well I'm napped and the boy sleeping, here's a little more of our story. I will have to type the whole thing after I have better memory skills!
We labored at home for about 9 hours and I felt really on top of it. After I last posted, the contractions changed and came every 2-4 minutes for the remainder of the labor. When we got to the hospital I was around 3 centimeters with a bulging bag and around 95% effaced! I was so glad to have gotten that much done at home.
I settled into the jaccuzi with my best friend by my side while dh slept. I still wanted him to sleep as much as possible...
2 hours later I started puking and my water broke in the tub, got out and was around a 4 or 5, progressing nicely!
BUT he had major heart decels and the room filled with staff, getting me on my chest and knees, scarey stuff.
That was to happen once more before all was said and done. I think it was because my water had broken while my tummy was floating and as I stood he settled on his cord a bit...
Let's see...I kept progressing well, staying on top of it, hurting alot but making lots of noise and doing well...
Then came a time where my cntrx became different...first 10 mintues long, then 20, then 30, LONG LONG HARD ones that wouldn't let up. There was virtually not more than a combined total of 2 or 3 minutes rest during one of those hours.
Everybody got excited, they pulled out the baby gear saying stuff like "transition!" and my body started trying to push.
I was checked and was found to be "only" 8 centimeters!
Don't push!
Another hour of weird weird labor, NO rest between, no betweens.
I started hitting my head on the wall, screaming, crying, just losing it. I felt like I could do natural labor just fine, but that something was wrong. When I would be at the peak of one I would try and jump up and run away only to realize I couldn't and then I'd fall down, I was getting a little wacky!
Then I said enough and got the epidural.
Slept for maybe 2 hours. HEAVEN. I needed it and don't feel bad one bit!
Woke up, baby had descended quite a bit and I was fully dialated finally!
They then realized that he was either OP, or LOT the whole time (some debate remains!) and had me rest in favorable possitions for another hour or two to help him turn better.
Finally it was time to push.
Epi had worn off, no amount of help from the anesthesia guy seemed to bring it back, just dead legs and LIVE UTERUS! And I must add that I received pitocin throughout the pushing and my uterus suddenly kind of pooped out.
Four hours of looking at a tiny piece of beautiful hair surrounded by increasingly swollen labia and it wouldn't budge!
"you're doing great! Push harder!"
But I knew something wasn't normal or his head would move at least a little down.
I said to my ob:"is this right? Is this normal?"
And she said, no, we need to look at "other" options: push more, forceps, or c-section.
Let me just say that this woman was great, never pressured me, always encouraged, just a real wonderful person to have who respected all my wishes...
So we said forceps...the scariest decision I have ever made! But I was also extremely out of it, I starting thinking I was dying and crazy stuff.
Miracle of miracles, forceps in, one push, head turned and came about a third of the way! More progress in 2 seconds than all of the 4 hours! Forceps were done with their job: he had a huge cappet on the right side of his head from being so crooked. I pushed hime out on my own with maybe 2 or 3 more pushes!!!!
I tore, around a second degree.
But I couldn't care less, my son was on my chest, I was sobbing, he was alive and well, no c-section...I couldn't have been more surprised! It wasn't a girl! And dh guessed his gender and weight correctly again (he does this with EVERYBODIES babies!)
And I said I love you Titus and haven't stopped since.
We got 2 days in the hospital because of him coming so late in the night, which I really appreciated as I couldn't get around too much at first.
Amazingly I had no problems urinating, and even had a bm today (only 2 days later) with no problems!
Nursing has been kind of a joke and I'm trying not to get too down about it, got some help from a LC and have another appointment in the am to get more help...started using a breast shield and that has made it s he at least gets plenty of food while I try and figure out my nipples!
Whew! That was longer than I thought! There is so much more, but maybe it doesn't all need to be said right now, I am happy in bliss land with my son and I will go back again one day and try and sort it all out.
Enough to say that I am proud of myself, I did all I could, I made every decision on my own and wouldn't change any of them given this particular birth!
On a side note I asked my nurse how many other moms were laboring naturally that day and she laughed and said that at this hospital, people don't know the meaning of the word, that it means laboring without make-up! The staff was very encouraging and never once pushed or even offered drugs, that was my choice fully.
Be back later with some pictures!!!
