Baby Hobgood: Birth Story & Postpartum Life!

We have made it through one month of baby bliss. I finally feel like updating this little blog! I have spent the past month pretty enamored by our little guy...I haven't wanted to do much except stare and cuddle. (Nor have a had a chance to!) So here is our not very exciting birth story, but I want to write it down so I can remember and look back someday. Because Lord, my family and friends know my memory is terrible.

On January 1st, I spent most of the day pacing and making sure every little thing was ready for baby. The day dragged on as we waiting for 3pm to roll around. We were told to call labor and delivery then to find out what time we would need to come to the hospital to start the induction process that night. 3pm rolls around they tell us to be there at 7pm ready to go to sleep and a full belly! So we leave and head to Chili's to eat a big meal because I wasn't going to be eating until after delivery. We arrived at the hospital and they immediately get me into a gown, start my IV and hook me up to the monitors. By the way...the IV was what I was most nervous about. And my nurse was amazing and got that sucker in like it was nothing. (Thank you Jesus!) Not too long after, I received a pill that I took every four hours that would soften my cervix! When I arrived I was 2cm dilated and almost 100% effaced. Also, they gave me an Ambien in hopes to help me get some rest before the big day. I think maybe I slept two hours that night...I was too nervous/excited to sleep plus it is kinda hard to sleep hooked up to monitors and cords EVERYWHERE plus a blood pressure cuff taking your BP every 15 minutes. Which my blood pressure was THROUGH the roof and not going down. Praise God we scheduled our induction when we did.

We get through the night and around 7am, my nurse comes in to officially start the induction. Within the next 30 minutes, they start the Pitocin and my OB comes by to check me and break my water. The breaking of the water was painless but made me gag, (haha!) From there, my OB asked when I wanted my epidural. Of course at this point, I was having contractions but nothing too serious. I asked her when she suggested and she told me whenever you want! I opted to just get it when the anesthesiologist was ready for me unless my contractions get worse before that. So my nurse left the room and got me on the "list" for the day because there was going to be nine inductions that day. Well low and behold, I was the first on the list and had an epidural in by 9am.

Lets talk about the epidural. Ladies...it is nothing like you hear or expect. If you're like me and hate needles/blood/anything medical you would be nervous as can be for an epidural or IV. Although, at the end of your pregnancy you are just ready for baby to be here...you really don't care what it takes for them to be out of your body and in your arms. Even if it means everything to do with childbirth. So dont worry friends that are pregnant or plan on being at some point in your life...it is cake and I promise you will survive. Most people say the IV is really the worst part.

After getting the epidural, my blood pressure dropped significantly and caused me to become nauseous and loopy. My body was not used to such a low BP. So for a couple of hours, I tried to lay as still as possible and get a little bit of sleep. At this point, we had family showing up to wait for little Griffin to make his appearance! So we had visitors coming in and out while I was loopy. From 9am to about noon I jumped from 3 cm to 6 cm dilated! Then noon to 2pm, I progressed extremely fast. I went from 6 cm to 8 cm within an hour, 8 cm to 9 cm within 15 minutes then ready to push within 5 minutes after that. Between 8 cm and pushing, I had a fun surprise of my epidural finishing its first bag and getting a new one...and it wore off. I started to feel my feet and legs again! Since I progressed so quickly and Griffin wanted nothing but to come into this world. My new bag of epidural medicine didn't really have a chance to kick in on time. So for about 15-20 minutes, I could felt the contractions leading up to pushing. (Yay!) As far as Im concerned, it was painful but I was SO ready to push that it didn't matter. So our nurse called my OB, started to have me push and by the time my OB got there it was go time. First of all, I expected some intense situation during this time and it was the most relaxing thing possible. You push during contractions and in between you crack jokes and laugh with your OB and husband. At least...that's what we did! I pushed for 20 minutes and our little man made his appearance into the world at 4pm with the tiniest and sweetest cry. It was surreal and all I could do was smile from ear to ear. Griffin Parker Hobgood was 7 pounds and 21 inches!

They put him on my chest to do skin to skin and he cried with his little chin quivering while they stitched me up (3rd degree tear, yikes! and yes, I could feel her stitching me up so she gave me some shots to numb me...yep. TMI? too bad my friends) Let me also mention that you do not realized how crappy you feel at the end of pregnancy until you deliver your baby and the placenta. I felt like a new woman the moment both were delivered and out of my body! I am pretty sure as soon as I did I said something along the lines of "holy sh*t, I feel amazing!" Then they cleaned him up, we breastfed for the first time and we finally got him to ourselves. Heath held him for the first time...and I fell in love a little (or a lot) bit more. Im not sure you can ever explain that moment you see your child for the first time. Its perfect and pure and something you will always remember the way you feel. Then you see your spouse hold them for the first time and its even more than that. Your heart explodes. Not long after we let all of our family in to meet him...and I held back tears watching each person meet him for the first time.

My whole birthing process was perfect for me. Before pregnancy, I was terrified of labor and against ever having an induction. But I had to for my safety. I am not ashamed that I chose to get an epidural, I don't think it makes me any less of a woman. But I would have chosen it no matter what. In my circumstance, both were necessary because of my BP complications. I would not change one thing about the whole experience. I had such an amazing birthing experience...I literally would do it again over and over and over. I want to have baby after baby after baby...Lord willing. Even though I was swollen and puffy as can be (just wait until you see how much water I retained especially with the fluids I was getting during delivery! you'll laugh and judge me, I promise!) I would still do this over and over to bring life in this world.

