Every year in school, starting at the sixth grade, we would get in line in the girl's locker room and bend over while a doctor took a look at our backs.
For most people, this meant nothing. Just the inconvienance of having to stand there, strip to your bra and bend over for some nurse or doctor to tell you there were no problems. In the 8th grade, my check didn't go so well. I didn't get the smiley face and hear the words "next" to indicate my turn was over. Instead, I got a day off school to see an orthopedist about my scoliosis. I had a 13 degree curve that special stretching could improve and prevent from worsening.
I was 13, while I was thrilled to pieces that I didn't have to wear a brace, let's be honest, I had no intention of doing those stretches. I also never followed up on it once I entered adult hood.
That mistake is one I will pay for again. That mistake seriously interefered with my pain relief during delivery.
When I was pregnant with Kaitlyn, Dusty and I took "child birth preperation" classes late in my pregnancy. I honestly cannot tell you much about what we "learned" other than to bring extra pillows to the hospital. As far as I was concerend, special breathing was for the silly people who didn't realize that god sent epidurals for a reason!
At my 36 week appointment my doctor said I was ready to have this baby! I thought for sure that meant I would have her that day. Over the next 4 weeks and 3 days I tried EVERYTHING to get her to come out! Castor Oil twice, using a breast pump to get labor kick started, spicy foods that gave me heart burn, jumping jacks, all the special stretches the books and websites suggest and walking miles and miles.
I finally went into labor on November 17. I had regular contractions, they were steady and 5 minutes apart for 3 hours before I woked Dusty and had him take me to the hospital at 7:30 AM. We got there, I was given a gown and checked. I was a fingertip dialated. I was told to walk for an hour and they'll check me again. I did just that and there was no change. The nurses decided I wasn't really in labor, I was just tired and needed to rest. I probably wouldn't be back for a few days. I was given some pain killers and sleeping pills which I gladly took.
I got dressed and headed to the car to go home. I slept for about an hour. Then, the pain got worse. It was the wierdest sensation, I would be in a deep sleep for about 5 minutes and wake up in horrible pain. I tried a bath, changing positions breathing nothing helped. I didn't want to go back to the hospital because I wasn't really in labor, or so I was told. I had Dusty bring me some tylenol and some water and tried to get it out of my head. I wasn't very successful. So, I got dressed and we went back to the hospital. I figured they were right, I wasn't in labor, but I needed something for the pain.
Again, I was given a gown and checked. I was at 5 cm!!! I had progressed to 5 by 1:00, so only 4 hours. I was asked if I wanted an epidural, I said OF COURSE! And was so thrilled that the pain would soon be gone.
I sat through the epidural, which was not so bad at all and then watched Dusty eat Subway while it kicked in. I waited and waited. Eventually, it kicked in on one side. That lasted maybe an hour. After that, I was on my own.
It hurt. I couldn't get past the pain. I couldn't push effectivley because I was in so much pain and didn't know how to handle it.
Because of my scoliosis, the epidural could not properly dispense the medication through my spinal cord. I was unprepared and because of that I suffered.
Not this time. With Matthew, I want to go in prepared for an unmedicated delivery. I am trying to research the Bradley method and self hyponosis. I'm really interested in a doula. If anyone has any information on a doula in my area, PLEASE let me know :)
Oh, and on the subject of pregnancy, I'm hoping to get some "20 week" pics tomorrow :)
For most people, this meant nothing. Just the inconvienance of having to stand there, strip to your bra and bend over for some nurse or doctor to tell you there were no problems. In the 8th grade, my check didn't go so well. I didn't get the smiley face and hear the words "next" to indicate my turn was over. Instead, I got a day off school to see an orthopedist about my scoliosis. I had a 13 degree curve that special stretching could improve and prevent from worsening.
I was 13, while I was thrilled to pieces that I didn't have to wear a brace, let's be honest, I had no intention of doing those stretches. I also never followed up on it once I entered adult hood.
That mistake is one I will pay for again. That mistake seriously interefered with my pain relief during delivery.
When I was pregnant with Kaitlyn, Dusty and I took "child birth preperation" classes late in my pregnancy. I honestly cannot tell you much about what we "learned" other than to bring extra pillows to the hospital. As far as I was concerend, special breathing was for the silly people who didn't realize that god sent epidurals for a reason!
At my 36 week appointment my doctor said I was ready to have this baby! I thought for sure that meant I would have her that day. Over the next 4 weeks and 3 days I tried EVERYTHING to get her to come out! Castor Oil twice, using a breast pump to get labor kick started, spicy foods that gave me heart burn, jumping jacks, all the special stretches the books and websites suggest and walking miles and miles.
I finally went into labor on November 17. I had regular contractions, they were steady and 5 minutes apart for 3 hours before I woked Dusty and had him take me to the hospital at 7:30 AM. We got there, I was given a gown and checked. I was a fingertip dialated. I was told to walk for an hour and they'll check me again. I did just that and there was no change. The nurses decided I wasn't really in labor, I was just tired and needed to rest. I probably wouldn't be back for a few days. I was given some pain killers and sleeping pills which I gladly took.
I got dressed and headed to the car to go home. I slept for about an hour. Then, the pain got worse. It was the wierdest sensation, I would be in a deep sleep for about 5 minutes and wake up in horrible pain. I tried a bath, changing positions breathing nothing helped. I didn't want to go back to the hospital because I wasn't really in labor, or so I was told. I had Dusty bring me some tylenol and some water and tried to get it out of my head. I wasn't very successful. So, I got dressed and we went back to the hospital. I figured they were right, I wasn't in labor, but I needed something for the pain.
Again, I was given a gown and checked. I was at 5 cm!!! I had progressed to 5 by 1:00, so only 4 hours. I was asked if I wanted an epidural, I said OF COURSE! And was so thrilled that the pain would soon be gone.
I sat through the epidural, which was not so bad at all and then watched Dusty eat Subway while it kicked in. I waited and waited. Eventually, it kicked in on one side. That lasted maybe an hour. After that, I was on my own.
It hurt. I couldn't get past the pain. I couldn't push effectivley because I was in so much pain and didn't know how to handle it.
Because of my scoliosis, the epidural could not properly dispense the medication through my spinal cord. I was unprepared and because of that I suffered.
Not this time. With Matthew, I want to go in prepared for an unmedicated delivery. I am trying to research the Bradley method and self hyponosis. I'm really interested in a doula. If anyone has any information on a doula in my area, PLEASE let me know :)
Oh, and on the subject of pregnancy, I'm hoping to get some "20 week" pics tomorrow :)
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