A beautiful ending to a long journey! (LONG)
Posted: Jul 28, 2012 10:27 pmI'm finally posting my birth story! Sorry for the delay, it's been a sleepless and full week! K, sorry this is so long, but my posts always are!
Leah Marie Goble
Born Monday, July 23rd, 2012
Time: 4:49 p.m.
Length: 20 & ¾ inches
Weight: 6 lbs 12 ounces
After weeks of prodromal labour, I finally started having real contractsion (at 39.6 weeks, last Saterday evening). They were timable and painful. They got closer and closer together, and I told Chris that it might be the night! We decided to go to the hospital around 12:45am to get checked because contractions were 2.5-4.5 minutes apart and painful, and after 20 minutes on the monitor and a vaginal check, they told me I was only 1cm dilated and 75% effaced, and contractions had spaced to 5-6 minutes apart. They sent me home and told me to wait until they were back to 2-3 minutes apart. They offered drugs, but I declined since I didn’t want to get sick from them. Contractions continued all night, and then by morning had slowed down again to every 15-30 minutes. They continued on like this all day.
By 8pm on Sunday (my due date – July 22 – 40 weeks), they picked up again, and were getting more painful. I started contracting about every 10-12 minutes, and then by 11pm they were getting really strong and more regular. I contracted every 5-6 minutes, very painfully, all night long and didn’t sleep for a single minute. I timed them for the entire night, waiting until they were closer like I was told. Every hour I kept on telling myself to “wait until 6 or 7 am to get DD up, then we could go get pain medication”. By the morning, contractions were really wearing me out, but we decided to walk and rest and walk for a bit longer before going to the hospital. Contractions were so painful by noon I told DH that I couldn’t do it anymore, and we either needed to get drugs or I was going to deliver! We got to the hospital around 12:45pm, and I spent 20 minutes on the monitor. When they checked, I was 6cm dilated and in active labour! No wonder I was feeling those contractions! I was so excited that I was about to deliver my own baby! It was really happening!
We got admitted right away and transferred to the delivery suite. They checked me shortly after, and I was already 8-9cm dilated. Contractions were becoming extremely painful, and I was seriously hoping the anesthesiologist would arrive in time (which she just barely did)! I had to bend over and sit completely still through 3 body-wracking contractions while she placed my epidural. I was checked right after, and my water broke during the ‘check’ and I started pushing minutes later (in my room by 1:15, and pushing by 3:15). They started Pitocin a little ways into pushing because contractions were spaced out a bit, but everyone was telling me that I was doing great. I pushed for 1.5 hours and delivered Leah at 4:49pm Monday the 23rd.
They put her on my chest immediately, and I cut the umbilical cord myself. She was a little blue, so they took her to stimulate her and do her weight, etc. Everything was so peaceful and relaxed.They brought her back to have ‘skin to skin’ time to warm her up a bit, and I nursed her right away. Shortly afterwards, dinner arrived in front of me (FOODMENT hawaiin style chicken and rice END FOODMENT). Food never tasted so good. I hadn't eaten since the day before.
Since getting home Leah's been nursing non stop (milk finally came in today!), but she's such a mellow baby. I feel completely joyful and relieved. I'm so happy that I got my VBAC instead of a CS! I can't believe I just completed 10 months of being sick....it's so strange how one day to the next can be so different. I still have lingering nausea and reflux after eating, but at least I can eat, walk around, hold a conversation, and function! Even with the sleep deprivation I feel amazing! I imagine the nausea/reflux I feel is what most people have as morning sickness! I had the baby blues big time after DD1 was born, but this time, I'm just so happy with the pregnancy being done, and everything feels so happy. The only time I've cried was when I took my medication out of my purse to put it away forever! I just can't quite process the entire experience yet.
Anyways, I've rambled on enough....thank you all again for your love and support! You are all so brave and strong to make it through HG. Hugs to those mommies still suffering
Leah Marie Goble
Born Monday, July 23rd, 2012
Time: 4:49 p.m.
Length: 20 & ¾ inches
Weight: 6 lbs 12 ounces
After weeks of prodromal labour, I finally started having real contractsion (at 39.6 weeks, last Saterday evening). They were timable and painful. They got closer and closer together, and I told Chris that it might be the night! We decided to go to the hospital around 12:45am to get checked because contractions were 2.5-4.5 minutes apart and painful, and after 20 minutes on the monitor and a vaginal check, they told me I was only 1cm dilated and 75% effaced, and contractions had spaced to 5-6 minutes apart. They sent me home and told me to wait until they were back to 2-3 minutes apart. They offered drugs, but I declined since I didn’t want to get sick from them. Contractions continued all night, and then by morning had slowed down again to every 15-30 minutes. They continued on like this all day.
By 8pm on Sunday (my due date – July 22 – 40 weeks), they picked up again, and were getting more painful. I started contracting about every 10-12 minutes, and then by 11pm they were getting really strong and more regular. I contracted every 5-6 minutes, very painfully, all night long and didn’t sleep for a single minute. I timed them for the entire night, waiting until they were closer like I was told. Every hour I kept on telling myself to “wait until 6 or 7 am to get DD up, then we could go get pain medication”. By the morning, contractions were really wearing me out, but we decided to walk and rest and walk for a bit longer before going to the hospital. Contractions were so painful by noon I told DH that I couldn’t do it anymore, and we either needed to get drugs or I was going to deliver! We got to the hospital around 12:45pm, and I spent 20 minutes on the monitor. When they checked, I was 6cm dilated and in active labour! No wonder I was feeling those contractions! I was so excited that I was about to deliver my own baby! It was really happening!
We got admitted right away and transferred to the delivery suite. They checked me shortly after, and I was already 8-9cm dilated. Contractions were becoming extremely painful, and I was seriously hoping the anesthesiologist would arrive in time (which she just barely did)! I had to bend over and sit completely still through 3 body-wracking contractions while she placed my epidural. I was checked right after, and my water broke during the ‘check’ and I started pushing minutes later (in my room by 1:15, and pushing by 3:15). They started Pitocin a little ways into pushing because contractions were spaced out a bit, but everyone was telling me that I was doing great. I pushed for 1.5 hours and delivered Leah at 4:49pm Monday the 23rd.
They put her on my chest immediately, and I cut the umbilical cord myself. She was a little blue, so they took her to stimulate her and do her weight, etc. Everything was so peaceful and relaxed.They brought her back to have ‘skin to skin’ time to warm her up a bit, and I nursed her right away. Shortly afterwards, dinner arrived in front of me (FOODMENT hawaiin style chicken and rice END FOODMENT). Food never tasted so good. I hadn't eaten since the day before.
Since getting home Leah's been nursing non stop (milk finally came in today!), but she's such a mellow baby. I feel completely joyful and relieved. I'm so happy that I got my VBAC instead of a CS! I can't believe I just completed 10 months of being sick....it's so strange how one day to the next can be so different. I still have lingering nausea and reflux after eating, but at least I can eat, walk around, hold a conversation, and function! Even with the sleep deprivation I feel amazing! I imagine the nausea/reflux I feel is what most people have as morning sickness! I had the baby blues big time after DD1 was born, but this time, I'm just so happy with the pregnancy being done, and everything feels so happy. The only time I've cried was when I took my medication out of my purse to put it away forever! I just can't quite process the entire experience yet.
Anyways, I've rambled on enough....thank you all again for your love and support! You are all so brave and strong to make it through HG. Hugs to those mommies still suffering
and the way to give birth in a car is simple- lack of choice!