Caveboy's Birthstory

It has only taken me five years to actually get the motivation to write up the birth story. Perhaps it is because I am procrastinating another task, perhaps it is because now you need a little backstory as to why I want to run a sub 3:30 marathon.

In preparation for Caveboy’s birth I found lots of blogs about birth and motherhood and like any first time expectant mother I read everything I could. I found Birth Without Fear and was inspired by the birth stories written by other moms. I thought I might just join the movement of writing down my birth story but I never got it done. This year I feel like I have the inspiration to write it up. Maybe it is because my baby is growing up, maybe it is because BamBam is a little bit older and not putting me through the ringer quite as much that I have the energy to write. Maybe it is because I missed out on my annual free slurpee on 7/11 because the gas station near my office is no longer a 7/11 and I was reminiscing how I now blame the slurpee I enjoyed on 7/11/2012 as the catalyst to my labor.

On July 11, 2012 our friends had just brought their first born home from the hospital. I had just finished a day at work and was hot and tired and very round. I recall saying to my Mom that at 39 weeks I was tired of working but not ready to have the baby yet. I wanted to lay on the couch but my husband encouraged me to go with him to congratulate our friends.

While we were visiting our friends I kept getting this weird tummy ache. It was not like the Braxton-Hicks I had been getting, nor did I recognize it as a contraction. The contractions that were described to us in our labor and delivery course did not sound like this funny tummy ache. Whatever. We had a baby to see and friends to hug. I held our newest friend, hopeful that the oxytocin from his new baby smell would not rub off on me and start my labor. I was not ready to have a baby yet. That kiddo could keep on cooking.

 

We went to bed that night and several times I got up because of that funny tummy ache. I would get up, go pee, and get back in bed. Finally after several of those cycles my husband says “Maybe you are having contractions. You have gotten up every 15 minutes for the last 2 hours.”

 Nah. These can’t be contractions. I’m not ready to have the baby yet.

By 8 am on the 12^th I had come to terms that something was happening to me and I was rather uncomfortable. I called in to the office to let them know that I wouldn’t be coming in that day and that I needed to see my midwives. I wasn’t totally convinced that I was in labor but I definitely would not be in the office that day.

We called the midwives, went in for a check and indeed, I was in the early stages of labor. They suggested we head home for a few more hours. On the way home from the hospital there was a train sitting on the tracks blocking the path. We quickly turned in to the grocery store so that we could pick up some essentials like grape juice, sweet tarts and other incredibly nutritious treats. While in the store I had to go away from the aisles and checkout areas to breathe through contractions.

Okay, I was in labor.

We stayed home for a few more hours and went back in to the hospital in the early afternoon. Things were progressing well and I was determined to labor as long as I could without drugs. I took several hot showers and then labored in the tub for a while. Contractions were definitely getting more intense but I was able to catch some snoozes between contractions. Time got fuzzy.

Eventually, my midwife suggested breaking my water to help the baby descend. She suggested an epidural because things were going to hurt a lot more after they did that. At that point, I accepted the epidural but not before they filled me full of fluids with an IV. This was the hardest part of labor. Once you say “Okay, I am ready to not feel anything!” the ability to handle the pain went right out the window.

I kind of was disappointed with getting the epidural, but was grateful for the nap that I was finally able to take. I think my husband was happy to be able to take a nap too. I can’t say that I enjoyed the epidural except for the nap. It made me vomit all over the nurse, I had a headache, and except for the contraction pain being gone, I was rather uncomfortable.

More time passed and as we were finally approaching the end of the 12^th my midwife said, “Let’s push!”  At 11pm on July 11, 2012 I started pushing. First the hair was born. Then they got me a bar and a sheet to pull on to help with the process. Giving birth is hard work. I had never pulled so hard to achieve something. Never in all the years of climbing had I pulled as hard as that night. The poor nurses.

Finally after 3 hours and 25 minutes little Caveboy was born. What an incredible little thing he was. What a horrifically long experience that was. I was exhausted. After a bit of time had passed and we had admired our work I mentioned that a 3:25 marathon was pretty respectable. I had not yet run a marathon and it was then that I decided I might just aim to run faster than that someday. Laboring women say some pretty crazy things. I am sure this was no exception of crazy for the nurses to hear.

Caveboy at hours old (photo cred: Charlie)

Happy Birthday, Caveboy! So happy to have you in our lives.

Caveboy at 5 years (photo cred: Charlie)