Spinal Headaches

I didn't want this to be included in Ivy's actual birth story but want to remember it as well. 

I had an awesome birth, delivery, and recovery, or so I thought? Friday, the day after Ivy was born, I started to get headaches but chalked it up to being really tired. I started alternating taking Motrin and Tylenol 3 every 4 hours. We even tried alternating them every 2 hours cause I was still having headaches. We had lots of visitors and face-timing on Friday. Friday night the headaches got really bad and by Saturday morning I was in tears anytime I had to sit up to feed Ivy. My morning nurse told me I probably had a spinal headache which is caused by a spinal puncture during the epidural.  She suggested that I get a blood patch and told me that it would make the headache go away instantly. Sign me up! I got the blood patch, which was 10x more painful then my epidural, but as promised my headache was immediately gone. So what did I do? Got up, got ready, ran around the room like a crazy person because I felt so good! We headed home a little after 1 pm and came home to a quiet house. I was so excited to be home and back with my boys. I had missed them so much. I could tell they were missing their mom too! We had a fun night. I gave the boys their baths, read them books, and gave them extra snuggles. 

The next morning I woke up and headaches were back. It was awful! We had schedule Ivy's newborn photos for that day so I got up and got ready anyway. All I wanted to do was lay down though. During our whole shoot I played on the bed and rested cause it was the only way my head didn't hurt. My sweet friend Jeannette was so good with Ivy and so sweet to just let me lay down! I felt so bad! Monday TJ had to go to school and I tried to do it on my own but ended up calling my neighbor Brandon in tears because when standing or sitting up at all I just couldn't function. He came and got the boys and watched them till TJ got home from school. I felt horrible and helpless. I read up on blood patches and spinal headaches trying to find out anything that could help. Firstly I learned once you get a blood patch you are supposed to lay down for 2 hours after so that the blood patch does its job! That would have been helpful thing to know when they gave me the blood patch! Second, I needed to lay down on my back as much as possible and drink tons of water. Pretty impossible with 3 kids under the age of 4 to lay down much. I made it through Monday and planned on going to get another blood patch Tuesday afternoon after TJ got out of school. I asked my friend Carissa if she would come help me with my boys Tuesday morning. While she was watching them I took a nap and when I woke up to feed Ivy I sat up and the headache was gone! It was such a relief to have the headaches gone and be able to finally take care of my little family again. I was so grateful to Carissa and Brandon for helping though, I know I couldn't have done it without them. 

Ivy was an amazing baby through the whole thing. The boys were so patient with me and so understanding about being passed around while I was unable to take care of them. 

So how do I feel about epidurals now? I 'm not sure? I've never done labor and delivery without one and all of my deliveries have been amazing and calm and wonderful! The spinal headaches were horrible and I hope I never have to go through that again, but I also think that if I did have another epidural in the future and it did happen again I would get the blood patch right away, lay down for minimum of 2 hours after and take it easy for at least 2 days (no lifting my other heavy children), and drink lots of water! We will see if I have any more, then I can decide!