Friday, December 30, 2011

C's Birth Story

12/28

M and I arrived at the hospital at 6:45AM. We were set up in a room to await shift change and the OB to let us know what was going to happen. About 5 minutes later the OB comes in and asks what things were going on the day before. I tell him what I was told after the internal on Tuesday, that there has been no progress since the week before, still 2cm, thick and head high. He asks if they did a membrane sweep. I respond with yes. He asks if there was bloody show, and I respond with no. He said they didn't do it right then, and he'll be doing it again. Wholy Moly did he do a sweep. He also said that I was a 3, thin, but the head was still high. He believed that once the meds started we'd be having a baby by mid afternoon.

Everything was right on track for that prediction. The Oxytocin was started around 8:30. There were some contractions, but I barely noticed them. M and I put on a Top Chef All Stars marathon and just wondered around the room. Around noon the OB comes in to check things out and breaks my water. He still thinks mid afternoon. I'm at a 4-5cm at that point.

Still the contractions aren't too bad. I can definitely feel them, but nothing horrible. Every half hour to hour the Oxytocin is bumped up by 2, so it was at about a 12 at that point. I ask for a labor ball around 1, and the nurse bumps up the meds one last time. At that point the contractions were getting much more painful, but I was still able to breathe through them. The OB came in around 2 to check again. 7cm. He said he'd be back in a bit since I'll be ready soon. He has now changed his prediction to late afternoon. My mother came in around that time and her, M and I were just talking with each other and the nurse, while still watching Top Chef. The contractions were much more intense, so I had a lot of breaks in the conversation. Next internal still showed 7cm. I asked for some Nubane to take the edge off and that bought me another hour. Unfortunately I was still at 7cm after that hour. Then the pain was intense again.

I asked for more Nubane, but it wasn't doing anything to take the edge off. I went through a few more contractions, but it was too much. The nurse offered to do another internal and we agreed that if I was still at 7cm, she'd call for the epi. Still 7cm, bring on the drugs!

I got the epi all done and feeling great around 7PM. I still could wiggle my toes and my lungs felt tight when a contraction hit, but thank goodness the pain was gone. The OB told me to rest. I could either relax my body enough to get past that pesky 7cm, or I'd at least get some rest to keep going later. Sadly the nurse I had all day had to leave. She was so bummed to know it was all so close but her shift was over.

An hour later the OB comes in, checks, and tells me we're good to go. Unfortunately I can't feel anything in order to push, so they back off the epi. About 15 minutes later (8PM) the nurses set me up with M on one side, my mother on the other and explain how I'm going to push. She tells me to do some test pushes. After two contractions C is crowning. One nurse gets the OB. He comes in, sets up, and 2 contractions later C has arrived. 8:20PM, 7 pounds 12 ounces, 21 inches.

No tear, no hemhorage, no issues at all with me. C did take a big gulp of fluid, so there were some feeding issues with that, but nothing else. She spent the night with me and H in our room, and it was fantastic!

We're even breastfeeding. So far so good with that. It's an adjustment and there have already been times I thought of how easy formula would be, like the 4 straight hours she was attached to me last night, but we're hanging in there. I reached my first goal, and we made it through the hospital stay without formula. Next goal will be to make it to a week.

Such an incredible experience the whole day was. It was such a difference than with AJ, that I almost got sad that we have no plans to ever have that experience again.

We are so in love with the precious C.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

HDBD early

How Far Along: 40w 6d

Total Weight Gain: I've lost track, but I think it's close to 30 for a total at this point. Eh, not bad really.

Maternity Clothes: Yep, but I can still fit into some of my non-mat t-shirts

Sleep: Insomnia is still there occasionally

Cravings or Aversions: I wanted OJ more than anything else in the world for a day. That's over now.

Best Moment This Week: Hopefully the birth of this girly tomorrow.

Movement: Constant and crazy.

Gender: Girl.

Labor Signs: Ultrasound showed lots of room and lots of fluid. The tech even said that if she didn't know my due date she'd figure I still had a few weeks to go. Fantastic! Non Stress Test for half an hour showed 0 contractions. 2cm, thick with the head high. So no, no signs of labor on my own in my future.

