Happy New Year everyone,
I only discovered this group a few weeks ago but wanted to share my story as I'm having a really hard time. I had been in labor for what felt like weeks and ended up at our birth center last Saturday (12/26) but was still only dilated to 4 and about 75% effaced - contractions stopped and I went home and was completely miserable/depressed/sad all day Sunday. Basically ignored everyone, laid around the house and cried all day. Went to bed Sunday night and woke up at 1:30 am with cramping. Got up and thought, "Here we go again." By 2:15 I started focusing on the "cramping" a bit more and thought, 'Hmm... maybe this is different. Got out the watch and wow, they are 2 minutes apart lasting a minute." Woke up DH and told him. He said, "well, if you just lay down, they will probably stop. " (Both of us wanted to avoid another false alarm) I thought he was nuts but I managed to make it through 4 contractions lying down -- VERY painful and I then said I was calling the midwife and would drive myself if I had too - I think something in the tone of my voice must have made him realize this was the real thing as he quickly got up. We got to the birth center about 4:00 and he and our midwife started setting up the tub. She checked me and I was dilated to 7 (yes, great car ride) and 100% effaced. I finally got in the tub about 5:30 (RELIEF) and then about 10 minutes later everything stopped. I had been listening to my hypnobabies CD and was still a little panicky but when they stopped I got very anxious. I thought, well, I'm either ready to push or something else is going on. But I thought, could I go from 7-10 in less than an hour minutes. The answer is "YES". She checked and said "go ahead and push when you feel ready." So, about 45 minutes later, my beautiful daughter was born in the caul in the water. She was 7 lb 15 ounces and 20 1/2" long.
Unfortunately, she was meconium stained and needed suctioning. She was initially ok, apgar score 7 and 8. I held her, she nursed for about 20 minutes but she was still breathing too fast and shallow so we had to transfer to the hospital. DH went with her. Meanwhile, my blood pressure (which is normally very low) was extremely low so I ended up being transferred about 2 hours after her. She is in the NICU still as she got pneumonia caused by the meconium aspiration. Was on a ventilator but is now off and slowly improving. I was in for three days and decided against a transfusion although apparently I lost a lot of blood and now have anemia. (Oh yeah, love the liquid iron --YUCK). I came home yesterday and it was absolutely heart wrenching to come home not pregnant without a baby in my arms. Spent most of the night crying my eyes out next to her crib. I had severe post-partum depression after my son was born and hope I can avoid it this time, but am not certain. I feel sort of numb and disconnected. I was able to hold her again yesterday (finally). They haven't yet told us when she can come home, but hopefully next week sometime barring any setbacks or complications.
The hospital is great but they did initially try to blame the water birth and the fact that I was Group B strep positive (I had antibiotics both Saturday night during my false alarm and on Sunday am but not for the required 4 hours); however, even their doc had to admit that being born in the caul would have protected her from the bacteria and don't you know it the cultures came back negative.
So, that's my story - thanks for reading. It has been an emotionally draining week but I'm trying to stay focused on the positive. I have been pumping and they started giving it to her yesterday.
Congrats to all the new mommas and mommas to be and thanks for sending positive vibes to my little Nola!
I only discovered this group a few weeks ago but wanted to share my story as I'm having a really hard time. I had been in labor for what felt like weeks and ended up at our birth center last Saturday (12/26) but was still only dilated to 4 and about 75% effaced - contractions stopped and I went home and was completely miserable/depressed/sad all day Sunday. Basically ignored everyone, laid around the house and cried all day. Went to bed Sunday night and woke up at 1:30 am with cramping. Got up and thought, "Here we go again." By 2:15 I started focusing on the "cramping" a bit more and thought, 'Hmm... maybe this is different. Got out the watch and wow, they are 2 minutes apart lasting a minute." Woke up DH and told him. He said, "well, if you just lay down, they will probably stop. " (Both of us wanted to avoid another false alarm) I thought he was nuts but I managed to make it through 4 contractions lying down -- VERY painful and I then said I was calling the midwife and would drive myself if I had too - I think something in the tone of my voice must have made him realize this was the real thing as he quickly got up. We got to the birth center about 4:00 and he and our midwife started setting up the tub. She checked me and I was dilated to 7 (yes, great car ride) and 100% effaced. I finally got in the tub about 5:30 (RELIEF) and then about 10 minutes later everything stopped. I had been listening to my hypnobabies CD and was still a little panicky but when they stopped I got very anxious. I thought, well, I'm either ready to push or something else is going on. But I thought, could I go from 7-10 in less than an hour minutes. The answer is "YES". She checked and said "go ahead and push when you feel ready." So, about 45 minutes later, my beautiful daughter was born in the caul in the water. She was 7 lb 15 ounces and 20 1/2" long.
Unfortunately, she was meconium stained and needed suctioning. She was initially ok, apgar score 7 and 8. I held her, she nursed for about 20 minutes but she was still breathing too fast and shallow so we had to transfer to the hospital. DH went with her. Meanwhile, my blood pressure (which is normally very low) was extremely low so I ended up being transferred about 2 hours after her. She is in the NICU still as she got pneumonia caused by the meconium aspiration. Was on a ventilator but is now off and slowly improving. I was in for three days and decided against a transfusion although apparently I lost a lot of blood and now have anemia. (Oh yeah, love the liquid iron --YUCK). I came home yesterday and it was absolutely heart wrenching to come home not pregnant without a baby in my arms. Spent most of the night crying my eyes out next to her crib. I had severe post-partum depression after my son was born and hope I can avoid it this time, but am not certain. I feel sort of numb and disconnected. I was able to hold her again yesterday (finally). They haven't yet told us when she can come home, but hopefully next week sometime barring any setbacks or complications.
The hospital is great but they did initially try to blame the water birth and the fact that I was Group B strep positive (I had antibiotics both Saturday night during my false alarm and on Sunday am but not for the required 4 hours); however, even their doc had to admit that being born in the caul would have protected her from the bacteria and don't you know it the cultures came back negative.
So, that's my story - thanks for reading. It has been an emotionally draining week but I'm trying to stay focused on the positive. I have been pumping and they started giving it to her yesterday.
Congrats to all the new mommas and mommas to be and thanks for sending positive vibes to my little Nola!
's and 
, she will be home soon.
