Colleen's Birth Story 4/11/12

Even though I'm planning a birth with some drugs and an epidural I'm posting my friend's birth story as it's a pretty awesome one for those wishing to go natural:

So there is totally truth to the "you'll know thing". I mean, i was not 100%, but i just felt different that morning. I actually slept so soundly the night before - natures way of getting me ready, perhaps? I had no appetite, but no other "symptoms" until we were leaving for the dr...when I peed, the toilet paper had a little pink - not enough to be sure, but I was certainly suspicious.

Ok, so I had a 9:45 dr appointment (40 weeks) and she is delivering a baby, so we are waiting. Probably 20 min go by and I tell my husband that this is the day and I ask the receptionist if I can see any dr because I think I'm going into labor. I cannot tell you any particular reason I said this. So anyway, I go back and get undressed and the nurse says my dr will be there in five minuets. I'm on the table and I have my first true contraction - major cramp, a "strong" BH feeling, and then a fairly sharp pain very low. I said "ouch" pretty loudly and made a face. Pretty soon I told my husband that I felt "leaky". Dr comes in, looks at the leak, and says that my bag hasn't fully broken, but it does have a leak. She goes to examine me, I have another contraction (much stronger!), there is an audible "pop", and I gush water everywhere! Yuck! She declares that I am 4cm, 90%, and at 0 station - and says I must go to labor and delivery now because there was slight meconium staining. Mind you, my dr is at the hospital, so we only have a one minute walk.

Call the doula (come now!), call my mom, get checked in and by now my contractions are about two minutes apart (not necessarily normal - everything was in fast forward for me). Doula arrives, Davin runs home (thankfully five minutes away) to get the camera and bags, and by the time he returns (20 min) my contractions are one minute apart and very strong. It hurt. A lot. But it is doable and that minute inbetween is heavenly! I found waking, swaying, and leaning forward on someone very helpful. Laying down made my low back really hurt. I also had this obsession with Davin rubbing between my thumb and first finger - I actually bruised but would not let him stop - I think I focused on it. Gross alert - at this point I very suddenly and painfully had to poop. I ran to the toilet and, in front of everyone, just let go. Ugh! But you truly don't care at that point. Also, my doula was great about making me drink water (with a straw - she'd just shove it in my face) and I still ended dehydrated, so put someone on water duty. At the end of this part, I suddenly got violently shaky - like I was cold, but I don't think I was. The nurse and my doula said it was normal - my teeth about rattled out of my head.

Transition came quickly for me and that was the worst part. A contraction would peak and just start to wane and another would come - I kept saying I thought I'd have a break. But that did go quickly. In fact, the whole thing flew by. At this point, I moved to the toilet to labor and that ended up feeling the best and I hung out there forever. I sometimes stood over it, but usually just kind of sat with my legs wide apart and used it as leverage. Davin was in front of me and sometimes I would lean forward on him. In between the contractions I would completely zone out - it felt like I was on the brink of fainting almost, but I never did. I felt nauseas at times, but never got sick - burped like a drunk man though! Haha! My temperature fluctuated wildly - I would have these hot, sweaty flashes and someone would fan me - bring something to fan with! Then I'd get cold and shaky and want to hug someone for warmth.

Pushing sucked - it did. But again, it flew by and I pushed for nearly two hours. The time inbetween was, again, great and I'd zone out. But when the contraction would hit, it would hurt and pushing hurt and I could never decide which was worse. So sometimes I pushed and sometimes I just breathed through it. I did this over the toilet as well and when they made me move to check me, it hurt worse, so I went back to the toilet. Good thing - I pooped again. :( ugh! The whole time I could feel his head moving lower, which was actually very reassuring. And when I did summon the strength to really push, it felt good because I felt like I was making progress.

Ok, so then I KNEW when he was starting to crown because it burned! I had to move to the bed, which I didn't love, BUT I did have a squat bar, which I used and liked a lot. Also, if I did lay back, Davin and my doula would grab my legs and pull them back and then I'd grab my thighs and pull forward and that felt good. Then when they could first see the head, Davin got excited and I reached down to feel it and that was awesome and gave me the strength to keep going. Plus, then you know it's almost over! Very shortly after, I could SEE the head when I pushed and pulled myself forward, and that was great too. While crowning did burn a lot, it was not as bad as I had expected. And it was quick. So then the dr has to kind of push your skin back a little as the head comes out, which is terrible, but the second it clears, the feeling is of tremendous relief - it was amazingly great! Then the shoulders I didn't really notice, and then my only real yelling - Davin had his shoulders and I told him to just pull and get him out! Haha! Then he was on my belly and it was over and all worth it and all the terrible thoughts seem ridiculous (I actually said out loud at one point that we were never having another kid!) and you instantly start to forget! I only vaguely remember delivering the placenta- it was easy and felt again slightly like relief.

Then unfortunately, I hemmoraged (spl?) pretty badly - my uterus would not contract and shrink and I lost A LOT of blood! I was so enamored with Henry that I was unaware for awhile. But the dr got really concerned and more nurses came in and they had to give my oxytocin to make it contract. Later, they said they really thought I was going to need a transfusion! But again, I was somewhat blissfully unaware!

The tummy time was amazing and he fed right away and Davin cut the cord. That all lasted about an hour. Then they took him (just across the room) for all the stats and I realized I was STARVING and dehydrated. I ate graham crackers and downed apple juice like a kid and let me tell you, it was the best thing I have ever tasted! Haha! Then we moved to recovery. So my water broke about 10:25 and he was born at 3:50. Fast! And I did it the way I wanted - no meds!!!

