Saturday, November 20, 2010:
I woke up and when I got out of bed seemed Ok, but I sat down to do something and when I got back up my back was in excruciating pain. Apparently, the baby had moved on my sciatic nerve and I could barely sit or lay down now. Standing seemed to be the only semi-comfortable option. But at 39 weeks of pregnancy, what woman wants to stand all day long?? And guess what this lasted all through the weekend. Plus I kept losing mucous plug and contracting off and on, too. Fun times, not!!!
Monday November 22, 2010:
I had an 11:45 am appointment at my OB and was told officially that I would be induced at North Shore at Plainview Hospital at 6 am the very next morning due to the fact that I was already contracting, 3 cm dilated and in such pain from the baby indeed still being on my sciatic nerve. At around 8:30 pm that night, my doctor called me to tell me that there weren’t beds at Plainview and wasn’t sure about being induced there at this point. He said to page him at 5:30 this next morning. I went to bed and barely slept, because of how uncomfortable I was from the back spasms and contractions, too. I got up around 3:30 and decided to take a shower figuring if I was to go to the hospital today at least I would be clean.
Tuesday November 23, 2010:
At 5:30 am, I did as I was instructed and paged my OB and he called back to say that he had delivered two patients during the night at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre and that Plainview was definitely out and wasn’t sure about Mercy Medical Center. He told me to stay on a liquid diet and to call him back around noon. About forty-five minutes later, he called me back to say that I could go to Mercy and as soon as I could get there he would start my induction. We left Emma, who was just waking up, with my mom and dad.
We arrived at Mercy at around 8 am and they started me on the IV and monitors within the hour. My doctor arrived in the meantime, examined me, and found that I was still 3 cm dilated and but now I was also 75% effaced.
As I was being monitored, the nurses noticed that I was contracting regularly on my own and told me I was definitely in early labor and that if I was not being induced that day, I would have most likely gone into full blown labor anyways. So I would have been here one way or another apparently. They did, however, start me on the pit and was only on a 2 and was having contractions one on top of the other.
The contractions were very strong and as I said on top of each other that at around 1 pm, I finally requested an epidural. Once I got the epidural, I was more comfortable and was then checked again, where I was found to be 4 cm dilated and 90% effaced, now. They broke my water at around a little after 3 pm. just as my doctor returned from his daily appointments (he would not let them do this until he was there, because he figured being my second delivery this would be quick and didn’t want to miss it) and then my epidural pretty much wore off. Because of this the contractions were real painful again, could feel the baby kicking my ribs with each one, and there wasn’t any time to top my epidural off.
Then, I started to feel a ton of pressure and knew immediately from my first delivery that it was time to push (or have to take a massive poop sorry but that is exactly what it feels like). But the nurse truly thought it couldn’t be, because I was just still only 4 cm. dilated only in the last half hour. However, my doctor came in and said, “I bet you any amount of money she (meaning me) is right, because she has done this before only 16 months ago and don’t think she has forgotten what it feels like to have to push!”
Sure enough I was 10 cm. dilated, 100% effaced, the baby was right there and I was definitely ready to definitely push. On the first push I was able to push the head completely down. After a set of 3 pushes, I got the baby’s head out. After 2 more pushes, the rest of my baby was now out and born. “I delivered this baby before! She look just like her older sister.” These were the first words Lily heard out of my doctor, followed by “Happy Birthday Lily Ann”, by my nurse.
I was allowed to hold her on my chest and we even had pictures taken of us with her. She stayed with me for about an hour after delivery, before they took her way to clean her up. I had visitors, including Emma who wore her ‘Big Sister’ shirt that night and couldn’t believe I now had two babies.
When they did bring Lily back to me it was after visiting hours were over and all our visitors had indeed left for the night. It was now 10 pm and in walked the night nurse with this beautiful baby girl wearing the most gorgeous, white knitted hat all swaddled like a burrito. I swear she looked like and angel (and not just saying this because she was mine). She stayed with me for hours before they took her back to the nursery. Then was returned to me the following morning to spend the whole day with Kevin and I.
All-in-all, I had a very quick and uncomplicated delivery. I didn’t need an episodomy, didn’t tear at all, minimal bleeding and felt great afterwards (even my back finally began to feel better). The baby and I were discharged the following evening (Thanksgiving Eve.) and were able to be home for Thanksgiving the next day to celebrate Lily’s very first Thanksgiving.
November 23, 2012 (2 Years Later):
I wrote the above three days after I gave birth and cannot believe this was two years ago and today my “Lily Bean” (as her uncle calls her) is 2 years old. She is just about potty trained, sleeps through the night for the most part, talks circles around me and yet can be the most stubborn child I have ever met, but I love her to pieces and truly couldn’t imagine a time when she wasn’t here. God bless my her and Happy 2nd Birthday Lily Ann!!!
