a little Fuller was born

It all started Monday at my doctors office, I went in for my 39 week appointment feeling like I was in labor.  Apparently I was just out of room.  I could not take it any more! After speaking with my doctor about the different options we decided to induce on Wednesday if he was not born Monday or Tuesday.  I was so excited I could hardly contain myself.  I immediately went home and started to get ready for his birth.  Monday and Tuesday drug on like there was no tomorrow, and after not being able to sleep Tuesday night 5:00am on Wednesday morning finally arrived.  I nervously and frantically packed the car and Jason and I headed to the hospital. 

                                                             (Last belly picture before birth)

They got the pitocin going around 7:00am.  The contractions slowly started but could barley be felt.  At 10:05am my doctor paid me a visit and broke my water.  Almost immediately my contractions went from a 1 on the pain scale to an 8.  I only lasted till 12:30 before I was demanding an epidural.  Once the epidural was administered it was smooth sailing.  I didn't feel a thing and was dilating right on schedule.  Cohen was positions "sunny side up" (the wrong way) so they kept moving me back and forth to different positions to try to get him to move.  The unfortunate part is you cant tell if he is in the correct position until the pushing begins -(sometimes even in this position they can still be delivered as long as they will fit through the birth canal).  Finally after what felt like an eternity we were ready to begin delivering Cohen.  At about 7:00pm they turned off my epidural so I could feel when I was pushing, the epidural medicine normally takes a while to wear off and they said they could turn it back on if needed.  So at 7:30 everyone left the room but my mom and Jason and we were ready to meet Cohen.  I pushed for over an hour and was begging for my epidural to be turned back on- it felt as if I was being murdered.  I have never felt so much pain in my life. The nurse went to look for the doctor but the other patient was delivering at the same time.  Once the doctor finally got in the room another 20min it was apparent that he did not turn and could not fit through the birth canal and I was rushed off for an emergency c-section.  I was like one of those screaming ladies you see on TV and movies.  Once in the operating room it only took a few minutes for the anesthesiologist to give me medicine to dull the  pain and the procedure began.  Cohen Jack Fuller was born at 9:20pm on Wednesday November 23, 2011. He weighed in at 7.8lbs 20 inches long.

Week 38

I think this is the hardest part of pregnancy so far.  I feel like I am just waiting and waiting for something to happen.  I no longer sleep very well not only because I get up to go to the bathroom every hour but every time I feel a pain in my abdomen I think oh labor is starting, then I wait a few minutes and nothing more happens.  The doctor says my due date is 11/28/2011 but according to my last menstrual cycle and the night of conception (so I think) my due date should really be 11/18/2011.  Whats funny is not one thing except for that first sonogram has lined up with the 11/28 due date, even the Chinese gender predictor says girl if born on 11/28. So with 11/18 quickly approaching (3 days) I cant help but think I am going to have this baby soon.  When I first found out I was pregnant I thought I would deliver on 11/17 so I am curious how close I will actually be. 
On the positive side, I am officially on maternity leave.  I do not think I could have worked another day, it was so exhausting and painful.  Yesterday I only left the house to go to the doctor and spent the rest of the day on the couch watching TV, cleaning and cooking dinner. Today I have close to the same plans, except I do have to go run a few errands. 
As I approach motherhood I realize I can not imagine a baby inside of me, I try to think about what he will look like but all I see is a cartoon character or a drawing of a baby, I can not seem to imagine that there is a full term human baby inside of me.  I also keep freaking myself out that something is going to be wrong with Cohen or delivery. I know these are normal fears but I cant seem to shake them. 

My belly has not grown that much over the last few weeks, as I think he has maxed out the allotted space but I swear my face keeps getting bigger and bigger.  My nose especially seems to be growing larger.  I really hope this goes away at delivery. I have gained a total of 28lbs though out this pregnancy which is better than I thought I would do.  I was scarred I was going to gain 40-50lbs. So 28 is not too bad  considering.  I bet I could have kept it around 20 if I didn't cave into my dessert temptation every night!


Hopefully by the time I blog next it will be the birth story and a good one at that.

36 Weeks and Counting

One more day and I am officially considered full term! Finally, these last few weeks have drug on and I thought I would never get here. Over the last few days my Braxton hick’s contractions have gotten more regular and intense.  I keep wondering is this the real thing? Everything I read and everyone I talk to says you will know.  I am starting to wonder if I will really know.  Take for example yesterday.. I woke up feeling strange and crampy.  I went about my day, got dressed went to work, came home made dinner, went to the store (I figured if this was the beginning of labor it would last a while).  Right before sitting down to eat dinner, my back started aching (I have not had any back pain thus far) and my "cramping" got so bad I had to sit down.  Jason pulled out the timer and I had 2 back to back contractions that were 5 minutes apart lasting around 30 sec each, I was nervous and could not stop thinking should I call my doctor, should I grab my bag and head to the hospital?  Instead I went and took a hot bath and the contractions stopped. I guess my body is preparing me for the real deal, but how will I know.  I really do not want to wait so long that I end up with a baby in my pants (Best episode ever of "I didn’t know I was Pregnant".)

Last week at my doctor’s visit I brought up the discussion of maternity leave again, and she told me to make it one more week then we will evaluate my swelling and pain and most likely we will start maternity leave early. Since I could not get a doctor’s appointment on Friday I have to wait till Monday but I am hoping Tuesday will be my last day of work till the New Year.

Here are my belly pics from week 36.  I am not sure there is any more room to grow.  I might tip over!