Friday, January 13, 2012

My Birth Story...40 hours later...

So I noticed that in the blogging world, there are a lot of baby blogs that post their birth stories. I thought I might add myself to the list and write mine out too. Plus I always love me a juicy birth story!! So here it goes...


P.S. I am warning you that this is long...I was in labor for 2 full days!! That's why!


Tuesday September 13th. Wake up and did one of my great work out videos! This had become a daily routine for me, and I must say, helped me a lot during pregnancy. I never got any swelling and felt great the entire time, I guess that is where the story starts to go down hill. If you have any easy pregnancy, usually the labor isn't as friendly! Anyways, back to the story....the previous night I had been really crampy, but nothing new just laid down and slept it off. Got up did my video and still kinda felt weird and tired, but then again I was now 1 week overdue...41 weeks pregnant = 10 months and 1 week!!!!! Muddled through the video got myself together, packed my lunch and off to work I went.


Got to work around 9am when I started to feel what I thought were contractions. So I started writing them down on a piece of paper...they were 1.5 to 2 minutes apart. I thought "they aren't supposed to be this close together yet." So I sat at my desk working, trying as much as I could to get something done. By 11am with consistent contractions for 2 hours, I decided this is it!!! I called the hubby who was at work and told him to come get me!! Oh wait...I forgot...I told the girls at work that I would drive myself home......ha ha ha....they were like.....NO YOUR NOT!!! I am stubborn, can you tell? So I walked around the office to help myself with the contractions....this is when my coworker said...."you are having back labor aren't you." Oh no....I have heard the horrors about back labor, and indeed I was!!! Great!! The beginning of the end. 


The hubby finally got there to pick me up...I told him I don't want to go to the hospital yet, I want to go home and take a shower!! The doctors had advised that I do most of the labor at home because it would be more comfortable, so home we went!! It was a rough car ride with contractions every 1-2 minutes! Got home and got in the shower, until the hot water ran out (20 minutes). Then laid on the bed for another hour or two getting through the contractions. For me, since I had back labor, I found that being on hand and knees helped the most with the contractions!! Finally around 3 pm we called the doctor and updated them on our status. They said to head to the hospital.


All I can say about the car ride to the hospital...it was LONG!!! Finally get there, and the valet guys are hustling me out of the car....do they not do this on a regular basis? I am in labor!!!!! I have to wait for inbetween the contractions!! Luckily my husband was like "give her a break, she's in labor with contractions every 1-2 minutes." He put them in their places!!!


I get up to the room you go before you get admitted...they examine me...I was 2 cm dilated, but when they hooked me up to the monitor they were concerned because I was contracting so often. Oh, I forgot to mention, I was a high risk pregnancy as it is...so there was a little concern. I get hooked up to more monitors for a Stress Test on the baby, and he is not cooperating = I fail the test! This is the second time we failed a stress test, so nothing new, I knew the routine! Now I have to go for a 30 min ultrasound to make sure the baby is moving ok...unfortunately they did not see what they wanted to see, so I was going to be admitted either way. But after all the testing, they rechecked me and I was 4 cm...moving right along, or so I thought!


I must say, I was glad they admitted me because I was nervous they would send me home. I heard lots of stories from people going to the hospital too early and having to walk around for hours, or go home!! I was determined this wouldn't happen to me! I also must say that the admitting nurse was kind of nasty! She thought I was being a baby until she saw how often I was contracting, and saw that I was having back labor....she then changed her whole tune!! Thank GOD the rest of the nurses I had were AWESOME!!


So I get the corner suite (as I like to call it) and I continue laboring through the contractions. I sit on the ball for awhile which didn't help at all..then I got into the shower!!! This shower was way better than mine because it had HOT water that could last for days!!!!!!! Ahhhh...was in the shower for probably about 2 hours...then they had to drag me out to get checked again....still 4 cm...bummer....back to the shower I go...a few more hours. Now we are closing in on midnight and they re-check me...still 4-5 cm. Great....I see how this is going to go!! I am already 15 hours in, haven't eaten anything all day, and have been having contractions every 1-2 minutes the entire time!!! Back to the shower..... 


A few hours later, some bright doctor decides they are going to try and break my water...key word being Try. After  at least 30 minutes and 3 unsuccessful attempts, I still have an intact water! Great!!!! Next I am told that because I have spina bifida occulta (a spinal defect) that I can't have an epidural (which was different from what I was told at my anesthesia consult)....so at this point, my only options for pain control are a low dose of some type of morphine cocktail, and a spinal tap (which I am limited to 2). Great options right!!! So I opt for the morphine which knocked me out...and somewhere in between the morphine and me knocking out, they decided to try and break my water again! Not sure how long it took because.....I was knocked out!! But they did break my water...I woke up to them saying thats meconium right!! Oh great that can't be good! I am then checked again a few hours later and it is about 9am...still 4-5 cm...Really? I have been in labor for 24 hours with no progress!!! 


