Ok, onto the second readers question or request rather...
My birth story. I will try not to be too wordy, this shouldn't be hard since half of my hospital stay was spent in quite a daze.
Note to readers: Details may be graphic. You've been warned.
It was Sunday September 18th (she was estimated to be due the 14th) at about 9am when I started feeling contractions. The past month I was constantly having braxton hicks (fake contractions). I sat, contraction, I stood, contraction, every little move brought on these non painful contractions. But that morning they felt different. I also noticed that I had started discharging a yellow mucus. I informed Tony and mentioned we may need to go to the hospital. We decided he better get in the shower, just in case! I called the hospital to see what kind of advice they'd give me. It was so helpful (not), "If you feel like you need to come in, then come in". I was concerned about the discharge and the contractions were definitely starting to get a little uncomfortable. So, yes, we will go to the hospital. No harm in just getting checked out.
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| Amelia's crib and our kitty Lela |
Tony got in the shower and I got busy trying to finish her nursery. I was feeling guilty that I hadn't gotten it totally straightened up and ready for her homecoming. I moved her crib to remove the wall decals I had put up, in order to move them to her door. Letters that spelled out "AMELIA" with a hummingbird approaching a flower. I then proceeded to take the car seat base out to the car and strap it in. It was awesome since we own a coupe. There I am 9 months pregnant, in labor, cramped in the back of the car tugging and yanking on the seat belts to secure the base. I just kind of laughed at myself and went back inside. I loaded up our suitcase with PJ's and clothes for the both of us, as well as everything I wanted to bring for Amelia.
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| My brother and I - 4 days before she was born |
Tony got done getting ready and we were in the car and on our way to the hospital. I think only a couple words were spoken during the 10 minute ride to the hospital. I texted everyone that needed to know there was a possibility of me having the baby soon.
I was put in a little room to be monitored. A heartbeat monitor and contraction monitor were both put on my HUGE belly and a test was being taken of the yellow/green mucus. It was being tested for any signs that Amelia had had a bowel movement. The tests were all negative. The monitor showed my contractions were frequent and pretty intense, although they weren't too intense for me yet. The midwife came in and basically gave me the choice to stay or not, but said "with these contractions you might want to just stay here". That was that, I was ready for this little girl to make her entrance! I was so done being pregnant.
Tony and I were walked through the hallways back to our birthing suite. It was funny because we were given the exact room that we got to see on the hospital tour, and it was perfect because it was at the end of the hallway with just one other room next to it. We settled in as the nurse explained everything to us and I informed her that I wanted to go natural as much as possible. From here it starts to get a little foggy.
The contractions gradually got more intense so I got into the warm jetted tub and was immediately soothed. It was amazing. I had to eventually get back out so they could monitor me on the bed. Tony and I walked around the halls and just tried to pass the time by watching TV and bouncing on the birthing ball. When contractions started getting harder my body felt the need to purge it's stomach contents about every 20 minutes. I gulped down protein apple drinks to help stay energized. Puking stuck around until the moment of her birth.
I labored and labored and puked and puked. Oh, and eventually every contraction came with the leaking of meconium, it was so gross and embarrassing. I got into the bath one more time and it didn't seem to really be helping this time. I bent over the bed and swayed while contractions came closer and harder. I grunted and growled, much to the amusement of my nurse. She said, "I'm gonna tell the other nurses your growling at your baby". I laughed as she said, "at least you aren't cussing and yelling". My nurses during my stay were awesome, minus 1 night nurse. I had one nurse who had been (was) a midwife and she held me in her arms while holding my puke bucket in the other, then washed my forehead with a cool rag... I wanted to call her "mommy", and I didn't want her to leave. So after one awesome nurse after another I CONTINUED to labor.
