LadyHutch
HutchMom
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2011
- Messages
- 1,786
- Reaction score
- 0
There is no way I can do justice to this experience on a forum online, but I am going to give it my best. Besides, it is something I want to email to little Liam, so he has it someday and knows just how awesome the experience was.
So, sit back with lots of pillows, this is going to be a long one. I intend to write about the day before, day of and day or two after delivery.
8/23/11 - Leading up to the appointment set with the nurse practitioner, I had been in and out of labor for weeks...7 almost to be exact. Big Hutch and I were walking miles a day trying to keep a rhythm going to my contractions, but they just would not get stable or stronger. The walks were lovely, though, lots of time for us to talk, about work, Liam, plans and dreams. One of our favorite things to do is talk and set goals. With so much change happening, we did this a lot while taking these long walks.
Hurricane Irene had formed up and hit Hispaniola. Being in the roofing business, we both knew what this meant, and it loomed over us, me so large, immobile and uncomfortable worries about the baby himself. We are tired, but knew moving again was coming soon. We knew, like a first responder, the phone call could come at any minute for Big Hutch to have to head to the coast and assess damage, set up an office, and simultaneously, Little Hutch was about to make his grand entrance.
At 2:15 PM mom and I were running late to get to the doctor. I wasn't seeing my regular doc that day, and was really worried, because DH and I had talked the night before...We needed to get this show on the road. The combination of problems I was having with blood pressure, size of the baby vs. size of Mommy, off and on labor for weeks wearing me down, combined with this hurricane threatening to separate our family yet again was pushing us hard to get the induction scheduled. I was surprised, yet again, because at one point I judged the lady who scheduled her birth...and yet again, my payment for judgment was to be in the very same shoes of the women I judged before me. I understood them. And I felt guilty for my harshness. I was afraid...Afraid the doctor would say no, afraid that induction would hurt more than going au naturale, afraid of becoming a mother again after so many, many years, afraid of how this would change my wonderful marriage.
But...after the ultrasound showed my polyhydraminois was not abating, and my baby was over 8 lbs, and after pleading my case to the nurse practitioner, I was given a date to be ready to have the baby...the very next morning! I knew when my baby's birthday was going to be!
Elated and terrified, like standing next in line for the biggest roller coaster in the world, I called DH and told him...The next morning, at 7:30 am, we were to check into the hospital to have a baby.
I was 2 cm, 50% effaced.
At home that night, we ate leftover lasagna; I had a glass of wine to relax. Mom and I chatted about labor and amused DH with stories of babies and births. DH and I went to bed early and made love for the last time...it might have been the single sweetest time we ever have, short of the bittersweet beauty in which we conceived this miracle after we lost his older sibling at 14 weeks. It was all joy and closeness, it was a celebration of the life we had created and were about to bring into the world. We fell asleep the way romance novels convince us love is supposed to be like, intertwined.
8/24/11 - 6:24 AM EST
DH woke up like a shot gun went off and hollered "Honey, its time to get up, we are going to be late!"
The whole house started buzzing. Mom grabbed the shower first, followed by me, then DH.
We grabbed the bags, and headed off. The morning was BEAUTIFUL sun rising orange and pink in the sky on the drive over. We were surprisingly calm and yet so excited. We got to the hospital, checked in and were taken to our room. Our first nurse, who would be there to thru the delivery, Stephanie, came in, and got us situated.
At 9 am, after a quick down there check, the IV was inserted, and the pitocin started. A sweep was done, and they broke my waters. My GOD there was a lot of water in there! I was SHOCKED how much. It was like sitting in soup for a while. At 11 AM, the anesthesiologist came and administered my epidural. It was hilarious when he did, because when they sat me up, I GUSHED water all over the place it ran off my bed, on the floor, everywhere. We were all laughing at how much. DH was amazed how clear it was and that it didnt smell bad. Once the epidural line was in, we got me cleaned up and changed the bedding. Then the process of waiting for the epidural and turning side to side began.
It took about 20 minutes to get fully numb and it is like the shot you get at the dentist you feel like your legs are huge and swollen, and tingly, but you also feel nothing. When she came in to administer the catheter, and moved my leg, it was the weirdest thing I ever felt in my life. I saw my leg move, I knew she moved it, but all I felt was like my legs were a ton of wood.
So then began the waiting process. We watched TV, watched the contractions on the monitor, made conversation, and did puzzles out of a puzzle book. I napped off and on, as did DH. Mom stayed awake the whole time, keenly watching the baby on the monitor and my contractions. I was so hungry! I kept talking about food and what I wanted to eat first. I made a long list of food, lol.
