Being a mom is a lot like partying like a rockstar. I am up all hours of the day & night (and I never know when I can sleep or will!), my attention is centered around a boy (a really cute one), there is plenty of cleaning up puke and bowel movements, and my nipples hurt. But the high is unlike any other that can come from a chemically manufactured substance.
Being a mom elicits a euphoria unlike anything I can explain. If you are a mom, you understand. If you are not a mother (this includes being a father) and have ever been in love with someone, then you can somewhat relate. If you multiply that feeling by a thousand and add a deep bond, you come up with motherhood.
I'll highlight the important details of the last few days as I could go on forever and would have a Nicholas Sparks novel if I kept writing about how much I love my son.
A week before I was due to go into labor my doctor said I would likely be late so I didn't expect to go right away. My sister came in from San Diego on Sunday (two days after my due date) so I was hoping to go when she got here. By day four I was pretty anxious to go, so I went out walking around all day, drank castor oil & raspberry tea, and took primrose oil capsules. I felt as though I was having back labor but couldn't tell for sure since pregnancy induces back pain anyway.
At 1 AM on Tuesday I began contractions that were approximately two minutes apart. At 2:30 I called the hospital to ask if I should come in and the nurse said that unless my water broke or I was crying through contractions I should wait. Since I'm not much of a crier and by 4 AM the pains were hard to walk through and getting worse, I woke up the family and went into the birthing center.
I was 3 cm at arrival and in an hour was up to 4--I was admitted! Immediately I asked for the epidural since I figured that I have no coach, doula or midwife to help me with labor management. Best decision I ever made. The anesthesiologist administered the shot when I hit 5 cm and I can tell you contractions are much more fun when you are watching them on a screen instead of every two minutes experiencing a minute and a half of intense pain.
To speed through I continued to dilate 1 cm per hour and at 6 cm the doctor broke my water and within an hour and a half I was at 10 cm. The nurse advised me not to push until I felt the urge since it is harder to push with an epidural when you can't feel much. An hour and a half later I was pushing, and after 50 minutes, I had a little boy. 21.5 inches; 8lbs., half an ounce at 11:58 AM. He was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It looks like he'll be a blondie with blue eyes.
Day one was pretty amazing. Even though I had not slept the night before there was so much action and emotion that I didn't care. I had him with me every minute I could! That night was a bit rough as he was being tested for his blood sugar levels and with all the other testing he was pretty fussy and I was tired. But we survived and were able to come home just 24 hours after he was born. The dr. advised I stay another night but with my family in town I convinced him it would be more comfortable for all of us =)
The first few days are tough; as though you'd been on a bender for 3 days without all the fun stuff to keep you going. The thing is, he is just so amazing that he was my fun stuff ;) Even when he'd wake me up crying I would look at his face and am so smitten that I couldn't care less about being woken up.
I am slowly catching up on sleep and getting him in a routine. I do, however, feel as though I got breast implants. By day 4 they were hard as a rock and I went up about two cup sizes. It looks weird to me, but I am happy to have my breasts be what sticks out again as opposed to my stomach!
I have to say I absolutely love motherhood and although I am not fond of being pregnant, he was worth the wait.
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