S is for SURPRISE!
So I continued to go into labour every 2 weeks while on bed rest for a full 7 weeks. The last time before the time was at 34 weeks 6 days, and I was having full-blown labour, including dilating to 4 cm and having regular, painful contractions. If you're following, this was the DAY after I last blogged. Ridiculous. I got shipped off again to a different hospital in Edmonton, and this time was sufficiently disgusted by both the unkempt room that I was given (the amount of sticky crud on the bathroom floor and in the shower was enough to make me gag), and the nurse who told me I was actually only 3 cm dilated after she stuck her fingers about an inch into my vag...I don't know where she took her training or what she was 'measuring', but it certainly wasn't my cervix. Those of you who are female and have had children or just a pap will understand what I mean when I say that you know when your cervix is being examined. Needless to say, the contractions dwindled and an extremely grouchy and frustrated mama got sent home. I got extremely tired of hearing "Oh, good! You know, every day is better for the baby!" There comes a point in time, people, when although extra time may be good for the fetus involved, those extra days are extremely detrimental to the mental, emotional, and physical health of the mother. So please, the next time you talk to someone who has gone through a similar situation, the correct thing to say would probably sound like "You must be going crazy with all of this going on. I hope that it's all over soon and you have a healthy baby to take home." Because once it gets to the point where the baby is big enough that he or she may not spend time in the NICU at all...when you've been dealing with PTL (pre-term labour) for 7 weeks...believe me - you're ready for it to be over.
That being said, I'm glad my little Seedling held on for as long as he did. I certainly wouldn't have been happy with him arriving back at the 29 week mark, or even at 31 weeks. Dealing with visiting a preemie in the NICU with my Sprout having to live with being bailed on by Mommy time and time again would have been much more difficult. Instead, we got to go home just over 24 hours after Seedling was born. When was that, you ask? Well, surprise, surprise...
Not really. On Friday, May 13th, when there were 4 planets aligned (which hadn't happened since 1910), exactly 8 weeks since the date of my first PTL from the stomach flu, I started feeling a little different. I had been having regular contractions for 3 days prior, and finally that evening decided that I should maybe have my husband take me in to have a non-stress test done to make sure my little guy was dealing with it all okay. When we got to the hospital and got put on the monitor, my contractions were erratic, but strong. They regulated shortly thereafter, and the nurse in assessment proceeded to check my cervix and tell me that I was between 4-5 cm dilated and that I would be getting admitted because I was in labour. For the first time with the whole PTL thing, I was actually shocked! I stayed around the same for contractions, etc overnight, and then in the morning, a new nurse came on shift. I don't know what it is, but I seem to attract really grouchy nurses during the days. I had awesome nurses on the night shift, but my daytime nurse that day (the 14th) was awful.
After putting me on the monitor and poking me with a couple fingers at the tail end of a contraction, she went and wrote "Patient is having mild contractions and doesn't seem to be bothered by them. Is texting through contractions." Okay. A matter of opinion, I suppose, but I don't think that pushing buttons on a cell phone while having to breathe during my contractions is really the same as 'talking' through a contraction. She then proceeded to come in and lecture me about how Braxton Hicks contractions could be really strong, and that since I wasn't dilating, I wasn't really in labour and would probably be sent home. I just about lost my mind and threw my cup of ice chips at her. Apparently going from 2-3 cm up to 4-5 cm doesn't count as dilating, so I wasn't in labour. Thank goodness the OB was competent, because she came in and proclaimed that I was already well over 5 cm and asked if I wanted to "get this party started" (aka break my water). I wish I could have taken a photo of the 'oh shit' look on the nurse's face when she walked into the room to find the OB poking at me with the giant crochet hook - again, if you've had kids, you probably know the tool I'm speaking of. I will never peel an orange or crochet ever in my lifetime without thinking about that thing.
