So here is the timeline of how it all went down! It's long because my labor was so long! Im glad to share it you guys but I'm just excited to have this written out so I don't forget the details and I can look back and read it in the years to come. But more importantly this is dedicated to Luke: I wrote this for you so when you're old enough you'll get to read about one of the best days of my life, the special day you were born.
Monday July, 23.
1:00pm - I had just had my weekly check up with my ob/gyn. I was a little disappointed to hear that I was 0 dilated, the baby was weighing about 7 pounds so I was happy to hear that!
2:00pm - After my appointment Fred and I did our usual, lunch, window shopping, and we stopped at Lowe’s because he needed some wood to make his art. I went to the restroom and SURPRISE! There was gooey bloody mucus and I figured it was my mucus plug and I got very excited! I read that some women loose their mucus plug weeks before they deliver so I saw it as a sign that I was a little closer to the grand finale, I didn't expect to go into labor that night!
Tuesday July 24.
2am - A pain down my back woke me up. I didn’t think much of it and I figured it was just my back cramping but it would come and go through the night, it really got me thinking “could this be it? are these really contractions?”
6am - I went to the bathroom and still had some pink spotting, the back pain was still coming and going. I was starting to think this is really it! I texted my mother in law “I think your grandson is coming soon!”
7am - The door bell rings. I was taking a shower because I couldn’t sleep, Fred was still in bed so it took him a minute to open the door. When he gets it he sees my mother in law rushing in the car with my mom. They were on the way to the hospital! They thought since we didn’t open the door that we were already heading to the hospital. Silly sweet excited grandmas! Seriously all I said was, I think your grandson is coming, and she interpreted that into “I’m having this baby now” because in less than an hour they are at our door ready to see Luke!
8am - I called my doctor as soon as they opened. I told them I was spotting and thought I was having contractions. They told me the spotting could be from the vaginal exam she did the day before but that I should start timing my contractions. She also said to head to the hospital when contractions were 1 minute long, every 5 minutes, for a whole hour. At that time they were very sporadic, 30 seconds here 20 there, every 10 minutes every 7… So the waiting began! The contractions were painful but not crazy. I did start using the breathing I had learned at our birthing class.
12pm - My toes were pretty busted! I had planned on getting a pedicure that week so if I went into labor my toes would look presentable and cute at the hospital! I ended up soaking and scrubbing my feet, my sweet mom and my mom in law ended up painting my toes because I couldn’t reach them! Fred was in denial, he just worked on his art while I counted contractions and our moms made lunch and watched Telemundo, Caso Cerrado and Primer Impacto.
12:30pm - Our mom’s suggested we go walking so I could really bring on labor. I didn’t think it was a bad idea. The mall was the only air conditioned place we could go since it was so hot. I only wanted to go because I had a free panty card from Victoria’s Secret that was going to expire soon! I was really tired since I didn’t get good rest from being up all night with contractions so I decided to take a nap instead.
1:30pm - Nap didn’t go so well, I kept dosing off and waking up to pain in my back so I decided it was time to head to the mall, the only thing was that now Fred was tired and he was going to try to take a nap and he did, he slept for 3 hours! I was so jealous!
5:00pm - My contractions were definitely getting stronger and a little more steady! Fred woke up from his nap and I told him to get the hospital bags in the car because I was sure we weren’t coming back home. He still didn’t believe it was really happening! But I was sure that that night we would go to the hospital.
6:00pm - We waddled ourselves into the mall, moms by our side. I had to pause about every 5-7 minutes to get breath through a contraction. I don’t think people knew I was in labor because I wasn’t huffing and puffing or groaning all I would do was sit or kind of lean over and take deep breaths very discretly. I bet if they knew what was going on we would have looked pretty ridiculous! Here I am in labor trying to shop in Victoria’s Secret!
8:00pm - I had the most painful Chipotle. We were all pretty hungry so we went to Chipotle. By now my contractions were becoming stronger, more painful and were about a minute long every five minutes. Nevertheless, not the most comfortable Chipotle I have eaten, specially in those little wooden chairs. By this time I was ready to head to the hospital! By the way Fred was still in denial!
9:00pm - The hospital was only minutes away from Chipotle so we had our last bite and headed to Baylor Frisco!
9:15pm - We check in! (Fred still can't believe it.)
10:00pm- They examine me and I am only 2 centimeters dilated. They call my doctor and she told them to watch me for 2 hours to see if I progressed, if I didn’t they would probably send me home, that was my biggest fear because by now the contractions were very painful, I even started the “he-he-he” breathing!
