Baby #2 Labor Story
Hello friends!
Happy Halloween! Today, I’m sharing a little recap of my third trimester, my labor story with Josie, and how postpartum has been going.
The third trimester was probably the toughest and longest trimester of them all. I felt lots more movement, and seeing as my placenta was posterior this time around, some of Josie’s kicks were quite painful! I continued to have lower left back pain, which I just recently found out was due to kidney stones! I had gone to the ER back in August due to the pain because it had become unbearable, and I had thrown up. Labor and Delivery thought it was a UTI, but when my test results came back, all it showed was that I had tested positive for Group B Strep (very common in pregnancy).
However, this past week I experienced the same unbearable pain and threw up once again. I headed into the ER, and they did a CT scan and found that I have a 3mm stone by my bladder that they said should pass, and an 11mm stone that’s in my left kidney! Because of the size of the one in my kidney, I was told I would need to have surgery, so I have that scheduled to happen in a few weeks. I’m so thankful to have an answer finally because I’ve been experiencing this pain on and off for three years. I first started feeling pain a few months after having Lyla. At the time, my doctors thought it was a gynecological issue, and they did an ultrasound on my pelvis, but did not find anything. Over time, the pain just gradually increased in intensity, and I had no idea that kidney stones could stay in your body for years. Regardless, I’m happy we figured out the issue!
I did not escape the third-trimester fatigue and was put on iron pills. I went on these when I was pregnant with Lyla, too. My doctor also did a growth ultrasound a few weeks before the C-section to see how Josie was measuring. I was told at that appointment she was measuring around 7lbs, which freaked me out, considering we still had a few more weeks to go. However, our little “Jose Jose” (Lyla’s nickname for her) ended up being 7lbs, and 5oz! A lot smaller than our Lyla Bird.
So, considering I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing both types of labor (yay me!), I have to admit that I would have much rather had another vaginal birth. The C-section began at 10 AM, and Josie was out in 5 minutes. However, it was the longest 5 minutes of my life. After getting to the hospital and checking in, Kent and I had a little bit of time to chill before I was brought back for surgery. Before they started, I was taken to the surgery room first so the anesthesiologist could administer the spinal tap. I felt a slight pinch, but overall it wasn’t terrible. The only weird thing that happened was that my right leg moved involuntarily while the needle was still in my back. Shortly after, Kent was able to come in, and they got me all prepped for the surgery.
The surgery began, and I was asked if I could feel anything sharp as they started to cut me open. I told them immediately that what I was feeling was sharp. If I’m being quite honest, I wasn’t impressed with how this situation was handled. The doctors just said that if what I was feeling was sharp, I’d be in a lot more pain. They continued, and while I expected to feel some pulling and tugging, I felt way more than that. It was so much more painful than pushing a baby out. The doctors told me they could give me some pain medication, but recommended I wait until Josie was out. So, once she was out, they gave me some pain meds while they finished closing me up. Hearing our baby girl cry for the first time was music to my ears, and both Kent and I were shocked when we were told how much she weighed.
The nurses asked that, as soon as the anesthesia wore off, I get up and walk around. On the first day, I felt okay and was doing laps around the hospital up to four times a day. Days two and three were more challenging as the pain meds started to wear off. I also experienced some right shoulder pain while I was in the hospital. When I mentioned this to the nurse she told me it was due to gas pain. I had no idea that you could feel pain in your shoulder from gas, but we learn something new everyday, right? Lol. I was a little overwhelmed on day two after meeting with the physical therapist. As she started to discuss all the things I couldn’t do, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel depressed. It probably didn’t help matters that I was sleep deprived and Lyla was there running around while she was explaining everything. We had the best nurses though, and they all took such good care of us! We had Josie on Thursday and got to go home Saturday around noon.
Postpartum has had its ups and downs as we adjust as a family of four, but I’m thankful for the support we’ve received from family and friends. The first day home was the hardest because Lyla was very excited about her baby sister, but also overwhelmed. I think it’s safe to say that both Kent and I felt pulled in a million directions that first day, but we’re slowly getting back to a routine. The pain from my incision has been mild, and I stopped taking ibuprofen/Tylenol probably a week or so after coming home. I also wore my abdominal binder for the first couple of weeks to help manage the pain. It’s recommended to wear it for six to eight weeks, but it irritated my skin, so I haven’t worn it since. Thankfully, any pain that I am still experiencing is minimal. Aside from the kidney stones, the only other thing I’m struggling with is figuring out how to divide my time between Lyla and Josie. It’s definitely had it’s challenges since Lyla has always been a mama’s girl, but I know in time it will get easier. Kent has to keep reminding me to give myself grace and to take one day at a time. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Overall, I’m incredibly thankful for a healthy baby and Lyla has literally been the BEST big sister! I truly mean that. She has been great with Josie, and I can’t wait to see their relationship grow. Her and Josie look identical too! God knew we couldn’t handle twins, so he gave us two girls that look the same at different times 🙂.
Anyway, that is all I have to share for now. Be on the lookout for my new blog series “Josie’s Cozy Corner” where I’ll share updates on our sweet girl! 💕
Thanks for reading! ✨
Love, Brandi