Better the Second Time Around...

As today is our official due date for Little Girl to be born, I thought it appropriate to share our birth story.

Friday, January 15th, 2010 - In the evening I noticed I was having regular contractions about every 10 minutes - not painful just some predictable tightness. These continued throughout the night and into the next morning.

Saturday, January 16th, 2010 - That morning contractions had eased and were only coming about every 15 minutes. Our day continued as normal although, I had thought to cancel our lunch and dinner dates that day. And I put Ms. Caitlin, who would be taking T Rex for us, on standby.

1:00 pm - Same kind of contractions but every 5 minutes - I started thinking something might actually be happening. I continued sitting on the birthing ball and started a new knitting project and checked a few blogs.

2:15 pm - Contractions continued but now every 3 minutes - some are pretty intense but still not painful.

3:15 pm - I wake T Rex Dad (he and T Rex were napping) to tell him we should take T Rex to Ms. Caitlin's just in case.

4:15 pm - Dropped off T Rex - contractions every 2 1/2 minutes - still not painful. We did not stay too long as we had never left T Rex overnight anywhere and I knew if I thought about it too much I would burst into tears. As we left we debated whether we needed to go back home or if we should go directly to the hospital. As we drove away my stomach started to get upset. We opted to go directly to the hospital. They could always send us home.

5:15 pm - Arrived at hospital and hooked up to monintors - indeed, contractions were every 2 1/2 minutes. I did not start feeling too uncomfortable until I had to sit in the bed while the nurse did a 20 minute recording of contractions and baby's heart rate. After this the nurse did a cervical check - nearly 3 cm and 50% effaced. The nurse unhooked the monitor and suggested I walk for an hour to see if anything changed.

7:45 pm - After an hour of walking the nurse did another check - no change. The nursing staff did a change of shift so we picked up a new nurse. She suggested I get into the hot tub for an hour to see if that would make any changes. As I sat in the hot tub I prayed that somehow things would work out for us to have our baby that night and that everything would go smoothly. It was actually a very zenful experience. The contractions continued at about every 2 minutes but still not too painful. However, occasionally I would have trouble breathing during a contraction just because the tightness seemed to make breathing difficult.

8:45 pm - Another cervical check - no change. We were pretty sure we would be heading home to wait things out. The nurse was not sure what to suggest. My question was how to know when to come back to the hospital - with contractions coming so close together and lasting nearly a minute how would I know. T Rex Dad and I decided we would go home and stay there until things got too painful or I could not walk. The nurse said she had to call the doctor to get a discharge order so I was to wait until she came back. We started to gather our belongings to head home.

9:00 pm - Telephone in our room rings - it's our OB/GYN, Dr. C. I speak with him. He says he can give me something to help me sleep and send me home but he is concerned I'll just end up back at the hospital a couple hours later. Our L&D nurse told him she thought all I needed was a "little push" to get things started. Therefore, if I wanted he could break my water and see if that jump started things. I was great with that plan and immediately agreed. As I hung up the phone I realized I did not ask T Rex Dad what he thought but he smiled and said that, of course, he was fine with whatever I wanted to do.

9:30 pm - I started to get horrible shakes.

10:30 pm - Nurse comes in and we start signing papers and she proceeds to start an IV. Poor dear, after 2 attempts she could not get a line started so she called in another nurse. She was successful but it took 45 minutes. (I'm a nurse and have had this happen to me many times.)

11:15 pm - Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) comes in to put in epidural - three attempts later it was in. The first attempt resulted in hitting an epidural vein. The next, I was getting horrible flank pain. Finally the last was successful. It was so hard to stay scrunched in a ball that long. And it really was quite uncomfortable - more so than the contractions I continued to have.

Midnight - Dr. C comes in and breaks my water after which the CRNA starts the epidural drip. As the drip starts I started to feel really light-headed. I think my exact words were, "Is it a concern that I feel so lightheaded?" I was immediately given ephedrine and that woke me right up - now even more shaking. The monitor is still showing regular contractions every 2 minutes but even when Dr. C broke my water there still had been no cervical changes so he suggested we give things a boost with a bit of pitocin - I believe they started with about 10mL/hour. Dr. C said he was going to go down the hall and get some rest and the nurse would call him when he was needed.

Sunday, January 17, 2010
1:00 am - The epidural is starting to kick in - I am numb everywhere I need to be, even a little in my hands. It was actually a little surreal. I could not even sense a contraction. Talk about pain management! (Well worth the ordeal to get it in. Until I was numb I had not realized how much pain I really was having.) Still more ephedrine being given. Pitocin increased to 16mL/hour. Continued shakes - nurse wraps me in warm blankets as there is a lot of cold fluid going into me. T Rex Dad lays down to get some rest. I lay in bed, immobile, and just contemplate the last few hours of being pregnant with Little Girl.

1:45 am - Another cervical check - 5 cm/70% effaced. I pull out my knitting and attempt to keep busy as the ephedrine has me wired. However, the pulse oxometer on my finger keeps alarming when I bend my finger so no more knitting. I opt instead to say a few prayers and meditate.

2:45 am - I start to have intense bottom pressure and the sensation that I might need to push. I call the nurse and she comes in - 10cm and fully effaced. She asks if I would like to try pushing. T Rex Dad and nurse assist me to attempt a few pushes to see what happens.

3:00 am - I push twice and nurse immediately says "STOP! We have to get doctor, you're going to have this baby!" I pant every time I feel the need to push.

3:10 am - Dr. C comes in and starts to prep - I think it took longer for him to dress than to push the baby out!

3:25 am - Little Girl is born after 2 more sets of three pushes. I never felt any pain and am completely surprised by how fast it went!

6 lbs, 6 oz - 20 1/2 inches


Dr. C and Nurse C

With my new babe


T Rex Mom, T Rex Dad, and Little Girl

In our labor room there was only the doctor, nurse, T Rex Dad, and me. It was so intimate. It made for a beautiful birth experience - especially since everything went so quickly and smoothly and entirely pain free.

(I am sure that it helps she was so tiny. How grateful I am to not have to go 42 weeks and have an 8 1/2 lb baby this time! But it's all balanced out by the 9 months of nausea! But it is all SO worth it!)