Now that I'm well, and already uncomfortably, into my pregnancy I've started to think a lot more about how I want things to go this time. With Troy there were a lot of things I didn't know and things I blindly followed because it didn't dawn on me to question things or ask what was normal. I'm referring mostly to the actual birth, however I'm going to change the way we do things once we get home from the hospital as well. Since I've been through this process once before I feel a little more educated on what I can make sure is done for me and take a little more control over the entire experience. In retrospect, there were so many things I should have done differently when Troy was born to make things easier on myself. Of course-- I didn't know.
Now I do.
For instance. I had a not-particularly long, but slow labor with Troy that included three hours of pushing. Now, I went into labor with him in the middle of the night, right after I'd gotten into bed. So I had already gone about 36 hours without sleep by the time it came to push. Change #1: I will NOT haul myself all the way from lying position into sitting position every time I have to push (especially when I'm exhausted and passing out between contractions already). I don't know why it never dawned on me to tell the nurse to raise the head of the bed into sitting position for me, or why they never offered. My back and shoulders were so sore and stiff the next day from that workout.
Change #2: I envy the women who have full relief with epidurals. I did not get that, nor was I wanting to be plugged in and immobile so early into my labor. I experienced excruciating back pain with Troy which prompted the request for an epidural sooner than I was originally planning. I'm hoping this labor will not include that back pain so I can try to prolong having to be immobilized on my back in a bed. I had planned (and would like to plan for this one) to grit it out as long as possible without having medication so I would be free to walk around and deal with the pain via other methods. And if I do need meds, let's just say I really hope they work like they're supposed to this time.
Change #3: There will be no, "Jason, you sleep all night and let me take care of all the feedings and cryings." It's hard enough to get sleep when you have a newborn as it is, it's even harder when you offer to be awake all night because you think it's the right thing for your partner. Guess who gets to do midnight feedings and rockings now!
These are a few of the changes I'm hoping will take place. I didn't want to go into too much detail about Troy's birth, because, let's face it, no one really cares--and the gory details can stay in the delivery room. Hopefully it will be a lot less stressful on everyone.
AND the nurse WILL let me shower when I want to...
Now I do.
For instance. I had a not-particularly long, but slow labor with Troy that included three hours of pushing. Now, I went into labor with him in the middle of the night, right after I'd gotten into bed. So I had already gone about 36 hours without sleep by the time it came to push. Change #1: I will NOT haul myself all the way from lying position into sitting position every time I have to push (especially when I'm exhausted and passing out between contractions already). I don't know why it never dawned on me to tell the nurse to raise the head of the bed into sitting position for me, or why they never offered. My back and shoulders were so sore and stiff the next day from that workout.
Change #2: I envy the women who have full relief with epidurals. I did not get that, nor was I wanting to be plugged in and immobile so early into my labor. I experienced excruciating back pain with Troy which prompted the request for an epidural sooner than I was originally planning. I'm hoping this labor will not include that back pain so I can try to prolong having to be immobilized on my back in a bed. I had planned (and would like to plan for this one) to grit it out as long as possible without having medication so I would be free to walk around and deal with the pain via other methods. And if I do need meds, let's just say I really hope they work like they're supposed to this time.
Change #3: There will be no, "Jason, you sleep all night and let me take care of all the feedings and cryings." It's hard enough to get sleep when you have a newborn as it is, it's even harder when you offer to be awake all night because you think it's the right thing for your partner. Guess who gets to do midnight feedings and rockings now!
These are a few of the changes I'm hoping will take place. I didn't want to go into too much detail about Troy's birth, because, let's face it, no one really cares--and the gory details can stay in the delivery room. Hopefully it will be a lot less stressful on everyone.
AND the nurse WILL let me shower when I want to...
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