38 weeks

Nothing too crazy, but it's been far too long since I posted anything. Still need to go through pics from my formal shower at some point :)

Had my 38 week checkup yesterday...some stats:

Baby
-measuring normal
-still head down
-heart rate 158bpm

Me
-Dr confirmed I did test positive for Group B Strep. Just means I will have an IV of antibiotics at time of delivery.
-up 35 lbs...not real happy about this, but Dr said I'm fine. will just be extra motivated to get it all off and then some ;)
-cervix checked for first time...1cm dilated and 70% effaced. Dr said she doesn't expect me to go past my due date, but you never know.

In other news...how am I feeling and what's new? Been a while since I documented so this is for posterity's sake:

-backache a daily battle. always under bra-line on left in my upper back...kinda under shoulder blade. used to hit me around 5:30...now it gets me way early in the day and driving is a killer...even just my short 10-15 min commute. Only fix is laying down

-heartburn...luckily Zantac has kept it mostly at bay so long as I remember to take the 2nd dose by 4pm.

-swelling of hands and feet...it's never crazy, but definitely there and more noticeable at the end of the day

-painful hands in the middle of the night...Dr said it's from fluid redistributing during the night. hurts to do anything with my hands, but disappears almost immediately upon waking

-been waking up sometimes in the past few weeks almost choking on acid reflux...ugh. it's a pretty horrible experience. have tried sleeping propped up a bit and it does help...some

-in the past week I have had some bad (TMI) trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night. apparently this is likely due to the hormone Prostaglandin, which helps prep the body for labor by thinning the cervix and whatnot

-heart racing/elevated pulse...this has been ongoing since 36 weeks I think. will be racing up to 120bpm while just sitting at my desk. asked Dr and she said can be normal at this stage and to not worry unless I develop chest pain. but it's really annoying and causes me to sigh almost constantly. i'm sure my coworkers aren't annoyed at all ;)

I'll post more if I think of anything haha...seems like a lot of complaining, but it's more just documenting. Can't believe I get to meet my son soon...omg "my son"...WHAT??? :D

Shower #1

This past Saturday was my first shower! It was a drop-in style shower hosted by my mom and her sister, my Aunt Hilda. It was really nice, though it's pretty exhausting standing around and chatting when you're 34+ weeks pregnant ;)

Got lots of clothes and some other goodies. Shower #2 is Wednesday at work.

Diaper cake my mom made...I was so impressed! She'd never made one before:


Cake my Aunt Hilda made...sooo good!


Ryan and me:


Loot!

5 Words Babies Use

For future reference...watched this video and found it pretty amazing:



Readers Digest version:

neh = hungry
owh = sleepy
heh = discomfort (hot, cold, needs diaper change)
eair = lower gas
eh = burp me

OB appt (31w1d)

Had my 31 week OB appt Friday...and everything was good. Blood pressure normal, BB's heartrate was 128 (normal), belly/uterus measuring right on track and I'm up 25 lbs, which they said is also "normal"...at this rate I should be up ~35 lbs total at the end...should gain about a pound a week.

Not real happy about this as I had hoped 25 would be my max, but what can ya do? BB is sitting head-down, but of course he can still do flips right now, but they said this is also good. Now I will have bi-weekly appts for a bit (next one March 9) and then weekly. Ahhhhhhhhh! Time is FLYING!

Help after baby arrives...

So yesterday I had asked what you guys are planning to do/have done when it came to having family around right after the baby arrives. My mom lives 3 hours away at the coast. My MIL lives only 20 minutes away. MIL is chill and laid-back and even if she's chomping at the bit to be super-involved in BB's life, she doesn't make it known the way OMG my mom does haha. This is the first grandchild for everyone so it's a big, big deal.

Anyway, my mom I think had planned to come home with us from the hospital and stay at least a week to help out...which, initially, I was ok with. But as time has gone on, I have come to think a lot on it and I'm just not sure.

So...in order to not have shiz hit the fan later on...I sent an email to mom last night...

Been talking with other moms and with Ryan and just starting to think about what will happen once BB finally arrives. Ryan and I think it'd be good to be just he, me and the baby for the first two weeks (we'd love to have you at the hospital of course when things actually happen)...and then once Ryan goes back to work (week 3), would love for you (and dad if he wants haha) to come stay for a week.

I just think even though it'll be tiring and crazy, that it's important for us to have that time getting to know our new addition y'know? Some good bonding time. Just thinking ahead.

But then again I may call you after our first night at home on our own and beg you to come up then haha...but can we play it by ear? See how things go?

She replied better than I expected actually...

Of course we will respect whatever you and Ryan want and will be there when needed or "if" needed. I did have a small crib in our room when you were born so I could just raise my head and see you any time day or night. After about three days, with no sleep for either of us, we put you next door in your own room. It was so cute. When you would wake up, Dad, me, Chad (older brother) and Mimmie (her mom) would show up in your room. However, mother did a fantastic job giving you a bath and washing your head from the beginning.

This article below sort of says it all. You and he have to be the judge of what you need and I guarantee you will not know that until the time comes.

Knowing What Kind of Help You Need
http://www.nwitimes.com/niche/yourfamily/family-life/new-moms-how-much-help-will-you-need/article_98a5ef33-c346-53db-8d70-70ae0a54fc10.html

Thoughts?

Bumpwatch: 30 Weeks

Time is REALLY flying now!

So here's me at 24 weeks...

...and this is me today at 30!

And I still have 10 more weeks to grow?? What??