Griffin Ozzy King is officially here!!!!
I know the sign above reads 39 weeks, but I didn’t actually make it that far. Griffin decided to arrive a tad early and was born at 38 weeks, 2 days. In fact, after I posted last week, that’s kind of when the whole labor process began. I know it’s said that everyone has a different birth story, so here’s a summary of mine…….
My week in review: Last Wednesday, July 1st, I had a doctor’s appointment where my OBGYN did a cervix check and informed me that I was about 3 cm dilated but 0% effaced. To me, this basically meant that nothing was going on, mostly bc I’ve known people who were dialated for weeks on end and nothing happened. That, in addition to the fact that I was 0% effaced, and had a very posterior cervix, told me that I probably had some time yet. Boy was I ever wrong!
When I woke up on Thursday morning, July 2nd, I discovered that I was beginning to lose some of my mucus plug, or at least that’s what I figured it was. It continued a little throughout the day, but I felt that it wasn’t constant or bad enough to make me think that I needed to call my doctor. Plus I’ve always heard of women losing their plug, and it didn’t always trigger labor; therefore I just went on with my day and even worked out.
Fast forward to Friday morning……I awoke suddenly at about 2:30 a.m with really bad period like cramps that would last for about 30 seconds and were about 2 minutes apart. The cramps were miserable and kept me up the rest of the night/morning. In addition to these cramps, I also continued to lose a little bit of my plug. My original plan was to call my doctor when they opened in morning, but I didn’t feel like it was bad enough to wake Jeff up, or to go to the hospital. Looking back now I’m kind of surprised I didn’t accidentally wake Jeff though, because I was doing a lot of moaning and rolling around in bed.
When 6:30 a.m eventually rolled around I informed Jeff that I was going to rest a little longer, because I’d been up almost all night. By this point my cramps were more spread out, not lasting as long, and not nearly as intense. I felt like I was fine, but still decided to call my doctors office just to let them know what was going on and to see what they’d recommend. I felt like I had enough energy so I took a shower and then called my doctor. Sadly, when I placed my call, I discovered that the office was closed for the holiday weekend. Luckily though, I was patched through to the on call doctor who told me to relax and take it easy for the afternoon, and to call again if things seemed to progress.
Thankfully Jeff happened to be off work for the day too, so we just hung around the house and watched some Entourage. Every now and again the cramps would come back and then around 3:30 p.m or so, they were becoming pretty intense and regular. That’s when I decided to give the doctor another call and she informed me that I should go to the hospital and get checked out. I don’t think she really thought I was labor, which was ok, because I wasn’t sure either. All I knew for certain was that I was in pain and it was making me want to cry.
Therefore, Jeff and I packed up our stuff as soon as I got off the phone and we arrived at the hospital at a little before 5:30 p.m. Once there we decided to walk around outside for a little bit to try to get the contractions to start back up. They had kind of diminished on the car ride down. After that, we checked in and were escorted up (I didn’t feel I needed a wheel chair) to the maternity ward where we were taken into a private room and I was hooked up to a few different monitors. Next, one of the nurses came in, did a cervix check, and then informed me that I was still 0% effaced and what she believed to be only 2 cm dilated (which meant that nothing had changed since my doctors appointment on that Wednesday). After her initial check the nurse left the room to call my on-call doctor with the results. Jeff and I couldn’t help but over hear her tell Dr. Mallard that nothing has internally changed with the dilation and effacement, but that I was definitely having real and serious contractions. Once she was off the phone the nurse came back into the room and gave me two options. She informed me that Dr. Mallard said I could either walk around the hospital for an hour, to see if I progress any, or that I could go home and labor there. Either way, they thought it was actual labor but still very early and could be days yet. I chose to walk the floor for an hour.
After the nurse left the room, I put on another hospital gown, wrapped some loose monitor cords around me, and Jeff and I took to the hallways. We walked kind of slow, and stopped at different bulletin boards around the halls to kill time and monitor contractions. As we continued to walk my contractions kept getting worse and worse. It was dour second lap around the floor that they got to the point where I couldn’t even stand and was literally hunched over the rails that were attached to the walls. That’s when I decided to cut our walk short and just return to my room. Once back, the nurse came into the room to do another cervix check and sadly reported that nothing had changed. She also informed me that I was definitely in the very early stages of labor and that Doctor Mallard said I could either be checked into the hospital, if I really wanted to, or I could go home and labor there for awhile longer. They also said that I would most likely be back either the next day or over the weekend. So, after much debating, I decided that going home made the most sense. Mostly because if I chose to be admitted to the hospital they couldn’t give me anything to help with pain, and I also wouldn’t be able to eat solid food until after I delivered, and there was no way of knowing for sure how long that would be.
