Week 40 & Day 0: DUE DATE 3/23

I cannot believe I am finally writing the post about my delivery experience.  This is the last post to write on my blog, so here you go. 

A Couple of Days Before 3/23

I was still feeling good several days before Saturday.  I did have cramps here and there but nothing major.  I even went to get a pedi with my mom on Friday and we went out to have dinner that night.
I did take a long walk, ate a lot of pinapples, etc

A bad snow storm was heading to Cincinnati on Sunday, so we were very worried.  Our house is about 40 min away from the hospital, so we had a Plan B to stay in a hotel close by if nothing happened on Saturday.

3/23

3:30 am - I woke up to go to pee.  I felt cramps afterwords, but I went back to bed and fell asleep. 

6:00 am - I woke up again and went to bathroom.  There I saw some blood and I immediately thought it could be "blood show".  My heart was pounding and I told DH that I am going to take a shower just in case.  After I took a shower, I started having light cramps (feels like period cramps), so I decided to time how frequently it was coming by using a free app called "Full Term". 

8:00 am - 9:00 am - Cramp were coming in 7-8 min apart, but I still wasn't sure if they were contractions.  I called my OB and he told me to go to the hospital if I would like, so we got ready and left.  I didn't eat any breakfast because I was told in a birthing class, try not to eat too much before labor.  I grabbed a banana and snack bar hoping to nibble when I get to the hospital.   

11:00 am -  2:00 pm - We checked in @ Triage.  I didn't know what a triage was for, but I learned that women are monitored to see if they might go into a labor.  I asked the nurse if I can eat something small.  She said the only thing I can eat at this point is ice chips.  I couldn't even drink a juice at this point!! 

I was only 2 cm dilated, so a nurse told me to walk around a little bit.  At this point, I was getting more uncomfortable cramps.  We came back from 30 min walk and I was 3 cm dilated.  I was told that I had to be dilated at least 4 cm in order to stay.  There was NO WAY I wanted to be checked out and go home at that point.  Suddenly, I felt a release of water.  It was strange feeling, so I told the nurse "My water might have been broken".  Yes, it was indeed, so things changed quickly.   

2:00 pm - I was moved to a labor room.  The nurse in the room was so nice and cheerful, and she hooked me up with an IV.  My DH brought a relaxation CD, so we were listening while waiting for contractions to get stronger.

3:00 pm - My contractions were getting stronger and stronger.  It came in 3 min apart and my mom and DH could tell when they were coming from looking at the monitor in the room.  I was given a permission to start an epi at this point, but the nurse said "Hold until as long as you can if possible because an epi can delay the labor process".  I used a bouncing ball to ease the pain and DH was helping me with breathing techniques, but I could only tolerate the pain 45 min more.  It was so painful that I started crying, so I asked if I can get an epi.

4:30 pm -  An anesthesiologist came into the room and started setting up the epi.  It didn't take too long and it wasn't a bad experience.  My legs started feeling numb and I didn't feel my contractions afterwords.  I was smilling and chatting with DH & mom.  Wow, what a difference an epi makes!  However, I started feeling cramps on my right side after a while, so the nurse tried to make me sleep on other side, but it didn't fix.  I was still feeing my contraction, so an anesthesiologist came back and increased the dose and adjusted.  I felt good again. 

7:30 pm - My labor process stolled.  I was only 6 cm dilated at this point, so I was told that they would start small dose of Pitocin.  I read about Pitocin, so I didn't like the idea of having an induction, but I wanted to listen to my doctor's recommendation. 

8:30 pm - Pitocin worked!  I was 8 cm dilated.  I was getting exhausted little.  I haven't eaten anything and I wanted to eat something, but I couldn't. 

9:30 pm - The nurse said "Ok, it's about time.  Let's get ready to start pushing because you are finally at 10 cm dilated."  A reality hit me and DH at this point.  We told my mom to stay outside with DH's parents.  "OGM, this is it!!!!!!"  My legs were so numb and I had no idea how I was going to know if I am pushing.  I pushed for 30 min as I followed what the nurse told me to do.  I was out of breath and so exhausted.  I had NO IDEA how exhausting pushing can be, but I kept pushing somehow. 

The nurse called my OB, so he came in.  My OB said "Well, she is almost there and I see her head."  I pushed a couple of more and saw an black object coming out in the mirror.  It was the baby's head and she has a lot of hair!!!!!!! 

10:22 pm - HALEY SAKURA was born @ 10:22 pm, weighed 7 pounds & 1 oz and 19.5 inches long.  Sakura means "Cherry Bloosom" in Japanese.  I heard her crying as she was born and they put her on my chest right away.  I cried, but my first impression was "Who is this???"  I couldn't believe it was my little girl and for some reason, my mind denied what was happening.   She had a lot of black hair like me, but she didn't look like me or my DH.  I don't know why, but I was confused and the reality didn't hit me right away.  I had so much connection with her during my pregnancy and envisioned to have the highest moment when I hold her for the first time, so I was really taken back by how I couldn't establish a connection with her right away.  Maybe, it was because I was looking forward to this day so much, however my mind couldn't process it right.        

I had a second degree tear and it was after midnight by the time we could call our parents into the room.  We were all exhausted, but it was such an emotional moment.  My mom was crying and DH's parents were over the moon to meet the baby.  We finally revealed her name and they loved it.                             

It's unbelievable that she was born on my original due date.  I know she has been an amazing baby since I got pregnant, but this was a icing on the cake. 

Like I mentioned in the beginning, this is my last post on this blog.  I am so glad that I had this blog to express my true feeling and document my experiences during one of the toughest time of my life.  I no longer feel like I am walking on the winding road of IF and this chapter of my life has closed. 

I have never blogged before this one, but I am actually thinking to start another new blog with an appropriate blog title about post birth experiences as I went through a lot of events since she was born and I love to keep a journal to remember each experiences. 

Oh by the way, as the time went by, my mind started working normal and I am so in love with my daughter Haley.  In fact, I cannot stop looking at her sweet face and smelling her baby scent.  She is just perfect and I cannot wait to spend many more years with her. 



Haley Sakura!!!