D
DaretoDream
Guest
I will begin this with my birth story I think.
Our darling girl was due originally on August 7th- but with her first ultrasound we were told she was growing a week ahead of schedule so they bumped her up to July 31st.
Getting closer and finally passing the due date, I went in for my appt on Friday Aug 5th at 200 pm. I was feeling kind of - well just not myself. Not as hungry at all, was basically forcing myself to eat. Stomach was very off. But just wasn't thinking much of it. My mw told me that she thought baby would be here over the weekend- but if not, we had to talk induction next week.
I was a bit bummed because we wanted a Natural Birth.
Met a friend and 'walked' around the mall- trying to walk baby out. (which really was a lot of sitting and aching.) She told me she had a dream where today was the day i was going to go into labor. She is kind of psychic and had also told me before i took my positive test that i was pregnant, and that it was a girl long before the ultrasound and also one of two people that thought it was a girl. Everyone else said boy- including myself.
The day passed and I was sitting on the couch in my house with my husband. Around 9 something he took the dog out and i went to pee- finding a bit of blood that looked like a bloody show. I called my mw and asked her what to do, because i had also just noticed braxton hicks coming a little more frequently- like every 7-8 minutes or so. She told me it was nothing to worry about- just probably the start of something.
we started watching a movie at 10- and i noticed some menstrual like cramping at the same time as the hicks, which by 1030 was JUST the cramping- on and off. So dh started to record as i told him when the cramps were coming. an hour later we confirmed that they were already 5 minutes apart lasting 1 minute long each. We started to go to bed, where he told me he thought we should go to the hospital- because i wasn't going to be able to sleep.
At the hospital by midnight (thank god we're right around the corner) - checked in and hooked up to triage. the mw came in and looked at me, and had this face on like she thought i was in false labor. She said 'ok, so now what's going on' so i explained about the cramping- and the timing, and i said 'look i could be wrong but it doesn't feel right.' and they hooked me up to the monitor. It was confirmed they were indeed contractions- and at that point they checked me to see how far along i was. 3-4 cm dilated, and the mw then actually STRETCHED me - which made the contractions jump to 3-4 minutes, and then started to peak and come down and go right back up- not even coming down all the way.
I had to stay hooked up to the machine for another half hour, and then told to walk around the halls when that was done until 225. So, i walked around the hospital for about an hour- then i couldn't do it anymore. So they came in a half hour later- the nurses this time, and i was 5-6 dilated- and the contractions were getting much worse. they called my mw, and admitted me. Put my IV in just in case, but didn't hook me up to anything.
I was admitted into the second largest birthing room (which was mine the whole time i was there
) The nurses i had were fantastic- became very attached to me. Apparently they were in awe (and kept telling me how amazing i was) over the natural approach - AND the fact i did it. And how well i did. they told me in 2 weeks- they had only been delivering boys- and she was to be the first girl! there had been 9 baby boys friday the 5th alone. No girls.
We contacted my mother to let her know i was admitted and to head over. They told me to get in the shower- and that should help the contractions. I was having terrible back labor- because she was back to back, and they were discussing how to get her to turn correctly. I was sitting in the shower for what seemed like moments, but it must've been much longer- as my mother wound up arriving and they kept asking me how i was. I remember that no matter what i did with the shower i felt like i was freezing, and the pain... it got better for a while- and then it was really bad. I came out - no concept of the time of any of this- and my contractions had come up with their own pattern- they were 1 minute apart, constant almost, and weren't coming all the way off their peak. And then, after like 4 minutes of that, i would get about 2 minutes reprieve. where it wasn't all the way gone but manageable.
I had to turn and hold on to the rail and grip it, and try to pay attention to how i was breathing- it was pain like nothing i had ever felt before. I can't even describe it now- but it was absolutely horrid. the nurses kept saying how i was really 'banging out the contractions' and seeming concerned with how high and long they were. But the baby was doing fine so they weren't worried about her. They did mention very frequently how well i was doing.
they told me to expect a 7 lb baby- she was definitely not very large. I didn't really care, i just wanted her out.