Lastly, I have to brag on my nurse. She was insanely amazing and took such great care of me all day. She was just one of those people you can connect with and was so laid back. I appreciate her more than she knows and thank God for such an amazing experience because of a nurturing nurse. As well as my OB(Tracy Suit), she is literally an angel sent from heaven...I highly recommend her to anyone and everyone. I could not have imagined anyone else to care for me during my pregnancy with all the complications we faced. I appreciated the way she cared for me in all situations. I cannot thank her enough for everything! And lastly, my husband...he was so relaxed and laid back the entire time, allowing me to be levelheaded and relaxed as well. He was caring and gentle. He was literally perfect. Which I didn't expect any less.

As far as everything postpartum...(there is TMI and honest information below, read at your own risk.)

The days after delivery are uncomfortable and its not fun but bearable. You get to wear pads and ice packs the size of Texas. You lose what you feel like is your whole body's weight in blood. Your hoo-ha hurts, your whole body is sore and exhausted. You feel like you ran a marathon and swam across the entire ocean. You sweat all of that fluid you retained and that was pumping through your veins during delivery(which was ALOT for me!)...in the middle of the night...getting your sheets and clothes soaked. And breastfeeding...that gets its own paragraph. All while your on a hormone high and can't stop staring at this tiny human that just entered your life. Oh, did I mention thats all just the first couple of hours, days after delivery?

Then you get home and you can't put the poor child down to even sleep because your first of all, in love, and secondly your anxiety and paranoia is out the roof. If you lay them down, you're afraid they will spit up and then suck it up their nose or choke. You check their breathing every 2 minutes when you lay them down. You are exhausted. Your hormones are RIDICULOUS. Im not kidding when I say that. You literally cry at nothing or you cry every time your mom leaves your house for two weeks straight. Its all true that you hear. And if you haven't heard...you now know.

Now breastfeeding...oh good grief. Friends, I was not prepared for this and was not warned how freaking hard it would be. From the beginning it is painful and it gets worse because your child wants to eat...all the time. And at the beginning, they are sucking much harder to get colostrum because your milk has yet to come in. (Typically comes in 3-5 days after delivery) Colostrum is what they get before that. And when I say it hurts...its toe curling, crying every time you feed hurt because you are so sore. Then your milk comes in and you officially feel like a cow. In my experience, Griff would not latch the day my milk came in because I was so full. That night I leaked like crazy and I finally gave up, pumped and gave him bottles of breast milk instead. We had a pediatrician appointment the following day and I had already made up my mind that we were either going to exclusively pump or do formula. Well, thank God for his pedi and his encouragement for me to just stick it out a week longer and see how it goes. So I did...and I am SO glad that we did. It got significantly easier and less painful. Now, nursing Griffin is one of my favorite things, I look forward to nursing all day everyday. There is such a beautiful bond you build with them. A bond in knowing you are nourishment for your child...that you are needed in that way.

Griffin started out eating every 2 hours on the dot around the clock. We are just now coming around to nursing every 2 1/2-3 hours during the day and 3-4 hours during the night. He is a rockstar and latched right away after delivery and now has no problem latching...as well is being bottle fed once at 3am by Heath to help out and let me pump! It has not been easy by any means at all...but it was so worth the pain and perseverance in that first week. We had such a hard time figuring out what was "right" and what was right for us. Ladies who are expecting and who are planning on breastfeeding...get ready and prepare your mindset to know that you have to do what works for you. There is not one right way to feed your baby...as long as they are happy and gaining weight, you are doing best for them.

We are doing wonderfully as a family of three! I was surprised how fast I felt "normal" following delivery. One week postpartum, I finally felt somewhat normal again. I wasn't sore and almost all of my swelling had melted off. I finally could look in the mirror and recognize myself again. At two weeks postpartum, my wedding ring finally fit again. I gained a little bit over 40 pounds and I have no idea how much has been lost. I don't go back to the OB until February 18th...so we shall see how close I am to pre-baby weight! I am so looking forward to being able to work out soon...I have wanted to do yoga lately!

Lastly, I am just simply humbled and in awe of the Lord's provision. Pregnancy, childbirth and delivery is one of those things you are convinced that He is so good. Our bodies are MEANT to do this. He knit us together to perform such a beautiful miracle. In going through it once, my heart is so open to doing it all over again as many times as He allows our little family to. Bringing life into this world is a scary thing but one of the most beautiful acts I will ever be able to do. It has changed the perspective I have on my own body and the strength and confidence it has given me. Simply...He has made everything perfectly. My body nourished and protected a human freaking being. And now I am a mom to that human being. That's amazing. I don't want to change a thing about my body and I can finally embrace who I am. I'm just so thankful.

January 1st, the day before Griffin was born! 37 weeks!

Morning of induction! You think I am swollen here...just wait! ;-)

He missed me but thats okay, he is cute!

My Mom and Granna!

Just moments after Griffin was delivered!

True joy.

Heath cutting the umbilical cord!

tears.

Clean up time!

First photo as a family of three! (Told you...swollen city, yall!)

My dad! 

Father in law, Monty!

My brother! Uncle Jake!

My aunt Dana!

My cousin Nicole and Griff's first time crying!

My sister in law, Kelsey! (Who had Griffin's cousin, Harper, two weeks after he was born!)

Heath's brother, Jared!

My best friend, Megan!

My cousin's Fiance, Caycee!

Yaya and Honey!

Griffin the day after he was born! Red Raider fan already!

The night we went home!

One week postpartum!

Four weeks postpartum!

I will be updating soon about Griffin's first month of life! Cant even believe it is going by so fast!