Kades LONG Birth story
Lets just start this by saying I assumed that this baby would be late. Everyone talked to me about how close the due date (1.2.12) was to getting a tax deduction for 2011 too. I just knew we were not going to have this baby early and assumed I would be back at work after New Years . I kept telling myself, my due date was Jan. 12! This set me up for being in denial about labor for quite a while!
OK, so here is what led up to labor. The 29th of December, I had an OB appt with Dr. Tyler at 645 pm. I had spent the entire week at my SILs house and drove there, with my doggie, to the appt, which was on the way home. I hadnt had an internal exam since 35 weeks when I went in due to a lot of pelvic pain. So, I thought that I would get one this time because it was almost my due date and maybe it would start something. The week before, I had a bunch of contractions. But this week, I had almost none. Anyway, the exam showed I was 1-2 cm dilated, 60% effaced and baby was at -2 station. This was a good sign that at least my body was getting ready. When it would happen, who knew . I got home at about 9pm and hadnt seen Mike in 5 days. He was so tired and had to get up at 2:30am (this was his busy week at work and Friday would be the busiest day). I also had my car packed with a TON of stuff from being gone. He helped me unload it into the hallway and we went off to bed. I slept a ton and got up at 9am when some contractions started. They seemed a bit different that the others I had (Braxton Hicks and the period crampy like ones). But I didnt think I was going into labor. First off, it was still 2011 (no way we would get the tax detection everyone joked about, I mean come on), I still had not hit my due date and it was 40 degrees out (I figured we would be driving to the hospital in a blizzard in rush hour). So denial set in. I worked around the house, put all the stuff away, cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed, dusted, etc. I knew I needed to nap and take it easy. I kept on thinking a few more chores, then I would. Contractions kept on coming. At 12pm, I texted Mike to find out where he was at with work. I had a thought that maybe I was in labor and was worried he might be doing a run in Joliet or something (i.e. very far from our house). He texted me back saying that he just got called to go on a run in Highland Park area, 29 stops. I didnt say anything about the contractions, I didnt want him to worry. I thought I should tell him and have him follow the truck, so he could leave at any time. But I didnt (a mistake) and thought well if it IS labor, then he is right next to the hospital (which is an hour from our house). I thought I could be in false labor, this could go on for weeks, why worry him for no reason. I kept on doing stuff around the house, slowly so I wouldnt get run down. Then at 2pm, I though, OK I need to take a nap. And maybe I should time some of these (they had felt regular for a while). I laid down and start timing, every ten minutes for an hour. OK then. Getting more uncomfortable, I kept timing. Now they were like 5 mins apart (varying from 3-7 mins). I text my doula, Kristi, asking her if she thinks I am in labor. I know she is 3 hrs away in Michigan. She texts me back, yes you are in labor, I am coming back. I text her back, but what if it is false labor and you come here for nothing. She texts me back I have to fed my cats. That made me laugh. So I call Mike and tell him what is going on. Poor guy, now he is stuck out on a truck and his wife is in labor and he has like 20 more stops to make. It was like 3pm now. He was literally across the street from our hospital when I called him. So I thought, well worst case, I can meet him there. I texted his sister and asked her if she could take me to the hospital if Mike couldnt get home. So she was on standby. I then finally called the Dr. who thought I was probably in false labor (she was not listening to me and I didnt feel like correcting her on my status). The Dr. on call was Erica Smith, one of my last choices out of the 5 OBs. I was sad that one of the ones that would be much more supportive of natural delivery and more my style but kept on telling myself I had Mike and the doula and all would be fine. I went to finish packing the hospital bags and finishing laundry. I really just wanted to rest and take a bath Then I finally got in the bath, which felt great. I could have stayed in there for a lot longer. Mike had managed to have someone at his work come and pick him up. He then had to travel from Highland Park, to Elk Grove Village to home. It was 6:30pm by the time he got home. I was getting very uncomfy. He walked in and was ready to leave (he was like, OK lets go NOW! Haha). I told him to calm down, go take a shower and I would fix him dinner. I also said I hadnt timed my contractions for hours because it was annoying me and asked if he would for a while. He sat down to eat and started timing. By that time, Kristi was also home. He timed a few and then they started to get even more intense (they really changed and I was like OK these are different than before). I finished making