My due date for Cadence was January 14th, 2015. Now when I was pregnant with Isaac, I knew my "due date" was June 14th, but my real due date for my mind was the 28th: the last day my doctor would let me stay pregnant. I know most first births go past the due date so I was prepared for that. And because of my mental preparations: I wasn't in complete tears when my due date came and went.
I can't say the same about Cadence. I thought "well, I've had one already, I wont be THAT late, if at all.....". Well I was pretty much a baby on my due date. Maybe not outwardly, but inside I was a big fat cry baby.
1:30pm on my due date, I started having some contractions that were fairly regular. Very far apart, but noticeably consistent. I didn't bother timing them because they weren't painful at all and I didn't want to get my hopes up. I don't think I mentioned to Zech that I was having contractions until that night.
Around 9:30pm or 10pm I decided to take a bath hoping to stop the contractions. I did not believe that I'd ever have this baby and needed to go to sleep. The bath didn't stop the contractions, but made them worse and closer together. I tried to sleep, but after an hour in bed I got up and moved to the couch, hoping that at least Zech would be able to sleep. I can't believe he slept at all while I was constantly moving around trying to get comfortable! Impressive right there!
Finally at 1am my contractions were close enough together and painful enough that we needed to get going. Waking Zech up was pretty funny. "Zech, we need to go to the hospital". Yeah it took him maybe 5 minutes to really wake up and fully understand.
We called Cheyanne to come over and stay with Isaac and made our way to the hospital. Checked in around 1:30am. The funniest moment was when I started having another contraction on our way out the door. They were bad enough that I couldn't walk or talk, so I just kind of leaned over a kitchen chair. Zech looks at me and asks "Another contractions?" If I could talk I would have said no, I'm just really going to miss this chair. But he just got a look that said enough to get the point across. He's always been the one to lighten up any moment.
My biggest worry was that I wasn't going to be dilated enough for them to check me in and they'd send me home. I believe they said I was at 4cm and I remember asking "So...do I get to stay?". The lady kind of chuckled at me but said yes.
This go around I thought I knew what it would be like. I already gave birth once. I knew what to expect and how things would happen (and how Kaiser ran things). I was definitely wrong.
In some ways it was easier than Isaac (I didn't get nauseous so that was awesome), but overall it was a worse experience. My water didn't break, so things moved so slow. I figured I'd get nauseous again so I told them I'd definitely want the epidural eventually, thus having to be pumped full of fluids: aka an IV. With Isaac they let me walk around while waiting for the anesthesiologist, but this time I was stuck in bed waiting. It took them a few hours to get to me (4:30 is when I got the epidural). Laboring in bed is a million times suckier than being able to walk around and move. I knew laying down that whole time was just delaying everything even more.
Being tired really didn't help the situation. The entire time I was there the nurses kept telling me to try to get rest, that I needed to rest as much as I could. Every time they came in "now get some rest!". Before getting the epidural I just wanted to laugh. If I could either sleep between 3-4 minutes of having contractions or sleep through the contractions: I would not be at the hospital right now. Then after I got the epidural the nursing staff came in every 15 minutes. And NOT quietly. So how in the WORLD was I supposed to sleep.
So anyways, from the time I got to the hospital to probably noon the next day I just laid there waiting. Finally around noon I had felt some pressure. With Isaac they telling me as soon as I felt pressure, that's when I'd be ready to push. This go around I mentioned to the nurse that I was feeling something going on but they kind of just brushed me off. The next time they came in I asked if they could send the midwife in to check me. The nurse semi snaps at me "You're not going to miss it". I wanted to snap back and say that I wasn't worried about me missing it, I was worried about them missing it!
Finally, 1:15ish the midwife came in and guess what. Somebody was on her way out. I started officially pushing at 1:25pm and Cadence was born at 1:30pm. It was so quick and simple (epidurals, right? ;) )
I saw her dark head first and thought "Is that mine???" Once again, it deviated from what Isaac was. The thought that she might have dark hair did not even cross my mind for some reason. I thought she'd be just like Isaac but female. Its amazing what you miss when you think you know it all =D
They handed her right to me, let me deliver the placenta and then Zech cut the cord. Cadence cried pretty much the whole time. After a few minutes they cleaned her up (all while she was screaming). I was able to nurse her (and she didn't cry then!) but while Zech held her and I got cleaned up she cried and cried and cried.
TMI warning, so if you want to skip this next paragraph, feel free. Its mainly to remind myself of the experience. Since I was given the epidural, my legs were obviously numb. With Isaac they just waited till I could stand up to let me clean up and go to the bathroom, etc. Well they were obviously in a hurry this time. I still couldn't feel my legs and they brought in this weird looking wheel chair contraption. Let me tell you. Getting on this thing to be wheeled to the bathroom was the most degrading thing I've ever experienced. I know its just a certain amount of pride and it shouldn't have been embarrassing. But it definitely was. This little nurse (smaller than me) tried to help me get on this thing. It was not easily identifiable. It didn't have a chair, so I was guessing at where I was supposed to sit...or should I be standing, kneeling?? So here I am trying to maneuver onto this weird thing, all while not being able to feel my legs or stand up at all. Then she wheels me to the bathroom and I have to AGAIN maneuver off it to get on the toilet. I seriously wanted to cry. But I made it! I didn't fall off (I almost did...but I didn't!!!) and by the time I had to get back on it, I could put a portion of weight on my legs without them bowing under me. I was so thankful when I was back in that hospital bed ready to await my carrage to take me to the recovery room.
Breastfeeding was a cinch with Cadence. She latched well and right away. That night was hard. Cluster feeding was never a thing with Isaac. Cadence needed to eat every 15 minutes. She cried while I bounced her, rocked her, cried with her. Zech tried to sooth her. She just needed to constantly eat. It took me quite a few hours to figure that out. She'd be crying, Zech would ask if she needed to eat, and I'd say I just fed her 10 minutes ago. By then I was going on to no sleep for 48 hours. Even though I was medicated during the birth, your body still exerts a lot of energy during labor. I was so tired it hurt. Everything hurt, my bones, my skin, my spit! I'm pretty sure I asked the nurse every time they came in if I could go home yet. I was so so so ready to go home. I needed my son, I needed my floor (Cuz you know...that is more comfortable than the hospital!).
Luckily they let us leave right at 1:30. We were packed and ready and just waiting for the clock to say 1:30pm for about 20 minutes. I'm so grateful that we pushed to leave ASAP. With Isaac I believe they started the checkout process at the 24 hour mark. Which if you know how quickly they move with paperwork......well.......yeah. It was also apparent that since we had already had a baby, and had him with them, they let a lot of things "go". We didn't have to watch the Don't Shake The Baby video, they trusted me when I said I was "healing" fine. Experience went a long way this time. First time parents don't know ANYTHING apparently ;) at least realized that was how we were being treated with Isaac. (Which, I am semi grateful for. I didn't know anything!)Once we were home I was so excited. I felt the same way with Isaac. As soon as I am in my own home, that's when the emotion of "this is my baby" hits. When no nurses are coming in, I'm not wearing this uncomfortable gown with thick pads covering my entire bed. I'm not trying to "entertain" visitors. Its just me and my family.
Watching Isaac with Cadence was amazing. He's always been the type of kid to embrace change and love it. Switching up the day schedule, so fun for him, almost like he thrives off of that. He loved her right away. He was very helpful too. She'd spit up and he'd either get me a cloth or wipe it up for me. Its so precious seeing that kind spirit come out in him. He reminds me so much of his daddy.
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