April 2014 Moms
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XP Term baby after preemie birth story (ehazie)
haziedaze
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Punchline:
Liam Alexander was born on 4/19 at 6:44am
Vaginal birth with epidural after membranes were stripped that morning.
Labor was only 10 hours of consistent, timeable contractions after months of preterm contractions and 2 weeks of prodromal labor.
He was 6lbs 11oz and born at 38w5d (I'm claiming term status ;-) ) weighing almost twice as much and staying put 9 wks longer than his older brother.
Pregnancy:
While we were very hopeful for a "normal" pregnancy thinking my previous problems were related to an undiagnosed small abruption causing uterine irritability and then finally a larger abruption and PTL, it quickly seemed that was not in the cards. Preterm contractions started at 16 weeks. They seemed a little better after starting 17OH Progesterone the following week but then picked up heading into late 2nd tri. At 25 weeks I had 2 hours of timeable contractions every 2-3mins so we went in to L&D. I was admitted for threatened preterm labor and given steroids and magnesium. After the steroid course was complete I was discharged home on nifedipine and bedrest. I had no cervical change during my admission despite frequent, intense contractions, but given this was similar to what happened at 27 weeks with my son, we decided to be very cautious. I had one additional PTL scare at 33 weeks where contractions were more intense and consistent. I was contracting every 2-3 mins for 4 hours on the monitors but again with no cervical change, they then spaced. I became convinced that the combo of the 17P and bedrest was keeping me pregnant and wondered what would happen when they both were stopped.
Prodromal Labor:
My 17P wore off at 37 weeks and I slowly increased my activity from 35 weeks on. I had frequent BHs and then for about 10 days before delivering would have a peroid of timeable, intense contractions with menstrual cramp like pains in between for a few hours each night. They would start out really intense for 30-40 mins then slowly become less painful and space out. My most intense episode was 3 nights before delivery where I had very intense contractions every 4 mins for 2 hours. Just when we were going to call L&D, DS then woke up with a fever and when I climbed into our bed with him my contractions almost immediately spaced out and then stopped. I rarely had intense contractions during the day, but would have frequent BH with position changes and activity.
Labor:
On the night of 4/17 I had my usual couple of uncomfortable hours but when I got up 4/18 they seemed to hang around more into the morning. I got ready for my NST appt (for polyhydramnios) and had to stop to breathe through a few contractions. They were very irregular though averaging every 8-10 mins. At my NST I was initially very uncomfortable and talked to the nurse about the increase in my symptoms. She offered to check me and consider stripping my membranes if the NST showed them continuing. Over the 30mins NST I had 2-3 very large, intense contractions and lots of uterine irritability. I decided to have the check, but was very worried it would show no change or change that wouldn't end up meaning anything and would give me false hope. I chose to do it thinking it would show me whether my body was responding to being off the meds and I wouldn't get top focused on the meaning besides that. I was 2cm dilated, but stretchy to 4cm and 50% effaced. She also noted that my bag was already bulging with contractions when she did my membrane sweep.
After the membrane sweep I had some bleeding and passed some clots, but it quickly tapered off. I was actually surprised that my contractions seemed to stop completely and decided to take advantage and took a 2hr nap when I got home. I woke up from my nap around 3:30pm and noticed the strong, irregular contractions were back. My husband decided to come home a little early, we ate dinner early and went for a walk with DS. During the walk I stopped a few more times than usual to breathe through contractions, but made a conscious choice not to time them because I didn't walk to get my hopes up.
We got DS down to sleep at while rocking him I noted that my contractions seemed more consistent. I started timing them around 8:20pm and they were all 4-5 mins apart. DH was impressed by the intensity and started collecting our bags and things for DS. At 10pm we put our friends on notice that we would likely need to bring DS over and at 10:30pm I called L&D. Contractions were now every 3-4 mins. The resident was impressed that they had been intense and consistent for 2 hours and that I was breathing through them on the call, she suggested we start to head in since it was a second baby. We dropped DS off and arrived at the hospital around 11:30pm. Interestingly, when we got DS up and drove him to our friends' my contractions spaced again, they immediately intensified once he was out of the car- so weird!