Belly Button in or out: sort of out.

What I miss: The thought of going into labor on my own.

What I'm Looking Forward to: meeting this little girl

Weekly Wisdom: Make plans, and life happens

Milestones: Experiencing my first induction tomorrow

What the baby is up to: No good. She is way to comfy and stubborn for my own good.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

HDBD

How Far Along: 40w

Total Weight Gain: I've lost track, but I think it's close to 30 for a total at this point. Eh, not bad really.

Maternity Clothes: Yep, but I can still fit into some of my non-mat t-shirts

Sleep: Insomnia is still there. I think it's more stress than anything else at this point. I really wanted this little one to make her appearance before Christmas, but that doesn't look hopeful. I'm guessing she'll make her debut sometime over the weekend, so I'll miss Christmas gatherings and end up with the OB I don't like.

Cravings or Aversions: Nothing really

Best Moment This Week: Not really the best moment, since that would entail this girly to come out on her own, but an end date is in sight. Eviction procedures will commence one week from today.

Movement: Constant and crazy.

Gender: Girl.

Labor Signs: LOTS of Braxton Hicks, but no real contractions. A quicky internal said about 2cm and soft, but the head is still pretty high.

Belly Button in or out: sort of out.

What I miss: Not constantly thinking about the time of the arrival vs Christmas gatherings.

What I'm Looking Forward to: meeting this little girl

Weekly Wisdom: Make plans, and life happens

Milestones: Done

What the baby is up to:
Happy due date -- you made it! Since 40 weeks was the deadline you set for baby, you’ve probably already made sure the bassinet is made up, the car seat is installed and your hospital bag is by the door. Now, do some little things you might have forgotten, like making sure your cell phone is fully charged before you go to bed and the car is filled with gas. Some moms-to-be also choose to put a waterproof mattress cover on their bed, just in case their water breaks in the middle of the night. It’s not a must-do, but it’s not a bad idea either, especially because once baby comes, there might be other messes on or around your bed. Week 40 can be mentally rough, since you’ll probably be constantly wondering when baby will decide to finally make his entrance and question every twinge you have. Try not to stress, and rest assured that baby will arrive when he’s ready -- and your body will give you the right signals that it’s time.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

HDBD

How Far Along: 38w

Total Weight Gain: 21 pounds. So happy for that. My appointment after Thanksgiving showed a 5 pound gain in two weeks. Thankfully, the following week showed a 4 pound loss. Amazing what the difference in appointment time (5:00PM for the gain, 8:30AM for the loss), and no holiday eating, can do.

Maternity Clothes: Yep, but I can still fit into some of my non-mat t-shirts

Sleep: Two Tums before bed helps with the heartburn. The past couple nights I've been wide awake for hours and had to move to the couch so my flopping around wouldn't keep M up. One of us needs sleep with AJ's issues.

Cravings or Aversions: I really wanted a Boston Cream Pie after watching The Best Thing I Ever Ate, on Food Network weeks ago. I picked up the ice cream version. I'll never eat it again, but at least I stopped thinking about the pie.

Best Moment This Week: Today is the 7th. Which means if this girl is going to keep up the birthday pattern set by the others (AJ 8/7, misscarriage 1/7, nephew 9/7, niece 6/7, anniversary 6/7, brother 11/7) However with my lack of any impending labor feelings, it looks like this one will skip on that tradition.

Movement: Constant and crazy, and a little painful at this point.

Gender: Girl.

Labor Signs: Sadly, nothing major.

Belly Button in or out: sort of out.

What I miss: bending, having a lap, standing without peeing myself

What I'm Looking Forward to: meeting this little girl

Weekly Wisdom: Make plans, and life happens 

Milestones: Any day now...

What the baby is up to:
Yow! If you feel a sort of lightening bolt running up and down your legs (and in your crotch), don’t freak out. At 38 weeks, baby’s probably sitting pretty low in your pelvis, which means he’s bumping into all kinds of nerves down there -- including some pretty sensitive ones you might not know you had. Be on the lookout for signs of labor, including contractions that come on stronger, at more regular intervals, and the “bloody show.” It could happen any day now -- or it might not be for a few weeks. Until then, try to relax.