the bed and my bum in the air. By this point I was getting really tired. The contractions were close together and longer and I no longer could relax in between. Where are my drugs???? I wasn't set on going natural but if I could do it I'd have bragging rights. But I was really in pain at this point. But first we needed my blood work to come back before I could get an epidural. The pain was so bad I was thinking "THIS IS WHY WOMEN GET THEIR BABIES CUT OUT!!!" Mentally I was not handling well! I wanted my drugs. Where the flip are my drugs???? After what seemed like an eternity, I got my drugs. And they started working instantly. Insert huge sigh of relief here. Cori had told me to get checked before the epidural but did I listen? No! I didn't want to wait another second before I got my drugs. After the epidural they checked me- an 8! HOLY CRAP! That's only 2 from a 10! The nurses and Cori told me I'd made it through the worst of the labor without meds. Um yeah right, don't lie to me. They assured me I really had. So maybe I could have made it natural. I'm still in debate. But those drugs were my best friend in that time and place- not gonna lie!

Since the pain was gone and I mean GONE. For the first little bit after the epidural was put in I could feel the pressure of contractions. That went away. I asked my for my phone back for entertainment. Oh and when I started having consistent contractions that morning, I text a few friends. Ok more than a few, more like several. Well since I was a little busy, I hadn't written back. Cindy and Gretchen even text Rem wanting to know what the heck was going on! haha. I also text my friend Courtney who was my prego twin along with Sara. Courtney had her little girl Audrey that morning. "I think our babies are going to share a birthday." That was my text to her. :)

 We waited a little while for my doc to get there before I started pushing. After about 30 mins of pushing little Lyla Jane was here! They blooped her on my belly and she immediately pooped on me! Thanks child. I'm sure that won't be the last time that happens. We snuggled with Lyla and shed a few tears of joy. It seemed as if time stopped as we loved on our baby girl. Everyone says those moments are so precious and they truly are. Cori took lots of pics for us and even a video. Did I mention she was an awesome doula?!

(Guess I'll finish adding pics later b/c they won't upload! GRRR!)

Then a nurse came to get Lyla so they could finish checking her out and give her a bath. After Lyla went to the nursery a few friends and family members showed up. I was sad for them bc Lyla wasn't with us. A nurse came in to help me go to the bathroom for the first time post baby. I tried telling her my right leg was still really numb. When I couldn't stand she said we'd try later. I was moved to a post pardon room and family had left but we still didn't have our little girl. The nurse from the nursery said she was having problems keeping her temp and oxygen levels up. It wasn't until almost midnight the nurse came back and said she'd finally warmed up and had given Lyla a bath. Sadly, Lyla needed to stay in the nursery bc she was in a heated bed. Rem and I went to see her. She had a couple cords on her to monitor different vitals. As I held Lyla and attempted to breastfeed for the 2nd time, her vitals were great. I couldn't help but think that she just needed her mommy to feel better. I got up again around 3 to see Lyla but left Rem out like a light in the room. We went back to the nursery again around 7 am. This whole time it hadn't dawned on me they might keep Lyla in the hospital longer. The on call pediatrician met us as we walked into the nursery. This is when things got real fun... The doc starts out "so the left ventricle issue from the ultrasound in the brain..." Huh? What? Her ultrasound was normal. Brain? What the frick? I informed the doc I had NO IDEA what he was referring to. He proceeded to tell us Lyla needed to be transferred to the NIUC. She needed a few tests including a head ultrasound bc of the supposed issue from the ultrasound. Rem asked a few questions and that's when I tuned the doc out. I didn't want to hear possible "worst case scenarios". I'm a first time mom- I was already freaking out before I was told my child needed to go to the NICU and that there was possibly something wrong with her brain. The doc went to go double check her chart and Rem went to check in with school. Mom showed up to keep me company and the doc came back. Apparently he had confused Lyla with another patient. ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME DOC?!?!? What the (insert whatever dirty word you please here) were you thinking telling me my child has something wrong with her brain when you weren't even sure she was the right patient?!?! Needless to say I was VERY angry and somewhat relieved at the same time. The doc said she would still need an ultrasound on her head bc it was bigger than what it was when she was born but that could be her head rounding out, which is normal. Just as Lyla was being packed up to be transported Rem got back. The nurse from the NICU explained we would need to wait a few hours before coming. I saw my OB and he let me go home early. Even though I was dying to see Lyla again, I took a nap. I was so out of it those first few days.
post. Ugh and there are going to be a lot of details I leave out.

DM