Pictures!!

Here's the super-long version...

Okay, here's the long version.I just hammered it all out while it was still fresh in my mind so don't expect a fabulous piece of literature. lol Possible TMI moments included...

Monday morning I went in for a non-stress test, amniotic fluid check and 41 week OB appointment. That all went fine - I got to see the bottom half of Bruce's face on the ultrasound when they were checking my fluid levels and got the first clue that maybe this kid was going to be bigger than I thought. lol At my OB appointment, nothing had changed: I was still 3 cm and 75% effaced. The nurse practitioner said they'd see me on Wednesday and I was inclined to agree. For the rest of the day I was just sort of generally uncomfortable and was having the same kind of irregular contractions I'd been having for the past 5 weeks, so I was getting good at ignoring it all.

Right around 9:30, my discomfort turned into something more sharp and noticeable, so I decided to pay closer attention and start timing things. My hunch was right on and the contractions went from 7 to 2 minutes apart within 30 minutes. I called the hospital. This was the part I was not looking forward to, because basically you have to convince them that yes, you really are in labor and yes, it's time to come in. And inevitably, they tell you to wait. The nurse I was talking to just rambled on about how I should wait so that when I did come in I wouldn't be sent home. I was pretty sure I wouldn't be. Even when I told her about my previous short labor, it was as if she didn't even hear me. I finally got off the phone and told Andy I didn't care what she said, we were going. He had been getting the kids' stuff together and then got them loaded in the van. So we left the house around 10:30 to take them to our friend Maria's house. By 11:00 pm we were headed to the hospital. The contractions were coming quite steadily at 2 to 3 minutes apart. Since this last month of being pregnant had been so different from my previous pregnancies, I really wasn't sure about how fast I might be dilating. Mainly I was thinking I just wanted to be at least 4 by the time we got there so that nurse wouldn't be able to say anything to me.

We got to the hospital right around 11:30. It seemed pretty dead in there, which was good. I made my way to the bathroom and had 3 or 4 contractions just trying to get that accomplished. After that I went into a triage room to have the baby and my contractions monitored for about 20 minutes, and then to be checked for dilation, effacement and baby's position. I had to lie still the whole time in a semi-reclined position, and let me say, that was HARD! At first Andy was telling me about how high the numbers were going on the contraction monitor, but that wasn't helping. lol I asked him if he could just tell me after they peaked so I would know when they were going back down.  Towards the end of the monitoring, Andy also commented that he didn't think I was going to break my record since we were about 2 1/2 hours in already.  In came a doctor and nurse (I guess).  They both checked me. At first they said I was 6, but they quickly changed their minds and said I was 8. 8!!!! Take that, non-believing nurse! They quickly and rightfully said I needed to get back to a delivery room right away. So they left to give everyone a heads up after they took some medical history. Then in walked a med student who also checked me and took basically the same medical history. Sigh. Nice enough guy, though. Then I got sick - I was anticipating this and we had brought a little trash can (lined with an empty tissue box and plastic bag) so Andy was ready for that. At the same time, I was having a contraction (a transition contraction, mind you) and my water broke. Nice. He asked me if I felt like I had to push and I wasn't sure. Then yes, I started to feel like I needed to push and told him so. The other doctor and nurse came back in, the med student informed them that I wanted to push, and they got me out of there. The nurse joked that they didn't want me delivering in triage since that was a lot of paperwork. ha

While I was being wheeled to the delivery room, the urge to push was very quickly taking over. I started thinking of all the stories I've heard about women who were told to wait and just couldn't. I remembered I was supposed to pant to try and stave it off. So I started panting and wasn't sure how long I'd be able to keep it up. I'm normally calm and even-keeled, but I was starting to feel like that wasn't going to last much longer.

We get to the delivery room and people are sort of hustling. I got on the bed and said again that I needed to push. The doctor said I needed to wait so he could make sure I was dilated all the way. Oh come on! Laboring women don't say they need to push unless they NEED TO PUSH. So I'm still trying to be cooperative while he checks me and gives a quick cervical exam. There's a nurse trying to put in an IV and she fails miserably. Then they're trying to break the bed down and get the stirrups up, but they're just not going fast enough and quite honestly, I really started to feel like I had done everything I could. I started to feel like nobody cared at all that I had been putting off this INSANE urge to get this baby out for a while now and I just couldn't take it anymore. That's when I basically started screaming and crying (possibly even straight up wailing) that I had to push and couldn't wait. I turned into something else. I've never experienced that before. I'm pretty sure I don't want to again.

