Well, it’s almost been two months (1 week shy) and I feel like it’s all passed by in a blur. I can’t believe how fast the time goes as I look at my little Clyde change everyday. I guess you’re kept so busy being mommy and having fun with baby that you really don’t realize just how fast things change. It feels like I was just leaving home from the hospital with my fresh little nugget.

I’ve had so many questions about my pregnancy, labor, and recovery that I decided to write up this blog post to answer as many questions as I can. Keep in mind, everyone is different and we will all have our own unique birth story (which is a beautiful thing).

This is the first time I’ve been pregnant in the spotlight. I didn’t have the blog during my pregnancy with Fisher and I never shared my birth story with him either. With this second pregnancy, I definitely saw the value in sharing the journey because I connected with so many other women who happened to be pregnant at the same time as I was which was SO cool! I loved the messages checking in on one another.

This was my second pregnancy, so I knew what to expect to an extent. I will say, my first trimester was miserable this time as far as nausea goes. I was SO SICK! Second trimester was better. I had a heavy appetite for every type of food..except fish (my main aversion in both pregnancies). Third trimester came quickly and that’s when the fun stuff starts happening!

Question 1: Were you lightheaded or dizzy during pregnancy?

Answer: Yes. I was dizzy in my third trimester. At times, I felt like I was seeing double vision. I was dizzy even after I had the baby, but it didn’t last too long! Just take a moment to sit it out and drink plenty of water!

Things get a little harder to do in the third trimester. It’s harder to put your shoes on, sit, sleep, have sex, and get around in general. I felt winded to just go into the grocery store and grab a few things!

Labor

This labor went a little differently. My water didn’t break like it did with Fisher. When that happens you KNOW the baby is on the way. When this happened with Fisher it was 430am and I calmly gathered my things, took a shower, put my makeup on, and went to McDonald’s for a breakfast sandwich on the way to the hospital. Good thing I ate something when I did because you can’t eat meals when admitted. I was in labor for almost 24 hrs and starving by the time Fisher arrived at 1148pm.

Back to Clyde!

So, the morning of Sep 19th I had an early 7am doc appointment to check my dilation. It turns out, I was already 4 cm dilated! Now, that doesn’t mean you’re in labor. I didn’t feel any cramping or contractions before the check up, and my doctor said I could still be at 4 cm for another week or so! My due date wasn’t until Oct 2nd anyway, so I really wasn’t expecting him to come just yet.

A few hours later, tropical storm, Imelda, hits. It’s crazy how fast the streets surrounding our neighborhood started to flood. All of a sudden, it was as if we were back in Harvey waters. We never flooded, but our outer streets do. The rain wasn’t stopping…. and then, I started feeling contractions. PERFECT.

They were starting to get to 3 mins apart. They weren’t super painful, but sort of getting to that uncomfortableness that makes you think, “is this labor?” I was trying to remain calm, but was very concerned that if I didn’t make a decision or have a plan we would be in trouble, and I would be forced to have Clyde at home (which I did not plan for). I told Kirk to pack it up and maybe we could make it to the hospital before the waters got too bad.

Turns out.. they were already bad. Like, REALLY bad. So bad, even Kirk couldn’t drive through. The water was up to our grill of the car at this point. We turned back to the house. Plan B: Call an ambulance and pray to God they can get there. At this moment, I started getting a little more worried.

Thankfully, the ambulance made it to our house! The crew on board told us they could take us to the nearest hospital if they can get there. IF THEY CAN GET THERE (words I repeated in my head to myself). They mentioned they had all the equipment necessary to help deliver Clyde in the ambulance if need be. I kept refusing to believe that was happening in my mind.

We make it to the nearest hospital. I’m relieved, but also really sad because It’s not MY hospital. I was taken up to be seen. My contractions weren’t causing any further dilation and I was stuck at 4 cm for a few hours; contractions still happening. Eventually, we were discharged because my labor wasn’t technically advancing. Also, there were NO beds available in labor and delivery because the low pressure system sent many expecting moms into labor. Like, they were literally FULL. I couldn’t believe this was actually a thing. Weather causing labor?! SO frustrating since we had made it all that way! My contractions started getting worse and were still about 3 minutes apart. What do we do now?

We were eventually able to get home thanks to the waters subsiding a little and a friend with a pick up truck. Kirk and I decided to wait for as long as we could, and maybe if I relaxed the contractions would get better. Around 930pm that night the contractions became even more severe. I was getting tired at this point. I couldn’t relax and I just kept getting slammed with cramping every 3 minutes. We decided to take our chances at driving to the med center to my hospital now that the flooding seemed to have gone down.

