amelissam
12-20-2005, 11:46 AM
Well, the birth did not go as planned, and it got pretty rough, but I'll share.
My water broke at 1:30am Thurs/Fri. I called the midwife and she said I needed to come on in and at least get checked out even though laboring hadn't really began.
I started getting ready, slight contx started coming. My ex came and got the girls, and we arrived at the hospital around 3:00. Midwife said that I needed to start pitocin right away. I told her I was opposed to that, and she said that normally she would be too, but because I'm strep B positive, the chances of the babe getting it were increasing rapidly because of my water being broken. She said she would give it a couple of hours, though, to see what happened on my own first. BUT....the baby was also very high up, and she did not feel comfortable w/ me walking around because of chance of prolapsed cord. So all my birth plans were already shot. We sat around, I dilated only to 3, so she had to start the pit about 2 hrs. later. She did a very low dose, though, and I was able to work through the contractions and still stay epi free.
After many hours, the pain was getting seriously intense. I was sure I was in transition. I asked her to check me again, and I was only up to 4-5 cm. dilated. I decided at that point that the natural birth I had hoped for was shot anyway, and I took the epidural. If I had progressed farther, I would not have done it, but I knew I had many, many hours of extreme pain- and THEN transition- to go through before baby was born. I couldn't get up and do any of the exercises I had planned- so screw it. And I was okay w/ that.
So we pleasantly sit around many more hours waiting on something to happen. My Doula was there, but I felt sorry for her, because she really couldn't do anything except talk to me (which was nice, too). I kept telling her that it really was okay to leave, but she was in it for the long haul.
So, about 2 pm rolls around. I remember that specifically, because 3 pm will be 12 hrs, and I was telling them we were getting the babe out in 12 hours so it wouldn't be longer than Ella's birth.
I was finally dilated to 10, totally effaced, but felt no urge to push except during contractions. He was only at 0 station, though. Midwives had changed shifts, and my favorite was there now. She also had another gal from the office w/ her that was doing her hospital training. I had seen her for prenatal visits a few times, so it was cool to have them both. They told me there was another client of theirs a few doors down in the same spot as me, so they would just wait outside until one of us needed them to catch a baby! At this point, I seriously thought I would have that babe w/in a matter of minutes. It got to where I really felt him at all times in my pelvis and felt like I needed to push. Called them back in. First bad news- he was still only at 0 station. I pushed through 2-3 contractions to see if anything would happen. Nothing. They said I should just wait a while, so I did. About an hour later, I was getting really antsy. I asked that they turn the pit down, so I could start really pushing hard. So they did.
At this point in my last 2 deliveries, the babies were born w/in a few contractions.
After 15 minutes and about 5 contractions, I asked if he had moved down anymore. NO. I knew something was terribly wrong. We got out the squat bar, I thought maybe gravity could help. About 5 contractions later (probably more)- nothing. We tried having my legs up on the squat bar and my hands on some other bars (those beds have all kinds of contraptions). Nothing. I was ready to give up- crying and almost screaming in pain and almost completely in despair. I start begging Kate (the main midwife) to do SOMETHING. She was wonderful- she kept holding my face and talking right to me, telling me to calm down, telling me I was a strong woman and that I could do it. She said she would get the doctor for me and ask her opinion based on my progression, the baby's size, etc. I practically screamed "go now" to her. I went through a few contractions waiting for her, and I can't even describe it. I vaguely even remember it. Kevin was soooo strong through this all. He was right there telling me I could do it, and telling me not to give up hope. Kim (the Doula) was right there, too.
Midwife came back and told me that doc was in the middle of a c/s and would come look at me the minute she was finished. I panicked. I didn't have a minute- I needed her THEN. It was at this point that I lost ALL composure. I was on my side and couldn't move an inch. Every contraction was tearing me apart. I could feel the baby right at my pelvic bone- pushing into it but never getting past it. Kate told me I could stop pushing, and I said I couldn't. The overwhelming urge was just there- I didn't like it or want it- but it was there. The epidural had been completely gone for a while now. She said to just bear down as necessary to ease the pain but not worry about trying to push hard enough to get the baby out. So that's what I did. I'm not sure when or how long, but at some point, the mw told me that the doctor said she did NOT need to check me and I was to go immediately to the OR. They were still cleaning it from the last c/s, though, so it would be a few minutes. At this point, every breath was my last. I was screaming to the top of my lungs and begging everyone "just help me", even though there was nothing they could do. I was crying uncontrollably, and when the mw tried to talk me down, it did NOTHING. So Kevin just held my hand, and I'm pretty sure cried, right along with me.