At that point, I use my first Spinal Tap....so now I am anxious because I only have 1 left once this wears off. The difference between a Spinal Tap and Epidural is that the spinal is 1 shot that totally numbs for 1-2 hours where the Epidural is constantly attached and they can keep pumping more into you for hours on end!! I then see another doctor at 9am who strips my membranes, and they start me on pitocin..they assure me that this will progress the labor. Here I am 24 hours in with no progress!!! 


Hours go by, and midday on Wednesday Sept 14th, I tell them I want an epidural!!!! Let me remind you that the only pain meds I had was one spinal tap that lasted 1.5 hours and morphine which "takes the edge off" for 30-45 minutes!!! So in total about 2 hours of pain relief in...lets see...27 hours!!! I demand an epidural....I said "my anestheiologist said I could have an epidural...go find him and ask." Sure enough they found him, and he ok'd it!! Yeah!!! 


So now I have a catheter and a monitor inserted in me to monitor the strength of the contractions. Most uncomfortable thing ever...it felt like all day, they were just waiting for me to do something...like have a baby....and I wasn't getting any closer! By this time the pitocin was to the Maximum dose I could have! Still no progress!! But it all came crashing down when I developed a fever and infection from having my water broke so long ago!! They also had to stop the pitocin because my son's heartrate went sky high!!! Great....so am I ever going to have this baby??


Finally, the same shift of night doctors comes on again...boy were they surprised to see me...one of them said "the entire floor has come and gone...and you are still here." Nice to hear at 36 hours in! So lets recap...on antibiotics, have a fever, bed ridden with 1 monitor and 1 catheter in me, can't have pitocin anymore, no food for 36 hours...and still only 5cm! Oh wait, and the baby is "sunny side up" or head up, which is why I am having back labor. Did I mention that I have 2 uterus'? The baby is in the right uterus...which always complicates things even more.


The night doctors says that she wants to check me again. She now says that I am 6-7cm dilated. She was happy with that progress...I said to her..."how long are you going to let this fun continue? When do we say enough is enough and I get a c-section?" She said, "that's up to you, but you have made progress since 24 hours ago (4 cm)." She then got rushed out of the room for an emergency c-section and my husband and I had to make the decision.

We prayed together and I said "God, give me a clear sign either of what you want to happen." Yes, I was demanding from God! After about an hour, there was no sign, but my mom, husband and I (hesitantly) said lets do the c-section. We let the nurse know, who said it would be a few hours because there were 2-3 c-sections in front of me. I got a little sleep, had some ice chips (tasted like ice cream) and then was prepped for surgery. In fact they wanted to pull the epidural out, and give me another spinal tap, but thankfully that was overruled by the chief anesthesiologist! 

As the nurse was pulling out the monitor I had inside she says "huh, that's weird, there is pressure on the monitor." I said "what does that mean?" She says "I want the doctor to check you out before you go in for surgery because it could mean that the baby has gone into the birth canal." So the doctor comes in again and checks me....I am 9-10 cm dilated! Yeah!!! But she then proceeds to tell me that I will have to have a c-section because of a complication because of the 2 uterus'. But I did get my answer to prayer, a pretty clear answer if you ask me! So all this way....40 hours of labor, dilating to 10cm and I have to have a c-section...bummer!!! Oh well...at least I would meet my son soon!!!

I was prepped and they brought me into surgery...with a few complications (I will save that story for another day) and 3 hours later, my son was born on Thursday September 15th at around 2am!!! He did have to be in the NICU for a 3 days, but was healthy afterwards! Thank God! After a 7 day visit to the hospital, my hubby and I finally returned home with our huge blessing!!!

Do You Have a Birth Story Written Up? I would love to hear it, leave me a link in the comments section as to where I can find it!!


16 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing. I love Birth stories! I was wondering what exactly happened because I knew it was LONG based on Facebook updates. I cannot even imagine how hard that must have been--you are a champ!

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    1. Thanks Sarah!! It was challenging to say the least! Everyone wondered what happened to me! It was like I got lost in a black hole!! ha ha

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  2. I didn't realize how many spelling and gramatical errors I had in this!! I was so busy trying to get all the details in!!

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  3. stumbled and gave you a thumbs up!

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  4. What a sweet story! I love birth stories, its amazing how none of them are alike. Im you newest follower from Super Stalker Sunday. Would love it if you would stop by my slice of blog land sometime and check out how my little guy made it into the world- http://inthiscrazylife-bethany.blogspot.com/2011/10/graysons-birth-story.html

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  5. That's a great story I have never thought to put my birth story on my blog but what a great idea. I am new follower and found you on SSS. If you have time check out my site at http://hmmargazi.blogspot.com

    Take Care,
    Heather

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  6. Yours is the first birth story I've seen on a blog, great idea! Sounds like it was a rough one, glad everything went well. New follower from Sunday Hop.

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  7. My goodness women, that was a long time to be in labor! Congratulations.

    I'm a new follower of your blog from the blog hop.

    Regina
    www.thecrazynutsmom.com

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  8. Ha Ha! Thanks for the follow! It was a long time!

