So after 40 weeks and 3 days, I finally had a baby! Just about the only thing that I knew about childbirth was that you can't really predict how it's going to go down, so trying to plan for it seemed awfully silly to me. Unfortunately, you kinda can't help but make some assumptions, and just about every one I made ended up being wrong. Like I sorta assumed I would labor quickly, after all, everyone else in my family did, how unfair would it be if I was the only one who didn't? And I assumed it would all go smoothly without any major complications, because we all always assume that. I do anyway. It's too scary and stressful to assume otherwise. I assumed that I would do the whole skin-to-skin thing right after giving birth, because I'd read about how great it is for you and the baby (especially the baby), and it's something my hospital really pushes. I assumed I'd donate the cord blood, because I'm a nice person like that. Even filled out the 15 page form and everything!
Yeah, none of that happened.
I already talked about how I was a little overdue going into labor anyway, but I didn't go too far, and I didn't need an induction, so that was good. It all started at about 9pm on Sunday. My head had literally just hit the pillow when I started getting... wet. Gross. So I grab a towel, get Joe, and off we go! When we got to the hospital they laughed when I said that my water had broke, and all gave each other knowing looks and told me "yeah.... you're the fourth tonight!" I thought that meant that they were super busy, but then when the Doc checked me he was like "Oh! This is a real one!" so I guess they'd been having false alarms all night. By this point my contractions had started. They were very uncomfortable, but not super bad. Until they told me that I was still only a centimeter dilated. I was admitted, whisked into the l&d room, and decided to go ahead with the epidural because they were getting to the point where they were right on top of each other, and I was sooo not looking forward to several more hours of that.
So things keep going. Joe and I tried to doze off when we could. Talked when we felt more awake. Nurses and Doc's came and went. By 5:30 I was finally 9 cm! Woo! The epidrual was starting to wear off, and they offered to give me some more, and I say yes, so they call for the anesthesiologist. But one of the Doc's thought something looked a little weird. And then suddenly, Doctors! Nurses! Techs! Everyone! Rushes into my room and checks machines and stares at me (well, a part of me) very intently and argues and orders drugs and suddenly I'm getting a shot in the arm because my contractions are happening so quickly that baby's heart rate wasn't able to recover, and was getting very low, so they needed to stop the labor from progressing so he could rest. Not that they told me any of this at the time, mind you. I'm just laying there wondering what the hell is going on and getting more and more scared as the minutes go by. It wasn't until everyone but my regular nurse had left that she was able to talk to me. And of course, explain that I can't get more pain meds because of the other shot they'd given me.
Awesome.
It starts to get a little fuzzy after that. Much pain. Followed by more. Followed by feeling like someone had shot an arrow through my hip and back and it got stuck there. Followed by the most unfair thing ever- throwing up while having a contraction. That was when I started crying. I hate throwing up under the best of circumstances, but while my insides are twisting and there's a giant stick jammed in my back? Nope, not doing that. I swear to God, if I could've talked I would've said something to the effect of "I give up, I'm not doing this anymore," despite how impossible that is. It's probably a good thing that I wasn't able to say that, because I'm pretty sure I would've decked the nurse (or Joe) for telling me that giving up wasn't really an option at that point.
Finally by 11 I was able to start pushing! Woo! By this point I'd been at the hospital for 13 hours, and had been at 9 cm for 6. So I start to push. And I keep pushing. And they keep saying positive, helpful things to me while I was pushing, and then telling me how he wasn't moving when the contractions subsided. After.... uh... an hour? An hour and a half? A midwife comes in to check on me and despite the fact that 3 other doctors and a few nurses had checked and said all was fine, she notices that the baby's facing the wrong way- sideways, instead of facing my spine. So she turns him and finally at 1:... 13? 16? I feel like I should know that. 1:16 I think, he was born. Yay!
Yeah, I so didn't care. All the pain meds had worn off, I was beyond exhausted, there was something said about meconium and the cord and there were pediatricians there and all I wanted was the anesthesiologist to come back and give me meds. At one point I think they did actually offer to let me hold him and I, very polity I'm sure, declined. After I got my meds though, I looked over and saw the look on Joe's face while he was watching them cleaning him up and felt a lot better. It wasn't until later that I learned that the cord was wrapped around his neck during the delivery. Some things might be better left unsaid, especially to an already freaking out and exhausted woman who only cares about getting through this horrible ordeal.
He's fine now though. :) And I'm feeling much better. Well, sorta. He didn't sleep at all last night, which meant that I didn't sleep at all last night (Joe was able to get a little bit of rest downstairs while I was up with baby because we need one of us to be able to drive to the Doc's appt today), so I made myself some coffee. And NOW he sleeps. All peaceful and quiet. And even though I'm still exhausted, I can't sleep with fresh caffeine in my system.
