Tag Archives: birth

>Birth Story, Part 2

Posted on December 31, 2009 by | 10 comments

>ImageAt some point in the middle of night, my back labor started. Contractions up to this point were painful, but manageable. Once it moved to back labor though, we entered a new realm of pain. It felt like someone was stabbing me and taking numbers. So, at this point it was figuring out how to ease my pain without medical intervention. I used the exercise ball to rock, Tiff massaged my back and the nurse got some heat packs. Since I was not allowed to use the tub because my Group B test results were not in, the next best thing was the shower. Tiff stripped me down and I moved in the shower where I rocked back and forth while the hot water brought some relief. I have no idea how long anything lasted because time was irreverent, but I did this for awhile and then moved back to my bed where I labored for a bit more before I entered the shower again. Between midnight and seven am, we danced around my pain and back labor until I finally caved in and received some IV meds to help ease the intensity in my back.

The IV meds allowed me to “rest” through contractions, although I didn’t sleep. I still felt every contraction, but each was less hostile towards my system and my back. One thing I know is that back labor is horrible and completely sucks. After a few hours, I couldn’t take the pain anymore and mere exhaustion was settling in, so I was ready for an epidural. Oddly enough, this was no big deal and I don’t remember it even hurting. Maybe it has to do with perspective, considering I labored for over 8 hours with horrible back labor and a small shot in my back spelled relief. Once the epi kicked in, it was a whole new world and I probably should have received one earlier. At this point, my step-mom comes to the hospital and the OB on call (not my doc) comes in for his morning rounds. They know each other from her days as an OB at the same hospital, and have a complete conversation while he checks me and surveys the progress. Oddly enough, and not really joking, this doc tells me that I have until 12:30 to deliver this baby….nice, huh. Nothing like a time limit to an exhausted woman in labor! It is about 8am.

I slowly progress in dilatation until finally around noon I hit the full 10cm! Now we are ready to get the show on the show and push. My nursing staff was completely amazing and the nurse noted at one of my check that munchkin was face up, which would make things a tad more difficult. I am continually having back labor and at one point, I remember the pain being so intense that I start throwing up in pain and screaming. The nurse calls the anesthesiologist who gives me something else to ease the pain that is once again crippling my back. Throughout my pushing phase, my mom, step-mom and Tiff all helped! My step-mom had a leg, my mom had an arm and Tiff was in the bed behind me helping me push through my exhaustion. Every time munchkin gets close to arrival, his poor head gets stuck on my pelvis bone. I push, push, push and nothing works to free him from my body. They make me try different poses, but to no avail. I push for 3 hours and everybody in the room seems to know that he is not going to be born via this route. The OB comes back and after talking with the nurse and my step-mom decides that a Imagec-section is the only way he will safely be delivered. The next 10-15 minutes are a complete blur. I am prepped for surgery in the labor room and both Tiff and I were whisked away to the surgical room. Tiff is placed in her scrubs and joins me as hospital staff are gearing up for the birth of our son. Within 15 minutes or so, they start cutting and produce our son beyond the blue curtain. The moment was so surreal as they clean and assess the little man and since he was almost 4 weeks early, the neo-natal team took him and Tiff to the nursery while the surgical team finished the delivery and stitched me up. Even though he was born at 36w3d, he was completely perfect and considered full term, needing no medical intervention or care. Our miracle. Ironically enough, our “preemie” was 7lbs, 12 oz and got to stay in our room with us the entire hospital stay, instead of spending time in the neo-natal.

ImageAt 4:40pm on Wednesday, December 16th, our world changed for forever. How can only two weeks seem like a lifetime of love?

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>Birth Story, part 1

Posted on December 26, 2009 by | 6 comments

>ImageOur story begins on Tuesday night, the 15th of December. Ironically, all day on Tuesday, I felt great! I had an OB appointment that afternoon so I went to visit Tiff at her middle school and took her lunch to enjoy an afternoon of each other before we became moms. Little did I know that was our last afternoon as just the two of us! I met many of her co-workers for the first time and they ewwed and awed over my round belly. After the lunch date, I made my way to the doctor where I had my first and last prenatal cervical check where I was 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. The doctor didn’t think too much of it and said that she would see me the following week. In addition, I was swabbed for the Group B test, which in mere hours would haunt me later. Following the doctor appointment, I headed to my mom’s house and we were going to go out to dinner at Out.back where Tiff would meet us after she got off work. My last dinner as a non-mom was fabulous, although I was starting to get really uncomfortable in the booth and my mom commented how I was fidgeting. We had a wonderful dinner with my mom and sister and got home around 9pm. After getting ready for the night, I decided to sleep downstairs on the couch was I could not get comfortable in bed and I was tired and frustrated. So, around 10pm, I make my way to the living room to settle in for the night. Literally, not 2 minutes after I laid down, I felt a pop and gush of fluid. In disbelief, I yelled for Tiff who was upstairs. It took two “Tiff!!!!” for her to run down the stairs, noting the panic in my voice and we just stared at each other for a moment until I ran to the bathroom and survey the damage. My underwear and pants were soaked and my first thought and comment was “I don’t think I peed my pants, but I don’t know.” Tiff in her wisdom said, “Honey, I think your water just broke.”