During all this time they are making me move positions and try to get baby to move around. I could feel her move, and the contractions would move out of my back and into my lower abdomen where they should've been, and then she'd move back again moments later. The positions were excruciating. On my knees hanging over the back of the bed- terrible. Squatting bar- terrible. Birthing ball- terrible. Everything hurt.
Finally they let me lay on my side and try moving her that way. They did leave the squatting bar (which came in hand later) but there was no other position i could manage. It was horrible horrible pain.
Around 610 ish in the morning- they finally checked me again. I was 9 1/2 cm- almost all the way gone- the mw stretched me again, checked again at 630- and asked me if i wanted my water broken- i said no- because i was afraid of the incidence of c-section (i know now that the timing of that is ridiculous) and she reassured me- i was definitely having this baby myself. She left me alone and at 640- my water broke.
It was such a disgusting feeling! And then i heard them say that there was meconium (sp) in there. There also was a flap of the cervix that wasn't moving away and making it hard for baby to get out. So mw moved it with her finger so baby's head could come out of the cervix- which thankfully worked.
I started saying i couldn't do this. - and repeating that over and over again. I remember looking around the room and thinking i was going to pass out.
The mw told me she had to leave at 7- and the new one came in. Right in the middle of the birth! So, the new one took over- closer to 730- as the mw stayed a few extra minutes to fill in the new one, and to make sure she knew everything.
the contractions were so bad- and lasting like what felt like 5-6 minutes long- and then i would get my 2 minute break. then, they told me i had to use those to push- and i could start at any time. So, i got in the old fashioned position- on my back, and used the squatting bar to balance my feet. the nurses came over and held my legs for me, Dh was on the side of my bed the WHOLE night, holding my hand and telling me how good i was doing. My mother was there as well- she couldn't get too close because of everything going on
They told me because of the stool the baby passed in the water, they were not going to stimulate her. They didn't want her to swallow any of it- and they had to take her away first- i couldn't see her until she was clear of it in her throat. I was afraid. then her heart rate was getting faster because i was breathing worse- as i couldn't beat the contractions and the pain- and i started wondering if it would ever end.
Finally the real pushing began. the contractions were so long i was able to sometimes get 5 REALLY long pushes out. As i would start- half way through my push- my body would almost loosen up- and start helping me push. I'll never forget their eyes- everyone in the room, as they watched me pushing. They got huge, and i heard them murmuring how amazing it was- they had never seen anyone push like that. that helped- and then i pushed harder.
Soon i could feel her head, and the mw told me how close she was, and told me to just keep going on the next contraction if i could. And i did. Finally her head was out, and she was whisked out of my body by the mw. Baby started crying on her own, they let DH cut the cord, and they took her on the side of the room - still where i could see- and they cleaned her up. A pediatrician and another nurse had entered at some point, and were assessing her and taking care of her.
I tried not to concentrate too much on that as i was afraid- but amazed at how the pain had stopped. they were assessing my bottom half this time- and telling me that i didn't tear at all- except for a tiny nick on the inside. And it didn't need suturing because it was not bleeding enough for concern. I don't know HOW that baby didn't tear me up. It certainly felt like i was ripped wide open. She removed my placenta- and took it over to a table.
I heard them say to each other- not to me - she got a 9 out of 11 on her score and tell me she was ok- she was just fine. She quieted, they weighed her, they handed her to me. While i was examining my new baby- i saw the mw looking over my placenta and smiling and talking to the nurses about it- but my brain was gone- and i didn't hear anything else. I remember the nurses checking my uterus by pushing on my stomach, and the faces of the ladies in the room. How pleased everyone was.
