On the morning of Sunday, July 6 (about 6:00am), I started having very, very mild contractions. Matt had woken up to get ready for work and was unsure of whether or not he should leave me. We got up and went for a walk around Bradford and up and down Wimbledon Drive to try and help my contractions continue. We were both unsure of what labor would be like, how I would feel, and how quickly I could progress. We were still unsure if it was “the real thing” or not; but, he definitely didn’t want to leave me and something happen while he was at work. I assured him that there was no way that I would progress to active labor within the next 6 hours, because it was my first baby and I had read enough to know that she wouldn’t come that fast.
Matt’s dad came to church that day as a surprise and I was at home in early labor, so I didn’t go to church. After church, Matt and his dad picked up Zaxby’s and brought it to our apartment. I told Matt that I could handle people coming over, but that I didn’t know if I could leave the house. I think we were just nervous and unsure of what was happening! I was still having inconsistent contractions, but they were definitely contractions and they would range anywhere from 3-15 minutes apart. I remember trying not to show any emotion while I was having those mild contractions. I didn’t want Matt’s dad to be alarmed or worry and I didn’t want him to tell Matt’s family that anything was happening. We knew that when anyone heard I was in labor that everyone would begin to be super excited and anxiously wait, so we didn’t want to give them any “false hope” that Holland was coming!
That evening, Matt and I went over to the Dwiggins house with the Sherrons to play Settlers of Catan. Tiffany had made an amazing fruit pizza! My contractions were about the same as they had been all day. At times, my contractions would be 5 minutes apart and sometimes, there would be a long break in between as well. I had kept track of my contractions throughout the day on an app on my phone, which was so helpful. Each time I would have a contraction, I would hit “Start” and “End.” The app kept track of how often I was having contractions, how long they lasted, and the intensity of them as well. Around 10-10:30pm that evening, as our game of Settlers was winding down, my contractions started to feel more painful. I could tell they weren’t as mild as they had been all day long. I remember Mitzi telling me who was on call that night and who would most likely deliver me if I went in overnight. Mitzi was going in to work that next morning, so I was hoping I would go in about the same time that she did. My entire pregnancy, I had wanted her to be my nurse when I delivered.
We left the Dwiggin’s house that night and headed home (which would end up being our last night together without Holland!!!). On the way home, my contractions backed off and weren’t as painful as they had been while we were playing Settlers. Matt and I got in bed around 11-11:30pm and had no idea if my contractions would wake me up in the middle of the night and send us to the hospital or if I’d wake up the next morning without contractions waking me up in the night. Contractions woke me up around 2-2:30 and I started logging my contractions on my app. I guess I fell asleep while doing that because I woke back up to painful contractions around 5-5:30am. I went to the bathroom, got a hot bath, and texted Mitzi that we were out of toilet paper and asked if she could bring some by on her way to work (and also to tell her that I was having more painful contractions, but they weren’t intense enough to call my midwife). She stopped by around 6am and dropped off TP and told us to call her if we talked to the midwife and were coming to the hospital. Around 6:15ish, I called Michelle (the midwife who was currently on call). She asked what was going on and how I was doing. After explaining everything to her she said that I sounded like I was in early labor and to go to the Greenville OB office anytime I felt like I was progressing or in active labor. She told me that the office opened at 8am and I could walk in and tell the lady at the front desk that I needed a “labor check.” Within 30 minutes of Mitzi stopping by and calling Michelle, my contractions picked up BIG TIME. Around 6:30am (exactly 24 hours after early labor began), my contractions were 3 minutes apart and more intense than they had been so far. Matt was now wide awake and logging my contractions in on my phone for me. I would move back and forth from the bathroom to the couch. I would yell to Matt when a contraction was beginning and would tell him when it stopped. He made an executive decision that we would definitely go to the OB office and be waiting for them to open at 8am so that I could be checked to see if I was progressing and in active labor. So, he started getting everything ready and putting everything by the front door. He jumped in the shower and we were headed to the Dr. office at 7:35am. By this time, I was having painful contractions and knew that something was going on! Honestly, labor feels like really, really bad stomach pains. I’ve always had “stomach issues” and this felt exactly like that. I was kind of excited that contractions weren’t a crazy, awful, excruciating pain. I was prepared for the absolute worst pain in the world, and it wasn’t as bad as I had mentally prepared for!
[Notice that I don’t mention Holland very much in this. I was very focused on “labor” and the actual delivery part. You will better understand my reaction to meeting her because I wasn’t emotionally prepared!]
On the way to the OB, I remember talking to Matt and us saying that we wouldn’t call our families until we were absolutely sure that I was in labor and that we were going to the hospital. Again, we didn’t want anyone getting their hopes up that she was on the way, if she wasn’t. When I would have a contraction, I would grab the handle in the car and say “Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!” We arrived to the Dr. office and I told Matt that I would go in and immediately sit down in a seat. I didn’t want to have a contraction while standing at the receptionist desk. Matt waited patiently in line and told the lady that I had talked to the midwife on call and that I was possibly in labor. Everyone sitting around me was looking at me and I’m sure I appeared to be in labor. I was extremely large, my hair was a mess, and I was wearing work out clothes. The receptionist told Matt to go ahead and take me back to be checked. Lisa checked me and said “Good job! You’re 4 cm. You’ve earned your pass. You can head over to the hospital.” I can remember asking her if I had done a good job and if I had waited long enough to come in. She reassured me that I had done a great job and that I had labored plenty before coming in. She asked if I was wanting an epidural or if I was wanting to have a natural childbirth. She told me that if I was planning to have a natural one, that we had time to go get breakfast at Bojangles or something. I quickly told her that I wanted an epidural whenever I could have it, so we headed to check in at Vidant. Everything happened so quickly after this moment at the Dr. office!