--Grace
We labored at home for about 9 hours and I felt really on top of it. After I last posted, the contractions changed and came every 2-4 minutes for the remainder of the labor. When we got to the hospital I was around 3 centimeters with a bulging bag and around 95% effaced! I was so glad to have gotten that much done at home.
I settled into the jaccuzi with my best friend by my side while dh slept. I still wanted him to sleep as much as possible...
2 hours later I started puking and my water broke in the tub, got out and was around a 4 or 5, progressing nicely!
BUT he had major heart decels and the room filled with staff, getting me on my chest and knees, scarey stuff.
That was to happen once more before all was said and done. I think it was because my water had broken while my tummy was floating and as I stood he settled on his cord a bit...
Let's see...I kept progressing well, staying on top of it, hurting alot but making lots of noise and doing well...
Then came a time where my cntrx became different...first 10 mintues long, then 20, then 30, LONG LONG HARD ones that wouldn't let up. There was virtually not more than a combined total of 2 or 3 minutes rest during one of those hours.
Everybody got excited, they pulled out the baby gear saying stuff like "transition!" and my body started trying to push.
I was checked and was found to be "only" 8 centimeters!
Don't push!
Another hour of weird weird labor, NO rest between, no betweens.
I started hitting my head on the wall, screaming, crying, just losing it. I felt like I could do natural labor just fine, but that something was wrong. When I would be at the peak of one I would try and jump up and run away only to realize I couldn't and then I'd fall down, I was getting a little wacky!
Then I said enough and got the epidural.
Slept for maybe 2 hours. HEAVEN. I needed it and don't feel bad one bit!
Woke up, baby had descended quite a bit and I was fully dialated finally!
They then realized that he was either OP, or LOT the whole time (some debate remains!) and had me rest in favorable possitions for another hour or two to help him turn better.
Finally it was time to push.
Epi had worn off, no amount of help from the anesthesia guy seemed to bring it back, just dead legs and LIVE UTERUS! And I must add that I received pitocin throughout the pushing and my uterus suddenly kind of pooped out.
Four hours of looking at a tiny piece of beautiful hair surrounded by increasingly swollen labia and it wouldn't budge!
"you're doing great! Push harder!"
But I knew something wasn't normal or his head would move at least a little down.
I said to my ob:"is this right? Is this normal?"
And she said, no, we need to look at "other" options: push more, forceps, or c-section.
Let me just say that this woman was great, never pressured me, always encouraged, just a real wonderful person to have who respected all my wishes...
So we said forceps...the scariest decision I have ever made! But I was also extremely out of it, I starting thinking I was dying and crazy stuff.
Miracle of miracles, forceps in, one push, head turned and came about a third of the way! More progress in 2 seconds than all of the 4 hours! Forceps were done with their job: he had a huge cappet on the right side of his head from being so crooked. I pushed hime out on my own with maybe 2 or 3 more pushes!!!!
I tore, around a second degree.
But I couldn't care less, my son was on my chest, I was sobbing, he was alive and well, no c-section...I couldn't have been more surprised! It wasn't a girl! And dh guessed his gender and weight correctly again (he does this with EVERYBODIES babies!)
And I said I love you Titus and haven't stopped since.
We got 2 days in the hospital because of him coming so late in the night, which I really appreciated as I couldn't get around too much at first.
Amazingly I had no problems urinating, and even had a bm today (only 2 days later) with no problems!
Nursing has been kind of a joke and I'm trying not to get too down about it, got some help from a LC and have another appointment in the am to get more help...started using a breast shield and that has made it s he at least gets plenty of food while I try and figure out my nipples!
Whew! That was longer than I thought! There is so much more, but maybe it doesn't all need to be said right now, I am happy in bliss land with my son and I will go back again one day and try and sort it all out.
Enough to say that I am proud of myself, I did all I could, I made every decision on my own and wouldn't change any of them given this particular birth!
On a side note I asked my nurse how many other moms were laboring naturally that day and she laughed and said that at this hospital, people don't know the meaning of the word, that it means laboring without make-up! The staff was very encouraging and never once pushed or even offered drugs, that was my choice fully.
Be back later with some pictures!!!
--Grace
: ) about him presenting with the side of his head!
s, mama.
