Monday, May 10, 2010

Due Date

So 5/10/10, I loved that this was my due date and back in January, I thought it was so cool. Starting in May, not so cool, and in fact, quite annoying. I had a big belly, big face, big lips and a big attitude.

When I was woken up on 5/10/10 at 12:00am pretty much on the dot, with a massive contraction, I thought ohhhh,ohhh, ohhh, I love 5/10/10. As the night progressed, I did not want this to be my due date, I wanted the contractions to stop and I wanted this baby to be brought to me, by a stork, on my door step, wrapped in a blue blanket, cooing and fat and happy. I did not get my wish.

By 2:30am I thought it would be a good idea to call my doctor and see what he says. One of my favorite doctors, Dr. Wilson was at Banner Desert Sunday night. He said my contractions, although hard sounded a little too random. I decided to stay at home where I was not hooked up to any machines and where I could be left alone to suffer.

From 2:45-5:00am my contractions were 10 minutes apart and painful. Somehow between each contraction, I fell asleep only to be woken up by another squeezing lightning storm in my back. Not being a nurse or doctor though, I thought that since they were so far apart, it was not time to go in to the hospital.
Finally I went back to our room to moan so I could get some recognition on how hard I was working.

We got to the hospital around 7:ooam. My triage nurse said let's hope you are at a 5 and then you get a room and an epidural. As she's checking she looks at me and says, "I was wrong (I was freaking out) you are at a 6-7!" So happy! Then I panicked thinking what if it got too late for an epidural? What if the pain got worse? What if the epidural did not work? Then on my next contraction, my water broke. And then more panic. Then the nurse went to put in my IV and more panic, and the IV was the beginning of things being worlds apart from my last "experience"
I.V.
Last time--The first nurse that tried, turned green and I never saw her again, the second nurse that tried, got it, but my whole hand was a bloody mess until the next day.
This time--First try, no pain!
L&D Nurse
Last time--She wore sunglasses and had man hands and called the doctor in 2 hours too early. And was lazy and said my 2nd epidural would last and it didn't.
This time--Oh Jenny P, how I love thee. You will see pictures of my new personal hero below. She took charge, was confident, gentle, supportive to me. She left a C-Sec to be with me. She all but pulled the baby out. She bossed the anesthesiologist around and made us laugh. She talked me through each little and big step. I remembering just wanting to make her proud of me...isn't that funny.
Epidural
Last time--Now that I have had one the worked, I do not think either epidural worked last time. There is no way.
This time--oh heaven. The anesthesiologist said in all his years, he has never heard of one not working and looked me in the eye and assured me what happened last time was not going to happen again and HE WAS RIGHT! Wow, that was some good stuff. I got an extra dose...yummy.
Dilation
Last time--24 hours or so
This time--About 14 hours, but 12 of those were spent at home.
Pushing
Last time--3 hours and my nurse was ridiculous. It was painful and exhausting and long.
This time--Under an hour and I did not feel a thing, but I had great coaching from both nurses and it was a happy time.
Legs
Last time--numbness in right shin for a couple of days and could not walk for 6 weeks plus.
This time--I left the hospital walking and climbing stairs.

PICTURES!
I was loving my epidural

Auntie Tricia

Hantie

A little more serious picture

My mom made it just in time

Oh baby...9:36am

So stinkin' happy!

Feeling my heart double in size
So thankful for a husband who adores his family

Liz made it in time too!
Before I started pushing, I was on my side and Tara re-did the left braid and then when Jenny turned me she was going to do the other side, but by the time she turned me over, I was a 10! So, my right braid is a little messy.
My hero for life. Every time I remember this day, I will think of how thankful I was that Jenny was my L&D nurse!

Can you tell from the picture how great she is?

7lbs, 7.9oz.
21 inches long

Happy Family

tanning


First Bath

He is so advanced :)

He loved this part of the bath

All Smiles
William Reid Gelbrich
Welcome to Our World

3 comments:

Jasmin said...

Oh Gelbrich Family Congrats! He is so advanced....smiling in almost every picture, you must have bossed around to do that :)

Jill Ann said...

Congrats!! Loved reading the blog. You are looking soooo good in the pics and William is one handsome baby. Can't wait to meet him someday.

hi! my name is Lora. said...

seriously. i love this. i especially love you, loving your epidural. you can totally tell i'm not a mom, with that being my favorite part. maybe something is up though, because my second favorite part is you feeling your heart double in size. beautiful.