I’ve always been terrified to give birth. Getting a shot was just about the worst pain I could imagine. I had a list of “goals” I wanted to accomplish before getting pregnant to test the painful waters (going to the dentist, getting blood drawn, etc.). Thankfully, each time I would do something, it was always worse in my head than in reality. 

Once I was pregnant, the “opportunities” to test my pain tolerance started ramping up. After every appointment, I was so proud of myself as I became more comfortable with all the different checks and pokes and prodding. Overall, I had a pretty smooth pregnancy and am so grateful! Though around the 34-week mark, my feet started really swelling. I knew swelling was normal toward the end of pregnancy, but this seemed a little excessive. After some encouragement from my mom, I decided to call the nurse’s line at my doctor’s office and ask about the swelling. They ended up asking me to come in and I saw the nurse practitioner. She thought my blood pressure was a little high and the swelling was a little excessive, but nothing alarming. She said that they would continue to watch both of these things closely at each appointment thereafter. 

The next day I received a phone call from the doctor’s office asking me to come in a few days later to follow up with the swelling and check my blood pressure again. At this point, I wasn’t worried. I just figured that they take every concern seriously and appreciated that they took such a thoughtful approach to my care. Well, turns out the swelling kept getting worse and my blood pressure was still elevated. I did not have high blood pressure throughout my pregnancy thus far, so this was new. 

The doctor said that high blood pressure could be an indication of preeclampsia or gestational hypertension. We were pretty sure that it would be GH because I was lacking most of the other preeclampsia side effects. They let me know that there was a good chance I might be induced early. But for now, they wanted to keep monitoring me closely. I received a biophysical profile (an eight-point test performed via ultrasound) and thankfully everything looked good.

The following Monday I went back to the office (at this point I was 36 weeks and 6 days) and did a nonstress test. Thankfully, the baby’s heart rate looked good, but my blood pressure was still elevated. The doctor came into the room and asked me how I was feeling. I responded with, “I think my body is done being pregnant.” She responded with, “Well that’s good because I think we need to induce you this week.” In my mind I thought an induction might come at week 38 or 39, so I was a little surprised. She said that due to the gestational hypertension, she recommended we go ahead with the induction at 37 weeks for the health of me and the baby. 

I remember calling Matt and putting him on speaker with the doctor so that we could both ask all our questions and hear everything she had to say. Honestly, I was excited to be induced early! Obviously, the baby’s health was my biggest concern, and this was the safest thing to do. But I also just knew my body was done being pregnant. My feet could only fit in Birkenstocks or Velcro sandals that I could loosen. My back hurt whenever I would stand for more than a few minutes at a time and my throat felt like an inferno from all of the heartburn. I also just could not wait to meet my girl. The way I saw it, an early induction meant three bonus weeks with my daughter and guaranteed that I would deliver a smaller baby (really good for my fear of birth!)

My biggest fear going into delivery was getting the IV and the epidural. Needles are definitely not my thing! I let my nurse know of my great fear and she told me that I could get a shot of lidocaine before the IV and while it would be two pokes, the lidocaine shot would be way easier compared to the IV. The shot burned, but I could not feel the IV going in at all!

Pretty soon I was hooked up and getting all the fluids and Pitocin in, My Big Fat Greek Wedding was playing on the TV, and we were starting to settle in. My mom arrived shortly after. The doctor came in and said it was time to break my water. It was uncomfortable, but not painful. I was completely unprepared for how much liquid would come out. I also didn’t know that amniotic fluid continues to reproduce. So instead of just one gush after breaking, you continue to leak until delivery. I had no idea!

Around 10:30 my contractions started up and I was in pain. The nurse explained that it is about forty-five minutes after you request the epidural for you to start feeling relief, so I knew I didn’t want to wait too long. Matt encouraged me to go ahead and request one and I am so grateful I did!

The anesthesiologist came in and explained exactly what he would be doing. I sat up, crisscrossed on the bed, and prepared myself. He started with a shot of lidocaine (I was glad that I had already had one in my wrist for the IV because now I knew exactly what to expect!) and then proceeded with the epidural. It hurt way less than I expected! Not long after, I was feeling good!

I ended up taking a nice long nap and woke up around one when the doctor came in to check my cervix. This time I was 100% effaced and 6cm dilated!

My mom and sister said goodbye and left the room and a whole bunch of other nurses came in. The doctor taught me how to push and told me I would feel pressure. I could tell when a contraction was coming, but it never hurt. I am a huge fan of epidurals!

I think I did three rounds of pushes and out came our baby girl! Matt cut the cord (he was super nervous about that) and she was laid on my chest. She was here and crying and healthy! It was the best moment of my life. 

Charlotte Leigh Giovenco was born at 4:59 pm on April 6^th, 2023, weighing six pounds and eleven ounces and nineteen and a half inches long. They stitched me up while Lottie lay on my chest and then Matt held her for the first time (swoon!). Shortly after my mom and sister came in the room and then Matt’s mom and then his dad. I didn’t know it at the time, but my MIL took videos of Lottie just laying on me and recorded some really sweet moments and conversations. That isn’t something I would have thought to ask for, but now it is one of my favorite things! Everything was such a blur, and it is really special to watch back some of those first few moments as a mom.

As I already mentioned, I was starving before Lottie came (I hadn’t eaten anything in about twenty hours) and my sister asked me what I wanted for my dinner. No surprise to anyone, I wanted Chick-fil-a. Matt’s sister was on her way to the hospital, so Catherine called her and gave her my order. She said by the time my mom and she walked out of the delivery room and placed my order, Lottie had been born!

The rest of the time in the hospital went by in a blur! We moved up to the mother-baby unit and my mom helped Matt and I settle in. It was passed the visiting hour, so the security guard didn’t want to let her in, but there was no way I wasn’t going to say goodbye to my mom that night! Our nurse called down and told the guard that she had some essentials she was bringing up for me 

The next day we had lots of family in and out. Matt’s family always brought whatever sounded good to me to eat so that I didn’t have to eat the hospital food. We had great nurses as well. Matt was amazing and it was so fun getting to watch the people we love love on our girl. 

If you know Matt, you know he is very particular about how and where he sleeps. Safe to say the pullout hospital couch was less than ideal for him. My mom offered to stay the night with me the second night so that Matt could get a full night’s rest at home. He of course told her no and she said that it would truly be a gift to her to get to stay with Lottie and me. At that, Matt took her up on her offer. Moms are the best and she was probably more help to me that night than Matt would have been (sorry honey!). 

The next day we were discharged to go home! Lottie left the hospital at six pounds and three ounces. She was so tiny!

I was so nervous about delivery, and I am so grateful for how everything went. Obviously, the biggest blessing was that Lottie and I were both completely healthy. But it is still such a blessing that everything went smoothly and was virtually pain-free. I had heard a lot of scary delivery stories, so I hope mine is encouraging for anyone else anxious about birth. At the very least, my own experience has shown me I can absolutely do it again (and again and again!).