It was 835, she was 8lbs, 2oz, and 19.75 inches in length. She was huge! Not 7 lbs at all. She came 1 day ahead of her original due date. Her stomach was distending from taking in all the fluid, and i was very concerned about her. But she was all i could hear or see. I did give her to DH who was patiently waiting to hold her. My nurses were supposed to leave at 8 and 10 and wound up staying until 11 and 12- because they said they were attached and didn't want to just leave. I thanked them a million times later for everything they did and for staying on with us, because they were fantastic.
they told me to try the breastfeeding- and she just latched on her own. I didn't have to do a thing. She knew. Over the day i had them teach me how to make her latch- but really- she does most of the work herself. She is amazing.
They later told me that they were examining my placenta so closely because it was absolutely perfect- and she was so incredibly healthy and sturdy- and that i did such a great job taking care of myself. She said they had never seen a placenta quite as perfect as mine, and thats why they were all in awe over it.
Everytime i had a new nurse came in they commented on what i did and how amazing it was. Apparently i was the talk of the floor. Even the hospice lady who was the cleaning crew mentioned it.
they don't see many natural births. Or anyone push like that.
Some where during the morning the nurse was concerned, because she thought i was bleeding far too much. She was afraid i had a big clot that wasn't passing- and we became very concerned about that. Baby was vomiting up fluid- which was good- getting all of that out, and here i was thinking i was going to bleed to death and not even get to enjoy her.
So because i did natural, i didn't have the epidural headache, or the c-section scar, so they didn't need to keep me in the hospital. The mw told me that saturday afternoon when she returned to check on me. She also informed me that my bleeding was fine, and everything looked wonderful. Baby's vitals were great, she was perfect.
She did wind up vomiting a bit of the stool and dried blood later- but they assured me it was just what she had taken in and she'd be fine- and she didn't vomit again after that last time.
Dh took care of her mostly because my back was still pretty roughed up. It was hard because i couldnt really get to her or pick her up. Around 1 am she had woken up and i couldn't comfort her, and we couldn't make her stop screaming. So, they took her to the nursery by force really and made me sleep. I hadn't slept AT ALL since thursday night.
Sunday morning the mw told us we were more than welcome to go. We had all the necessary people come in and test her and do paperwork, and then around 6pm we were out the door and on our way home. So happy to be home!
Our darling girl was due originally on August 7th- but with her first ultrasound we were told she was growing a week ahead of schedule so they bumped her up to July 31st.
Getting closer and finally passing the due date, I went in for my appt on Friday Aug 5th at 200 pm. I was feeling kind of - well just not myself. Not as hungry at all, was basically forcing myself to eat. Stomach was very off. But just wasn't thinking much of it. My mw told me that she thought baby would be here over the weekend- but if not, we had to talk induction next week.
I was a bit bummed because we wanted a Natural Birth.
Met a friend and 'walked' around the mall- trying to walk baby out. (which really was a lot of sitting and aching.) She told me she had a dream where today was the day i was going to go into labor. She is kind of psychic and had also told me before i took my positive test that i was pregnant, and that it was a girl long before the ultrasound and also one of two people that thought it was a girl. Everyone else said boy- including myself.
The day passed and I was sitting on the couch in my house with my husband. Around 9 something he took the dog out and i went to pee- finding a bit of blood that looked like a bloody show. I called my mw and asked her what to do, because i had also just noticed braxton hicks coming a little more frequently- like every 7-8 minutes or so. She told me it was nothing to worry about- just probably the start of something.
we started watching a movie at 10- and i noticed some menstrual like cramping at the same time as the hicks, which by 1030 was JUST the cramping- on and off. So dh started to record as i told him when the cramps were coming. an hour later we confirmed that they were already 5 minutes apart lasting 1 minute long each. We started to go to bed, where he told me he thought we should go to the hospital- because i wasn't going to be able to sleep.
At the hospital by midnight (thank god we're right around the corner) - checked in and hooked up to triage. the mw came in and looked at me, and had this face on like she thought i was in false labor. She said 'ok, so now what's going on' so i explained about the cramping- and the timing, and i said 'look i could be wrong but it doesn't feel right.' and they hooked me up to the monitor. It was confirmed they were indeed contractions- and at that point they checked me to see how far along i was. 3-4 cm dilated, and the mw then actually STRETCHED me - which made the contractions jump to 3-4 minutes, and then started to peak and come down and go right back up- not even coming down all the way.
