I’ve been meaning to write this blog post as it has been on my to do list for awhile now and it’s really for me so that I can remember. I have a shockingly short term memory–and especially when it comes to painful events or times of challenge or hardship–I am really good at forgetting. I think it is my weak bodied way of coping and surviving and it is also one of the reasons I can be at times foolishly optimistic. But here it is, my birth story of our dear baby boy Philip.
The whole week leading up to my due date, I had a lot of contractions at night–some were so painful that I was sure that I was truly going into labor. and after spending 3-4 hours at night timing the contractions and confirming that they were getting more and more painful, we went in twice to labor and delivery only to be sent back because I was no where near I needed to be dilated. The whole waiting process or going to bed thinking “maybe it will be tonight!” was exhausting and I was just wanting little boy to come on out to the world. I was also slightly scared of getting induced on my actual due date and just wanted things to start naturally.
But by my due date, no sign of baby except for the contractions that happened at night so I went in to get induced and Paul’s mom came to stay with E. Before we checked in to the hospital, Paul and I took a walk around Balboa Park, hoping that would also get things going and then had some gelato and crepes (our last date night) before our baby came.
I was checked in at 6:30pm and was given the cervix effacing medication at 8:30pm. I waited four hours and the painful contractions started at 11:00pm. After two hours, I was finally dilated to 2 cm and I gladly took the epidural. This was soooooo much better than my labor with E—then, I had about 12 hours of labor at home with contractions that were of the kind you would see on sitcoms with women screaming out in pain and anguish while grabbing their husband’s hair. I only had to endure 2 hours and the pain was honestly no where near that of my first delivery!! After the epidural, I started pitocin and slept for 5 wonderful hours. It was the best sleep that I had all week—no feeling of pain at all and I didn’t have any anxiety because I wasn’t waiting for anything—I was already at the hospital and felt taken care of. When I awoke at 5:30am, I was at 5cm and my water naturally broke. by 8am, I was ready to push and again, I was expecting to push for a long time (I had pushed for 3 hours with E) but within 10 minutes, out came baby Philip at 8 pounds 7 ounces and 21 inches. I was so thankful for a smooth delivery and for the nurses and our obgyn.
I have a lot more to write but to quickly end this post for now as it is almost time to feed baby p, I have been loving being at home with p thus far. He has been SUCH an easy baby—loves sleeping in the carseat when we go out, is sweet tempered, has started sleeping 6 hours at night since week 9 (thank you Lord!), and is full of smiles and coos. we have been taking him on hiking trails and long walks, we went on our first trip up to Los Angeles with him for a few days at an airbnb, and soooo thankful that E has been such a loving and patient older sister with him. and I’m just really thankful for this down time right now too—as E is in school most of the day, it has been so nice to be at home. time is going by too quickly though and I can’t believe that I only have 3.5 more months to go before work starts up.
I know—not a lot of deep insightful thoughts in this entry, but I wanted to make it quick and better done than not done at all. I will provide more meaningful reflection in a later post (sooner than later!).
PAULYESTHER 