some snacks for the hospital while Mike ate and then said, OK we should try and take a nap. We might have a lot of time in front of us if this is real labor. We went upstairs and I was able to rest between a few contractions but they were getting tough and it was making it not possible for Mike to rest since every 5 mins or so, I was lightly moaning and in all fours. I told Mike to call the Doula. Kristi came over and I said I was ready to go to the hospital. I wanted to stay home longer, but because I was GBS positive, and allergic to penicillin, I needed 8 hrs of antibiotic if the baby was not to get an IV after birth. The ride to the hospital wasnt as bad as I had imaged. I thought I did well, just had to undo the seat beat to get on all fours for a contraction, then was able to sit down. The contractions speed up a lot, some were only like 2 mins apart. We get to the hospital, Mike pulls up the wrong door but a security guard lets us in. We went in and there happens to be a nurse walking the halls, she is an L&D nurse and it turned out she was my nurse, waiting for me (I had told them I would be there by 8:30 and it was about 9:30). Her name is Mindy. I immediately felt good about her, so did Kristi and Mike. We wait for Mike to check in and then walk to my room. It all goes fast from now on. They have to do a few things before they can start the IV, which I am bummed about (I want to get the antibiotic started!). I have to undress but dont have time for anything, like getting my snacks out, unpacking etc. They do 20 minutes of monitoring and an exam. I didnt want to know how dilated I was, because I didnt want to get upset if it wasnt a lot. It was part of my birth plan not to be told. But the nurse was so excited and had such a surprised look on her face. She blurted out you are 7cm!!! I know she couldnt help it. Everyone was so surprised because I was acting like I was only around 4cm. I felt good, like OK maybe I can do this naturally. I labored on the ball or bending over the bed, or holding onto Mike for a few hours. The contractions were getting very strong. By about 12am (I think), the contractions were getting almost unmanageable. I vomited a bunch of times but the doula said it was good because it was the same motion that the contractions had. I just let that come and I was more like, I dont know how long I can do this for, knowing I could handle them for a few more, but didnt think I could do it for hours more and then have to push. So I asked for an exam. 9 cm. They asked if I wanted my water broken. I was getting desperate, I knew I didnt want it done but I thought, god if I dont, and this labor stalls, I might not be able to do it naturally. So I said yes (I think in the middle of a contraction). It was uncomfortable and she pushed on me a lot to get some of the fluid out (not expecting that). This showed the fluid had a lot of meconium. I was worried about the baby and if I wasnt handling the contractions well and stressing out the baby. I also knew I wouldnt get immediate cuddle time with the baby. I tried not to focus on that but was sad. A little while later, I asked for another exam. I had a rim on one side. Come on body! The only thing that was making the contractions manageable was having Mike or the doula press on my hips, this really relieved the back pain I had. The doula kept on telling me things that helped, like get in front of the contractions, dont try and run away from them, etc. Mike was so supportive and encouraging. The nurse and Dr. were not getting good heartbeat readings on the monitors. I was moving too much (laying down on being still during a contraction was impossible) and they were getting really nervous. I was getting a bit freaked out because they were. Later, our doula said the babys heartbeat was doing some really weird things and they were getting really nervous. I didnt realize how serious this was getting since I was SO focused on the contractions. They told me I needed an internal monitor. I really did not want that, and said no I really dont. But then they started to really get nervous and the Dr was in the room and was not leaving. I couldnt stay still during the contraction in order to get a good reading. So I said yes, it was over fast. They got the readings they wanted. The babys heartbeat was shooting sky high during a contraction and then decelled but came back. Since it kept coming back to normal, they let me labor (and they had a good reading). They also put me on oxygen and I was coached to breathe very deeply and calmly during the contractions, which was so hard but I was able to do since I knew it was so the baby would get enough oxygen. I guess they also started the drip again too (which I didnt want but I wasnt eating or drinking anything besides some ice so I guess it was a good thing). I was waiting for the urge to push. Then I got it, not strong but it was there. She let me bear down. So I started. I was in the bed due to the internal monitor. I had been mostly hanging over the end of the bed, head towards the head of the bed. They then suggested the squat bar. I used that for a long time. Then they told me to lie down