Finally after a while I decided on my own (after some tears of feeling guilty) to get an epidural. I was laboring hard through the epidural process as they said, "just try to stay still". I hung my upper body over my nurse (they wouldn't let Tony stand) as she reassured me I was doing an awesome job. INSTANT RELIEF!!! I called my mom and the first thing I said to her was, "I love epidurals" and she responded, "yeah, aren't they great?" in a really relaxing tone. haha
Well as I had heard so many times, the epidural pretty much stalled labor and I was stuck at only 4 centimeters this whole time with Amelia had -2 station. UGH. As I tried to rest, Amelia's heart rate kept decelerating so the nurses kept flipping me around in my bed.
The doctor came in and suggested a C-Section because she wasn't moving and her heart rate was concerning. He asked, "how many babies are you going to have?" Tony and I just kind of looked at each other, puzzled. The nurse clued us in and said, "he's asking because if you plan on having lots of babies they can only do so many C-Sections" We assured him we didn't plan on having a lot of kids.
After I had agreed to the C-Section, WHOA, the room filled with people prepping, shaving, fiddling with tubes and wires, throwing papers at me to sign then I was whisked off to the operating room.
I should mention that the minute the room filled with people my shakes began! I shook hard, my whole body quaked as the activity swarmed around me. Then came the heartburn and nausea.
I remember being wheeled into the operating room and seeing all the nurses standing at attention at their stations, waiting, for me. They transferred me to the table and my body would just not relax. I was instructed to hold onto the pole to my right and the arm rest on my left, to ease the shaking. I mentioned that I felt like puking and a pink kidney shaped bowl was placed next to my mouth. I puked then was immediately suctioned, which made me want to puke again. An air mask was put on my face, and I felt like puking AGAIN...but I didn't
Tony came in after about 5 minutes and sat next to me. They cut, and cut some more! Then, whooosh, relief! There she was! 11:20 monday night, after laboring for 26 hours! After she was born and they worked on cleaning and closing me up, it was not fun! I felt like they were trying to pop my ovaries!!!
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| Amelia's first picture |
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| Seeing her for the first time |
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| 8lbs 13ounces |
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| Workin' that air into her lungs, making sure the meconium didn't harm her. |
I saw her and kissed her sweet chubby face then was wheeled to recovery. The nurse kept telling me, "Stacey, take a deep breath". I think I had started dozing off, which they apparently don't want you doing.
As I was being wheeled back to my room, with baby in hand I remember passing my mother-in-law, father-in-law and sister-in-law... I think I waved :D
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| Nona and Amelia - 2 hrs old |
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| Papa and Amelia - 2 hrs old |
I was so tired and drugged, it was all I could do to keep my eyes open. After I look back I feel so guilty that I hadn't even thought to try to feed her. I honestly don't remember when I first tried. Sad.
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| EXHAUSTED! |
I was in and out for what seemed like days. I vividly remember the hearing test lady come in and explain some stuff to me, but by the time she was finishing up I was literally passing out and remember saying to her, "I'm sorry, I'm just so tired". The drug induced daze passed and I was able to really appreciate what I had brought into this world. This baby, who cried all night! seriously, I didn't sleep for a good 24 hr period. Probably my lack of getting her to latch had something to do with that.
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| Some skin to skin |
Finally my mom arrived after SHE had been up for more than 24 hrs, because she decided to jump in the car and drive up before she could get a good nights sleep, I don't blame her, she had her grand daughter to see! So here we were, both sleep deprived and ready for the day! By this time I had some successful feedings with Amelia, although painful, they were successful.
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| My mom and Amelia - Amelia was about a day and a half old |
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| Tony with Amelia |
I was released a few days later with my tree stumps for legs and sausage feet. I dressed Amelia in the same dress I wore home as a newborn. Mom drove the car around (Tony had gone back to work) and there we drove, away from the hospital, away from my nurses, away from what seemed like a mini vacation. I so enjoyed my stay there, I truly felt like I was being totally catered to. Which is how it should be!
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| The dress I wore home. |
Sorry guys, I had hoped for "short winded" but how can you have a short post about your birthing experience? Maybe someday after my 5th kid (yeah, right) the blog post will be shorted to about 2 paragraphs, because let's face it, the more kids you have, the faster the labor!
