As soon as we decided to try for baby #2, the first gender specific purchase I made was a blue Templeton Silver paci clip. I already had a pink one for Grace and I just knew that this baby was going to be a boy.
40 wks 2017 vs 40 wks 2018
Throughout my pregnancy, I constantly pointed out the stark differences. With Grace, I had to have ice cream every night. This time, my cravings were all over the place. I also gained less weight but my belly appeared much bigger. I was less emotional, less forgetful, my skin and hair completely changed from oily to very dry, I had less heartburn, and I carried differently. Initial feeling after that first ultrasound was pointing towards boy. Given a due date of Thursday, August 23rd, I just always had a feeling that this baby would be early. Not by much, but a little early. Like, Tuesday.
Even nature was on my side with predictions. 3 weeks before due date, I was already 1cm dilated. Something I wasn't with Grace until labor actually started. Then 2 weeks before due date, I was 50% effaced! We had Grace take a couple photos with a pink hydrangea in case it was a girl, and a blue one in case it was a boy as our birth announcement. She didn't smile (I'd even call it a frown) in a single pink hydrangea picture. Well, it has to be a boy then!
A few friends and family had dreams it was a boy. One so specific that it was not only a boy, but coming at night. I also had the same exact dream. I don't know if it was out of persuasion, hope, or genuine feeling, but even Mathias was sure we were having a boy. With nature and my husband on "my side," I went into nesting phase with the decision not to wash any of the girl specific clothes. You won't need those, I validated.
The week before my due date, I tied up all my loose ends at work, fully expecting Friday to be my last day. Contractions will start on a Monday and I'm having this baby Tuesday. It will be at night. And it will be a boy.
It's so funny how sure I was that day and how over the next week, I would completely give up on any premonitions I had. It's like that old Real World slogan, "You think you know...but you have no idea!"
Monday came and went, then Tuesday came. Every question of, "When are you having this baby?!" was answered with a sullen, "I don't know." What was SUPPOSED to be my last OB appointment, I walked into the office and surprised everybody just by being there. We decided then, that if the baby did not arrive on his or her own by due date, we would have one last Ultrasound on Monday to check fluids and make sure baby hadn't grown TOO big (at 40+4) and induce on Wednesday (at 40+6). Schedule it, but I won't be there. This baby is definitely coming before then. It might not be Tuesday, but it will be at night. And it will be a boy.
Well, Wednesday and Thursday came and went and the 2 week eviction notice went...unnoticed. I was officially overdue. Friday...Saturday...Sunday still no baby and still answering more questions with "I don't know." I had officially reached boiling point. I walked into work Monday feeling so defeated. Not mad to be overdue (I get it, babies come when they want to come), but upset because my "motherly intuition" appeared to be nonexistent and in a perpetual state of "I don't know." Surprising the staff at my OB appointment (again), I came out with an updated photo of our (fat and much heavier than Grace) baby. I'd finally accepted that this baby was completely content staying put. This baby wasn't coming early. And probably wasn't coming on a Tuesday. This baby was staying put til induction. Which was scheduled for 7:30AM.
A fellow overdue mom shared her experience with a scheduled induction, in that she showed up at the hospital and they had to turn her away! Several unexpected patients came in already in active labor the night before, and there were no beds available for her. OMG! Could that happen to me?? Sure enough, the hospital called me an hour before induction and told me there was no room at the inn. Are you serious??
I almost started crying but was too mad. We all know the feeling, the scary kind of anger that presents as cool and collected where all you can do is start nodding and agreeing with everything. Luckily, 45 min. later, they called back and said a pt was discharged and a bed had opened up for me! (I later found out of all the scheduled inductions, I was the only one who got to come in that day.)
At 9AM, the doctor broke my water. For the next 6 hours, I was given Pitocin and my contractions were very slow to progress. They were frequent enough but nowhere near painful. I'd had charlie horses more painful than these. Around 4PM, I was warned the anesthesiologist had 2 surgeries to head to and if I wanted an epidural, now would be the most ideal time to get one. Remembering my blinding contractions with Grace, I thought there's no way I want to experience that again and NOT have an anesthesiologist within an arm's reach. On the other hand, my pain level was only at a 2, sometimes 4. Better safe than sorry though...bring on the epidural! It was more painful than I remember. Probably because my pain was already at a 10 when I got it last time and it was more of a sweet release!
Again, for the next 6 hours, my contractions were slow to progress. I had only dilated to 6cm after 12 hours of labor. And was not a "soft" 6 at that. By now, the baby's heart rate was doing crazy things. They stopped my Pitocin and an Oxygen mask was put over my face. That must've looked so scary for Mathias! My doctor watched me closely over the next 2 hours before warning me that if baby's heart rate continued to look this concerning (and by this point, I was still only 7cm dilated), we would have to start considering a C-section. Something none of us wanted to happen.
Nothing about the pregnancy and labor had progressed as expected. What was one more thing? Although disappointed with my body, I just wanted baby to arrive safely, by any means necessary. But I also wanted to be able to pick up my toddler and hold her when I got home without the fear of ripping stitches.
The baby must've heard this internal struggle because in the literal 11th hour, baby's heart rate regulated and I dilated to that ideal "soft" 10 making it safe to finally push! After about 30 min of pushing, Mathias leaned over me and announced (after getting over his own initial shock), "It's a girl!" A girl??
So after all that, it made sense! As a parent, just when you think you've got it all figured out, you realize you don't! At 11:56pm, our Edith McPherson joined our little family of 3! McPherson, because it's my father's, grandfather's, great grandfather's, AND great great grandfather's middle name! Edith, because we just like it :-)
This baby has surprised me in every way possible! And has just been a reminder to humble myself, stop acting like I've got it all figured out, and embrace more of the "I don't know!"