I had to stay hooked up to the machine for another half hour, and then told to walk around the halls when that was done until 225. So, i walked around the hospital for about an hour- then i couldn't do it anymore. So they came in a half hour later- the nurses this time, and i was 5-6 dilated- and the contractions were getting much worse. they called my mw, and admitted me. Put my IV in just in case, but didn't hook me up to anything.
I was admitted into the second largest birthing room (which was mine the whole time i was there
) The nurses i had were fantastic- became very attached to me. Apparently they were in awe (and kept telling me how amazing i was) over the natural approach - AND the fact i did it. And how well i did. they told me in 2 weeks- they had only been delivering boys- and she was to be the first girl! there had been 9 baby boys friday the 5th alone. No girls.We contacted my mother to let her know i was admitted and to head over. They told me to get in the shower- and that should help the contractions. I was having terrible back labor- because she was back to back, and they were discussing how to get her to turn correctly. I was sitting in the shower for what seemed like moments, but it must've been much longer- as my mother wound up arriving and they kept asking me how i was. I remember that no matter what i did with the shower i felt like i was freezing, and the pain... it got better for a while- and then it was really bad. I came out - no concept of the time of any of this- and my contractions had come up with their own pattern- they were 1 minute apart, constant almost, and weren't coming all the way off their peak. And then, after like 4 minutes of that, i would get about 2 minutes reprieve. where it wasn't all the way gone but manageable.
I had to turn and hold on to the rail and grip it, and try to pay attention to how i was breathing- it was pain like nothing i had ever felt before. I can't even describe it now- but it was absolutely horrid. the nurses kept saying how i was really 'banging out the contractions' and seeming concerned with how high and long they were. But the baby was doing fine so they weren't worried about her. They did mention very frequently how well i was doing.
they told me to expect a 7 lb baby- she was definitely not very large. I didn't really care, i just wanted her out.
During all this time they are making me move positions and try to get baby to move around. I could feel her move, and the contractions would move out of my back and into my lower abdomen where they should've been, and then she'd move back again moments later. The positions were excruciating. On my knees hanging over the back of the bed- terrible. Squatting bar- terrible. Birthing ball- terrible. Everything hurt.
Finally they let me lay on my side and try moving her that way. They did leave the squatting bar (which came in hand later) but there was no other position i could manage. It was horrible horrible pain.
Around 610 ish in the morning- they finally checked me again. I was 9 1/2 cm- almost all the way gone- the mw stretched me again, checked again at 630- and asked me if i wanted my water broken- i said no- because i was afraid of the incidence of c-section (i know now that the timing of that is ridiculous) and she reassured me- i was definitely having this baby myself. She left me alone and at 640- my water broke.
It was such a disgusting feeling! And then i heard them say that there was meconium (sp) in there. There also was a flap of the cervix that wasn't moving away and making it hard for baby to get out. So mw moved it with her finger so baby's head could come out of the cervix- which thankfully worked.
I started saying i couldn't do this. - and repeating that over and over again. I remember looking around the room and thinking i was going to pass out.
The mw told me she had to leave at 7- and the new one came in. Right in the middle of the birth! So, the new one took over- closer to 730- as the mw stayed a few extra minutes to fill in the new one, and to make sure she knew everything.
the contractions were so bad- and lasting like what felt like 5-6 minutes long- and then i would get my 2 minute break. then, they told me i had to use those to push- and i could start at any time. So, i got in the old fashioned position- on my back, and used the squatting bar to balance my feet. the nurses came over and held my legs for me, Dh was on the side of my bed the WHOLE night, holding my hand and telling me how good i was doing. My mother was there as well- she couldn't get too close because of everything going on
They told me because of the stool the baby passed in the water, they were not going to stimulate her. They didn't want her to swallow any of it- and they had to take her away first- i couldn't see her until she was clear of it in her throat. I was afraid. then her heart rate was getting faster because i was breathing worse- as i couldn't beat the contractions and the pain- and i started wondering if it would ever end.
