I finally got the time to sit down and write out Andrew’s birth story. Newborn life + toddler life makes for an extra busy mama! Anyway, I’m excited to share Drew’s story with y’all; plus I’ll have the written out memory to look back on. I will say his birth was relatively normal and “uneventful” (in the big picture), but it’s still a beautiful story and one I hope y’all will enjoy!
On Wednesday, June 10th, I had my 39(ish) week check at the doctor. I was 38 weeks and 5 days. I was hoping and praying for some progress to be made “down there.” I thought I would SURELY be a few centimeters dilated, given that it was my second baby and I had been having irregular contractions for over a week. I had an induction scheduled for the following Monday, and I really didn’t want to have to be induced. More on that later. Turns out I was 1 cm dilated and my cervix was soft – that’s it. I know it’s irrational, but I was disappointed. I was SO OVER being pregnant and I felt like for the last few weeks prior, my body had to be close to being ready. I also know that things can change quickly, but I was still discouraged and thought I would more than likely end up giving birth on my induction date. My doctor decided to do a membrane sweep to see if that would help get things moving along.
About the scheduled induction – I planned it, totally my decision, and yes it was for “convenience.” I know some will think I’m a monster for doing that, some will disagree, and some will not give a shit either way. But I made the decision on the basis that 1) we didn’t have anyone close to watch Jackson if I went into labor spontaneously, and 2) I wanted Andrew OUT and I didn’t want to chance going to 41 weeks (the next date I could be induced). So, yeah, I was willing to be induced, but I still really wanted to go into labor on my own.
Wednesday evening I decided I was going to help my body be ready to give birth. I spent the evening bouncing on a birthing ball, I used my breast pump for nipple stimulation, and I made Austin do his part in helping too (if you know what I mean). I had contractions, but they were weak and inconsistent, and eventually fizzled away. The next morning, I took Jackson for a long walk around the neighborhood. I did chores around the house. I was on the exercise ball all day. And I did the same evening routine as the night before. I was so determined to go into labor.
All day Thursday I felt different. I felt a lot more pressure than I ever had and I could tell Andrew had really dropped. That night, I started having contractions again, but they didn’t go away after a couple hours like they usually did. So around 10:30, I started timing them. Right around then they starting getting more intense and frequent. By midnight, they were 6-8 minutes apart, and I found myself having to breathe through them. THIS WAS IT. We left to the hospital around 12:15AM on Friday, June 12th.
We got to the hospital, got checked in, and into a delivery room. I was 4cm dilated at that point. It honestly didn’t feel real until then. None of it did. I was about to have a baby. I suddenly felt like time had flown and I couldn’t believe things were happening so quickly. But I was so ready to meet my little man.
I’ve admitted before that I didn’t enjoy the majority of my pregnancy. I was very sick during the first trimester – I had bad morning sickness, cold after cold after cold all winter long, and I got the flu and pneumonia and was completely knocked on my ass. Not to mention the next few months of craziness with COVID getting out of hand, losing my job, and a multitude of other stressors. So I was hoping and praying for a quick and easy labor to end the pregnancy. That didn’t exactly happen.
First, I got a COVID test. If you’ve had one, then you know they are TERRIBLE. It literally feels like they’re shoving a q tip into your fucking brain. It was sick. After the COVID test, I got checked again and I was at 6cm and ready for an epidural. The anesthesiologist got to my room and I was excited for the pain to be over soon.
She got the epidural in, and I felt a huge shock go down my leg and into my foot. I yelled “ouch” and told her what I felt. She said that shouldn't happen, so she would redo the epidural in another spot. She started going into a new spot, and told me she couldn’t get it because I wasn’t sitting correctly. So she had to try again. Guys, I was contracting INTENSELY during all of this, curving my back in the most uncomfortable way, with a nurse pushing down on my neck to keep my body positioned correctly. I started getting super upset and frustrated, but third time’s a charm, right? So the doctor gets the needle in, and as she’s pulling it out, she accidentally pulls the epidural catheter (where the medicine shoots in from) out too. She told me what she did and said she’d have to do it again. WHAT THE FUCK Y’ALL. I asked her if she was serious, because there was no way it would take 4 tries to get the damn epidural in. But she was serious, and she did it a fourth time. Thankfully that time everything worked and it was in right. Finally. But, I immediately got a really bad headache. Like migraine bad. Throbbing and intense pressure. I couldn’t even turn my head to the side it hurt so bad. The anesthesiologist told me sometimes spinal fluid can leak and that’s probably what was causing the headache and if it didn’t go away they would give me Tylenol. I’m not sure about y’all, but that did not sound normal or reassuring to me. Leaking spinal fluid? I’m sure it sounds scarier than it really is, but I was freaking out. They ended up giving me pain meds right away because I was in so much pain. It got better, and the epidural kicked in, but I will always be traumatized by that experience.
I was finally able to labor comfortably and I was so relieved. My next check, I was still at 6cm. My blood pressure was really low, and the nurse said I was bleeding more than normal. They gave me an oxygen mask and my nurse asked for a second opinion on the bleeding. Y’all, by this point I was over the whole damn labor. I was emotional, frustrated, and exhausted. I couldn't wait for it to be over.
Thankfully, my morning nurse said the amount of blood wasn’t a concern, and she got me set up in a more “productive” position since I hadn’t dilated any further. An hour later, she came in and checked me and said “You’re about to have a baby!” I could not believe it was time. My nurse told me to keep my legs closed until my doctor arrived because the baby was literally about to come out. She said I’d probably only have to push a couple times. I was so thankful to hear that – some good news!
My doctor arrived about 10 minutes later, and we were ready to go. I told Austin I was so nervous. Not about giving birth, just about being a mom of two little boys. My responsibility and purpose was about to become even greater. I was moments away from bringing a new life into the world. There are no words to describe that feeling. But you mamas know. I pushed three times, and my life was forever changed. Every sickness, ache, pain, discomfort, frustration, and struggle was forgotten in an instant. I’d do it again a million times over for this boy.
Andrew Watson Gomez
Born 6/12/20 @ 7:49AM, 6lbs 3oz, 18.5"