Pete says
Thanks for sharing this beautiful story Janine, I read some of this to my wife (I try to read her the successful stories and weed through the longer delivery stories!)
JanineHuldie says
Thanks so much Pete and happy to share my birth story with you and your wife, too. I have two birth stories from both my pregnancies and both are so very different and unique in their own way. Trust me when I tell you no two are the same, but when it is your own you just can't help, but be slightly amazed and in awe π
JanineHuldie says
Thank you so very much Amy and so true!!
Bill says
I love this story, Janine! What a great legacy you are leaving your girls with your hubs and blogs. That will be a gift that keeps on giving.
JanineHuldie says
Oh thank you so much for saying that and made sure to write both their birth stories down right after so as not to forget ever and to totally share this with them when they are old enough!!
Jane Marsh says
One of my few mothering regrets is that I didn't write down my first son's birth story in the first days… weeks… months post partum. So glad for you and your daughter that you did this! Like the first commentator said, it's the most precious gift and legacy for your family.
JanineHuldie says
Thank you so much Jane and I belonged to Mother's Club with women due the same time as me for both and I credit them for giving me the idea for the first and then the second, too, because I might not have even thought of it had it not come up with them.
Janene Krajci Christ says
I love hearing birth stories…and what sweet pics you included! Thanks for linking up with us again this week at the #MTMmixer. Love having you there!
JanineHuldie says
Thanks both ladies and so very happy to have linked up with you again this week, because I truly have had a blast the last two weeks and couldn't imagine not linking up again π π
midget38 says
Happy birthday, Lily….and thanks for sharing her birth story too! These are indeed something your family should cherish!!!
JanineHuldie says
Thank you as always Michelle and again truly blessed and happy to have birth stories to share. Also happy others are interested in reading π π
Stacy Harris says
What a wonderful post. I remember each of my kids births like it was yesterday. The first one was a learning experience and after that, I became pro. Hope you guys have a wonderful day celebrating your little girls birthday. She was a beautiful baby and has grown more beautiful each day! π
JanineHuldie says
Thanks Stacy and I agree with you on all accounts. I truly remember both of my kids births like the back of my hand, plus with Emma being the first I was truly a novice, but by Lily I felt like an old pro, lol π π
JanineHuldie says
Oh thanks Steph, really truly appreciate it!!! π π
Cari Lorine says
Awww! Happy birthday, Lily!! What a happy Thanksgiving weekend for you! I can't get over how beautiful your girls are, Janine! Just adorable!
JanineHuldie says
Thanks you so very much Cari and just also read your Thanksgiving post and so very happy to hear of your wonderful day, too π
Cyndi says
Happy Birthday to Lily! Best wishes for a great year! You worked hard, Mom, but you have a beautiful girl who's got lots of personality! You have a lot going on this weekend, too! Wow! Well, you're plugging right along with NaNo – you're just doing it all! I'm proud of how far you've come, too! Cheers, Friend!
JanineHuldie says
Cyndi, thank you for saying that I still haven't done any NaNoWriMo work today haven't been so busy. I wrote up a preliminary blog and have my work cut out for me tonight, lol π Congrats to you again for surpassing the 50,000 word mark!!
Emily (OhBoyMom) says
Thanks for sharing your birth story Janine…it's funny because just last night my father started recalling the day my 3rd son was born (2 days before Thanksgiving) and how his 2 older brothers kept wheeling him around in his bassinet in the hospital at top speed — boys!!). Also, those photos of her are absolutely precious! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and that Lily had a wonderful birthday!
JanineHuldie says
Thanks Emily and happy birthday to your son, too. We were also just taking about the day she was born today of course for obvious reasons, but I love that she was born at this time of the year. She was truly an early Christmas present for me that year and every year I am reminded of it π π
JanineHuldie says
Oh thanks so much as always Clark π π
Kelly Steele says
Wow! What a great birth. I did not have such an easy experience either time π Maybe I'll wait awhile before #3. Happy Birthday Lily!
JanineHuldie says
Thanks Kelly for reading and sorry to hear you didn't have as easy of a birth story with both, but even though I had an easy time the second time out, I am not clamoring to have number three either at this point!!
JanineHuldie says
Oh thanks so much Julie for your birthday wishes for Lily and just thank you for going back in posts to comment. I know you have been so busy just getting home and are probably exhausted so I totally appreciate you taking the time to read my newer posts, as well as my older ones, too. I am just so happy you are back and have said it before, but you were missed!!
gigigirl says
Can't remember a time without Lily and Emma in our lives! Miss them and all of you. Glad we had a BD cake for her before I Ieft and glad she had a happy BD with all of you.
JanineHuldie says
Oh we miss you so very much too Aunt Gloria. I know it is better for you to be out of NY in the winter, but just miss seeing you. She did have a good day though and I know what you mean about having a hard time remembering a time without them!!