NAK 
As requested... another december baby! Zoe arrived 11/29 at 1:45pm. 8lb, 10oz. I'll have pics soon!
Labor was fast & intense... I really don't remember DD's labor being THAT painful. I lost my mucus plug around 7am, then contractions started around 8, they got regular around 9, at 10 I called the doula and started packing the bag, and we went to the Women's Clinic to get checked.
Around 11 they decided I was at 5cm and sent us to the hospital. We did all the admissions stuff and got a monitoring strip and I went right in the tub. I had a really good support team there... the nurse was awesome, she just let me, dh, and the doula chill in the bathroom and she came in every so often with the doppler to check the baby's heart. DH and my doula took turns holding my hand or putting pressure on my back. It helped me to press my head on the side of the tub, lol. By the time I came out of the tub I was at 9cm and the nurse finally put in the heparin lock thingy. I didn't even care at that point... I laid on my side and groaned through the contractions and thought I wanted to die in between. I was feeling a LOT of pressure and I was so scared of pushing. Every contraction hurt down low, and I wanted to push but was terrified.
I felt something slimy come out and it was the bag of waters... they broke in a big gush. The L&D nurse pushed the call button and in an instant she had the OB and pediatric nurse there. They tried to get me to push but I couldn't even bring myself to open my legs and start... so I volunteered to squat, and they brought out the squat bar and DH and the doula supported me while I pushed from squatting. It hurt so bad. I screamed and threw a big fit and even though dh said pushing only lasted 5 minutes, it felt like forever. Zoe came out all at once. The OB's job was just to keep her from hitting the floor.
I had a little tear that needed stitches but otherwise everyone was just fine. Zoe's cord was too short for me to hold her until they could clamp and cut. We tried to donate the cord blood, but since the cord was short we didn't get enough and had to discard it.
I did let her sit skin-to-skin on my chest to see if she'd try to latch on, but she wasn't interested. It was hard to get her to latch until later in the evening and she's been eating ever since. She eats nonstop for 5 hours and then naps for 3-4 hours straight. I have sore and bruised nipples and the lactation consultant has been to see me - her advice helped but I hope I haven't already caused too much damage... nursing really hurts right now and it doesn't help that Zoe bites a little bit when she feeds.
That's all I can write because she is waking up to eat again Really, we are doing awesome. She is a beautiful big baby and I don't have a lot of pain, and I'm getting some good rest here. I love rooming-in but after 5 hours of nipple trauma, we did take advantage of the nursery so we could all rest. The hospital staff is very good about bringing zoe back when she starts rooting, and since last night went well we're staying 1 more night. 
i'll write more tomorrow and post pics!
As requested... another december baby! Zoe arrived 11/29 at 1:45pm. 8lb, 10oz. I'll have pics soon!
Labor was fast & intense... I really don't remember DD's labor being THAT painful. I lost my mucus plug around 7am, then contractions started around 8, they got regular around 9, at 10 I called the doula and started packing the bag, and we went to the Women's Clinic to get checked.
Around 11 they decided I was at 5cm and sent us to the hospital. We did all the admissions stuff and got a monitoring strip and I went right in the tub. I had a really good support team there... the nurse was awesome, she just let me, dh, and the doula chill in the bathroom and she came in every so often with the doppler to check the baby's heart. DH and my doula took turns holding my hand or putting pressure on my back. It helped me to press my head on the side of the tub, lol. By the time I came out of the tub I was at 9cm and the nurse finally put in the heparin lock thingy. I didn't even care at that point... I laid on my side and groaned through the contractions and thought I wanted to die in between. I was feeling a LOT of pressure and I was so scared of pushing. Every contraction hurt down low, and I wanted to push but was terrified.
I felt something slimy come out and it was the bag of waters... they broke in a big gush. The L&D nurse pushed the call button and in an instant she had the OB and pediatric nurse there. They tried to get me to push but I couldn't even bring myself to open my legs and start... so I volunteered to squat, and they brought out the squat bar and DH and the doula supported me while I pushed from squatting. It hurt so bad. I screamed and threw a big fit and even though dh said pushing only lasted 5 minutes, it felt like forever. Zoe came out all at once. The OB's job was just to keep her from hitting the floor.
I had a little tear that needed stitches but otherwise everyone was just fine. Zoe's cord was too short for me to hold her until they could clamp and cut. We tried to donate the cord blood, but since the cord was short we didn't get enough and had to discard it.
I did let her sit skin-to-skin on my chest to see if she'd try to latch on, but she wasn't interested. It was hard to get her to latch until later in the evening and she's been eating ever since. She eats nonstop for 5 hours and then naps for 3-4 hours straight. I have sore and bruised nipples and the lactation consultant has been to see me - her advice helped but I hope I haven't already caused too much damage... nursing really hurts right now and it doesn't help that Zoe bites a little bit when she feeds.
That's all I can write because she is waking up to eat again
Really, we are doing awesome. She is a beautiful big baby and I don't have a lot of pain, and I'm getting some good rest here. I love rooming-in but after 5 hours of nipple trauma, we did take advantage of the nursery so we could all rest. The hospital staff is very good about bringing zoe back when she starts rooting, and since last night went well we're staying 1 more night. i'll write more tomorrow and post pics!
: Thank you for sharing your great birth story with us.
I've had six years to forget the pain....
