Birth Story
pregnancy
Thought I would take a moment and fill you in on the birth story as it seems I would be a bad blogger if I didn't! All day the 25th I felt really crampy and weird. I had a feeling that the end was near, but nothing was really happening. We went to bed at 11:00 and I was going to get up to go to the bathroom about an hour later when I felt like I had wet myself. I jumped out of bed and woke Davey up, "I wet the bed!" I really thought I had, but when it kept trickling down my legs we figured it was my water so we called L&D and they said to head on in. At this point we started to panic, we were actually going to have a baby! Holy Crap! I then decided that before I actually had a baby, I needed a milkshake and a breakfast sandwich so we hit the drive thru and ended up at the hospital.
They gave me a gown and told me they were going to run an IV. This being my first hospital stay, I had no idea how much the IV hurts to install....OUCH. I told them that I would like any and all fetus-safe pain meds available to me and they gave me something wonderful that really helped the contractions. When the time came for the epidural at 10:00 am they gave me something they called "anti-anxiety" and I swear I was so out of it the epidural seemed like fun. I happily dozed the afternoon away and they had started pitocin to increase contractions, which was fine with me, I was sleeping. At about 3:00 they told me I was complete and it was time to push. Now, I had noticed I was starting to feel pressure with each contraction and things were getting painful. My mother grabbed one leg, Davey the other and I started pushing. I was totally sober, awake and in P A I N.
At this point, I asked the midwife for perineum massage and she did, but with each push I realized that I was going to tear. I felt like I would break in two. Davey was by my side and I remember at one point I was in so much pain I grabbed his hand and begged him to pray for me and he just held me and prayed. I was so afraid to tear, I stopped pushing very hard. I told the group that I was no longer interested in this, that I did not want to give birth anymore. The midwife was getting concerned, but no one would say why. All of a sudden there was an internal fetal monitor, I was hooked up to oxygen and there was a team of special docs and lots of activity. Later my mother told me that Goldie's heart rate was dropping with each contraction. A nurse brought in a stepladder which I thought was strange too. Suddenly the midwife said that if I didn't push her out with the next contraction she would give me an episiotomy and suddenly I was all about pushing!! I pushed till I thought I would pass out. The nurse with the ladder climbed up and literally PUSHED the babe out under the pelvic bone. Everyone was screaming to push and then, in one movement, she was out. They laid her on my belly, and she was perfect. We cried. I was so grateful and it was a moment I will never forget. My little Goldie, 6 lbs, 15 oz.
Thought I would take a moment and fill you in on the birth story as it seems I would be a bad blogger if I didn't! All day the 25th I felt really crampy and weird. I had a feeling that the end was near, but nothing was really happening. We went to bed at 11:00 and I was going to get up to go to the bathroom about an hour later when I felt like I had wet myself. I jumped out of bed and woke Davey up, "I wet the bed!" I really thought I had, but when it kept trickling down my legs we figured it was my water so we called L&D and they said to head on in. At this point we started to panic, we were actually going to have a baby! Holy Crap! I then decided that before I actually had a baby, I needed a milkshake and a breakfast sandwich so we hit the drive thru and ended up at the hospital.
They gave me a gown and told me they were going to run an IV. This being my first hospital stay, I had no idea how much the IV hurts to install....OUCH. I told them that I would like any and all fetus-safe pain meds available to me and they gave me something wonderful that really helped the contractions. When the time came for the epidural at 10:00 am they gave me something they called "anti-anxiety" and I swear I was so out of it the epidural seemed like fun. I happily dozed the afternoon away and they had started pitocin to increase contractions, which was fine with me, I was sleeping. At about 3:00 they told me I was complete and it was time to push. Now, I had noticed I was starting to feel pressure with each contraction and things were getting painful. My mother grabbed one leg, Davey the other and I started pushing. I was totally sober, awake and in P A I N.
At this point, I asked the midwife for perineum massage and she did, but with each push I realized that I was going to tear. I felt like I would break in two. Davey was by my side and I remember at one point I was in so much pain I grabbed his hand and begged him to pray for me and he just held me and prayed. I was so afraid to tear, I stopped pushing very hard. I told the group that I was no longer interested in this, that I did not want to give birth anymore. The midwife was getting concerned, but no one would say why. All of a sudden there was an internal fetal monitor, I was hooked up to oxygen and there was a team of special docs and lots of activity. Later my mother told me that Goldie's heart rate was dropping with each contraction. A nurse brought in a stepladder which I thought was strange too. Suddenly the midwife said that if I didn't push her out with the next contraction she would give me an episiotomy and suddenly I was all about pushing!! I pushed till I thought I would pass out. The nurse with the ladder climbed up and literally PUSHED the babe out under the pelvic bone. Everyone was screaming to push and then, in one movement, she was out. They laid her on my belly, and she was perfect. We cried. I was so grateful and it was a moment I will never forget. My little Goldie, 6 lbs, 15 oz.
posted by Kirsten at
10:20 PM
4 Comments:
Oh my goodness! Now I am even more worried about labor and delivery after reading aout the nurse on the step ladder pushing on your belly! I have 146 more days to go and l&d is my worst fear! But I am a glutton for punishment and read every birth story I can - not sure why! Thank you for being so honest!
I said it before and I'll say it again - She's beautiful and she has a beautiful name. Anyone who doesn't agree I can take outside. Bring it.
That is a beautiful birth story. You did so well! And look at the beautiful baby girl you have to show for it. Good work, mama!
A step ladder? Wow, that would cause me major concern! Yah, pushing is awful, isn't it? The books tell you that once you get to pushing, it's all easy and just happens, but pushing was the worst for me.
But you did it!!! And I really like the fact that you stopped for breakfast on the way to the hospital. PRIORITIES! :-)
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