They took Kevin to get scrubs on and rolled me wailing and screaming to the OR. I had to go through about 3 more contractions in there before I was properly laying down, strapped down, and drugged. The anesthesiologist was like an angel to me. He stood at the head of my bed and told me that it would only be a few more seconds. I could feel the epidural finally kicking in. As it worked it's way through, he stayed there rubbing my faced and telling me I would be okay and that he would not leave my side the entire time. Kevin finally reappeared, and the drugs had finally kicked in. I was still completely delirious, though. I remember telling him that the baby better be BIG or I would be very-put-out.
I started hearing them talk about making the incision, and I felt soooo relieved. They started pulling him out and then joking about how he was so big they had to be careful not to have a c/s and a shoulder dystocia. Comic relief. In light of everything that had happened, I was overjoyed. It was very uncomfortable feeling them pop his little body parts out, but sheer joy, too. He was finally all the way out, and there is a round of "whoas" and "oh mys" going through the room. I felt tremendously proud. He WAS a big boy, and it was all for naught. I start to hear him gently crying, and I was happy that he was not screaming and traumatized. They announced "11 lbs, 1 oz", and I thought I might faint! I figured 10 lbs. at most! They bring him to me to see and all that good stuff, and I'm waiting to be stitched up and on my merry way.
Not.
The doctor says that my bladder is not holding the liquid like it should, and she would like a Urologist to look at it right away. She tells me that sometimes the bladder can be damaged in a c/s, but that it's not a major thing and not to be scared. I'm okay with that. Then, the urologist calls to say he will be TWO HOURS. I'm not scared anymore, just very-put-out because I wanted it to be over! Next thing I know....I wake up in the recovery room.
They had gone ahead and done general anesth. because laying there for 2 hrs. w/ my guts open is just not nice. Once I was asleep, Kevin had gone up to be w/ the baby. The urologist showed up and discovered that the bladder was just fine- the catheter had just been placed wrong. So the sterile solution they put in the catheter was leaking from the cath, not the bladder. Which is good news, just annoying. He was a tad worried about my kidneys, though, and put a stint in each of them in case of swelling.
So my recovery will be long and hard. All my muscles are super-sore from all the pushing and effort for a vaginal delivery. All my insides are sore and swollen from being poked and proded during all the exploratory things they had to look at because of the bladder.
But my tubes are tied, so I don't ever have to go through that again And my baby boy here. He is the most beautiful baby.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/amelissam/10704730.jpg
My water broke at 1:30am Thurs/Fri. I called the midwife and she said I needed to come on in and at least get checked out even though laboring hadn't really began.
I started getting ready, slight contx started coming. My ex came and got the girls, and we arrived at the hospital around 3:00. Midwife said that I needed to start pitocin right away. I told her I was opposed to that, and she said that normally she would be too, but because I'm strep B positive, the chances of the babe getting it were increasing rapidly because of my water being broken. She said she would give it a couple of hours, though, to see what happened on my own first. BUT....the baby was also very high up, and she did not feel comfortable w/ me walking around because of chance of prolapsed cord. So all my birth plans were already shot. We sat around, I dilated only to 3, so she had to start the pit about 2 hrs. later. She did a very low dose, though, and I was able to work through the contractions and still stay epi free.
After many hours, the pain was getting seriously intense. I was sure I was in transition. I asked her to check me again, and I was only up to 4-5 cm. dilated. I decided at that point that the natural birth I had hoped for was shot anyway, and I took the epidural. If I had progressed farther, I would not have done it, but I knew I had many, many hours of extreme pain- and THEN transition- to go through before baby was born. I couldn't get up and do any of the exercises I had planned- so screw it. And I was okay w/ that.
So we pleasantly sit around many more hours waiting on something to happen. My Doula was there, but I felt sorry for her, because she really couldn't do anything except talk to me (which was nice, too). I kept telling her that it really was okay to leave, but she was in it for the long haul.
So, about 2 pm rolls around. I remember that specifically, because 3 pm will be 12 hrs, and I was telling them we were getting the babe out in 12 hours so it wouldn't be longer than Ella's birth.
I was finally dilated to 10, totally effaced, but felt no urge to push except during contractions. He was only at 0 station, though. Midwives had changed shifts, and my favorite was there now. She also had another gal from the office w/ her that was doing her hospital training. I had seen her for prenatal visits a few times, so it was cool to have them both. They told me there was another client of theirs a few doors down in the same spot as me, so they would just wait outside until one of us needed them to catch a baby! At this point, I seriously thought I would have that babe w/in a matter of minutes. It got to where I really felt him at all times in my pelvis and felt like I needed to push. Called them back in. First bad news- he was still only at 0 station. I pushed through 2-3 contractions to see if anything would happen. Nothing. They said I should just wait a while, so I did. About an hour later, I was getting really antsy. I asked that they turn the pit down, so I could start really pushing hard. So they did.