And we waited and waited. They came in every 2-3 hours and checked my cervix. 4cm. Then 6. Then at about 4:45, 9CM! just a little bit of a lip left. The nurse midwife said wed be pushing soon! At this point, the pitocin had been maxed out and I was feeling the contractions mildly thru the epidural. They were uncomfortable, but not agonizing. I cant imagine what they were like without the epidural.
At 5:00, we began the pushing process. With each contraction, Stephanie would tell me to push, and count to ten. We did this three times in a row, each breath push push push push push for a count of ten. I didnt scream, cry or yell, just gave it all I had, and at the end of the third one each time, I remember saying Come on baby! LOL.
DH brushed the hair out of my face, and rubbed my head between push sessions. For an hour we pushed like this. I could see the top of his head in the mirror across the wall! He had hair! We laughed between pushes. I started getting very tired though, but kept giving it my all. At 6:00, the doctor came in. They took the base of the bed away, and the next pushing session we did 4, then 5, then Just PUSH PUSH PUSH PUSH! I yelled to my husband For gods sake, push on my back, I am getting exhausted!
And at 6:11 PM, with two last pushes, Liam was out and slimy and laid right on my chest! I was so happy! Excited! Exhausted! My husband was overwhelmed and overjoyed! It was BEAUTIFUL, everything about it was amazing!
They wisked him over to clean him up, I heard him belt out a few throaty cries, then just cooing. The doctor immediately delivered the placenta and began stitching me up. It happened so fast, and efficiently. I tell ya, Ft. Sanders Regional downtown is the PLACE to have a baby!
After he was cleaned up, we all held him for a few hours. They asked me what I wanted to eat and I said GRILLED CHEESE lol. I had a sprite, and we just basked in the love in the room.
He was taken to the nursery for his first exams, the epidural wore off, and DH and I took a shower. He was so sweet, helped me washing my hair and holding me up. Mom headed home for the night, DH and I snuggled on the bed. They brought him back, and he latched right on! We all snuggled, the DH pulled out the daddy bed and we all fell asleep. Exhausted and Blissed out.
Tomorrow, Ill write more of the technical things that happened right after the delivery. I really want to give good details to everyone of what all went down, as I think there was some good information gathered that can help out.
Thanks for reading, I know it was long. But I cant do it justice, it was so awesome.
So, sit back with lots of pillows, this is going to be a long one. I intend to write about the day before, day of and day or two after delivery.
8/23/11 - Leading up to the appointment set with the nurse practitioner, I had been in and out of labor for weeks...7 almost to be exact. Big Hutch and I were walking miles a day trying to keep a rhythm going to my contractions, but they just would not get stable or stronger. The walks were lovely, though, lots of time for us to talk, about work, Liam, plans and dreams. One of our favorite things to do is talk and set goals. With so much change happening, we did this a lot while taking these long walks.
Hurricane Irene had formed up and hit Hispaniola. Being in the roofing business, we both knew what this meant, and it loomed over us, me so large, immobile and uncomfortable worries about the baby himself. We are tired, but knew moving again was coming soon. We knew, like a first responder, the phone call could come at any minute for Big Hutch to have to head to the coast and assess damage, set up an office, and simultaneously, Little Hutch was about to make his grand entrance.
At 2:15 PM mom and I were running late to get to the doctor. I wasn't seeing my regular doc that day, and was really worried, because DH and I had talked the night before...We needed to get this show on the road. The combination of problems I was having with blood pressure, size of the baby vs. size of Mommy, off and on labor for weeks wearing me down, combined with this hurricane threatening to separate our family yet again was pushing us hard to get the induction scheduled. I was surprised, yet again, because at one point I judged the lady who scheduled her birth...and yet again, my payment for judgment was to be in the very same shoes of the women I judged before me. I understood them. And I felt guilty for my harshness. I was afraid...Afraid the doctor would say no, afraid that induction would hurt more than going au naturale, afraid of becoming a mother again after so many, many years, afraid of how this would change my wonderful marriage.
But...after the ultrasound showed my polyhydraminois was not abating, and my baby was over 8 lbs, and after pleading my case to the nurse practitioner, I was given a date to be ready to have the baby...the very next morning! I knew when my baby's birthday was going to be!
Elated and terrified, like standing next in line for the biggest roller coaster in the world, I called DH and told him...The next morning, at 7:30 am, we were to check into the hospital to have a baby.
I was 2 cm, 50% effaced.