So I started to push. I'm practically flat on my back, my legs aren't really anywhere they should be. Everyone crowds around me (everyone = two doctors, two nurses and the med student; and of course Andy) once they realized I was going. I assumed they would grab my legs to help me but they told me to do it! I'm still in crazy lady mode and screaming/crying/wailing and I really had a hard time doing that. Then I could feel the head come out. That was definitely a good feeling and I thought that one or two more easy pushes and he would be all the way out. But no. Everyone was still yelling directions at me and probably 4 or 5 more pushes and then he was out. I know that doesn't sound like a big difference, but it kind of felt like it. It's one of those moments that feels like it's taking forever and also going really fast at the same time. Anyway, he was finally out and sane Emily returned, although I did cry a bit. It was such a huge relief to have that be done.

I caught a glimpse of Bruce - and he certainly looked bigger than 7 1/2 pounds. He was whisked away to get cleaned up and I didn't even care at the moment that they hadn't shown him to me. I really just wanted to be left alone.

No such luck.  Next it was time to deliver the placenta (by the med student). That didn't take too terribly long and after pushing out a baby, it's not really too uncomfortable. Then uterine "massage", which sucks. The doctor pushes really hard on your abdomen to push blood out and to start the process of shrinking the uterus back to normal. This is quite uncomfortable and always lasts longer than you think it will. Somewhere in here they announced Bruce's weight and length - Andy and I both were pretty shocked. Then everyone started saying I would have quite a story to tell - fast labor, fast delivery, big baby... After that, the med student got the honor of stitching me up. Sigh... You know what that means. It took FOREVER. And I'm starting to get antsy. I really wanted to be left alone, you know? I wanted to really be done. 

But in the middle of getting stitched up, I had another little gush of blood, so the OB took a closer look and thought there was a piece of the amniotic sac still inside. So he tried to get it. And kept trying. And kept trying. So he's pressing on my abdomen and has his hand shoved up my uterus, over and over again. He decides after a while his hands are too big and they find a female doctor to come in and help. Sigh... So she comes in and can't get it either. I'm really starting to get upset again because it hurts and it's not stopping! Everyone keeps apologizing and I'm squeezing the hell out of Andy's hand. They gave me some pills to try and take the edge off, but I don't know that they really did much. So they finally get some tools out to get a better look and they conclude that it wasn't the sac, but rather just my cervix. At this point I'm just so relieved that they've stopped messing with me I don't care that I had to go through all that for nothing. 

I finally get to rest! And see the baby! The poor thing is all bruised and purple on his face from being squeezed out so fast, but overall, I think he's still pretty cute. :) Andy and I are both amazed at his size and the amount of hair - he has more than Dominic did! The nurse asks me if I want to try nursing, so we give a go and he's a total natural! He nursed for 40 minutes! Finally around 4am I get taken to my postpartum room for the rest of my hospital stay, which was brief but hectic. It seemed there was an endless parade of people in and out of there the whole time - nurses, doctors, pediatricians, various assistants, medics who took my vitals, people bringing the food, a chaplain, the birth certificate lady, the circumcision people, the hospital picture people... We were discharged 36 hours after Bruce was born and I am so glad to be home!!

I hope this doesn't all sound too negative - I wouldn't say that I had a bad experience, although there were definitely negative parts! It was certainly another amazing learning experience. I've always thought a quick, drug-free labor would be the best kind. And I still think that, but not in a hospital setting. If you don't fit their standard laboring woman profile, you're kind of out of luck. But of course I'm mainly thrilled that our new baby is here! And when it comes down to it, the fact that he's here and healthy is really all that matters, so I'm over the moon. :)

I'll post pictures soon...

Bruce Angel deFiesta is here!

Short story:

After three hours of active labor and what seemed like less than five minutes of pushing, Bruce Angel deFiesta was born at 12:41 am on August 26th. He weighed 9 pounds, 2.3 ounces and was 21 inches long. And if possible, he was born with hair darker, thicker and more plentiful than Dominic's! His entire little face was bruised because of the super quick delivery, but otherwise was just fine. 

Here's a picture taken shortly after delivery:

I'll post the long, TMI version in a separate post. :)

I think this is it!

No, I didn't go into labor.

But Andy finally made a decision about this child's name - yeah! The name he's finally decided on is Bruce Angel deFiesta. For those of you that don't know, Andy's father's first name is Angel. I think it's a good choice.

So now, in all seriousness, all that's left to do is actually have the baby! 

The end is in sight!

So I had my appointment this afternoon and it was a good one. Yeah! I am between 3 and 4 cm dilated and 75% effaced - which is what I was expecting since I've been up the past two nights with contractions. I also got an induction scheduled for next Wednesday, the 27th. Naturally I would prefer to go on my own, but it is such a huge weight lifted from my mind to know I only have 6 days at most left. 

In other less exciting news, the baby's heartbeat is still in the 160's (good grief!) and my blood pressure was actually a little high. I also have to go in on Monday for a non-stress test since I'll be 41 weeks at that point.  They'll hook me up to a fetal monitor and check for heartbeat, fetal movements and also to see if I'm contracting at all. They'll do that for 20-30 minutes.

