I can't believe it is has been two weeks since Elizabeth arrived! I guess it is about time for me to type out some thoughts...
We were pleasantly surprised near the end of Spring Break when my doctor decided that she wanted to induce me in just a few short days! Our week off had been dedicated to getting everything ready so we were able to enjoy our last few days and nights. It was nice to go to church and Sunday school one more time. I even went to work on Monday! Some people thought I was crazy but I figured it was in my favor to get paid (not use a sick day) and possibly help get labor going. It was also nice to tell my students. Our hospital check in time ended up getting pushed back about an hour which allowed us to have a relaxed final dinner at a restaurant.
Emotionally, checking into the hospital was much harder than I thought it would be. Though I received great care, it is impossible to forget the circumstances we checked in for a little over a year ago. I wanted to simultaneously throw up, wet my pants, and run the other way but I didn't. Our dear friend Katie and I had actually talked through this here and there since the previous hospital visit. We had concluded together that even though our experience wasn't a good one, good things do happen there! That was the thought that got me through the doors, up the elevator, and into our room. We were glad to not be anywhere near the same room as the previous year. We did recognize some of the nursing staff but that was comforting.
We started our hospital stay with a sweet nurse who has worked with our friend Ashley. Unfortunately, we only had her for an hour or so before her shift was over. We got some medication going and settled in to get some rest before all the action started early the next morning. As the morning shift started, we were pleasantly surprised with two nurses instead of one. The main nurse was an experienced nurse who was new to the hospital. Her trainer was one of our favorite nurses from our previous hospital visit. Both were great nurses and we were lucky to have the attention of both. There was some discussion of putting off the pitocin for a little while longer but my doctor quickly squashed that idea in favor of getting things moving quickly. We started the pitocin early in the morning and my doctor came to break my water at lunch. I had always wondered if having your water broken was painful, but I knew from the previous pregnancy that it was no big deal.
It wasn't long before I started feeling the contractions and was really uncomfortable. I was worried when they said they were out of the pain medication they said they would give me, but my doctor gave the go ahead to give the epidural a little early. It was a good call because I made progress so quickly that I was dilated enough for an epidural by the time I got it. The epidural was new territory for me. I had been worried about how much it might hurt. Honestly, it hurt a little but mostly just felt weird. It was definitely far less painful than the contractions! Mike and Katie both say that after the epidural I napped from four centimeters to nine centimeters. I didn't realize I slept that much! I guess I have superhuman sleeping powers!
Eventually, it was time to push. I wasn't in any pain but I felt a ton of pressure. I was determined to give it my all so that I could get it over with as quickly as possible. I pushed for about an hour and ended up with stitches and a broken blood vessel in my eye. None of that mattered though when Elizabeth made her appearance.
We immediately fell in love with our little girl! I couldn't believe she was real! Mike stayed with me while they stitched me up and then went to the nursery with Elizabeth. I was glad to have Katie with me while he was gone. It was good to move to a different room and get some rest. Mike really wanted Elizabeth to stay in our room and did an amazing job of caring for her and me. Elizabeth was perfectly healthy but my blood pressure was obnoxiously high and wouldn't come down. It had been fine the entire pregnancy but shot up at the hospital. They initially chalked it up to nerves but were surprised when it didn't come down after delivery. We were afraid they would keep me an extra day but they ended up letting us go home with the expectation I would see my doctor the next week.
We are all adjusting well to being at home. Gypsy likes to smell the baby and her things but hasn't been a problem. She isn't fond of hearing her cry and sometimes even goes outside for some peace and quiet. Mike was home for the rest of the week but is now back at work. My blood pressure was better but still not great at my appointment. I'm hoping it will be significantly better at the next one. It should help that my swelling it pretty much gone. It should also help that I not only lost the weight I gained, but am actually already more than ten pounds lighter than I was before I was pregnant. (Don't hate me!)
I always thought I was lacking the necessary nurturing skills to be a mother but it turns out they were just dormant. (For the record, Mike says I have always been a nurturing person.) I love being a mother far more than I thought I would! I knew I would have children but I thought the infant stage was something I was just going to have to get through to get to the fun stages. It is no surprise that Mike is an amazing father! Elizabeth is a good eater and sleeper for the most part. We were blessed to have a healthy pregnancy and now a healthy baby girl! We are also blessed by all the love and support from the wonderful people in our lives! There were times that it was difficult for us to put down our worries and trust God. Sometimes I had to remind myself multiple times a day that God has a plan and I am not in control. It is inevitable that bad things will happen, but God will use the good and the bad for glory!
