A heads up...I love details :D so be prepared for a long post!
Our little man finally decided to make his appearance!
He was a week "post due" I kept telling people I was due the second week of June, as I knew he would be late and didn't want to be disappointed when that day came, went and no baby. I'm glad I did so, it really helped when nothing happened that day!
I went in on my post one week mark for a non-stress test to make sure all was well. First they started out by checking my fluids, I knew by watching the nurse watch the ultra sounds something was up. My amniotic fluids were at a 2; meaning they could only find 2 pockets of fluid surrounding the baby when they should find at least 10. Not good. Plus my placenta was very calcified, along with a low fluid count would mean trouble very soon. In other words, I was having this baby today. No more waiting on his terms.
I kinda panicked. I always wanted to go as natural as possible when it comes to all things pregnancy and delivery. Induced to me meant Pitocyn (sp?? will just refer to it as "pits" here on) and I didn't like that. But since the nurse was so worried, I knew I just needed to do what ever to deliver him safely.
Once we settled in to our room and all got checked in, I got to talk to the on call mid-wife and told her I'd like to start out breaking my waters first to see if that would start contractions. She agreed as long as I kept progressing with in a certain time. If not, hooked up to the pits it was for me.
We walked a lot to help get things going...I rested and meditated, willing and welcoming happy birthing thoughts. If you know me, you'd know how strong willed I had been to deliver this baby 100% natural as possible. After about 3 hours I was getting restless, I had already waited for this baby an extra week and I was ready to meet him. I told my nurse to start me on the pits with the lowest dose possible, with the outlook of just slowly working our way up.
Let's cut to the chase and we worked our way up for hours. With some contractions that were jacuzzi tub worthy (I spent for ever in the tub, until the water was pretty cold as it felt so good) but after that I was still S...L...O...W...L...Y moving a long, so that the midwife said no more little bit doses. It was time to make things move faster, the last I remember checking my dose level, it was 24. Which I guess is pretty high. Up until then I was able to handle the contractions super well as they had moved to my back, and I deal with a lot of back pain from all my years sewing, that I was so ready to push though the last bit if the contractions stayed in the back.
With in a hour of them bumping my pit higher, my contractions changed fast and hard. I wasn't mentally ready to handle that, even though my energy level was. I held on as long as I could to working through them. The nurse wanted to check to see if I had progressed any since my demeanor changed so quickly from being really talkative to being completely involved in the managing the contractions.
I was at a four. Over 14 hours and I was still at a four. ARRRRRGGGGHHHH. I was DONE and wanted this kid out. I knew that last time with Lily, once by body was super relaxed by an epidural, I progressed super fast and I was ready to give up my attachement to a natural birth, I was ok with it at that point, as I had pushed through 14 hours natural even with the high dose of the pits.
Let me explain why I have always been so adamant about a natural birth. Not only do I think it is empowering event for a woman, but I feel it helps provide better bonding for the mother and child due to all the hormones and adrenaline rushes. I'm not saying that not all women are denied these feelings with having a epidural. I just feel for me, the epidural blocks those emotions, with L I had the epidural in for over 4 hours. When she was born I wanted to let all these feeling and emotions rush out, but felt like I couldn't, I was so numb from it. Of course there is a lot of things to process with a first born and I don't think it was all the epidurals fault. I just really hated how it made me feel. Turns out I'm one of the lucky few who react to the medicine/drug they use. My legs tingle really bad and it hurts to touch them, I got the shakes REALLY bad, I itched like CRAZY, I get really bad body aches from the epidural spot down a week after and breathing became hard for me during labor. Everyone who I have talked to who have had an epidural, didn't have those reactions.
I only had the epidural in this time for less than 2 hours, so I felt better faster and felt more like my self quicker.
Once the meds kicked in the from the epidural and I was more relaxed, so the nurse checked me, both of us were relieved to hear I was at a 9. Then not 10 minutes later she checked me again after asking if I was feeling any pressure. That fast I was ready and at a 10.
Finally, I was going to meet my little guy! When the midwife had me start pushing, he was already starting to crown. Pretty soon after she became concerned and said that I needed to push him out faster. At this point she also gave me a small cut to help get him out faster, once most of his head was out, I could see why. ( I asked for a mirror to watch) The cord was wrapped around his neck and the midwife had to cut it right away. I didn't get to see anything else after that, as I was focusing on getting him all the way out.
They laid him on me for a few minutes, but when his heart rate wasn't up to what is should be they had to take him and call in the NICU to asses him. The cord wrapped around his neck really shocked him, he wasn't crying very much and was still pretty pale. I was pretty panic as they were looking him over, because they weren't saying a lot. I asked a lot if he was going to be okay. Each time they assured me he was going to be and I let the nurses take this time to measure and weigh him. Finally after all that, I got to hold him longer, he looked a lot like his sister; both had the same nose, but he looked a lot like Jason then too.
After we got to have some time alone, I had to pass him off to Jason as I started feeling really funny, dizzy and faint. Jason took one look at me and said my lips were really blue. We called in the nurse and discovered I was bleeding heavily and having large blood clots. I started to shake again and felt really cold. So lucky me I got to stay downstairs until they could stabilize me, while Jason went up to our recovery room. They were able to get things under control quickly and I was brought upstairs to the recovery room.
As far as recovery from this birth compared to L's was a major difference. I didn't hurt as much and felt up to doing things afterwards quicker, partially due to having a summer baby, but also due to that he has been such a good baby! He sleeps and eats A LOT (especially now as he is having a growth spurt) and the best best best part is that he goes to sleep quickly after eating! Which means I get back to sleep and even though he is still waking up a lot to eat, I'm getting more sleep than I did with L. Although we did have a little bump in the recovery road when my milk kicked in, I was woozy for a few days, looked really pale and felt awful; due to my body having to produce another liquid along with building up my blood supply again and this last weekend when I had super bad body aches and a temp of 100 for practically the whole weekend. (Got checked out by the midwife, she said it was just some funky viral infection and would go away on it's own) By tuesday, I was feeling 100% better.
After three weeks, I'm feeling much better. But still being really careful about how much I running around I am doing. Especially in this hot weather we are having! I get really tired fast, due to my body still working on that blood supply.
L is adjusting fairly well, we have more good days than bad, but I know it's been hard for her. I'm doing my best to keep things normal for her and to have her help out with "taking care" of E. It's kinda hard as a Mother to see your older child question (in mine, it's her eyes) why all of a sudden this little thing demands so much of what used to be all mine of Mom's attention. It's kind of guilt trip-ish really, I'm trying everyday to do one special activity with her, to let her know that I'm still her Momma and love her very much.
All in all we are so glad to have our little guy here!!
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