So, all in all I am feeling so much better. The past few days have been frustrating, but now I know I'm progressing and I know I will get to meet this baby for sure in less than a week!!!! That's the most exciting part, for sure. :)

Correction

I just looked at my appointment sheet and I'm actually not scheduled to go back today - it won't be until tomorrow. Not that it matters all that much at this point. The appointment next Monday (and it IS on Monday) is the one where I'd get scheduled to be induced if need be. We'll see...

My appointment...

...is not until 2:15 HST, so for all you east coasters (which I am fairly certain is everyone reading this) I won't be able to post anything until about 9pm EST.

I know, I know

I said I wasn't going to post anymore until the baby was born, but... it's the middle of the night and I can't sleep. Again. I'm totally obsessed. I keep trying to tell myself that I need to stop and the baby will be born when he's ready, but it's all. I. can. think. about. Even though I'm only two hours into my actual due date, I'm trying to just mentally plan on being induced some time next week. Anything to make me stop wondering every flipping minute if something is going to happen soon. My next appointment is Wednesday, then another one the following Monday. At that point I'll be put on a schedule for induction. 

Physically, I'm definitely tired of being pregnant, but mentally and emotionally, it's worse. I'm out of things to do to distract myself from the waiting and I just really, really want to get on with it.

I suppose an important lesson to be learned is to assume NOTHING from pregnancy to pregnancy. 

Well, I'm going to stop right here, before this turns into a big whine-a-thon. I'll probably go ahead and post after my Wednesday appointment, and then again next Monday - hopefully with a date and time!

39 Weeks, 6 days

Still pregnant...

39 Week Appointment

Sigh...

No change. No change whatsoever from last week to this week. She stripped my membranes again but it hasn't had any impact so far and I don't think I'm expecting it to. So, we'll see how everything eventually plays out and what actually happens. Not that it means anything, but this is exactly how it was with Dominic. 

My mom thinks that since I had a bigger baby last time, and now I'm expecting a smaller one, my body will hang onto this baby longer since my capacity inside is greater. That (unfortunately) makes a lot of sense.

My grandmother thinks I'll have the baby with the full moon this Saturday. My nurse practitioner also seems to think that does have some influence on when babies are born. We'll see...

Over it

I know I haven't reached my due date yet, but I'm already starting to feel like I'm going to be pregnant forever and the baby will never come out. I've had two nights now of waking up to contractions that happen just long enough to make me wonder if this might actually be it, and then they stop. 

I have my 39 week appointment in about three hours, so I'll report back on that later, but unless something really interesting happens before the baby is born, I think that will be it until the big event. I don't want this to turn into the place where I come to whine, since I know in my head I don't actually have anything legitimate to be so upset about. 

Name update

Okay, so it's definitely Bruce A-something, but it looks like Alexander will be nixed. (sigh) Andy's mom pointed out to him that his nephew, Nate, has the same middle name. Which we knew, but of course now Andy's thinking of changing it. The main possibility right now is Andrew. It will definitely be an A name so that his initials will be B. A. D. If you know Andy at all, this should not surprise you in the least. 

New background

I was reading my friend Sarah's blog this morning and saw she found a website to get cuter backgrounds, so naturally I had to check it out. No offense to Blogger, but the template choices are fairly dull. But I've already tried out about five different ones, and I'm still just not sure if I like what I've got. Expect things to keep changing until this baby shows up. This is one thing I can do to help me pass the time, as meaningless and trivial as it is. haha

No Baby Yet

Now that it's seriously getting down to the wire, I know people are starting to wonder. So am I! lol Anyway, nothing's happened yet. I woke up yesterday morning at 4am and had some contractions for about an hour, but obviously nothing came of them. 

My family got into town yesterday and today and we still have our big dinner plans tonight, so after that, I will absolutely be in sit-around-and-wait mode. I think I'm about as ready as a person can be for this, so I hope the little guy doesn't take too much longer to make his appearance.

I'll be certain to get Andy to post something once I've had him, or if I happen to be at home when I go into labor, I'll post that too. Well...as long as things aren't going too super fast. :)

How irritating

So Andy's birthday is tomorrow and I still haven't gotten all the stuff I wanted. Make that MOST of the stuff I wanted to get. My plan was to do it all today, but he had the morning off. We ended up going to the mall and also had lunch out. Since we got home, I have felt just exhuasted and nauseous. Not a good combination for taking two little kids out to buy decorations, cake and presents! Plus, Dominic and Clark discovered toys I had hidden in the storage room (we rotate them in and out - it's ridiculous how many they have. And yet, I can't seem to just get rid of them). Anyway, I will have to drag them out of the house kicking and screaming. 