At home that night, we ate leftover lasagna; I had a glass of wine to relax. Mom and I chatted about labor and amused DH with stories of babies and births. DH and I went to bed early and made love for the last time...it might have been the single sweetest time we ever have, short of the bittersweet beauty in which we conceived this miracle after we lost his older sibling at 14 weeks. It was all joy and closeness, it was a celebration of the life we had created and were about to bring into the world. We fell asleep the way romance novels convince us love is supposed to be like, intertwined.
8/24/11 - 6:24 AM EST
DH woke up like a shot gun went off and hollered "Honey, its time to get up, we are going to be late!"
The whole house started buzzing. Mom grabbed the shower first, followed by me, then DH.
We grabbed the bags, and headed off. The morning was BEAUTIFUL sun rising orange and pink in the sky on the drive over. We were surprisingly calm and yet so excited. We got to the hospital, checked in and were taken to our room. Our first nurse, who would be there to thru the delivery, Stephanie, came in, and got us situated.
At 9 am, after a quick down there check, the IV was inserted, and the pitocin started. A sweep was done, and they broke my waters. My GOD there was a lot of water in there! I was SHOCKED how much. It was like sitting in soup for a while. At 11 AM, the anesthesiologist came and administered my epidural. It was hilarious when he did, because when they sat me up, I GUSHED water all over the place it ran off my bed, on the floor, everywhere. We were all laughing at how much. DH was amazed how clear it was and that it didnt smell bad. Once the epidural line was in, we got me cleaned up and changed the bedding. Then the process of waiting for the epidural and turning side to side began.
It took about 20 minutes to get fully numb and it is like the shot you get at the dentist you feel like your legs are huge and swollen, and tingly, but you also feel nothing. When she came in to administer the catheter, and moved my leg, it was the weirdest thing I ever felt in my life. I saw my leg move, I knew she moved it, but all I felt was like my legs were a ton of wood.
So then began the waiting process. We watched TV, watched the contractions on the monitor, made conversation, and did puzzles out of a puzzle book. I napped off and on, as did DH. Mom stayed awake the whole time, keenly watching the baby on the monitor and my contractions. I was so hungry! I kept talking about food and what I wanted to eat first. I made a long list of food, lol.
And we waited and waited. They came in every 2-3 hours and checked my cervix. 4cm. Then 6. Then at about 4:45, 9CM! just a little bit of a lip left. The nurse midwife said wed be pushing soon! At this point, the pitocin had been maxed out and I was feeling the contractions mildly thru the epidural. They were uncomfortable, but not agonizing. I cant imagine what they were like without the epidural.
At 5:00, we began the pushing process. With each contraction, Stephanie would tell me to push, and count to ten. We did this three times in a row, each breath push push push push push for a count of ten. I didnt scream, cry or yell, just gave it all I had, and at the end of the third one each time, I remember saying Come on baby! LOL.
DH brushed the hair out of my face, and rubbed my head between push sessions. For an hour we pushed like this. I could see the top of his head in the mirror across the wall! He had hair! We laughed between pushes. I started getting very tired though, but kept giving it my all. At 6:00, the doctor came in. They took the base of the bed away, and the next pushing session we did 4, then 5, then Just PUSH PUSH PUSH PUSH! I yelled to my husband For gods sake, push on my back, I am getting exhausted!
And at 6:11 PM, with two last pushes, Liam was out and slimy and laid right on my chest! I was so happy! Excited! Exhausted! My husband was overwhelmed and overjoyed! It was BEAUTIFUL, everything about it was amazing!
They wisked him over to clean him up, I heard him belt out a few throaty cries, then just cooing. The doctor immediately delivered the placenta and began stitching me up. It happened so fast, and efficiently. I tell ya, Ft. Sanders Regional downtown is the PLACE to have a baby!
After he was cleaned up, we all held him for a few hours. They asked me what I wanted to eat and I said GRILLED CHEESE lol. I had a sprite, and we just basked in the love in the room.
He was taken to the nursery for his first exams, the epidural wore off, and DH and I took a shower. He was so sweet, helped me washing my hair and holding me up. Mom headed home for the night, DH and I snuggled on the bed. They brought him back, and he latched right on! We all snuggled, the DH pulled out the daddy bed and we all fell asleep. Exhausted and Blissed out.
Tomorrow, Ill write more of the technical things that happened right after the delivery. I really want to give good details to everyone of what all went down, as I think there was some good information gathered that can help out.
Thanks for reading, I know it was long. But I cant do it justice, it was so awesome.
Congratulations! Can't wait to see pictures!