Jeff and I arrived back at our house around 7:30 p.m. and all I felt like doing was laying on the couch. At this point, my contractions were definitely getting stronger and after about 6 years, I finally caved and told Jeff to just order us a pizza from Papa John’s. Between the time we ordered the pizza and the time it arrived, my contractions were getting closer together and lasting about 25-35 seconds. They hurt so bad too, that I would just ball up on the couch and couldn’t even sit on the toilet whenever I had to go to the bathroom. Eating dinner was a challenge too, and I only managed to eat a slice and a half, mostly because if I wasn’t taking a bite of pizza, or having a contraction, I was passed out from the pain. Thankfully I have an amazing husband! Jeff was so supportive and sat with me the entire time monitoring all of my contractions, telling me how to breathe, and feeding me my pizza. Finally I couldn’t take it anymore, and at around 11:15, when I was slumped over on the stairs and crying, I told Jeff he needs to call the doctor back and tell her we were heading back to the hospital.
Don’t let my smile fool you. Right after my photo I was against the counter curled over in pain.
We arrived back at CMC Main around 11:45 and this time I told Jeff that he needed to go through the emergency entrance. We left the car there and went inside. Thankfully someone met us at the front desk with a wheel chair and after Jeff was given his visitors badge I was immediately wheeled up to the maternity floor. They must have realized that it was for real this time, because I was immediately wheeled into a delivery room and was hooked up to all the monitors. It didn’t take very long (maybe 5 minutes) before a nurse came in to do a cervix check. She informed me that I was now 100% effaced and around 5 cm dilated and having major contractions. Man! Did that ever happen fast.
After the check the nurse asked if I was planning on being given an epidural, because if I was she’d go get the anesthesiologist to administer the drug. I immediately replied YES, because after laboring all day, I was definitely ready for some relief. Thankfully it only took a few minutes before he arrived to my room, and as the door was closing behind him I could hear a lady from down the hallway screaming bloody murder. It honestly sounded like she was dying. I just stared blankly at the nurse and anesthesiologist and said, she’s doing it without medicine, isn’t she? They looked at each other and said yup, and the baby is about to arrive. Wow! I give those women who do it naturally a lot of credit.
I honestly have to say that being given the epidural was not nearly as bad as I was expecting. I hardly even felt a thing. However, I knew that if I saw the needle I would have freaked out, so I made sure that I was very careful not to look at any of the equipment as the anesthesiologist wheeled it in. Sadly, Jeff wasn’t thinking, and made the mistake of looking at the needle before and he almost passed out. He ended up having to squat to the floor and was then helped into a chair to regain his strength.
Let me just say the whoever created the epidural is seriously my new best friend! It pretty much went into effect right away and even though I could sometimes tell when a contraction started, I felt absolutely no pain. After the epidural was administered it kind of slowed my progress down, so my nurse came in and told Jeff and I to just get comfortable and try to get some sleep for the night. She also said that she’d come back periodically to check on me. Once she left, Jeff and I decided that we would try to rest, and I did. I really can’t remember the last time that I ever slept that good. Between the all day contractions and the drugs, I was beat. The next thing I remember was waking up and it being morning.
At about 7:00 Dr. Millard (not my usual OBGYN, but she was the one on-call over the holiday weekend) came into my room to check on my progress. She reported that I was now 7 cm dilated, and therefore wanted to break my water, especially seeing that it hadn’t happened yet. After that she left the room for a few minutes, and Jeff messaged my sister Shannon, to let her know what was going on. I was excited because she was driving up from Orlando, Florida to be with us. About 15 minutes later, at around 7:15, Dr. Millard came back in, and broke my water. It honestly was not what I was expecting it to be. The whole process took only about 2 seconds and I didn’t feel a thing; not even any pressure. I’ll have to admit though that it was kind of gross, which made me so glad that it didn’t break on it’s own, and in public.