And that's why I wrote this big long blog.
You're welcome.
Yeah, none of that happened.
I already talked about how I was a little overdue going into labor anyway, but I didn't go too far, and I didn't need an induction, so that was good. It all started at about 9pm on Sunday. My head had literally just hit the pillow when I started getting... wet. Gross. So I grab a towel, get Joe, and off we go! When we got to the hospital they laughed when I said that my water had broke, and all gave each other knowing looks and told me "yeah.... you're the fourth tonight!" I thought that meant that they were super busy, but then when the Doc checked me he was like "Oh! This is a real one!" so I guess they'd been having false alarms all night. By this point my contractions had started. They were very uncomfortable, but not super bad. Until they told me that I was still only a centimeter dilated. I was admitted, whisked into the l&d room, and decided to go ahead with the epidural because they were getting to the point where they were right on top of each other, and I was sooo not looking forward to several more hours of that.
So things keep going. Joe and I tried to doze off when we could. Talked when we felt more awake. Nurses and Doc's came and went. By 5:30 I was finally 9 cm! Woo! The epidrual was starting to wear off, and they offered to give me some more, and I say yes, so they call for the anesthesiologist. But one of the Doc's thought something looked a little weird. And then suddenly, Doctors! Nurses! Techs! Everyone! Rushes into my room and checks machines and stares at me (well, a part of me) very intently and argues and orders drugs and suddenly I'm getting a shot in the arm because my contractions are happening so quickly that baby's heart rate wasn't able to recover, and was getting very low, so they needed to stop the labor from progressing so he could rest. Not that they told me any of this at the time, mind you. I'm just laying there wondering what the hell is going on and getting more and more scared as the minutes go by. It wasn't until everyone but my regular nurse had left that she was able to talk to me. And of course, explain that I can't get more pain meds because of the other shot they'd given me.
Awesome.
It starts to get a little fuzzy after that. Much pain. Followed by more. Followed by feeling like someone had shot an arrow through my hip and back and it got stuck there. Followed by the most unfair thing ever- throwing up while having a contraction. That was when I started crying. I hate throwing up under the best of circumstances, but while my insides are twisting and there's a giant stick jammed in my back? Nope, not doing that. I swear to God, if I could've talked I would've said something to the effect of "I give up, I'm not doing this anymore," despite how impossible that is. It's probably a good thing that I wasn't able to say that, because I'm pretty sure I would've decked the nurse (or Joe) for telling me that giving up wasn't really an option at that point.
Finally by 11 I was able to start pushing! Woo! By this point I'd been at the hospital for 13 hours, and had been at 9 cm for 6. So I start to push. And I keep pushing. And they keep saying positive, helpful things to me while I was pushing, and then telling me how he wasn't moving when the contractions subsided. After.... uh... an hour? An hour and a half? A midwife comes in to check on me and despite the fact that 3 other doctors and a few nurses had checked and said all was fine, she notices that the baby's facing the wrong way- sideways, instead of facing my spine. So she turns him and finally at 1:... 13? 16? I feel like I should know that. 1:16 I think, he was born. Yay!
Yeah, I so didn't care. All the pain meds had worn off, I was beyond exhausted, there was something said about meconium and the cord and there were pediatricians there and all I wanted was the anesthesiologist to come back and give me meds. At one point I think they did actually offer to let me hold him and I, very polity I'm sure, declined. After I got my meds though, I looked over and saw the look on Joe's face while he was watching them cleaning him up and felt a lot better. It wasn't until later that I learned that the cord was wrapped around his neck during the delivery. Some things might be better left unsaid, especially to an already freaking out and exhausted woman who only cares about getting through this horrible ordeal.
He's fine now though. :) And I'm feeling much better. Well, sorta. He didn't sleep at all last night, which meant that I didn't sleep at all last night (Joe was able to get a little bit of rest downstairs while I was up with baby because we need one of us to be able to drive to the Doc's appt today), so I made myself some coffee. And NOW he sleeps. All peaceful and quiet. And even though I'm still exhausted, I can't sleep with fresh caffeine in my system.
And that's why I wrote this big long blog.
You're welcome.
3 comments:
I'm sure you went through a lot, but I couldn't help from smiling when I read.. SO happy for you both! (carina)
Congrats, Susie. Loved your honest account of the birthing process. Reminds me of when I had my first. After she was born all I could think of was how hungry I was and when was I getting some breakfast?!
oh man, they kept trying to give me food right after delivery. given that I'd spent the last few hours puking, I was soooo not hungry, and they would NOT believe me! I ate like 3 bites of dinner a few hours later, but it wasn't until the next morning that I had any kind of appetite.
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