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Week by Week

CASEY MICHAEL GRAPPERHAUS

Born August 14, 1997 at 1:33 a.m.
8 lbs 2 1/2 oz - 21 1/4 inches
Labor start to finish = 2 hours 45 minutes (FAST!)

Mommy: Melody Grapperhaus
Daddy: Craig Grapperhaus

Wednesday was just like any other day. I had went to the doctor the Monday before and was told no dialation/effacement. I figured I would go late. I had a couple braxton hicks contractions like I normally do but nothing different from the last few weeks. I went to bed about 8:45 p.m. and woke up about 2 hours later to go to the bathroom (just like usual). After I went to the bathroom and came back to bed to lie down, I had a MONSTER contraction. It really hurt and made me cry. I went back to the bathroom and thought that might help. It went away and I tried to go back to bed. As soon as I tried to lie down I again had another MONSTER contraction. I then cried to Craig that I needed him to get out of bed and massage my back and help me. He had only been asleep for 15 minutes. The contractions continued at 5 min apart and lasting about 2-3 minutes from the very beginning. After about the 3rd contraction we started keeping better track. They continued every 4-5 minutes and got closer and closer. I tried getting in the tub, but as soon as a contraction would hit I would have to frantically try to get out because I couldn't handle them that way. Nothing seemed to work to help the pain. I had intended to do my best to avoid any pain relief and I had planned to spend as much time as home so it would be less time at the hospital. After an hour of these back-to-back, massive contractions I told my husband I needed to go to the hospital NOW because I needed drugs and new I couldn't handle this for hours and hours; which I was sure I had ahead of me! We left the house right around midnight. The car trip to the hospital was sheer H*LL! The contractions had shortened to about 3 minutes apart with merely seconds between them. No time to really recover. At this time I was really feeling like a wuss. My husband was thinking the same thing but was smart enough not to say anything. :o) We figured if I couldn't handle it the first hour, how was I ever going to make it through the rest of labor and delivery. We finally made it to the hospital in less than 10 minutes (it felt like hours). I had 2 big contractions before I even made it in the ER doors. I then had 2 more before I could get to the end of the hall to check in. The people in the ER looked nervous when they saw me. The only time I cursed was in the registration office. I was in so much pain that I went from floor, to back of chair, to banging my head on the wall. There was another guy checking in the ER for a hurt hand about 2 feet from me. I think I freaked him out pretty bad. The nurse came down from labor/delivery pretty quick. As I sat down in the wheelchair I told the nurse that I thought I just peed my pants and she said that was OK. I think my water broke and some leaked out. On the way up to L and D I remember a guy saying, "She looks like a keeper!", when I came off the elevator. By this time I was so worried that I was only 1 or 2 centimeters dialated and they were going to send me home. All I wanted was some pain meds. I was put in the first room where they check you out to see if your staying or if you need to walk or go home. I was told to undress and put on their gown. By this time the contractions were one on top of another with no breaks. I finally got everything off with Craig's help and got on the bed so I could be checked so I could get DRUGS! Lying on my back was awful! I was hooked up to monitors and she did an internal to see where I was. I thought I had misunderstood her when she said I was at 8 centimeters. She immediately said "I think I need to call the doctor NOW!". I asked her about getting some Stadol and she said I had to get into the LDR room and get an IV started before I could get anything. I immediately took off for the room knowing the faster we got there the faster I could get some relief. She was rushing behind me to put a sheet over me so my butt wasn't showing, but I didn't care about that. I would have walked down the hall naked. I was beyond caring about that. They were getting me all set up; all the while my contractions continued one on top of another about every minute. I kept asking about the stadol and they kept telling me I had to wait for this and I had to wait for that. On a funny note, the nurse had a lab tech come in to take my blood and he was standing on the other side of them bed waiting for my contraction to get over, but they were coming one on top of another and the nurse told him that he better go ahead and do it unless he wanted to be there to watch the birth. I never saw such a scared look and fast dart around the bed. He got my blood pretty darn quick and got the heck out of dodge. I don't think he was interested in seeing a delivery. Hehehe. All this while they new I couldn't have anything and finally they decided to tell me it was too late for anything. I just cried. Then I felt like I had to go to the bathroom and begged to get out of bed and go, but the nurse said no, you don't have to go to the bathroom-that's the baby. I soon got that overwhelming urge to push, but urge is not the right word. You HAVE to push. I asked if I could push and the nurses said no, not until the doc got there. That's when I hollered, "Where the hell is Dr. Lambert?" I really wanted to push. I actually pushed a couple times anyway and they said "no, breath." Right then Dr. Lambert walked in and I asked him if I could push and he said to go ahead. It felt GREAT! I pushed for 35 minutes and at 1:33 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 14th-Casey Michael slipped his way into the world. On that final push I felt him slide right out. INSTANT RELIEF! NO PAIN! It felt GREAT! He had the cord wrapped around his little neck so the doctor had to cut the cord right away. Casey didn't breath immediately because of the cord, but a little coaxing and clearing of the mucous and he did fine. His apgars were 7 and 8. He never cried very much. He is still a very good, quiet baby.

I ended up with a 3rd degree episiotomy, but it really hasn't bothered me too much. I feel wonderful, my bottom is just a little sore. The bleeding has really slowed down. It took the doctor about 25 minutes to sew me up.

We have to wake him to get him to feed, but he is doing much better. He usually does great on the first side, but it takes a lot of coaxing to get him to feed on the second side, but when he gets going he really goes to town. When they weighed him this morning he had only lost 1 oz. They said that was great and that breastfed babies usually lose about 3 oz. so I guess he's getting plenty. My breasts have really started to leak and my milk hasn't even come in yet. But I can tell that will be soon as my breasts are already swelling. I want to ad that my doctor had been out of town and only returned on Wednesday. I had an appointment with him at 11 am on Thursday. He thanked me for waiting until he got back.

The hospital staff was wonderful. Even the food was great. They asked me if I wanted to eat after the delivery and I said yes. They brought me a huge plate of fruit, a fresh turkey sandwich, and a wonderful piece of chocolate cake. YUM! I had 6 meals there all together. I got there about 12:15 am on Thursday and WE were released about 5 p.m. today (Friday).

The labor and birth was a total of 2 hours and 45 minutes from start to finish. I'm afraid I will have to camp out at the hospital next time. I am really glad that I was able to do it without drugs (even though I wanted them at the time) because I think that is the reason I felt so good afterwards. I was up and walking right after the doc sewed me up. I never felt poorly.

Casey is the most beautiful baby in the world, but I may be a little biased! :o) When I saw him for the first time tears welled up in my eyes and I was so proud of this little creature that Craig and I had made. It was such a sense of accomplishment. It was the most important and special thing I have every experienced. I would have went through 100 hours of that awful pain if I had to to get that perfect little boy!

It is really strange being home with him. I think I am still in a daze and can't believe that he is really ours. Craig is really great with him and he was wonderful during the labor and delivery. He did everything right. Most importantly, he stood by me so I could keep hold of his shirt during the pain. He also helped keep me focused and breathing. I am even more in love with him than before. I watch him when he is holding and caring for Casey and tears come to my eyes and my love for him gets stronger and stronger. He is a wonderful daddy!