Finally the real pushing began. the contractions were so long i was able to sometimes get 5 REALLY long pushes out. As i would start- half way through my push- my body would almost loosen up- and start helping me push. I'll never forget their eyes- everyone in the room, as they watched me pushing. They got huge, and i heard them murmuring how amazing it was- they had never seen anyone push like that. that helped- and then i pushed harder.
Soon i could feel her head, and the mw told me how close she was, and told me to just keep going on the next contraction if i could. And i did. Finally her head was out, and she was whisked out of my body by the mw. Baby started crying on her own, they let DH cut the cord, and they took her on the side of the room - still where i could see- and they cleaned her up. A pediatrician and another nurse had entered at some point, and were assessing her and taking care of her.
I tried not to concentrate too much on that as i was afraid- but amazed at how the pain had stopped. they were assessing my bottom half this time- and telling me that i didn't tear at all- except for a tiny nick on the inside. And it didn't need suturing because it was not bleeding enough for concern. I don't know HOW that baby didn't tear me up. It certainly felt like i was ripped wide open. She removed my placenta- and took it over to a table.
I heard them say to each other- not to me - she got a 9 out of 11 on her score and tell me she was ok- she was just fine. She quieted, they weighed her, they handed her to me. While i was examining my new baby- i saw the mw looking over my placenta and smiling and talking to the nurses about it- but my brain was gone- and i didn't hear anything else. I remember the nurses checking my uterus by pushing on my stomach, and the faces of the ladies in the room. How pleased everyone was.
It was 835, she was 8lbs, 2oz, and 19.75 inches in length. She was huge! Not 7 lbs at all. She came 1 day ahead of her original due date. Her stomach was distending from taking in all the fluid, and i was very concerned about her. But she was all i could hear or see. I did give her to DH who was patiently waiting to hold her. My nurses were supposed to leave at 8 and 10 and wound up staying until 11 and 12- because they said they were attached and didn't want to just leave. I thanked them a million times later for everything they did and for staying on with us, because they were fantastic.
they told me to try the breastfeeding- and she just latched on her own. I didn't have to do a thing. She knew. Over the day i had them teach me how to make her latch- but really- she does most of the work herself. She is amazing.
They later told me that they were examining my placenta so closely because it was absolutely perfect- and she was so incredibly healthy and sturdy- and that i did such a great job taking care of myself. She said they had never seen a placenta quite as perfect as mine, and thats why they were all in awe over it.
Everytime i had a new nurse came in they commented on what i did and how amazing it was. Apparently i was the talk of the floor. Even the hospice lady who was the cleaning crew mentioned it.
they don't see many natural births. Or anyone push like that.
Some where during the morning the nurse was concerned, because she thought i was bleeding far too much. She was afraid i had a big clot that wasn't passing- and we became very concerned about that. Baby was vomiting up fluid- which was good- getting all of that out, and here i was thinking i was going to bleed to death and not even get to enjoy her.
So because i did natural, i didn't have the epidural headache, or the c-section scar, so they didn't need to keep me in the hospital. The mw told me that saturday afternoon when she returned to check on me. She also informed me that my bleeding was fine, and everything looked wonderful. Baby's vitals were great, she was perfect.
She did wind up vomiting a bit of the stool and dried blood later- but they assured me it was just what she had taken in and she'd be fine- and she didn't vomit again after that last time.
Dh took care of her mostly because my back was still pretty roughed up. It was hard because i couldnt really get to her or pick her up. Around 1 am she had woken up and i couldn't comfort her, and we couldn't make her stop screaming. So, they took her to the nursery by force really and made me sleep. I hadn't slept AT ALL since thursday night.
Sunday morning the mw told us we were more than welcome to go. We had all the necessary people come in and test her and do paperwork, and then around 6pm we were out the door and on our way home. So happy to be home!
She looks perfect! I used the squatting bar fir my feet too!! I'll remember it for the next baby, Good Job!!