At 12pm they checked me and I was 5cm and 90% effaced so we were admitted. I bounced on my yoga ball, paced, and did a few spinning babies techniques for the next few hours. I even let DH get in a brief snooze. At 2:30am I woke him and asked him to work through contractions with me, by 3:30 things got very intense. Contractions were every 60-90 seconds and I no longer was getting a nice break. I was checked and was 7cm and 100% effaced with a very bulging bag. I was worried that he was still high but couldn't cope with contractions alone anymore. I asked for anesthesia and wanted to try Nitric Oxide. The resident was all thumbs and couldn't figure out the set up in my room. She kept leaving to get things and I was beside myself, antsy, couldn't stay still and could no longer focus on my breathing. I asked for fentanyl and an epidural. I was very worried about LO being posterior and having trouble engaging, but couldn't cope any longer.
My epidural was amazing. I could still feel contractions but they weren't more than pressure. I could even more my legs. I decided to rest before having another check, about an hour later my water broke and I started passing a part of my forebag. The team ruptured me the rest of the way- holy fountain! I was complete but he was high and OP, the chief resident was able to rotate him to OA likely because of all the fluid. I pushed a few times but his heart rate would drop, so then decided to labor down and let us both save our energy. 30 mins later around 6:15am I felt intense pressure. The team came back in and I pushed through 3-4 contractions on my side with DH holding my top leg and the residents sitting on my bed. Liam was born easily with a loose nuchal cord and I pulled him on to my chest. It was amazing. We snuggled and nursed and did all the "normal" things that couldn't happen last time. We didn't even need pediatrics at the delivery.
Liam's been doing awesome. BF has been crazy easy this time around so we went home the next morning. It's been blissful recovering at home and snuggling my newborn instead of making a daily trek to the NICU. It was a very long, trying pregnancy, but in the end labor and delivery couldn't have been easier or more perfect. I feel so blessed to have had this experience.
Holy long post! Thanks for reading... cute baby pics as a reward
Liam Alexander was born on 4/19 at 6:44am
Vaginal birth with epidural after membranes were stripped that morning.
Labor was only 10 hours of consistent, timeable contractions after months of preterm contractions and 2 weeks of prodromal labor.
He was 6lbs 11oz and born at 38w5d (I'm claiming term status ;-) ) weighing almost twice as much and staying put 9 wks longer than his older brother.
Pregnancy:
While we were very hopeful for a "normal" pregnancy thinking my previous problems were related to an undiagnosed small abruption causing uterine irritability and then finally a larger abruption and PTL, it quickly seemed that was not in the cards. Preterm contractions started at 16 weeks. They seemed a little better after starting 17OH Progesterone the following week but then picked up heading into late 2nd tri. At 25 weeks I had 2 hours of timeable contractions every 2-3mins so we went in to L&D. I was admitted for threatened preterm labor and given steroids and magnesium. After the steroid course was complete I was discharged home on nifedipine and bedrest. I had no cervical change during my admission despite frequent, intense contractions, but given this was similar to what happened at 27 weeks with my son, we decided to be very cautious. I had one additional PTL scare at 33 weeks where contractions were more intense and consistent. I was contracting every 2-3 mins for 4 hours on the monitors but again with no cervical change, they then spaced. I became convinced that the combo of the 17P and bedrest was keeping me pregnant and wondered what would happen when they both were stopped.
Prodromal Labor:
My 17P wore off at 37 weeks and I slowly increased my activity from 35 weeks on. I had frequent BHs and then for about 10 days before delivering would have a peroid of timeable, intense contractions with menstrual cramp like pains in between for a few hours each night. They would start out really intense for 30-40 mins then slowly become less painful and space out. My most intense episode was 3 nights before delivery where I had very intense contractions every 4 mins for 2 hours. Just when we were going to call L&D, DS then woke up with a fever and when I climbed into our bed with him my contractions almost immediately spaced out and then stopped. I rarely had intense contractions during the day, but would have frequent BH with position changes and activity.
Labor:
On the night of 4/17 I had my usual couple of uncomfortable hours but when I got up 4/18 they seemed to hang around more into the morning. I got ready for my NST appt (for polyhydramnios) and had to stop to breathe through a few contractions. They were very irregular though averaging every 8-10 mins. At my NST I was initially very uncomfortable and talked to the nurse about the increase in my symptoms. She offered to check me and consider stripping my membranes if the NST showed them continuing. Over the 30mins NST I had 2-3 very large, intense contractions and lots of uterine irritability. I decided to have the check, but was very worried it would show no change or change that wouldn't end up meaning anything and would give me false hope. I chose to do it thinking it would show me whether my body was responding to being off the meds and I wouldn't get top focused on the meaning besides that. I was 2cm dilated, but stretchy to 4cm and 50% effaced. She also noted that my bag was already bulging with contractions when she did my membrane sweep.