Wednesday, July 25th
12:30AM - My biggest fear comes true. They check me again and I’m still only 2 centimeters! I was crushed! So they discharge me. I wanted to burst into tears but since our moms were there I was trying to hold it in until Fred and I got into our own car but as I started signing the discharge papers I start balling my eyes out! I was so emotional! I didn’t understand why they were sending me home with my contractions being so strong and consistent! They gave me a sleeping pill and said if it was true labor I would keep getting and feeling the contractions but if it was false labor it would probably take them away.
1:00am -It was NOT false labor! I cried all the way home. I’m sobbing in bed not even trying to breath through the contractions anymore just crying in desperation and feeling helpless. I felt like I had tried my best to be strong all day, I told Fred I didn’t feel strong anymore. That’s when it hit me! The Lord spoke to my heart. This is exactly where the Lord wanted me! 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 came to mind, “But he said to me ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness so that the power of Christ may rest upon me… For when I am weak, then I am strong.” All day I had been relying on my own strength and he was trying to tell me I couldn’t do it on my own. Yes I was going to have this baby but not on my own strength but through his strength so that I could boast in his name! After my enlightenment, my contractions went away, HA!!! Nope they got worse! But I had a better perspective on the situation. I asked Fred to read me scriptures I had highlighted to calm me down. He read Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” I literally lived off this verse that night and the days to come. I felt a godly peace through my labor and through the sleepless nights once Luke was born
2:00am-6:00am - All night I would wake up, shout for Fred, squeeze his hand, he-he breath and moan the pain out!
6:00am-9:00am - Fred put into practice all he learned from birthing classes! He was so sweet! He set up pillows and blankets in the living room so I could lean over on the couch and get through my contractions. When that stopped working he waddled with me through the whole house trying to walk the baby out, he massaged my back… I’m pretty sure I started to look like those scary ladies on TV when they’re in labor moaning and breathing crazy! But daddy was a trooper!
9:00am - Fred frantically calls my doctor and they tell him to bring me in!
9:10am - I throw up Chipotle.
9:30am - We check into Baylor(once again.)
10:00am - They check to see how dilated I am. I was a nervous wreck, terrified they would say I was still a 2! Praise the Lord the nurse said I was dilated to a 4 and I was staying and having that baby! She also said I was having “back” labor which makes the contractions even stronger because the baby was facing my abdomen so all the pressure was in my tailbone.
11:00am -The excited grandma’s get there, auntie Sel gets there.
12:00pm - I get an epidural. My mom and mom in law were totally against me getting it. They thought it would drug the baby and make me out of it. When the nurse asked if I wanted an epidural I hesitated and said I didn’t know. But then I thought it through, I was going to trust the Lord in this, sure I could try to do it the natural way but I thought, I'm exhausted, I’ve been in labor over 24 hours, I haven’t slept these last 2 nights and I’m having back labor contractions, so I decided YES! I want that epidural! After the epidural the difference was night and day! The nurse asked me,"did you feel that?" I said "no", she said "you were just at a peak of a contraction," I didn’t even feel a thing and I finally took a nap!
3:00pm - My doctor breaks my water. They also find meconium in the amniotic fluid which meant Luke took a poopoo in my belly. The doctor ordered NICU on stand-by just in case he would inhale the meconium when he took his first breath, that could have gotten in his lungs. I got pitocin to bring the contractions closer together. By now I think I was dilated at about a 7.
6:00pm - I’m dilated to a 10 and the nurse starts getting me ready to push! She said when I got the urge to push to let her know. I start putting make up on to meet Luke, you only make a first impression once!
6:10:pm - I get the urge! She calls my doctor in, Fred holds my foot, I hold onto the bars and I start pushing! I couldn't feel much pain just a lot of pressure.
6:28pm - The doctor tells me I could reach down and feel his head. I reach down and touch him for the first time! I bursted into tears! I was feeling my son for the first time! This motivated me to push harder so that I could meet him!
6:29pm - Luke is born! They clean him up put him in my arms, I was thankful he didn't inhale the meconium. He was beautiful!
The rest of the time we spent at at the hospital: Family and friends come to meet little Luke! Uncle Nick brought me sushi! I craved sushi all my pregnancy but I couldn't eat it! The nurse gave Luke his first bath, made him smell like a sweet baby! Fred got me a special mommy necklace. The next day the hospital gave us a celebration dinner, steak and lobster! It was delicious, I also had not eaten shell fish my whole pregnancy and craved it all the time! Friday we took baby home!We dressed him in a cute outfit and he got to wear his vans for the first time. We had such a wonderful experience at Baylor Frisco! The food was great, they fed Fred as well, all the nurses were so sweet to us and took wonderful care of us! I'm thankful to the Lord he blessed us and kept us healthy and safe! He was my strength that day, he gave me peace gave me a wonderful gift, Luke! Here are memories of the wonderful day!