My water was broken at just after 11:00am, and when the OB left the room, she laughed and said "I'll see you at 1:00pm for delivery...", to which I chuckled and said "Oh yeah, for sure!" Ahem. Before my labour got too crazy, I grabbed my toiletry bag and proceeded to do my makeup. Weird, I know, but I have pictures of myself after my first labour and delivery, and I was determined to look at least a little more human this time around. My contractions picked up just after 12:00pm, and I went from 6 cm to 8 cm in a matter of 4 contractions...and then things got super crazy after that. I don't remember much (I had a completely natural labour, no epi, no drugs, no gas, etc), but apparently I started pushing at 1:15pm at the start of one contraction...and delivered my son at 1:17pm at the end of that same contraction. Yeah, that's two minutes. No big deal or anything. I'm pretty proud of that one. Best part? No tearing, no stitches, no swelling. I used one ice pack, and took a couple ibuprofen for the cramping during breastfeeding, but that was it. Recovery after a super fast labour and delivery were nothing this time around. I thought it was easy with Sprout, but this was ridiculous! Plus, my beautiful little boy looked like a c-section baby - hardly any birth trauma, and a perfectly round little head!
The stupid nurse only pissed me off a couple times after that, which I didn't really care about, because I had my little man, and he was healthy and perfect, and I was filled with love. She did make some snarky comment to another nurse when filling out my chart about whether she should write down that the OB breaking my water was induction or augmentation, because I "technically wasn't in labour". She's lucky I was breastfeeding, that's all I have to say.
Seedling was born at 36 weeks 5 days, and was 6 lbs 13 oz, 18 1/4" long. He only had a couple issues with keeping his blood sugar levels up, but was otherwise totally fine and able to come home the next day. I'll blog more about it later, but we're dealing with some other health issues now (reflux...). Still, he is a healthy boy, and at 2 weeks 6 days old, he is already 8 lbs 11 oz. Boy am I glad he came early!
Sprout has transitioned so well - I am so incredibly proud of her. She loves her little brother to pieces, and is always asking to check on him, or kiss him, or hug him, or hold him...and lately, she keeps asking me to help - she wants little jobs to do, like pat his back when we're burping him, or handing me a diaper or wipes during a change. She has also gotten to the point of being almost potty trained - most days we catch almost all the pees, and all of the poops! I fit her entire head of hair into a ponytail yesterday and just about cried. I'm glad I've got my Seedling now, because my Sprout is growing into a beautiful little toddler, with so much personality. She's putting together 3 and 4-word sentences, which is unbelievable, and her comprehension still blows my mind every day. My favourite new trick of hers? She's obsessed with the movie "Happy Feet", and does her Mumble dance impression around the house while yelling "Tap dance, Mommy!" Needless to say, we've got her enrolled in a dance class for the fall.
I feel so incredibly blessed to have such a beautiful, healthy family. I don't know what I ever did to get this lucky, but I am certainly grateful for everything in my life right now. I couldn't be more proud of you, my not-so-little Sprout, or more in love with you and our tiny Seedling. I feel more complete now than I ever have in my life before. It's true what they say - you have a hard time picturing what it will be like to have a second child before they arrive. I know I wondered if I would love this baby the same, or how I could possibly have enough love to go around. The answer? Absolutely. Life has changed for the better, in every way. Sure, it's challenging having an 18 month old, stubborn little princess, and a fussy, refluxy, noisy little man, but so far I am enjoying even the rough days, at the end of it all. I can sit back at the end of every day and be proud of where I am and how far I have come and grown as a parent and as an individual, and be just as proud of my children and my husband. Love is all around.
Sprout and Seedling, I love you both more than I could ever express - especially when I am grouchy and sleep-deprived (let's work on that, shall we?). Thank you for choosing me as your Mommy, and for being exactly who you are. I will never try to change you, and I hope that I do a decent job in your eyes of bringing you up in this world of mass chaos. All I do, every day, is for you both. I love you.
Good night, sleep tight.
xoxoxo
Mommy