at a high angle, I put my feet on the bar, and start pushing that way (the damn internal monitor wire was annoying me so much but eventually someone moved it.). I am so tired and in pain. Just out of it. I keep thinking it should be over by now. How can I keep going? I never asked for pain meds but I thought about it a few times. I then start pushing with Mike and Kristi holding my feet. We did this forever! Mike tried to leave my side to get me more ice at one point, and I told him he couldnt. Poor guy never ate, went to the bathroom or anything the entire time we were there. He never left my side. I couldnt have done this without him!!! When I was able to finally move the baby down, I could feel this horrible pain in my back after the contraction that would subside after a bit. I got better about pushing but was exhausted and it was hard because I knew I could feel the back pain after a good push. I was ready to be done, I couldnt think straight or communicate my needs (I really needed my mouth wiped off and some Chapstick!). Everyone was cheering me on. Mike was actually watching (he said he wouldnt which was fine). I kept on hearing the excitement in his voice, it was awesome. Mindy, the nurse, was the loud voice in the room, telling me to push. I concentrated on her and pushed with all my might. The pain in my back after the contraction was over was horrid, worse than the contraction. But thankfully the pain didnt last too long. I was getting so tired and I knew I had been at it for hours. All of a sudden, I got a rush and said I am going to push this bleeping baby out NOW! A short time later, I started to feel the ring of fire. I was so thrilled that I was actually close. All of a sudden, the room got busy and they told me to stop pushing (say WHAT?). They were rushing to get everything ready (hello, I was pushing for THREE hours! Then I could push again. The babys head was out but not the shoulders. I was so confused because it seems like every birth it is the head that is tough, then the rest of the body comes out in one push. Not Kade! He has large shoulders and Mike told me later that the Dr had her fingers around his neck, pulling him violently to get him out. I remember pushing so hard for such a long time to get the rest of his body out. Finally, the baby is out and immediately placed on my stomach (its 4:02am on New Years Eve). I hear his cord is short (maybe why I got him on my chest first). I will never forget the feeling of having that very warm, wet baby being placed on my bear stomach. It was amazing. And the first thing I see is a penis! Mike was supposed to be the one to announce the sex but it was glaring right at me. Then I got to see his gorgeous face! It was so amazing. Then they immediately took him to the warmer to get suctioned. The Dr was working on me. I was bleeding too much. It took about 45 minutes for the placenta to come out. During that time, she was trying to suture me up. She had to call in help. After the placenta came out, I was still bleeding a lot and it was making it hard to suture. She sutured me forever, honestly, it was worse than pushing, having to be in that position, not being able to hold my baby (she would not let him back on my chest, which makes no sense because it would have slowed the bleeding. Still upset about that). It was over an hour before she was done. I knew it was bad down there. She said 2nd degree tear and I didnt want to know how many stitches. But, I was finally able to hold my baby! God was that good. But honestly, I dont remember much because I was so exhausted. Mindys shift was over at 7am and she needed to wash the baby (he was a greenish hue still!). So she gave him his first bath and we watched. I got to eat, the best meal ever (which was a crappy turkey sandwich!). She then told me, I needed to pee in order to get the IV out. I couldnt and told her I think I needed help. I realized that I NEVER went. The entire labor. Ever. I was just too focused on the contractions. She put in a catheter and sweet relief. I was able to go, with a lot of effort, a short while later so I got the IV out. Then we could finally rest. We still didnt know his name but Kade was just sleeping and sleeping. We napped and then were up. Kade slept (pretty much) for 22 hrs! I finally got him to nurse just after New Years, at like 2am! We were told we would be in the hospital until the 2nd. I thought I would want out of there but honestly, I loved being at the hospital. They brought good food whenever you wanted it. Angle nurses came in during the night and day to help with breast feeding. There was even a wonderful lactation consultant (I even got some nursing bras and my pump!). We had just a few visitors. It was quite and nice. The night before we had to leave, we figured out his first name, Kade and had it between two middle names, Michael and Evan. In the morning we were discharged, we decided Michael. We had a son! We were just so thrilled. And he was so healthy, passing all the tests. We are so grateful that everything went so smoothly and we were both so healthy! Couldnt have been happier! It was so surreal to walk out of the hospital.
