March Mamas! It's here 3-1/3-15!! - Page 9

[indigolilybear]

just beautiful!!

Makes me so anxious to see mine!!

[dnr3301]

Claire- she's gorgeous! What great pictures.

[dnr3301]

didn't want to post this along with the congrats to claire...

MY MASSAGE CANCELED ON ME! I was supposed to have it tomorrow and now there is nothing to look forward to. I have my mw appt tonight and baby is high and not giving any sign of coming soon. She's thinking I'll go closer to the original due date of the 20th than the 12th and I am crabby. Then I get home and there is a message from the woman who is supposed to give me a massage tomorrow and she has carpal tunnel and it's acting up and she's really really sorry.

My bp was fine at the appt. some swelling, but it's the end of the day and no one is worried.

I'm just cranky. I want some ice cream...

[tnrsmom]

Claire, she is absolutely beautiful!! I am so happy for your whole family and glad Jude is doing so well.

[rainbowmoon]

Hey there mamas! Here is a copy of my birth story!

Tues. March 2nd I was exactly 40 weeks pregnant when my water broke with a gush at 10 pm. Since I was gbs+ and planning to birth at the birth center where they require you to take the IV antibiotics. We started gathering our things, getting the house in order and packing the car for our 1.5 hour trek to Tucson.. (note; we had already spent hours at the hospital that day for a NST as I was having some blood pressure/swelling issues towards the end of my pregnancy)

We arrived at the birth center at around 1am where we met the CNM (Lisa) on call. She checked me and I was at 3 or 4cm and my contractions were sporadic and about 10 min apart, I was started on my IV antibiotic for the gbs then we decided to leave and get a hotel room so I could labor in private and maybe get some sleep as there was another family at the birth center at the time that had just birthed there earlier in the evening and were resting.. We found a vacant room on the second try and got settled in. I thought I would take a shower then a nap and maybe eat something and even read the paper I made Darren stop to buy. After about 20 minutes I got in the shower where I stayed for about an hour or so, my contractions picked up in intensity and were about 2 min. apart, I started feeling really nauseated at this point & started to vomit. I knew I wasn’t far from active labor and I was starting to having TONS of unbearable back labor and started feeling as if I could not move. Needless to say I was starting to get extremely uncomfortable. We tried some aromatherapy and I got on the floor with pillows on hands and knees, I also tried laboring on the bed as well as squatting backwards resting on the toilet with pillows, but nothing was really helping & I was feeling as if I couldn’t move and was starting to feel like it wouldn’t be long before baby arrived, at this point Darren was starting to get a little nervous that we might end up birthing the babe very soon in the hotel room so he called the MW back and we headed back over to the birth center. It was about 4 am or so when we arrived and I was dilated to about 6 cm. I decided to get into the birth tub and try to relax for awhile. I wasn’t in there for more than hour or two when things really picked up and the MW thought I was in transition but when she checked I was only at about 8 cm.. I continued on this way for HOURS and hours (try 12) before I decided I really needed to transfer to the hospital as the pain was just getting to be too much as I was completely exhausted and all the labor pain was in my back. I could not move or think or hardly speak. Baby’s head seemd to be in a weird position to the MW’s and labor was starting to stall and my cervix actually went back to 6cm dilation. I was having a really hard time staying on top of my contractions and could barely move. My plan was to start some pitocin thinking it would help me over that last little hump and dilate me completely. After an agonizing ride to TMC from the birth center (only a block away) we were taken to a labor room and got settled in where we met Janice the MW relieving Lisa of her shift. First I asked if they could give me something for the pain as I thought if I could just rest for a couple of hours things would progress a lot quicker. I ended up getting an epidural and some other meds and ended up dozing for about an hour or two, which was so nice and the pain was completely gone at his point. (I never felt a thing after this point which totally amazes me even when the epidural seemed to start wearing off during pushing) Next time they checked me I was at 10 cm and complete so I decided the time had come to start pushing. I pushed and pushed and PUSHED for nearly 4 hours. Darren tells me I looked like I was having a ball the whole time I pushed. I just remember the horrible back pain was gone and I could feel baby move down a bit with each push but only to move right back up where he started. I was determined though to have a vaginal birth so I just kept at it, I thought for sure we would be meeting our son very soon. I tried pelvic rocking for hours to see if I could get baby to turn and many positions for pushing but nothing was working. The baby moved down a bit but was stuck on his side at station 0 and his head was still transverse w/ his ear presenting. I actually had plenty of room in my pelvis around the top and bottom parts of his head but otherwise he was stuck due to positioning. At this point I knew something had to change or else I would not be able to continue as nothing at all was happening and the pushing was not effective. Thankfully our baby was never distressed for a moment so I was allowed to continue any way I wanted. After being checked my numerous times by my MW and nurses and dr’s and even more pushing I decided there was really no choice but to get a c section as I had been in active labor at this point for over 24 hours and felt completely wiped out. I personally was ok with my decision as I knew I had tried everything I could at this point and just wanted baby to be there. Things moved really fast after that and I was prepped and ready for the OR within about ½ hour. The surgery went so quick and
Dylan Kayne Larey was born finally within 10 minutes @ 1:57 am March 4th! (his grandpa Ken’s b-day!) wieghing in at 9lbs5oz and 20 inches long he is a big boy!! Oh btw and his head measured 34 cm! He scored a 9 on his apgars and we started breastfeeding right away in recovery even in spite of my blood pressure crashing. It felt like I had known this little person all my life.