And you know, I just *had* to google "nausea before labor". And naturally 18 million links popped up of women on message  boards asking if this meant anything. And of course there were loads of women responding back, "Oh yeah, I felt sick one day and had my baby that night" along with loads of women with the opposite experience. 

By the way, if the baby were born today or tomorrow, I'd be taking part in quite a deFiesta family tradition - Andy was born on his mother's birthday. If the baby were born today, he'd be born on his mother's birthday and if tomorrow, then on his father's and grandmother's birthday. And Andy is also the third child! That would be quite a family fun fact! 

Okay, enough procrastinating. Time to drag the children out of the house!

38 Week Appointment

My appointment this morning went well. I've dilated another centimeter, which puts me at 2, and I'm 50% effaced. So - progress. Nothing crazy, but things are moving in the right direction. Baby's heartbeat is still in the 150's, my blood pressure is fine, and I lost 3 pounds! My nurse practitioner was quite interested to know how I managed that. I really have no idea. 

Also, I went ahead and let her strip my membranes. And let me say, it's no big deal. It was mildly uncomfortable while she was doing it, but certainly no worse than a regular pelvic exam. I don't have any great hopes that it will actually do anything, but you never know. Right now I'm feeling mildly crampy, but I'm not having any contractions. We'll see.

Lastly, she doesn't think I'll be having another big baby like Clark (nor do I). She's guessing somewhere between 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 which is what I've been thinking, too. So we'll see!

Insomnia

So here in Hawaii it's 4:49am. Ugh. I've been awake for the past two hours. What woke me was Clark - and then I just couldn't turn my brain off after I got him back to sleep. Having to make a couple of trips to the bathroom hasn't helped, either. So I've been puttering on the computer for a while and I think I'm starting to get sleepy again, so wish me luck. I have to get back up in about two hours - yuck. At least I have my OB appointment to look forward to today, so I'll be posting more on that later. :)

38 Weeks

I hit 38 weeks today. My 38 week appointment isn't until Wednesday morning. I'm curious to see if there's been any change. I haven't really experienced any more pre-labor, so I won't be expecting much. I think the baby may have dropped even lower since whenever I walk for any distance, I feel increased pressure both in the front and the back. I've also lost a couple of pounds, which is often a sign that you're close to the end. But, as with all the other signs, "close" is a very relative term.

My mom, step dad and brother will be visiting this weekend and next week, and we've made plans to have dinner out in Waikiki on Saturday night. So I'm hoping to hold off giving birth until after that. Andy's hoping I make it all the way to the 18th, since that will mean he will be off work through basically the end of the month. lol I guess that would be okay - I'm still not totally uncomfortable, but it does get harder to be patient as time goes on. :)

The rest of the story

Well.

Heath and Michele got to our house last night around 5:30 and hung out for about half an hour before heading off to get something to eat and pick up a movie at Blockbuster. When they got home, Michele was feeling a bit nauseous so she went to lie down. Then she took a shower. When she got out of the shower, her water broke! So we got a call around 7:45 and headed back down to the hospital to pick up Kaylee. By the time we got there, Michele had started having contractions that were 5-7 minutes apart. So yay! No waiting around for an induction!

Matthew Heath Faison was born at 12:53 am this morning, weighing in at a whopping 10 pounds, 10 ounces!! And he's 23 inches long! And no c-section! All hail Michele, birthing goddess!

No go

So I just got a text from Heath - they will not be having their baby today. They will be leaving the hospital soon to go back home. They've been kicked out right as rush hour is about to get really nasty. I would be soooo pissed right now.

Yikes

So my friend Michele, who was due to have a baby five days ago got a call from the hospital this morning bright and early at 4am. They told her to be there at 7am and they would induce her. It's now 3:30 pm and she is still waiting for a bed to open up! When I went over there this morning to pick up her little girl, Kaylee, the place was a freaking zoo. There was nowhere to park and there were swarms of cars circling the lot trying in vain to find a spot. There are a good 20 or 30 "stork" parking spots for women who are 34 weeks or more pregnant and every single one was taken. Michele's husband, Heath, told me that they've run out of room in the postpartum unit for ladies who have delivered and are being sent to other areas of the hospital for the remainder of their stay.

How the hospital could not have anticipated and planned for this baby boom is absolutely beyond me. Every woman delivering at Tripler has also been going there (or Schofield, which is part of Tripler) for her prenatal care. Don't they track how many people are due at any given time? And doesn't everyone know that there's always an uptick in expected babies after a brigade gets home from a deployment? There are seven ladies alone in Andy's company who are having babies around this time.

Anyway, I certainly hope I don't have to be induced! I'll definitely be keeping my expectations of my hospital experience significantly lower, too. I now have visions of giving birth in a hallway somewhere, or maybe outside by a dumpster. lol