Although Casey and I shared the same OB-GYN and delivered at the same hospital, not everything about our firstborn’s births were the same. We had totally different experiences and of course have totally different opinions. Here’s a little Q&A to help highlight our different labors.
Did you enjoy being pregnant?
Casey: I loved it! It reminded me of being engaged, a short phase in life that is very special. Don’t get me wrong- I had some pretty big drawbacks, such as severe acne, sciatic nerve pain and a sharp pain in my ribs that lingered for the entirety of my pregnancy. These were constant and annoying, but overall…I loved it!
Lauren: I think I remember enjoying pregnancy more than I actually did. I did enjoy the great skin and hair that came with it for me, but I had a good amount of back pain that made for a very long 9 months. I always tell myself that I’m really going to enjoy the next pregnancies more, but when you’re in the throes of morning sickness, have gained 30+lbs, and can’t find a comfortable position to sleep in (when you’re not on one of your 5 middle of the night bathroom runs), it’s hard to soak up the joy that being pregnant is.
Did you have a birth plan? What did it consist of?
C: Kinda. The only thing I really told the nurse was that I wanted to hold the baby before they cleaned her up and I wanted to try to nurse her before they sent her to the nursery. Other than that, I pretty much trusted the nurses and doctors to tell me what to do. As far as the epidural went, I was pretty sure I would end up getting one, but I wanted to experience full-on labor pains first. Why? I don’t know- I guess to appreciate that expensive numbing medicine even more. So, once my contractions were reaching an unbearable 100% on the monitor, I ever-so-sweetly told Gabe I was ready for the epidural…STAT!
L: Like Casey, I wanted to breastfeed the baby right away and have plenty of alone time before others met him. I had a few CDs I wanted playing during labor, but other than that the plan was to go with the flow.
Did you become the typical woman in labor like they are portrayed in the movies?
C: No, I internalized my pain. There was no screaming, throwing or cursing- I was in deep meditation and didn’t want Gabe to say a word. And once the medicine kicked in, I was back to my normal self 🙂
L: Once my contractions got pretty intense, I actually became the 6-year-old version of myself, crying pitifully while throwing the whole breathing-through-contractions out the window. The pain was a different kind of pain than I expected, and I felt defeated that I couldn’t handle it. Once the I got the miracle drug epidural, I fell asleep from exhaustion and was pretty laid back the rest of the day.
Did your labor go as planned?
C: The only change in plan was that I was induced a week early. I went in for a check up on Monday of Thanksgiving week and the baby was measuring large and Dr. W said there was a spot for me the next day if I was ready. It was a whirlwind of a night but SO exciting to know we’d have a baby the next day.
L: It pretty much went as planned until after 3 hours of constant pushing, Kyler wouldn’t come out. Heart rates were dropping, fevers were rising, and a c-section was immanent. I had never even considered the possibility of having a cesarean, so I was pretty upset by this unfortunate turn of events.
How was your experience in the hospital after your baby was born?
C: I absolutely L-O-V-E Medical City. I loved my Ob. I loved my nurses. I loved our suite (my husband’s “thanks-for-delivering-our-baby”gift to me!) And I loved our time there. I was up all night holding our new daughter while my husband snored away on his cot. But I didn’t even mind, it was so sweet and peaceful to hold her and look at her. The next day I chowed down on the Society Bakery cupcakes my mom bought in Building B! Yes, that’s right- there’s a Society INSIDE the hospital!
L: My recovery was much more difficult than I expected because of the c-section and the type of surgery they had to do. I had to stay in the hospital 4 nights after the surgery, so let’s just say I got pretty comfortable there. I actually had a hard time leaving because I didn’t know how I was going to take care of a baby at home when I couldn’t even walk or carry the baby yet. The nurses were so wonderful at taking care of me, lactation consultants stopped by every day to help with breastfeeding, and everything I tried from the food menu was great.
Are you ready to do it again?!
C: Deep breath… Sigh… Pause…….yes
L: Yep. Bring it on.
We’d love to hear about your experiences with your deliveries, we know we’ve got lots to learn. Do share!
love reading your different perspectives on pregnancy and l&d. i too delivered at medical city and i liked it so much i was kind of sad to leave. i think part of the reason was the nonstop help, attention, yummy food, etc. but the nurses there were amazing!
casey, your response to doing it again…too funny! i for sure want more kids but my 8 month old sleeps 3 hours straight on a GREAT night. *yawn* i can’t imagine having two kids that never sleep!