I learned later from the doula that Kades short umbical cord was preventing him from moving down easily. That is why I had to push so hard and for so long. The Dr. even sent the placenta and cord for pathology (I wanted to look at both but never go too). She also said that the baby was not in the correct position which is why I got the horride back pains when he would move down the birth canal. He was not posterior but somewhere in between antior and posterior. So these things made the birth quite a bit harder (the pushing for 3 hours was HARD!). She also said that I was an awesome pusher (I had worried that I was not effective) and if I wasnt, there would have been more issues. She said I did awesome because of all of these things. I told her I thought she was just telling me that because I was in labor and that is what you do. But at the postnatal, she said, no I really meant it. So that made me feel a lot better that I did handle it well. I am so glad we had the doula there. It made Mike feel better and it was great support for me. So happy about that decision.
My husband was amazing the ENTIRE time. He did everything I needed him too and I never had to tell him anything. I cant say enough about how important it was to have his support through this. I truly couldnt have done it without him. He kept me strong and positive. Gave me ice to chew on, pushed on my hips, told me I was doing great, watched his baby being born, stayed by his side after he was born while I was getting repaired, etc. After the birth, he was by our side every second. Getting me everything I needed so I could try and breastfeed. Kept me hydrated and fed. Went with Kade everywhere he went for tests etc. Woke up at night to change and comfort and help me feed Kade. He took over diaper changes, which was amazing because he never did one before (totally avoided it like the plaque) but said it was different when its your baby! I just loved seeing him hold Kade. Such an amazing feeling to watch your wonderful husband with your brand new baby. I am not only so lucky to have a healthy son but also a loving and wonderful hubby to raise him with.
Things I wanted but that didnt happen: delayed cord clamping (meconium prevented this), immediate cuddle and breast feeding time, to see the placenta, no IV fluids, no internal monitoring. But I got what was most important: healthy baby and healthy mommy!, no c-section, no pain medicine, to experience a natural childbirth with all the natural hormones etc.
About Kade: Kade Michael. Born 12.31.2011 4:02am. 7lbs 15 oz, 19.5 in.
Lets just start this by saying I assumed that this baby would be late. Everyone talked to me about how close the due date (1.2.12) was to getting a tax deduction for 2011 too. I just knew we were not going to have this baby early and assumed I would be back at work after New Years . I kept telling myself, my due date was Jan. 12! This set me up for being in denial about labor for quite a while!
OK, so here is what led up to labor. The 29th of December, I had an OB appt with Dr. Tyler at 645 pm. I had spent the entire week at my SILs house and drove there, with my doggie, to the appt, which was on the way home. I hadnt had an internal exam since 35 weeks when I went in due to a lot of pelvic pain. So, I thought that I would get one this time because it was almost my due date and maybe it would start something. The week before, I had a bunch of contractions. But this week, I had almost none. Anyway, the exam showed I was 1-2 cm dilated, 60% effaced and baby was at -2 station. This was a good sign that at least my body was getting ready. When it would happen, who knew . I got home at about 9pm and hadnt seen Mike in 5 days. He was so tired and had to get up at 2:30am (this was his busy week at work and Friday would be the busiest day). I also had my car packed with a TON of stuff from being gone. He helped me unload it into the hallway and we went off to bed. I slept a ton and got up at 9am when some contractions started. They seemed a bit different that the others I had (Braxton Hicks and the period crampy like ones). But I didnt think I was going into labor. First off, it was still 2011 (no way we would get the tax detection everyone joked about, I mean come on), I still had not hit my due date and it was 40 degrees out (I figured we would be driving to the hospital in a blizzard in rush hour). So denial set in. I worked around the house, put all the stuff away, cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed, dusted, etc. I knew I needed to nap and take it easy. I kept on thinking a few more chores, then I would. Contractions kept on coming. At 12pm, I texted Mike to find out where he was at with work. I had a thought that maybe I was in labor and was worried he might be doing a run in Joliet or something (i.e. very far from our house). He texted me back saying that he just got called to go on a run in Highland Park area, 29 stops. I didnt say anything about the contractions, I didnt want him to worry. I thought I should tell him and have him follow the truck, so he could leave at any time. But I didnt (a mistake) and thought well if it IS labor, then