After the membrane sweep I had some bleeding and passed some clots, but it quickly tapered off. I was actually surprised that my contractions seemed to stop completely and decided to take advantage and took a 2hr nap when I got home. I woke up from my nap around 3:30pm and noticed the strong, irregular contractions were back. My husband decided to come home a little early, we ate dinner early and went for a walk with DS. During the walk I stopped a few more times than usual to breathe through contractions, but made a conscious choice not to time them because I didn't walk to get my hopes up.
We got DS down to sleep at while rocking him I noted that my contractions seemed more consistent. I started timing them around 8:20pm and they were all 4-5 mins apart. DH was impressed by the intensity and started collecting our bags and things for DS. At 10pm we put our friends on notice that we would likely need to bring DS over and at 10:30pm I called L&D. Contractions were now every 3-4 mins. The resident was impressed that they had been intense and consistent for 2 hours and that I was breathing through them on the call, she suggested we start to head in since it was a second baby. We dropped DS off and arrived at the hospital around 11:30pm. Interestingly, when we got DS up and drove him to our friends' my contractions spaced again, they immediately intensified once he was out of the car- so weird!
At 12pm they checked me and I was 5cm and 90% effaced so we were admitted. I bounced on my yoga ball, paced, and did a few spinning babies techniques for the next few hours. I even let DH get in a brief snooze. At 2:30am I woke him and asked him to work through contractions with me, by 3:30 things got very intense. Contractions were every 60-90 seconds and I no longer was getting a nice break. I was checked and was 7cm and 100% effaced with a very bulging bag. I was worried that he was still high but couldn't cope with contractions alone anymore. I asked for anesthesia and wanted to try Nitric Oxide. The resident was all thumbs and couldn't figure out the set up in my room. She kept leaving to get things and I was beside myself, antsy, couldn't stay still and could no longer focus on my breathing. I asked for fentanyl and an epidural. I was very worried about LO being posterior and having trouble engaging, but couldn't cope any longer.
My epidural was amazing. I could still feel contractions but they weren't more than pressure. I could even more my legs. I decided to rest before having another check, about an hour later my water broke and I started passing a part of my forebag. The team ruptured me the rest of the way- holy fountain! I was complete but he was high and OP, the chief resident was able to rotate him to OA likely because of all the fluid. I pushed a few times but his heart rate would drop, so then decided to labor down and let us both save our energy. 30 mins later around 6:15am I felt intense pressure. The team came back in and I pushed through 3-4 contractions on my side with DH holding my top leg and the residents sitting on my bed. Liam was born easily with a loose nuchal cord and I pulled him on to my chest. It was amazing. We snuggled and nursed and did all the "normal" things that couldn't happen last time. We didn't even need pediatrics at the delivery.
Liam's been doing awesome. BF has been crazy easy this time around so we went home the next morning. It's been blissful recovering at home and snuggling my newborn instead of making a daily trek to the NICU. It was a very long, trying pregnancy, but in the end labor and delivery couldn't have been easier or more perfect. I feel so blessed to have had this experience.
Holy long post! Thanks for reading... cute baby pics as a reward
BFP#1 9/14/10 (EDD 5/21/11); no fetal pole 6w6d, 7w4d, d&c 10/8
BFP#2 3/16/11, beta 138; 4/12 Baby/HB DS born 9/10/11 at 29w4d due to partial abruption and PTL
BFP#3 8/19/13 Another boy! 17P, modified bedrest and Nifedipine helped us have a termie! DS2 born 4/19/14 at 38w5d.
BFP#2 3/16/11, beta 138; 4/12 Baby/HB DS born 9/10/11 at 29w4d due to partial abruption and PTL
BFP#3 8/19/13 Another boy! 17P, modified bedrest and Nifedipine helped us have a termie! DS2 born 4/19/14 at 38w5d.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: XP Term baby after preemie birth story (ehazie)
And yay for the endless contractions to be over! Way to go, mama.
I'm so glad the experience was all you wanted it to be.
With the possible exception of the equator, everything begins somewhere. - C.S.Lewis