THANK GOD WE MADE IT.

When we were seen I was STILL stuck at 4cm. Yall… I don’t dilate well, obviously. I had to be put on Pitocin with Fisher, so I was assuming the same for Clyde at this point. They told us that if I didn’t dilate in an hour I would be sent home AGAIN. They sent us around the hospital to walk, so Kirk and I had fun doing lunges, squats, and walking up and down the halls trying to get Mr. Clyde to get mama just ONE more cm dilated. I prayed hard. Please God, if it’s meant to be please make it happen! The contractions were getting so painful… I couldn’t handle having to go home again with them.

We got back to the room and they checked us again…. 5 CM DILATED! YAY!!!!

Great news, however, there was one problem. ALL THE ROOMS WERE FULL OF WOMEN HAVING BABIES.

They even had women in labor in the postpartum/recovery department! Was every hospital in Houston having this same issue?? There was literally no room for me to go upstairs just yet, so we had to wait. At this point, I went from level 4-5 pain to level 8 on a scale of 1-10 (10 being intolerable pain). I remember Kirk went out to the nurses station and yelled at someone to get me upstairs asap, and then 10 minutes later there was room to go up. Kirk can’t stand to see me in pain. I was just thankful I was one step closer to the epidural.

I was now experiencing level 8-9 pain. When we finally got to our room the nurse explained that we would have to wait a while until someone from anesthesia could come to do my epidural. There were so many women having babies and only so many anesthesiologists. I was almost in tears trying to get myself to breathe. It is amazing how women naturally and instinctively create a mental strength to get through the worst experiences. I had no other choice but to wait. I was shaking uncontrollably. Labor is a unique type of pain. I say unique because you forget so easily how painful it is until the next baby.. I don’t remember this pain with Fisher, but this time was intense. Imagine the worst period cramps you’ve ever had x10. That is the only way I can describe it. But, that’s what epidurals are there for!

FINALLY the epidural is placed and my body immediately stops shaking. I am so exhausted at this point I just remember falling asleep until around 830am the next morning. Guess what. I still had not dilated past 5cm!!! I’m telling, yall. I don’t dilate.

The doctor decided Pitocin and breaking my water was necessary. A few hours later- still no dilation. It wasn’t until around 1 pm did I fully dilate and was ready to push. I pushed 4 times and out came my beautiful baby boy. Goodness did it seem like such a long experience to get to that point, but it was all more than worth it for that moment we finally were able to meet. It’s like God zaps your brain with forgetfulness and every ounce of pain you felt is erased. All you care about is holding your fresh little baby. I was so happy to eat lunch too. Ha! I’m a foodie.

But, that was labor! It is the most amazing thing you’ll ever experience and if you’re reading this thinking, “damn, sounds painful”. Well, it is, but it also was more so for me because I had to wait for the epidural. You may have a totally different experience and come in with slight contractions, be dilating well, and have an epidural all very quickly. You may decide not to get an epidural which is totally okay too! We have all a preference. There’s no wrong decision as a mom. You decide what’s best for you, your body, and baby.

Question 2: What is the best way to get through labor pains?

Answer: For me, it was best to have a distraction. My husband talking to me in normal conversation. When you get to the next contraction find a spot on the wall and keep your eyes on it. Breathe through it. Get over the contraction and stay calm until the next one comes. Maybe keep your favorite music on in the background.. something relaxing.

Question 3: How long is labor?

Answer: It all depends on your body! It will be different for everyone, so you never know!

Question 4: What is the epidural like?

Answer: I was so afraid of it when I had Fisher, but this time I knew what to expect. It is nothing! They give you a little local before inserting the catheter (which is insanely tiny despite what you may think) Just a little light pressure and DONE. I’m super afraid of needles, so for me to say it’s nothing is something you can trust LOL.

Question 5: How is recovery and what happens after baby comes?

Answer: You’ll be stitched up (if you need to be) and taken to the postpartum floor. You won’t be able to walk if you had an epidural and probably won’t be able to until several hours later. I felt like recovery was harder to deal with than labor because I tore a little each time and it is an annoying uncomfortable feeling for several weeks until it all heals down there. No sex, exercise, or heavy lifting for 6 weeks. Just take it easy and enjoy that bundle of love.

This is the best time of your life, so enjoy every moment of the whole experience. You’ll treasure it forever! If you have any other questions about labor, postpartum recovery, or baby, send me a message! I’m an open book when it comes to this stuff. God Bless you and I wish you the safest, healthiest, and most wonderful birth!

Always,

Brit