"Make plans and God laughs."
With pregnancy #1, I had my birth plan ready and printed. I wanted to labor, stay strong, blah blah blah, and ended up with an emergency C-section. With pregnancy #2, I stressed all 9 months about whether or not to have a VBAC (Vaginal birth after cesarean) or go with a planned C-section. A few weeks before the big day, I decided on the planned C-section...nope, not gonna happen, Joanna! I went into labor a week before the scheduled C-section. God Laughed, I laughed, and I live to tell the tale.
Sunday, July 12
8:30pm-
I was having braxton hicks all week so I thought nothing of it. They were stronger but I refused to believe they were labor pains and swatted away my husband as he begged for us to go in to be checked. I timed them and even though I was eight minutes apart, then seven, then six, I still didn't want to believe it because this time I was scheduled for a C-section. I'm stubborn like that.
11:00pm-
"Fine, call your parents to watch Joaquin." I threw in the towel and agreed to go get checked. I was sure they'd turn me away. Before we left, we said Good night to our 2 year old Joaquin and oddly enough, Joaquin grew up right before our eyes. It was the sweetest thing to see and feel before we left. While I was writhing in pain, he came over to me and said "It's ok, Mama. Don't Cry. It's ok." He pretended to wipe tears from my eyes and gave me kisses on my hand. He also decided that night was the night to go pee pee on the potty. It was like he knew something big was about to happen.
12:00-
We got admitted right away, no questions asked. Last time, they turned me away and told me to walk around a bit so I was pleasantly surprised when they whisked me into a room. The doctor came in, checked me and declared "We are having a birthday party tonight! You are 5 cm!" It was a whirlwind of emotions because I was ready, but I wasn't ready ready. I still had laundry to do and groceries to buy! They did give me one more chance to decide on a VBAC or C-section and I decided to stay with the C-section. The nurse told me it was actually better that I went into labor because the baby was getting the chemical reactions and signs that it was time to get out! Baby wouldn't have gotten that with a scheduled C-section. This calmed my worried head just a tad.
1:00-
The whole process happened so quickly! I was wheeled off into the OR, the epidural was put in (OUCH!), and the curtain went up. It was bizarre this time because I was completely coherent. Last time I was so hopped up on pain meds that I couldn't think straight. I was happy to be all there but I felt every tug and pull which was extremely uncomfortable. My husband was there with me the whole time and I remember being so scared. I kept begging him to keep close. I could've sworn the doctor cracked a rib or two.
We did the annoying thing again and didn't find out the sex of the baby. It's annoying to everyone else because everyone wants to know!! They can't stand the surprise. Everyone and their mama's mama had strong feelings that this baby was going to be a boy. They said I was pointy, carrying like a basketball, and in my mom's words "if it were girl, you would be pretty during your pregnancy." Thanks mom. We were again, so excited to hear those words from the doctor with the sounds of our baby crying in the background.
1:42 am
It's a GIRL!!!
I cried, then laughed, then got knocked out by the pain meds. It wasn't even gradual. The pain meds hit me like a train and I was in and out of consciousness as Sergio tried to put our sweet baby next to my face.
"Hi, Olivia. It's mommy!"
I couldn't be happier that it's a girl. She is so sweet and precious and those dresses are too damn cute. I am 1-week post-partum and doing really well both physically and emotionally. Olivia is also doing great, eating and pooping a lot!! Daddy is incredibly helpful and sweet and Joaquin wants very little to do with Olivia. He is intrigued by this new housemate but feels it's best to keep some distance for awhile. More on recovery, adjusting, and daily life to come. Thanks for reading all my ramblings!