At this point in my last 2 deliveries, the babies were born w/in a few contractions.
After 15 minutes and about 5 contractions, I asked if he had moved down anymore. NO. I knew something was terribly wrong. We got out the squat bar, I thought maybe gravity could help. About 5 contractions later (probably more)- nothing. We tried having my legs up on the squat bar and my hands on some other bars (those beds have all kinds of contraptions). Nothing. I was ready to give up- crying and almost screaming in pain and almost completely in despair. I start begging Kate (the main midwife) to do SOMETHING. She was wonderful- she kept holding my face and talking right to me, telling me to calm down, telling me I was a strong woman and that I could do it. She said she would get the doctor for me and ask her opinion based on my progression, the baby's size, etc. I practically screamed "go now" to her. I went through a few contractions waiting for her, and I can't even describe it. I vaguely even remember it. Kevin was soooo strong through this all. He was right there telling me I could do it, and telling me not to give up hope. Kim (the Doula) was right there, too.
Midwife came back and told me that doc was in the middle of a c/s and would come look at me the minute she was finished. I panicked. I didn't have a minute- I needed her THEN. It was at this point that I lost ALL composure. I was on my side and couldn't move an inch. Every contraction was tearing me apart. I could feel the baby right at my pelvic bone- pushing into it but never getting past it. Kate told me I could stop pushing, and I said I couldn't. The overwhelming urge was just there- I didn't like it or want it- but it was there. The epidural had been completely gone for a while now. She said to just bear down as necessary to ease the pain but not worry about trying to push hard enough to get the baby out. So that's what I did. I'm not sure when or how long, but at some point, the mw told me that the doctor said she did NOT need to check me and I was to go immediately to the OR. They were still cleaning it from the last c/s, though, so it would be a few minutes. At this point, every breath was my last. I was screaming to the top of my lungs and begging everyone "just help me", even though there was nothing they could do. I was crying uncontrollably, and when the mw tried to talk me down, it did NOTHING. So Kevin just held my hand, and I'm pretty sure cried, right along with me.
They took Kevin to get scrubs on and rolled me wailing and screaming to the OR. I had to go through about 3 more contractions in there before I was properly laying down, strapped down, and drugged. The anesthesiologist was like an angel to me. He stood at the head of my bed and told me that it would only be a few more seconds. I could feel the epidural finally kicking in. As it worked it's way through, he stayed there rubbing my faced and telling me I would be okay and that he would not leave my side the entire time. Kevin finally reappeared, and the drugs had finally kicked in. I was still completely delirious, though. I remember telling him that the baby better be BIG or I would be very-put-out.
I started hearing them talk about making the incision, and I felt soooo relieved. They started pulling him out and then joking about how he was so big they had to be careful not to have a c/s and a shoulder dystocia. Comic relief. In light of everything that had happened, I was overjoyed. It was very uncomfortable feeling them pop his little body parts out, but sheer joy, too. He was finally all the way out, and there is a round of "whoas" and "oh mys" going through the room. I felt tremendously proud. He WAS a big boy, and it was all for naught. I start to hear him gently crying, and I was happy that he was not screaming and traumatized. They announced "11 lbs, 1 oz", and I thought I might faint! I figured 10 lbs. at most! They bring him to me to see and all that good stuff, and I'm waiting to be stitched up and on my merry way.
Not.
The doctor says that my bladder is not holding the liquid like it should, and she would like a Urologist to look at it right away. She tells me that sometimes the bladder can be damaged in a c/s, but that it's not a major thing and not to be scared. I'm okay with that. Then, the urologist calls to say he will be TWO HOURS. I'm not scared anymore, just very-put-out because I wanted it to be over! Next thing I know....I wake up in the recovery room.
They had gone ahead and done general anesth. because laying there for 2 hrs. w/ my guts open is just not nice. Once I was asleep, Kevin had gone up to be w/ the baby. The urologist showed up and discovered that the bladder was just fine- the catheter had just been placed wrong. So the sterile solution they put in the catheter was leaking from the cath, not the bladder. Which is good news, just annoying. He was a tad worried about my kidneys, though, and put a stint in each of them in case of swelling.
So my recovery will be long and hard. All my muscles are super-sore from all the pushing and effort for a vaginal delivery. All my insides are sore and swollen from being poked and proded during all the exploratory things they had to look at because of the bladder.
But my tubes are tied, so I don't ever have to go through that again And my baby boy here. He is the most beautiful baby.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/amelissam/10704730.jpg