he is right next to the hospital (which is an hour from our house). I thought I could be in false labor, this could go on for weeks, why worry him for no reason. I kept on doing stuff around the house, slowly so I wouldnt get run down. Then at 2pm, I though, OK I need to take a nap. And maybe I should time some of these (they had felt regular for a while). I laid down and start timing, every ten minutes for an hour. OK then. Getting more uncomfortable, I kept timing. Now they were like 5 mins apart (varying from 3-7 mins). I text my doula, Kristi, asking her if she thinks I am in labor. I know she is 3 hrs away in Michigan. She texts me back, yes you are in labor, I am coming back. I text her back, but what if it is false labor and you come here for nothing. She texts me back I have to fed my cats. That made me laugh. So I call Mike and tell him what is going on. Poor guy, now he is stuck out on a truck and his wife is in labor and he has like 20 more stops to make. It was like 3pm now. He was literally across the street from our hospital when I called him. So I thought, well worst case, I can meet him there. I texted his sister and asked her if she could take me to the hospital if Mike couldnt get home. So she was on standby. I then finally called the Dr. who thought I was probably in false labor (she was not listening to me and I didnt feel like correcting her on my status). The Dr. on call was Erica Smith, one of my last choices out of the 5 OBs. I was sad that one of the ones that would be much more supportive of natural delivery and more my style but kept on telling myself I had Mike and the doula and all would be fine. I went to finish packing the hospital bags and finishing laundry. I really just wanted to rest and take a bath Then I finally got in the bath, which felt great. I could have stayed in there for a lot longer. Mike had managed to have someone at his work come and pick him up. He then had to travel from Highland Park, to Elk Grove Village to home. It was 6:30pm by the time he got home. I was getting very uncomfy. He walked in and was ready to leave (he was like, OK lets go NOW! Haha). I told him to calm down, go take a shower and I would fix him dinner. I also said I hadnt timed my contractions for hours because it was annoying me and asked if he would for a while. He sat down to eat and started timing. By that time, Kristi was also home. He timed a few and then they started to get even more intense (they really changed and I was like OK these are different than before). I finished making some snacks for the hospital while Mike ate and then said, OK we should try and take a nap. We might have a lot of time in front of us if this is real labor. We went upstairs and I was able to rest between a few contractions but they were getting tough and it was making it not possible for Mike to rest since every 5 mins or so, I was lightly moaning and in all fours. I told Mike to call the Doula. Kristi came over and I said I was ready to go to the hospital. I wanted to stay home longer, but because I was GBS positive, and allergic to penicillin, I needed 8 hrs of antibiotic if the baby was not to get an IV after birth. The ride to the hospital wasnt as bad as I had imaged. I thought I did well, just had to undo the seat beat to get on all fours for a contraction, then was able to sit down. The contractions speed up a lot, some were only like 2 mins apart. We get to the hospital, Mike pulls up the wrong door but a security guard lets us in. We went in and there happens to be a nurse walking the halls, she is an L&D nurse and it turned out she was my nurse, waiting for me (I had told them I would be there by 8:30 and it was about 9:30). Her name is Mindy. I immediately felt good about her, so did Kristi and Mike. We wait for Mike to check in and then walk to my room. It all goes fast from now on. They have to do a few things before they can start the IV, which I am bummed about (I want to get the antibiotic started!). I have to undress but dont have time for anything, like getting my snacks out, unpacking etc. They do 20 minutes of monitoring and an exam. I didnt want to know how dilated I was, because I didnt want to get upset if it wasnt a lot. It was part of my birth plan not to be told. But the nurse was so excited and had such a surprised look on her face. She blurted out you are 7cm!!! I know she couldnt help it. Everyone was so surprised because I was acting like I was only around 4cm. I felt good, like OK maybe I can do this naturally. I labored on the ball or bending over the bed, or holding onto Mike for a few hours. The contractions were getting very strong. By about 12am (I think), the contractions were getting almost unmanageable. I vomited a bunch of times but the doula said it was good because it was the same motion that the contractions had. I just let that come and I was more like, I dont know how long I can do this for, knowing I could handle them for a few more, but didnt think I could do it for hours more and then have to push. So I asked for an exam. 9 cm. They asked if I wanted my water broken. I was getting desperate, I knew I didnt want it done but I thought, god