We headed to the car by 8:10 and texted Mitzi right away. She had only been at work for about an hour and we were hoping if she knew I was on the way that she could be my nurse. She said that she would go ahead and prepare my room and be waiting for us! I can’t even describe what a relief it was to know that Mitzi (the person who had talked to me about labor and delivery for the past 9 months) would be taking care of me. We called our parents on our way and told them that Holland would be arriving soon! They all got ready and headed towards Greenville within the next few minutes. We arrived to the hospital and pulled up to the drop off area. We got what we needed and gave our keys to the valet guy. He asked if I needed a wheelchair and I said I would be ok and walked in. We went straight to the check-in area. It’s kind of funny how calm they were about asking us questions and needing to make a copy of my license and insurance card. I can remember at one point she asked me something and I started to answer her question. Mid answer I stopped talking and looked at Matt; he knew I was having a contraction and that he would have to finish answering for me. After checking in, we sat in the waiting area. There was no one else around and no other people in the lobby area; thank goodness!!! Matt had forgotten to grab the camera bag and asked me if I’d be ok if he went to get it from the car. I was really looking forward to having pictures of the next few hours, so I told him to hurry and get it! I had a contraction while he was gone and was so happy when he walked back through those glass doors. Matt returned and at some point I remember saying, “What is Mitzi DOING back there?” We were in the lobby waiting for her to come and get us. Around 8:30, Mitzi walked us back to our room on side B. While we were walking back to the room, I asked Mitzi what we had to do before I got my epidural. I knew we had discussed that a few things had to be done before I could get one. She reminded me that I had to get my blood drawn, IV hooked up, and she had to get a bag of fluids in me. We got to the room and she gave me my gown and instructions of what to do. I got changed and sat in bed. Very shortly after that, I was hurting and sitting in bed was not very comfortable. I was anxiously awaiting my epidural, so to pass the time, Mitzi offered me the birthing ball. I sat on that for a few minutes until Mitzi said I could get back on the bed and prepare for my epidural. About 5 minutes before I received my epidural, I told Mitzi that I was feeling nauseous. She told Matt that there were bags on the wall, in case I actually got sick. As she was telling Matt this and pointing to the wall, I asked for a bag. I was having a contraction and knew I was about to be sick. I threw up and it was a yellow liquid. I hadn’t eaten all morning (because I hadn’t eaten since the night before). My next contraction the same thing happened and I got sick. I was hurting, but not as bad as I had prepared myself for. Knowing that my epidural was on the way made me feel so much better too. After those 2 contractions that made me sick, Dr. Jones came in to prepare me for my epidural. I had been so nervous about getting one (before I was actually in labor), but it was nothing compared to contractions. He told me what he was doing and what I needed to do. Matt stood in front of me and Mitzi helped him with what to do. My epidural was in so fast and immediately started working. Within 10 minutes, I was telling Mitzi that I couldn’t feel my right side, but that I could feel on my left. She was a little worried and told me that epidurals work with gravity, so she had me lay on my left side in hopes that the epidural would begin to numb that side. With each contraction I would ask Mitzi, “Am I having a contraction?” and she would always say, “Yes.” It was kind of cool because I was able to feel enough to move my toes and left leg and also know when I was having a contraction; but, it wasn’t half as painful as it was before the epidural. I was concerned about being able to feel anything because I did NOT want to feel it when Holland came out. I received my epidural around 9:45am.
The midwife on call, Michelle, came by the room and checked me shortly after my epidural. It was probably about 10:15am. She said I was about 6cm dilated and 90% effaced and told Mitzi that I need Pit2, which Mitzi said was a low dose of Pitocin in my IV drip. She said that she would come back and check on me around 2pm and that I would most likely deliver by 5pm. Around 11:15, I told Mitzi that I was having the urge to use the bathroom aka poop. Around 11:30, I told her the same thing. She said that if I was still having that urge at 12 that she would call Michelle in to check me. I couldn’t wait for the clock to say 12 so that I could tell Mitzi that I was still feeling the urge to go. Mitzi paged Michelle to come and check me and around 12:15 Michelle came by to check my progress. She seemed surprised and told me to give her one big push on my next contraction. At that point, I was 10 cm dilated, 100% effaced, and ready to push!!! I had always thought that “pushing” was one big push during each contraction, but it is not! “Pushing” is 3 huge pushes with each single contraction. It is exhausting! Pushing didn’t hurt, it was just very tiring. I pushed for roughly an hour and Holland was born at 1:24pm!!! Holland’s arrival is an entire blog post in itself. I will say that she was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen and that words can’t even come close to describing how it felt when she came into the world.
Goetke's in Greenville 