The story continues...

After two tries, the epidural finally worked. The doctor that gave it to me had NO bedside manner. I had warned him that I had a cortisone epidural for my back a year ago, and it took 12 vials of lidocaine (sp?) to numb my back, and that the doctor had a lot of trouble finding my epidural spot, and had advised me to share this information with the anestesiologist whenever I had a baby. Well, TWO vials of lidocaine later (no, he did NOT listen to me), I could feel the needle perfectly. I felt grinding in my back, hot pain. But the end result was a good epidural. I couldn't feel anything, and couldn't even move my legs!

The epidural slowed down everything. I would probalby have given birth by noon if I hadn't received one, but that was NOT an option.

By around 7:30 p.m., the doctor told me I was ready to push, and an hour after I started pushing, my beautiful son was born. It really was a great birthing experience. I had little pain, and I had great a doctor and nurses.

Well, needless to say, time has a way of getting away from you. I have spent the last 8 weeks loving and adoring my big baby boy! He is such a joy. I love watching his face and I could eat his chubby cheeks right up!

Last Monday, 11/21/05 was my first day back to work. I actually went back to a new position within my company, and I was so tired. Hunter still wakes up at 3 or 3:30 to eat, and I was so anxious all night long about leaving him in day care and going to work, that I didn’t get much sleep. I was tired all day long, but other than that, I did relatively well! I only called the daycare provider once. She said he did really well during the day. That was a relief to me!

That night, however, was a different story. I think he sensed that I wasn’t with him all day long and I really think he missed me. He wouldn’t let me put him down at all. When I gave him his last evening bottle at 10:30, he wouldn’t lay down to sleep. I was up with him until 1 am, and then up again at 3 to feed him, then up again at 6 to go to work. I am so tired today, I can barely think. My body is aching, my muscles are screaming, my nose is runny, and my throat hurts. Oh… lack of sleep is just lovely. I didn’t experience any of this while I was at home, because I always got to go back to sleep after his feeds in the middle of the night and early morning.

I know it will take some time to adjust, and this week seems to be much easier. Hunter is sleeping longer and longer, and I think that by this weekend, he may even sleep the whole night through.