It was completely ironic that I ended up having the birth I had dreamed of as a nightmare during my whole pregnancy and everything I always thought I didn’t want, but I was in complete control of what was happening and the hospital staff was so respectful and helpful every moment. My Dr. Jennifer Reinhart was wonderful as was the anesthesiologist and the nurses were all so nice and helpful. Most especially Maggie at the birth center whom we are extremely grateful to for holding my hand through almost every contraction while I labored there and helped Darren and I both immensely get through the tough parts. It really was a completely positive and empowering birth experience in spite of all the unwanted interventions and the surgery. Not once did I feel I was being forced into augmentation or a section (which I had feared for months during my pregnancy as I somehow intuitively knew I was going to end up in the hospital) but I was able to make the decisions myself It was completely opposite of what I had ever imagined a hospital/managed birth to be and I got my first taste of what flexibility really is as I entered motherhood.

[PinkSunfish]

CONGRATULATIONS to you and your family Spark and welcome to Cicely :ballons .

Thankyou for sharing your birth story with us Rainbowmoon. I am so glad that you had a positive experience despite things not going to plan.

I have an appointment with the MW today so fingers crossed she can get my blood test results.

and to everyone

[Jster]

Congratulations Claire and Cicely!! I must admit that my heart overflowed reading your story...I know you waited a long time for that little one and how wonderful that she is now with you! Maybe soon it'll be time for a ttc and breastfeeding/born in March reunion!!

and Rainbowmoon, thanks so much for sharing your story! It is so inspiring to read about a responsible and respectful journey through necessary medical interventions...and really good for us going into birth. Hopefully any of us who are faced with a not quite ideally imagined birth also have the same peace and control you have. What a blessing!

Rebecca, bummer about the massage!! Perhaps you can rope DH or someone else into giving you some sort of relaxation massage.

Good luck all, happy gestating and birthing!

[PumpkinSeeds]

I can't sleep. I've been lying in bed for hours just looking out the window.

Well, I have an appointment this afternoon and another NST.

I went on a tour of the birthing center. We took our son to see it, anyways it was where he was born, so we really took him for his benefit, since we want him there.

The LD nurse casually mentioned that non of the OB's like to do waterbirths. But the midwives are fine about it.

So since I've been risked out of midwife care, I'm all bunched up about it.

I've really been negotiating with the OB's to let me have midwife care since I've been keeping my blood sugar in control and the NST and AFI tests have come back normal.

Maybe that's why I can't sleep.

[shershine]

I've been in labor for a few hours. The contractions are kind of irregular but they HURT! I am not coping very well and I probably have a loooong way to go. It's prob time to call the doula but I don't want to wake her up quite yet. I've got to relax...

[mamaroni]

shershine! you can do it! trying to relax sounds like a great idea. maybe a bath? get some support. happy labor vibes to you!

pumpkinSeeds--good luck. maybe you can labor in the tub, and just, ooops, didn't know baby was that close, here s/he is!

Rebecca, I'm crabby too (and yes, ice cream helps!). Maybe you can resched the massage? I'm supposed to have one on Wednesday.

rainbowmoon, great story--like Jster said, it's great to hear a story like there where mama is in control.

pinksunfish, hope your appointment goes well for you.

