When I returned to school from Spring Break, evidently everyone on my team thought I was having LG that week, but I still doubted it since I'd made it so far and began feeling better. However, they were right...on Friday, April 8, 2016, I went to school like any other day. My intern was there for her last day and my long term sub had been shadowing all week, so she was there, too. Early in the day I started feeling some tightening in my back, but I was convinced it wasn't contractions because it was nothing like contractions with Lucas. But the one thing that kept me wondering was the fact that it kept happening and the pain would last anywhere from 30-90 sec. I started tracking the pain, just in case, and it was every 10min, 8 min, 5 min, etc...but the pain was constant. I didn't say anything to anyone because again, I seriously doubted the pain was contractions. But to be cautious I called my ob before heading to lunch and the nurse told me it was probably Braxton Hicks contractions, she told me to move around and drink lots of water...so I did both, and because I wasn't feeling the tightening across my stomach, the nurse didn't think it was contractions either.
I went on to lunch and recess, where the whole 3rd grade was dressed in pink and gave me and LG a big shout when I came outside. They had a PINK OUT for Lilly Grace...well it worked :)
I went back inside after recess and I had been letting my sub and intern do everything anyway, but I felt I needed to at this point. I still wasn't feeling contractions in my abdomen, but my back was still hurting. I thought well I should head home and at least nap and rest because I felt like LG was coming this weekend. I knew I wouldn't get any downtime with Lucas being home so I figured a few hours to nap would be helpful. However, once I made this decision I felt a little different and thought maybe my water had started to break, but I wasn't sure. I had been messaging Andrew all day, and he wanted me to come home if I need to. I didn't want to waste any of my leave time, but I decided it'd be best to go home. I walked down the hall and found Kristen, who was actually coming back down the front hall and I told her I thought I should go home. I asked her if she'd go get Lucas and bring him to the house and that I thought I'd go ahead to the hospital. I grabbed my things, told my students and team bye. As I walked in the office to tell Ms. Hagood I was heading out ...I felt it...my water broke standing right there, luckily it was nothing like you see in the movies.
Kristen and I walked out to my car to get Lucas' car seat out, we couldn't get the top strap to unlatch, so we decided we'd let Andrew take it out when I got home and she'd go pick it up before she picked up Lucas. She asked me many times if I wanted her to drive me home, but I felt ok to do it. As I drove home my back labor (which I didn't realize I was experiencing) turned into contractions across my abdomen and my water had definitely broke. I called Andrew and told him to get the truck packed to go, so when I got home we were ready to go. It was emotional because I realized I wouldn't get to see my baby boy again as my only baby boy, but I was in so much pain every few minutes that my focus quickly shifted.
We got the hospital around 2:30ish and I was checked in. My admitting nurse was awesome and so sweet. We discussed that if LG was born today then her birthday would be 4-8-16, which was so cool because of the numbers, each doubles to make the next. However, it wasn't long after when my contractions got VERY intense and VERY close together. This progressed VERY FAST, to the point I was worried I wasn't going to get an epidural, and to be very honest, I was worried they weren't going to be able to get me to the delivery room. However, my Mama and Mr. Eddie made it to the room at this point and I was in lots of pain. The nurses were trying to put an IV in so I could get some pain meds, but my veins are very small and I guess because of the overall stress, they had to redo my IV, MANY MANY times...like 8+ times. My main nurse called someone else in to help, they were great at their job and what they were doing, it just wasn't the best circumstances. Luckily they got the IV in and pain meds, but they didn't help a lot to be honest.
Finally they got me to the delivery room around 4ish and they had called the anesthesiologist for the epidural, sadly because of being stopped he didn't make it until just after 5pm. Luckly thought, he was AWESOME and so was my L&D nurse, and they both had amazing bedside manner, and the epidural went well, the first time (unlike Lucas where it had to be redone 3 times sadly).
After my epidural, it literally was smooth sailing....I couldn't feel the contractions and I was good! Around 6pm the doctor came in to check and said we were ready to push! The nurse said she'd only get me to push on the big contractions as to not wear myself out. After 35 min and pushing, Lilly Grace Oliver made her debut!! Unfortunately, they had to use the vacuum to help get her out at the end, sadly her heart rate dropped. However, I will say that my doctor and nurse were TOP notch at Lexington Medical Center. They knew she was in distress, but they didn't say much, just communicated to get the point across. After being born, the nurse told me they thought maybe she had the cord wrapped around her neck, but she didn't. Once we had a few minutes with her though we figured she might have had her hands wrapped on the cord (because she uses and moves those hands so much). Either way, Lilly Grace and I were safe and healthy.
Lucas was the first to meet Lilly Grace. Once Kristen got to the hospital with him, Andrew brought him in and he got to meet her and spend some time with just us. After that, my mom, Mr. Eddie, dad, Ms. Mindy, Rebecca, Kristen and Lucas all came in to visit and hold LG.
She was loud and not very happy. Lucas got 2 doughnuts :) haha one from Poppie and one from Pop!! He was a mess running and playing, but having so much fun with his Pop and Poppie!!
We were later moved a post partum room and we went with LG to the nursery to get her bath.
Introducing Lilly Grace Oliver
April 8, 2016
6:35 pm
7lb 4.2oz
20 1/4"
Grandma and Poppie
Gigi and Pop
Our sweet family of 4
Aunt Kristen
Aunt Becca
Snuggles with Daddy
Our experience at LMC was above and beyond. Every single staff member was amazing, sweet, thoughtful and just excellent. We were both worried about being at a different hospital than where Lucas was born, but man, there was NOTHING to worry about. It was such an amazing experience, and we loved it!!
Recovery went well and we were able to go home on Sunday!
Ready to go home
