This weekend, my mother's sister, Julie, my uncle Ed & cousin Natalie from Minot, ND came through Holstein for a visit. I finally made it back to have a nice BBQ with them last night before they headed back. And I was surprised with bags...yes bags...of goodies for Baby. He's already becoming quite a spoiled little guy! It was so nice & I appreciate their generosity =) Now that I'm home for a while, I get to participate in more family gatherings that I used to miss out on all the time. So, it was really fun to catch up & share sonogram pictures & stories & plans with them!Since being back home, I definitely noticed I have a clockwork pattern of sleeping...in bed around 10-10:30 ish & then up a couple times throughout the night for anywhere from 5 minutes to hours. So, last night, on one of my predictable trips back from the bathroom, my mind started wandering once hitting the pillow again. And of course, where did it go (besides from hoping Baby is a healthy little pea)...one of the primary & scariest places a new mom-to-be's head goes...the delivery room! And I've been on this trip before...just ask Mike...I've randomly called him on several occasions merely proclaiming how freaked out I am! I think it's normal right!?! Has to be. I blame part of my anxiety on being such a perfect kid growing up, I never had as much of a food allergy or broke a bone or had my tonsills out...needless to say this will be my first time as the patient in a hospital. I'll be able to get over it once I'm settled in & take in my new environment...well then & when the epidural kicks in! Haha.
Michael asked the other day if he was going to be in the delivery room when our son is born...I think he was secretly wishing I would say 'no you don't have to' for fear of what he's going to see & pass out! But let's be real...ummmm yes... of course he's going to have a front row seat to this magic show...who else did you think would be in there...my 2nd grade teacher?! And for that amount of time I made it clear he would be doing everything EVERYTHING I ask him to do =) Which he agreed to as he replied, 'of course, for those 20 minutes it takes, I will do anything'. Haha. I immediately shot him one of my famous 'are you kidding me?!' looks in regards to that comment, but then I stopped & thought...hey, he must be having the same dreams I've been having... (something like where we're in & out in no time b/c the delivery is over in about 20, there's absolutely no uncomfortable embarassing moments, I don't bite off Mike's hand, I'm skipping around after about an hour & there's rainbows & sunshines all over the place). It's such a panic-reducing dream. But c'mon...I am a little more realistic about it than that. We're definitely starting to anticipate those moments as they approach us...quickly.
I'm not sure as to exactly how we're going to ease ourselves or prepare for the delivery room or if it's possible...all I know right now, is that I have quite a wandering mind about it at 2am! I think that I need to find some good literature...not 'the scariest, most disgusting stories in child labor' literature, but some 'to the point, I don't want any surprises about that please' reading. Because don't even get me started w/ episiotomies! Kegels, kegels, kegels!!! =) I'm gladly taking suggestions in this department.
Leyna, you guys are going to do awesome. NOTHING can prepare you for delivery. No matter how many books, classes, movies, other people's advice you absorb - YOUR experience is going to be totally diffent than anyone elses. But it will your's and Mike's and your baby boy's. And it will be AMAZING.
ReplyDeleteChris and I thought we knew what to expect - we even made a soundtrack to play while I was in delivery. Which never got played, by the way. In fact, the CD player never even got plugged in.
I guess my best advice would be to just go into it with an open mind. You can have a birthplan, but be flexible with it. And trust me, when that first real contraction hits, Mike will WANT to be with you every step of the way. Because that's part of the whole, miraculous process of birth.
Oh, and 20 minutes?! Good luck with that one. I was in labor with Taylor for 21 hours - three hours pushing. And that's why God invented Epidurals.
Haha...I knew throwing in my 20-minute fantasy birth was going to raise some hairs on the already-moms reading this post! Haha. Thanks for your words of advice & encouragement Brooke! I am keeping an open mind =) We discussed the whole delivery playlist deal...Mike started choosing heavy metal & I had to put a stop to that...b/c that...plus pain...plus all the other annoyances that are sure to come...is going to bring way too much violence! It'll be an amazing exciting life-changing experience I know!!!
ReplyDelete20 minutes is kinda funny! I hope it all goes very smoothly for you - for some Mommies yes, for Brooke and I no. So as you are constantly thinking about what this little guy will bring to you in the delivery room, I'm crossing my fingers that my #2 will be much easier. You are going to be so educated and everything will come so naturally. You look so cute in your picture! You are pulling off the sexy going - to- be- Mom look really well! I have to remember that I can still look decent even though I feel huge!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jess...however, that dress I had on is one step away from a moo-moo...but I don't care...the important thing is the comfort element...I would wear that thing until I was given a hospital gown if it were up to me!
ReplyDeletedude, Mrs. Boyle (were you in her class w/ me?) would totally be there if you needed her. that's no joke.
ReplyDeleteIt sure IS true that everyone has a different experience in the delivery room. And despite the dirty looks I usually get after sharing this...my Elly popped out on the second push. Less than 5 minutes. Easy. Breezy.
ReplyDeleteAre you and Mike going to take birthing classes? They are a great bonding experience for mom and pops to-be. They teach you breathing and meditaion and preparation. It's fun to learn together. And that's about it.
Because once 'go time' comes you forget everything.
Now, Mike will have a front row seat, but what about you? Have you decided if you will have that big mirror drop down so you, too, can watch what's-a-goin-on down there?
They would make that possible now wouldn't they! Hmmm something more to ponder.
ReplyDeleteLeyna, you and Mike will do great! If he's worried, just get him a chair so he doesn't have so far to fall if he passes out. Shane opted for the back corner of the room! I could hear him, but not-so-much see him.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is right! There's nothing that can prepare you for the big show. It's just the way. Don't be one of those, though, that starts to feel contractions and then decides that now is a good time to run to the grocery store quick and make sure the fridge is stocked when I get home; or go to Target shopping for some stuff you just have to have right now!
The parenting classes are fun. We always had to sit in the back, because we would laugh so hard and joke around! It was a fun time, but when the big moment came to actually practice what we learned....all we could do was laugh! It worked! Like my nurse said, all you have to do is push.....it's not rocket science! She was like Mr. B teaching a birthing class! (Oh, Judy!)
No matter 20 minutes or 20 hours, that baby is going to be healthy and gorgeous and will come out crying like a bat-outta-hell!