Well, I thought maybe labor was starting for me yesterday evening. . .I had a few signs. . . but things stopped. It was probably mostly wishful thinking. I like what Jish said, though--at least I'm counting in days now rather than weeks or months. (well, I suppose it *could* be a few weeks yet).

Jish, hope the mouse/van thing works out well for you. What a drag! We had some bad luck lately that cost some bucks as well--flooded basement, both cars needing brakes, major carpenter ant problem.

peace to you all. . .

[PinkSunfish]

Pumpkin seeds: I'm sorry you aren't sleeping. That must have been really dissapointing to be risked out of MW care. I am hoping not to be risked out of the birthing centre so I really sympathise.

Shershine: happy birthing to you. You can do it!

Mamaroni: I'm sending you too. I hope things pick up for you soon.

My update:

I am back from my MW appointment and I feel pretty positive about things overall. The blood sugar results aren't back yet but she wasn't worried about it since my last blood sugar result was fine and all my urine tests have been negative. The baby's head is now 2-3/5ths engaged . So I reckon my pelvis can take this baby no problem! I am also glad that I was right about what I was feeling at the weekend (lots of movement and pressure on my perineum) and that it was the baby moving down.

Things are getting pretty exciting now. I was also quite amused because the baby disliked the MW checking for its head and did a massive kick and then moved out of the way of the sonicaid whilst she was cheking the heartbeat. Clearly he/she was in need of some privacy today .

The only negative was that she suggested that the Obs may not "allow" me to have the baby at the birthing centre. I don't really see why that should be since it's only one floor below the delivery suite. Hopefully I will have the wherewithall to argue my case when I see them next week.

to everyone.

[Mama2ABCD]

congratulations Clair!!! and welcome to the oxygen world, Cicely. glad you are so loved by your brother!

thanks for sharing your story, rainbowmom!

willowsmama, you are not bad for even thinking of an induction. this can be a rough time....waiting. only you know whats best for you and your babe.


hope you get your midwife wishes, pumpkinseed.

[gina]

sorry for not writing sooner! i have been in such mommy-bliss! little baby LEE is doing great- she was born on wed., mar 3 at 5:12 PM- the horrors of surgical birth were there but i am healing and so excited to be off bed-rest and able to be out in the world- the little bean was 8.2 lbs. and 22 and a half inches- i'll write more later-
my 3 yr. old is suddenly sick w/a sore throat/fever/cold and she has been holding lee quite a bit- i am very worried at the moment- i'll write more soon-

[mamaroni]

Gina. . great news! Congrats, and glad you're feeling so well. Hopefully dd is better soon too. Welcome to the world, Lee!

Now, we still need to hear from bebe luna. . . i bet she's had her baby by now, too. gratefulmum, are you still with us, too??

[PinkSunfish]

Congratulations Gina and welcome to Lee.

[Boobiemama]

so many babies!! congrats everyone!!

[Jish]

I am so tired right now that I can barely keep my eyes open. Ds2 was up all night the other night with the beginings of a runny nose (which he can't stand and sniffs constantly) so I got no sleep that night. Then I tried to nap and make up for it yesterday, but my brain wouldn't shut down and I couldn't fall asleep. I did alright last night and got a few hours (nothing in a row: ) but, yowza, I am totally wiped today. I NEVER allow my ds to play nintendo during the day, but I gladly gave in and let him play this morning. If I go into labor today, it could be rough. We didn't try the sex thing last night cause I was so tired and didn't want to go into labor without getting partly caught up on sleep. Now, with both of my boys coming down with slight colds, I think the babe may be better off on the inside for a while. Plus, I REAAAALLLLLYYYYY need some sleep. Since the car is in the shop, dh has to pick up ds from school which means that I could actually get a nap in today if all goes according to plan.

Of course, when do things go according to plan.:

[Mama2ABCD]

Congrats, Gina! Welcome little Lee! Hope your older daughter gets better soon and that Lee escapes it!

This is exciting, reading about you momma's going into labor and then reading about a baby! I feel like i'm in line for some exciting amusement park ride and every one ahead of me that just got off the ride had such a great time! I'm patiently waiting my turn.

[citizenfong]

Yea, Gina! Now the fun begins! I'm interested to hear your story when you're ready with it.

rainbowmoon, great to read your story. I am so glad you had a satisfying birth, despite the unexpected circumstances. It's so great to hear of a mama getting the respect she deserves to make the choices she needs to make.

[mamaroni]

Tracy, every time I see you've posted, I expect a birth announcement! c'mon, now!