Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The Eagle has Landed

After trying some evening primrose oils- labor started on Saturday at 4cm. I labored slowly but surely the day away, was able to keep busy with light house work and stuff. Mom took the kids to the local garage sale and lunch and then kept them until bedtime.

At bedtime I slept 1/2 hr until contractions got too strong to sleep through. Then I got up and labored in the bathroom until 4am when I got lonely and turned the lights on and threw open the door. That brought Mike in to labor with me. We listened to music, talked a little and dealt with labor. In a few hours Mom came and got the kids and made them Star Wars pancakes.

Meanwhile I was getting emotionally drained. I couldn't tell if I was making any progress, and my water didn't want to break. At 3pm ish Mike announced he finished some of his school work, so I said good and started packing to go the the hospital. I had had enough and was going to get this over with one way or another.

Mom and Dad passed the kids off to Ryan and Amber and came and drove us down. We called first and the Dr had ordered an ultrasound to do when we got there. But the nurse was able to guarantee to the Doc the the baby was head down and that I was 7-8cm. I was satisfied, I had actually made real progress and just had to get through transition. There was real question about whether the water had broken. I was unsure, the nurse thought probably.

I turned down offers of pain meds, IVs and saline locks. I knew I could get through transition and birth without it. - And it would be much better for baby with out it.

So I labored for another hour or two and everyone was surprised that the baby wasn't born yet. Labor got harder and the doc came in to check me, he said I was 9 to easily 10, being extra stretchy and noticed that water had not broken yet. So he broke it and asked me to push to see if it would do anything or if I would need a c - section. The push in the position of sitting up made me want to swear at the doctor. The doc decided to leave me and go downstairs to see about a c- section. He thought the baby would be too big. Meanwhile, the nurse was trying to get me to lay back to check the baby's heartbeat, but I yelled "I got to move" and got one leg off of the bed before I groaned, screamed and pushed the baby out in 30 seconds. I didn't plan on doing it- I just had to.

The baby was caught by the hospital bed- and I yelled for someone to take him. He was still half inside me and I couldn't push any more. So the nurse finally grabbed the baby and I was able to sit back, much relieved. They rubbed my tummy and got my placenta out. The doc came in and was much surprised and relieved. He did a quick check and announced to rips or tears.

Everyone was thrilled. He was a big boy, weighed in at 10 pounds, 15 oz. 22.5"
And we were both still happy and intact.

In retrospect, all I needed was an experienced midwife and the home birth would have come off perfect- but those are hard to find in my neck of the woods, and as far as hospital births it was the best we could hope for.

Of course, because the hospital bed was so short and narrow and not padded enough- I was thrilled to go home in 24 hours- against the hopes of the hospital and staff.

If hospitals really wanted to keep you there longer- they would have big, soft beds, and Charmin toilet paper- and food that is fresh, whole grain and organic :)

Meanwhile my 5 kids and a husband with 2 term papers to write needed me at home.

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

holding pattern

You know what it is like to be on an airplane above your landing airport after a long flight and then are informed by the pilot that you do not have clearance to land so you are on a "holding pattern" but meanwhile because you are so close to landing you had to store all your electronics and put your tray table up?

That is what my pregnancy is feeling like today. The flight is over, but I don't have clearance to land yet.

I am in a holding pattern and just want this baby to come so I can resume the rest of my trip in life.

Saturday, March 05, 2011

3 days until my 2nd due date

well I am 3 days away from my due date- the one I calculated when I found out I was pregnant and not the one the ultrasound tried to tell me. The ultrasound dated this baby around 2 weeks ago.

Obviously he has yet to grace us with his presence. But I know that some babies need longer cooking times then other babies, I will let him finish cooking, trusting that he will enter the world how and when he should.

Of course this means that I am still uncomfortable, have ridiculous heartburn, and can often barely walk.... but having a safe, natural delivery- even if it means waddling around another week is preferable to the alternatives.

And yes, I have had contractions nearly every night for a month- but obviously that means nothing in and of it's self. The contractions are now stronger and crampier.... but they have yet to produce a baby.

And I also found out a few scary statistics about our local hospital.... the one I have planned as a "back up" should something go less then perfect. The c-section rate there is 57%. OUCH

That means that 57% of those who deliver there end up with 6 weeks of not being allowed to lift anything other then their babies and not being able to return to full activities for at least 6 weeks, and then could even have some post partum issues because of the lack of baby having hormones that help with attachments and breastfeeding. It also means that 57% of the woman who deliver there will most likely have to have another c-section if they want another baby.

A c-section with a first time mom might not be the end of the world- the only people you have to take care of then is you and baby. But a c- section for a mom of 6 is a death sentence for her house and near impossible to get enough rest to heal from properly.

And yet most c-sections in the US occur because we elect to have our babies when we want to. We don't want the inconvenience of waiting and cramping and waddling around until all known reasons to wait seem to evaporate into a pool of "I don't care how- just get this baby out!" feelings.

Over 50 % of attempted inductions end in a c- section. If you think about a 6 week recover vs waiting just a few more days until baby decides to come himself. It seems very short sighted of us to attempt to push the baby out early. But we Americans fear nothing more then inconvenience.