Olivia’s birth describes her personality! She did everything ON HER OWN time. It was pure torture because when Sofia was coming, she was coming. That was it. Olivia messed with me for weeks. Around 37 weeks I started to shed my mucus plug so my boss at the time told me not to work anymore. But days later and nothing happened. No more plug came after the little bits of shedding, just lots of Braxton Hicks. When I went to my 38 wk appointment I was 2 borderline 3 cm dilated and was told not to be more than 10 min from the hospital. Well, I was more than 10 minutes from the hospital and Johnny was in the height of his hockey season and had a 21month old at home. A day or two after my 38 wk check up I remember thinking I was in labour. I had constant contractions getting closer together for 2-3 hours so this was my first trip to triage. I didn’t want a baby at home and was so scared with what everyone says after the first baby and how quick labour is after. I was monitored for 2 hours at the hospital. I was 4 cm dilated but my cervix was NOT soft at all and that’s the important part. So, I was sent home as contractions died down.
The night before 39 weeks around 1 am I woke up feeling terrible and contracting. I remember sitting in the living room doing my hair and makeup timing everything and around 230 am, off we went again to the hospital. I was still 4 cm dilated with a hard cervix. I actually had my 39 week appointment at 9:30 am so they told me to go home and labour at home for the last 3 hours before my appointment and I could make a decision with my doctor then to induce if need be or see if I was in active labour. I got to my doctor and basically begged him to just induce me. I was so uncomfortable and false labour was NOT FUN at all! Such a pain with the strong contractions and Johnny was heading to Montreal for work. My answer was a no, obviously. Haha. Hey worth a try right? So from 39-41 wks I sat at home and bounced on my ball and did every other old trick in the book to try and get this kid out! They couldn’t get me in for my induction the 29th of January like planned When the morning of the 30 came, I begged them to take me! Around 10 pm I think the lady finally felt bad for me. She told me to come in at midnight. So, the 30 turned into Jan 31. Exactly 41 weeks! When I got my delivery room, the nurse was hooking me up as she should and her first comment, ”wow do you feel that contraction, they are so strong!” YES! I’ve been feeling them for weeks now lady which is why I was at the hospital 2 times before thinking it was labour.
The doctor came in at 12:25 AM to break my water and I was now 5 cm dilated but my cervix was still not soft which shocked him with how I dilated I was. Our bodies and babies have a mind of their own I swear. Labour with Olivia was crazy different with Sofia as I was having major back labour. I requested my epidural and it came shortly after. That first epidural somehow went into my bloodstream and when he pressed the button I basically passed out. I saw spots, I couldn’t sit up, I couldn’t really speak because my tongue was numb. I had to wait for it to wear off. I explained what happened and they called the anesthesiologist back to check in. Right away he pressed the button again and again I felt terrible.
With all this happening it distracted from the pain of labour and we came to the conclusion that we needed a new epidural. Round 2 came around 2:30 AM and after about 45 min of all that business I decided I needed to sleep. Sleep didn’t come though! I tried so long to get comfortable but the epidural didn’t work again and I was in pain. I didn’t want to be the person to freak out and scream during labour but the pain was REAL! I was so uncomfortable. Around 4:10 am I woke Johnny up saying I thought it was time. He ran to the bathroom and came back out saying he was going to sleep until it was time. UM the pressure in my ASS told me it was time. I started to get a little pissy with everyone in the room. The nurse checked and I was 10 and 0. I told her from the beginning I wanted to push at 10 and 3. She called for the docs to come but of course they were delivering another baby. Well, by this point the contractions were long, hard and the pressure was REAL! She checked again and I was 10 and 3- ready to go! Holy hell was it all so real compared to Sofia. I started yelled at the nurse that I was going to start pushing around 4:20 AM. I couldn’t take it anymore. Poor girl was just trying to keep me calm and not push! I feel so bad now.
But, within that time, two residents came in. I was ready to go and gave my first push. That’s when I was told Olivia was sunny side up (reason for back labour) and it would be better if they turned her. Next push they tried and I was that mommy in delivery full of screaming and swearing. It was the most intense thing I have ever felt. I just kept saying I couldn’t do it. At this point my doctor had quietly made his way in and was letting the resident lead. The next push she tried turning Olivia again. Mother of sweet Jesus my downstairs hurts writing about this. During that contraction Olivia’s heart rate plummeted. Now if you ever met my doctor, he is so quiet and a man of few words. So, when he said we needed to get her out ASAP, he meant business. I was screaming at this point that I couldn’t do it. I just kept saying I couldn’t do it and throwing F bombs out there like they were going out of style! But knowing something could be wrong with Olivia, I gave a major final push. At 4:25 AM (yes only 5 min after first push) that baby girl was here. First question I asked was not is she ok? It was ”is she still a girl?”. Horrible, I know! But, I was told she was a boy at first. That’s another story for another time. But, she was a girl and immediately nursing no problem. Thank goodness! The after birth and getting stitched after was so painful because this time I could feel everything but her latching so perfectly for 45 min really distracted me. I have to say that not having the epidural actually helped so much more during delivery and recovery! I started walking after being stitched up (twice!) and felt pretty good. I felt terrible after Sofia compared to Olivia. Miss Olivia was sleeping 6 hour stretches and was so hard to wake after 3-4 hours for a feed. She tricked us for 3 full days. We thought we had a peaceful baby. Then trouble struck and hasn’t left us since. We needed her in our lives. Sofia is the sugar and Olivia is all spice! Hope you enjoyed this birth story a little more than SofiA’s. For sure a little more action packed than the first delivery!