if I dont, and this labor stalls, I might not be able to do it naturally. So I said yes (I think in the middle of a contraction). It was uncomfortable and she pushed on me a lot to get some of the fluid out (not expecting that). This showed the fluid had a lot of meconium. I was worried about the baby and if I wasnt handling the contractions well and stressing out the baby. I also knew I wouldnt get immediate cuddle time with the baby. I tried not to focus on that but was sad. A little while later, I asked for another exam. I had a rim on one side. Come on body! The only thing that was making the contractions manageable was having Mike or the doula press on my hips, this really relieved the back pain I had. The doula kept on telling me things that helped, like get in front of the contractions, dont try and run away from them, etc. Mike was so supportive and encouraging. The nurse and Dr. were not getting good heartbeat readings on the monitors. I was moving too much (laying down on being still during a contraction was impossible) and they were getting really nervous. I was getting a bit freaked out because they were. Later, our doula said the babys heartbeat was doing some really weird things and they were getting really nervous. I didnt realize how serious this was getting since I was SO focused on the contractions. They told me I needed an internal monitor. I really did not want that, and said no I really dont. But then they started to really get nervous and the Dr was in the room and was not leaving. I couldnt stay still during the contraction in order to get a good reading. So I said yes, it was over fast. They got the readings they wanted. The babys heartbeat was shooting sky high during a contraction and then decelled but came back. Since it kept coming back to normal, they let me labor (and they had a good reading). They also put me on oxygen and I was coached to breathe very deeply and calmly during the contractions, which was so hard but I was able to do since I knew it was so the baby would get enough oxygen. I guess they also started the drip again too (which I didnt want but I wasnt eating or drinking anything besides some ice so I guess it was a good thing). I was waiting for the urge to push. Then I got it, not strong but it was there. She let me bear down. So I started. I was in the bed due to the internal monitor. I had been mostly hanging over the end of the bed, head towards the head of the bed. They then suggested the squat bar. I used that for a long time. Then they told me to lie down at a high angle, I put my feet on the bar, and start pushing that way (the damn internal monitor wire was annoying me so much but eventually someone moved it.). I am so tired and in pain. Just out of it. I keep thinking it should be over by now. How can I keep going? I never asked for pain meds but I thought about it a few times. I then start pushing with Mike and Kristi holding my feet. We did this forever! Mike tried to leave my side to get me more ice at one point, and I told him he couldnt. Poor guy never ate, went to the bathroom or anything the entire time we were there. He never left my side. I couldnt have done this without him!!! When I was able to finally move the baby down, I could feel this horrible pain in my back after the contraction that would subside after a bit. I got better about pushing but was exhausted and it was hard because I knew I could feel the back pain after a good push. I was ready to be done, I couldnt think straight or communicate my needs (I really needed my mouth wiped off and some Chapstick!). Everyone was cheering me on. Mike was actually watching (he said he wouldnt which was fine). I kept on hearing the excitement in his voice, it was awesome. Mindy, the nurse, was the loud voice in the room, telling me to push. I concentrated on her and pushed with all my might. The pain in my back after the contraction was over was horrid, worse than the contraction. But thankfully the pain didnt last too long. I was getting so tired and I knew I had been at it for hours. All of a sudden, I got a rush and said I am going to push this bleeping baby out NOW! A short time later, I started to feel the ring of fire. I was so thrilled that I was actually close. All of a sudden, the room got busy and they told me to stop pushing (say WHAT?). They were rushing to get everything ready (hello, I was pushing for THREE hours! Then I could push again. The babys head was out but not the shoulders. I was so confused because it seems like every birth it is the head that is tough, then the rest of the body comes out in one push. Not Kade! He has large shoulders and Mike told me later that the Dr had her fingers around his neck, pulling him violently to get him out. I remember pushing so hard for such a long time to get the rest of his body out. Finally, the baby is out and immediately placed on my stomach (its 4:02am on New Years Eve). I hear his cord is short (maybe why I got him on my chest first). I will never forget the feeling of having that very warm, wet baby being placed on my bear stomach. It was amazing. And the first thing I see is a penis! Mike was supposed to be the