Cristiano was born at 39 weeks on Sunday 10-14-12 at 11:35pm. 8lbs 2oz. 20.5 in.
Saturday night I was scrubbing the bathtub and lost my mucous plug. I just knew I would wake up to contractions Sunday morning and I did.
I woke up to mild contractions around 7 am and knew that was the day. I finished all the laundry, got my bag ready, showered, straightened my hair and put on my makeup.
The contractions were getting stronger to where I had to stop and breathe through them but not really that painful. They were every 5-7 minutes then I'd have a 20 min break. By 2pm I was getting concerned that I wasn't progressing because they weren't really painful so I told my husband I needed to go walk at the mall because I was having this baby today. We went to eat then went to the mall which was a mistake. It was so crowded and hot I was miserable and got really frustrated and angry. The walk to the truck was the worst, my contractions were getting intense and it was so hot and humid outside. The hospital was across the street but I wanted to go back home and take a cold shower. I was also still afraid I hadn't dilated to 4 yet to be admitted in the hospital.
After I showered and tried to relax a bit I told my husband let's go. We arrived at 8pm but my contractions still were not 5 mins apart consistently. I was the only 1 there in labor but they took their time putting me in a triage room and the nurse didn't want to believe I was in labor. She finally checked me and I was a 6! This was my first time birthing in a hospital. Then I find out that my OB would not be there and it would be an OB from the same practice I had never met. Also that I was GBS + and would need antibiotics in the IV which I was not prepared for. My OB did not tell me that. I was in pain and not happy about being blindsided. They put me in a room, in a bed, hook me up to an IV, a monitor and had me sign paperwork. I was not happy. On a positive note they were totally fine with me refusing the eye ointment and Hep B and very respectful of my birth plan.
By 9:30 they had me hooked up to a wireless monitor for the baby only so I could move around, a birthing ball, squatting bar, I had my iPod on with headphones and told my husband he could put the football game on so I could try to get in my zone. The staff pretty much left me alone. Then I hit transition and suddenly remembered how painful it was! It was so hard. By 11pm I had been stuck at 9, my water hadn't broken and I wanted to push. I finally met the OB who I immediately loved. He was awesome, funny and made me feel so comfortable. I asked him to break my water because with my 2 previous I had to have it broken at 9. He was having a hard time and I told him he better hurry up and break it because I needed to push. 15 mins and a couple of pushes later Cristiano was born.
They gave him to me, made sure I was ok, he started breastfeeding and they all left us alone. About 2 hrs later the baby nurse came back and respectfully asked me if it was ok for her to weigh him and check him out. I asked if she absolutely had to bathe him and she said she wouldn't do anything to him I didn't want her to. I was relieved. My whole labor experience was pretty good. He never left my sight, my wishes were respected without question, my nurse was amazing! She was so positive and supportive the whole time and even massaged my back during labor.
After having 2 waterbirths in a birth center I definitely would have preferred to have had him there but given our financial circumstances I was fairly pleased with my hospital birth. Maybe I just got lucky.
Saturday night I was scrubbing the bathtub and lost my mucous plug. I just knew I would wake up to contractions Sunday morning and I did.
I woke up to mild contractions around 7 am and knew that was the day. I finished all the laundry, got my bag ready, showered, straightened my hair and put on my makeup.
The contractions were getting stronger to where I had to stop and breathe through them but not really that painful. They were every 5-7 minutes then I'd have a 20 min break. By 2pm I was getting concerned that I wasn't progressing because they weren't really painful so I told my husband I needed to go walk at the mall because I was having this baby today. We went to eat then went to the mall which was a mistake. It was so crowded and hot I was miserable and got really frustrated and angry. The walk to the truck was the worst, my contractions were getting intense and it was so hot and humid outside. The hospital was across the street but I wanted to go back home and take a cold shower. I was also still afraid I hadn't dilated to 4 yet to be admitted in the hospital.
After I showered and tried to relax a bit I told my husband let's go. We arrived at 8pm but my contractions still were not 5 mins apart consistently. I was the only 1 there in labor but they took their time putting me in a triage room and the nurse didn't want to believe I was in labor. She finally checked me and I was a 6! This was my first time birthing in a hospital. Then I find out that my OB would not be there and it would be an OB from the same practice I had never met. Also that I was GBS + and would need antibiotics in the IV which I was not prepared for. My OB did not tell me that. I was in pain and not happy about being blindsided. They put me in a room, in a bed, hook me up to an IV, a monitor and had me sign paperwork. I was not happy. On a positive note they were totally fine with me refusing the eye ointment and Hep B and very respectful of my birth plan.
By 9:30 they had me hooked up to a wireless monitor for the baby only so I could move around, a birthing ball, squatting bar, I had my iPod on with headphones and told my husband he could put the football game on so I could try to get in my zone. The staff pretty much left me alone. Then I hit transition and suddenly remembered how painful it was! It was so hard. By 11pm I had been stuck at 9, my water hadn't broken and I wanted to push. I finally met the OB who I immediately loved. He was awesome, funny and made me feel so comfortable. I asked him to break my water because with my 2 previous I had to have it broken at 9. He was having a hard time and I told him he better hurry up and break it because I needed to push. 15 mins and a couple of pushes later Cristiano was born.
They gave him to me, made sure I was ok, he started breastfeeding and they all left us alone. About 2 hrs later the baby nurse came back and respectfully asked me if it was ok for her to weigh him and check him out. I asked if she absolutely had to bathe him and she said she wouldn't do anything to him I didn't want her to. I was relieved. My whole labor experience was pretty good. He never left my sight, my wishes were respected without question, my nurse was amazing! She was so positive and supportive the whole time and even massaged my back during labor.
After having 2 waterbirths in a birth center I definitely would have preferred to have had him there but given our financial circumstances I was fairly pleased with my hospital birth. Maybe I just got lucky.
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