After my water had been broken, Jeff and I didn’t think that it’d be too much longer before Griffin arrived. We thought for sure that he’d be in our arms by 8:15, even though my sister predicted 10:45. We kind of had a chuckle about that, because we really thought that there was absolutely no way I’d last that long. Once again, we were wrong. Dr. Millard ended up coming back in to see me around 8:00 a.m to see how I was progressing, and I’d now gone up to 8 cm. At this point things were looking good, but then came to a screeching halt. After that every time that someone came into the room to check on me, my progress was exactly the same. That’s why at around 2:00, after zero progress, and the fact that Griffin’s heart rate dropped numerous times, my doctor made the decision that I’d need a c-section. As soon as I heard this news I immediately began to bawl. All my plans that I had made had now gone out the window, and I absolutely did not want a c-section. However, my feelings didn’t matter. I knew that for Griffins safety, and mine, it had to be done.
Jeff all ready to go into the operating room
Therefore, at around 4:15 I was transported down to the operating room. We were informed that Jeff was allowed to go in with me, but wasn’t permitted in until after I was already prepped for surgery. Once I was taken away from him, and wheeled into the room, I broke down again and began to cry. I’ve never in my entire life even had so much as a sprained ankle, or a broken bone and now I was about to have major stomach surgery, without any warning, and it scared me. I’ll admit that I ended up crying throughout the entire operation, even though they gave me tons of medicine; maybe even more then I actually needed. Thankfully Jeff was there, because he was my rock throughout it all.
After I was all prepped, and they started to cut me open the nurses went out to get Jeff. I told them to please make sure they let him know what was going on because I knew that if he accidentally looked down, when he walked in the room, he’d pass out, and I really needed him. In fact, that was my one request. My exact words to him were, “Please do not pass out on me.” Jeff took that request very seriously too and didn’t even once consider leaving my side. In fact, a nurse ended up taking his camera from him so that she could get pictures of Griffin being cleaned up. By doing that, she allowed Jeff to stay by my side, and even when they brought Griffin over, Jeff held him in one of his hands and had my hand in his other. I was so appreciative of that, and glad that if I couldn’t hold our son right away, that Jeff got to.
Griffin Ozzy King was officially delivered on July 4th, at 4:35 p.m, weighing in at 6 lbs. 15 oz., and was 21 inches long. I’m not going to go into any detail about the actual c-section though and what it felt like, mostly because everyone is different and I don’t want to scare anyone that has to have a c-section in the future. Some people may think that it’s not bad. All I know though is that they had to push on me extra hard because they said I had really tight stomach muscles. Hopefully that will help me bounce back quickly.
After I delivered, and was stitched and stapled shut, I was wheeled into a recovery room where I was required to stay for about an hour. Once there I was finally allowed to hold my son and have some skin on skin time. I honestly don’t remember too much of it though, mostly because there were still a lot of drugs in my system and I was exhausted. In fact, a few days later, when I was going through Jeff’s photos, I found myself asking him when he took this or that, and he’d just reply with, “in the recovery room.”
I don’t remember this being taken, but it’s my favorite photo!
Once I was cleared I was taken to the room that we’d be staying in over the next couple of nights. My sister even ended up making it to town on time to be at the hospital when I left recovery. She was the first visitor that we had and it was so nice to have her there! I absolutely love my little family and would do anything for Jeff and Griffin! People always say that when you have a kid it changes things, and I never really believed it, but now I know that it’s true. Jeff and Griffin are the most important people in my life and watching them together absolutely melts my heart. I can already see the love they share for one another.
Right after I was wheeled from recovery to my room. I’m still a little medicated.
Griffin and me on day two in the hospital
I love my family!
I also want to say that Jeff was incredible throughout this entire pregnacy. He put up with all my complaints, would massage my shoulders, back, and feet when they hurt, and now, after my surgery he’s doing absolutely everything around the house, because I’m not allowed to. Thankfully he’s been working from home too, which has been a huge help, especially seeing I’m not really suppose to be doing anything except relax on the couch. It’s driving me crazy too, because I really want to at least start walking again. Due to the c-section though, I know it’s going to be a bit longer now before I can start lifting weights and going all out again. Whenever I’m feeling down about it though, I just hold Griffin and he instantly makes me smile.
I’m to the point now, where I’m just trying to get use to my new routine. I’ve actually been working on updating this blog for over a week now, but just have not had the time. Due to this, I may be taking a short break. I promise though, to continue to update whenever I get a chance.