one to announce the sex but it was glaring right at me. Then I got to see his gorgeous face! It was so amazing. Then they immediately took him to the warmer to get suctioned. The Dr was working on me. I was bleeding too much. It took about 45 minutes for the placenta to come out. During that time, she was trying to suture me up. She had to call in help. After the placenta came out, I was still bleeding a lot and it was making it hard to suture. She sutured me forever, honestly, it was worse than pushing, having to be in that position, not being able to hold my baby (she would not let him back on my chest, which makes no sense because it would have slowed the bleeding. Still upset about that). It was over an hour before she was done. I knew it was bad down there. She said 2nd degree tear and I didnt want to know how many stitches. But, I was finally able to hold my baby! God was that good. But honestly, I dont remember much because I was so exhausted. Mindys shift was over at 7am and she needed to wash the baby (he was a greenish hue still!). So she gave him his first bath and we watched. I got to eat, the best meal ever (which was a crappy turkey sandwich!). She then told me, I needed to pee in order to get the IV out. I couldnt and told her I think I needed help. I realized that I NEVER went. The entire labor. Ever. I was just too focused on the contractions. She put in a catheter and sweet relief. I was able to go, with a lot of effort, a short while later so I got the IV out. Then we could finally rest. We still didnt know his name but Kade was just sleeping and sleeping. We napped and then were up. Kade slept (pretty much) for 22 hrs! I finally got him to nurse just after New Years, at like 2am! We were told we would be in the hospital until the 2nd. I thought I would want out of there but honestly, I loved being at the hospital. They brought good food whenever you wanted it. Angle nurses came in during the night and day to help with breast feeding. There was even a wonderful lactation consultant (I even got some nursing bras and my pump!). We had just a few visitors. It was quite and nice. The night before we had to leave, we figured out his first name, Kade and had it between two middle names, Michael and Evan. In the morning we were discharged, we decided Michael. We had a son! We were just so thrilled. And he was so healthy, passing all the tests. We are so grateful that everything went so smoothly and we were both so healthy! Couldnt have been happier! It was so surreal to walk out of the hospital.
I learned later from the doula that Kades short umbical cord was preventing him from moving down easily. That is why I had to push so hard and for so long. The Dr. even sent the placenta and cord for pathology (I wanted to look at both but never go too). She also said that the baby was not in the correct position which is why I got the horride back pains when he would move down the birth canal. He was not posterior but somewhere in between antior and posterior. So these things made the birth quite a bit harder (the pushing for 3 hours was HARD!). She also said that I was an awesome pusher (I had worried that I was not effective) and if I wasnt, there would have been more issues. She said I did awesome because of all of these things. I told her I thought she was just telling me that because I was in labor and that is what you do. But at the postnatal, she said, no I really meant it. So that made me feel a lot better that I did handle it well. I am so glad we had the doula there. It made Mike feel better and it was great support for me. So happy about that decision.
My husband was amazing the ENTIRE time. He did everything I needed him too and I never had to tell him anything. I cant say enough about how important it was to have his support through this. I truly couldnt have done it without him. He kept me strong and positive. Gave me ice to chew on, pushed on my hips, told me I was doing great, watched his baby being born, stayed by his side after he was born while I was getting repaired, etc. After the birth, he was by our side every second. Getting me everything I needed so I could try and breastfeed. Kept me hydrated and fed. Went with Kade everywhere he went for tests etc. Woke up at night to change and comfort and help me feed Kade. He took over diaper changes, which was amazing because he never did one before (totally avoided it like the plaque) but said it was different when its your baby! I just loved seeing him hold Kade. Such an amazing feeling to watch your wonderful husband with your brand new baby. I am not only so lucky to have a healthy son but also a loving and wonderful hubby to raise him with.
Things I wanted but that didnt happen: delayed cord clamping (meconium prevented this), immediate cuddle and breast feeding time, to see the placenta, no IV fluids, no internal monitoring. But I got what was most important: healthy baby and healthy mommy!, no c-section, no pain medicine, to experience a natural childbirth with all the natural hormones etc.
About Kade: Kade Michael. Born 12.31.2011 4:02am. 7lbs 15 oz, 19.5 in.
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