At this point, we both got stupid. No one tells you in prenatal classes that when the moment actually comes, your mind goes blank. Stupidly not knowing what to do, we called my step-mom (an OB) who basically said ‘duh…go to the hospital’ and I start to panic. Full on panic attack. I start sobbing that it is too early at 36 weeks and although we wanted munchkin to come early, I didn’t mean THIS early. We were ready for his arrival, but in that moment, it felt like we had too much stuff left to do, too many loose ties, too many emotions, too little time. I called my mom, hysterical, barely able to speak and she tried to calm me down and told me to go to the hospital and call her once they assessed me. Tiff proceeded to get our already-packed bag and threw in chargers, phones, laptop, etc. We grabbed the already-packed diaper bag and made our way to our new life. We arrived at the hospital and they put us in a room with a beautiful whirlpool tub, which I would not be allowed to use. To check to see if my water did indeed break, they performed two different tests to check the fluid content. I was starting to have that crazy “bloody-show” as well, and I remember Tiff very excited about my bloody-show and the fact that this was the moment we had waited for.

The fab nurse, Emily checked my cervix around 11pm and I was now 2cm and about 75% effaced and we knew that we were not going back home as just the two of us. I called my mom and told her that they admitted me and that we would keep her informed when something else happened. It would be a long night and Emily said that if I didn’t progress, they would start pitocin around 4am to start labor. At this point, I was having mild contractions and I was informed that I could not use the labor tub because I didn’t have the results from the Group B test, which I took hours prior. Not cool. In my opinion, this is why birth plans are useless… why plan for something so specific in which you have no idea what complications, scenarios, needs and medical directives are out of your control. We labored throughout the night, working as an amazing team and progressing about 1cm each hour.

Time to feed Connor, but the second installment will come…

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>Water Broke!!!

Posted on December 16, 2009 by | 27 comments

>Folks, we have lift off…. My water broke about an hour and a half ago and I have been admitted to the hospital. If nothing progresses by 4am, I will get induced further. More later.

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>Pet woes and birthing class

Posted on October 28, 2009 by | 11 comments

>We have been so busy this week with appointments for humans and animals. Our poor Jackson has had urinary issues for years and we have tried many meds, xrays, food, etc. The past month it has increased with him peeing on everything and with a baby coming into the house in a couple of months, I was starting to panic about hygene and the environment in out house. So, we took him to a cat specialist across state line to get some assistance. We literally spent 2 hours with the vet and I was throughly impressed with her services. Jack got xrays, his poor infected butt was cleaned and shaved, he was injected with antibotics, and injected with some liquid to dilute his highly acidic and irratating urine. We were also given 2 prescriptions to give at home and prescription food to help with his urinary track for 8 weeks. The xray showed bladder stones and the food will help to dissolve them. Our poor boy! Oh, and he had fleas. Did you know that flea treatments you buy at Pet stores and target are completely ineffective, untested and a waste of money? He is now on expensive Advantage but it will work, so what is money at this point. $650 later, he already seems to be feeling better and we have to take him back in 4 weeks for another xray. The things we do for our 4 legged kids.

Last night we had our first birthing class and it was long, but okay. The instructor is awesome, full of humor, resources and advice. The entire class, she used the term “partner” instead of dad or husband which made us, the token lesbians feel included! I was worried bc being in the Midwest, there are still mountains to climb in terms of inclusive language and experiences. But, she was great. One down, 4 to go. Last night was mainly technical information of the birthing process. Did you know that only 9-10% of women have their water break to signal the begninning of labor?

I am sad that the hospital has canceled all group tours of the maternity/birthing center bc of the H1N1 outbreak. So, we will have to wait until we register to get the lay of the land. Sad. They are also restricting children in the wing so I am glad my youngest sibling is 15, one year above the 14 yr cut off. This H1N1 outbreak is crazy around here and I am definitely glad I got my vac last week. This afternoon I have my 2 week checkup at the OB and my weekly chiropractic appointment. So much to do, so many places to go!

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>birthing classes?

Posted on September 2, 2009 by | 8 comments

>So, I am looking for us to take the standard 5 week child birthing class offered at the hospital where we will deliver..but, my question is, when is an appropriate weekage to start the series? Should we finish in our last month, or is finishing at 32-33 weeks okay? Am I making too big of a deal out of this and over thinking it? Give me advise peeps!

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