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  9. Julie,

    Wow, long labor! But a story very similar to mine, I would say... If you care, you can read it over at my LJ: http://iguthrie.livejournal.com/222157.html

    Irina
    P.S. My LJ is mostly "friends-only", but I've left this post "public" for a few days in case you wanted to check it out :)

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  10. Wow! I can't imagine going through that for that long! I know I am lucky that mine went so well and hope the next one does as well.

    P.S. Back labor SUCKS!!!!! It was nice chatting with you tonight. Glad your little man was healthy!

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  11. Julie,
    Your birth story was beautiful and so intense! I'll have to post each of my 2 births separately as the program won't let me post them together.

    I birthed both my boys in a birth center, in fact they were both born in the exact room their father was born in!
    My oldest was born they day after his due date. I knew the moment I had my first contraction at 2:04am, it was unmistakable, my labor progressed very fast, in only 12 contractions I went from walking and and preparing last minute things through them to throwing up and needing William to cope. I was already having hard contractions that I had to vocalize through by 4:20am. We reached the Maternity Center by 5:30am, and I worked my way to the exam room with William's help. They checked me and I was 6cm! I was excited to hear that.
    My parents arrived about an hour later then shift changed and I got a different Midwife (LOVED the second midwife).
    I started pushing at 9 and the relief was amazing! I couldn't feel the pain of the contractions once I started pushing, it was such a relief. I first started pushing on the birth stool but wasn't making much headway (ok pun not initially intended but left in for giggles ;P), then I squatted and he started to crown, I stood up and pushed, his hand was against his cheek, making me tear, the rest of his body quickly followed and they handed him to me and covered us both with blankets while stitching me up. They didn't cut his cord until the placenta was birthed, which I didn't know about or care until later when I knew more about birth. I looked a few minutes later and discovered we had a boy...Gabriel. September 14, 2007, 9:40 am, 9lbs 15oz, 20" long, 14" head and chest.

    I was an amazing birth, fast but intense...Jesus was amazing, though I didn't see until after the fact as I didn't have much of a relationship with him until after Gabriel was a year old. But looking back I see where Jesus helped the through my triple teared extremely intense transition contractions.

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    1. That is such an awesome story!!! I love your pun:)I am glad you were able to get relief and that it progressed so quickly!! What a blessing!

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  12. 2nd Birth story
    Michael's birth was much quicker and much more peaceful in my mind. My first contraction was at 12:58 am, May 12, 2011, 3 days before he was due. I hadn't been sleeping well at all so I was only just getting ready for bed when I felt it and decided to lay down and take a nap as I knew this was going to be a very quick labor. I napped for an hour waking up every 10 minutes with light contractions and falling back asleep, an hour later I suddenly had a contraction 7 minutes later and knew it was time to get up. I packed snacks, toothbrushes and tooth paste, and my favorite pants that I wanted to wear home. Woke William when I had bloody show about 20 minutes after getting up. I called my mom who lived next door to come and stay with Gabriel who we decided not to have at the birth center during the birth do to his terror of the site of blood and very sensitive nature.
    We left 2 1/2 hours after my first contraction, I had initially been afraid of the drive as it was going to be longer then with my first son as we had moved more then 40 miles away from the center. But it didn't take that long to get there...hubby was determined I wouldn't birth in the car. The drive was horrible the first contraction or two then I realized it was only bad because I expected it to be bad, so I relaxed and decided this trip was going to be good and relaxing. I spent some wonderful moments conversing with Jesus. William said later I was so quiet he didn't know I had progressed so far. During each contractions I said to myself in my head "Open, I want my cervix to open" over and over again reminding myself that the contractions weren't injuring me they were just helping my baby come.
    When we got to the maternity center I immediately got out of the car and immediately went into transition. I had 3 contractions waiting for the midwife, and pushed a little on the third one which really helped me cope because I was starting to loose it with these contractions.
    The mid wife arrived (she thought she would beat us but hubby was extremely determined that no births would happen in his car) and I announced I felt pushy.
    I Made it half way down the hall and stopped to push, when the contraction ended I made it all the way to the birth room stripped and crawled onto the bed on my hands and knees and pushed using my hand to provide counter pressure and prevent tearing again. The head was born and the midwife checked for a cord...nothing, so I pushed cradling the head in my hand and the body slipped out into my hands, I pulled him to my chest and he took a few good breaths before starting to cry softly, sat back crossing my legs, then gently placed him on my legs while I stripped my shirt and swim top (I was hoping for enough time for a water labor) pulled him to my chest for skin to skin and nursng, before I lifted him from my legs I saw he was a boy...Michael. May 12, 2011, 4:35am, 8lbs 8oz, 20 3/4" long, 14" head and chest.
    Very short and very intense but very peaceful.

    When Gabriel came it took him about 20 minutes to warm up to his surroundings enough to come over and see his little brother. But it was love at first sight. They are fast becoming best friends.

    These were my fast and intense but wonderful birth stories.
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    1. Great stories!!! Sounds like they are great brothers:) Thank you so much for sharing!! I love reading these stories! Everyone's is soooo different!

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