@bluejeanbabi05 hey there I haven't posted my story, but I didn't have any medicine and knew ahead of time that's what I wanted. Honestly EVERY labor is different so when I say that I prepared mentally that there were no other options, that may not have worked in another situation than the one I had. Also to add, I thought about the millions of women who have done this since our existence, and how they didn't always have medicine, how YOUR BODY WAS BUILT TO GIVE BIRTH, and how you CAN have a medicine-free birth. (If that's what you choose, and if it's safe. Obviously, some things prevent that from happening, and we are lucky enough to have professionals to help us in the process of birthing these angels assisted) I hired a doula so I didn't have to count on ANYONE for ANYTHING. This is not to discount the staff, or my family! But I wanted to be sure someone would be there for whatever I needed and they weren't going to be distracted, annoyed, impatient, etc. This helped me because she talked with me about what stage I was in, why the staff was doing what they were doing, helped me relax, offered me options if I needed them, and did whatever I asked her to do. It was the difference for me I believe because otherwise I would've been frantic hoping there was an angel nurse to help guide me or that my MIL wouldn't be in my face ticking me off. Anyways. I watched a LOT of videos online about natural births, and also read a LOT of information about the birthing process and stages. It's important for you to be aware of what is happening at each stage, and what you may be likely to come across. It's also important to be knowledgeable about c sections, episiotomies, medicines, vacuums, etc so you can at least have an idea of what you may go through. I hope this didn't drag on, and actually answered your question.
Thank you @yenrec. Did you have a midwife as well? I'm thinking of hiring a doula. I hate having to pay the money, but if it makes that big of a difference....
@bluejeanbabi05 I didn't have a midwife because I didn't know it was an option. The nursing staff and doctor were great in my case, so I don't think I'll go with a midwife this time either. And yes, doulas are expensive, mine cost $600, but it came with one initial meeting for Q&A, two meetings before the birth to prepare our birth plan, and talk about whatever else was on my mind, service through the labor and 1 hour after, and a visit to my house after the baby was born. She also offers help with breastfeeding, placenta encapsulation (for extra), and an informative birth class before I'm due, too.
@bluejeanbabi05 I did Hypnobabies Home Study. I was very zen and in the zone my whole labor and I think it did help with that.
I also went into it wanting completely med free but I tried to just be prepared for anything. Likely if I had needed pitocin I would have ended up with an epidural. Pitocin labor is evidently more intense and anything more intense than what I experienced would have required stronger meds.
That being said, just going into it with an idea of your goals but an open mind to whatever might come up is my best advice.
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I heart theSkimm I heart YNAB --------- “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." - Albus Dumbledore
I have 3, so I'll try to do the cliff notes versions lol
Baby 1: (This was 8 years ago and is starting to get fuzzy on exact details, but I can do the general jist) Woke up around 130am thinking I had a stomach ache and had to poop. Spent about 2 hours thinking this until I realized it was contractions and started timing them. Woke up dh around 5 and we headed to the hospital. Got there, got hooked up to the monitors, made slow but steady progression. Decided not to do an epidural because the thought of it scared the shit out of me. Around 7 or 8cm, at 10am, OB broke my water. After that, I asked for iv meds to take the edge off. Yeah, that was worthless. Shortly after 11, was fully dilated, had to kick all our family out while I was crying from nerves and pain. Pushed for about 15 minutes and there was a lot of yelling and screaming at the nurse, DD was born at 11:33am after 10 hours of labor
Baby 2: I had to be induced because of Pre-e. Went in, got hooked up around 8am to pitocin and my antibiotics since I'm GBS+. Around 8:30, before the pitocin had even kicked in, nurse asked if I wanted an epidural since the anesthesiologist was already upstairs and now would be the time. So I went for it. Never felt labor and it was glorious. Spent my time reading gossip mags and being excited to read about Blake and Miranda's wedding. I did have some uncomfortable moments where it would wear off on one side, but I'd just roll to my side and it would fix it. Around 11:30am, I had progressed to a 6 and so they turned up my antibiotics drip so I could get the rest of my second dose in quickly. At noon, my OB came up to break my water, I joked and said "so you'll do this and he'll just slide out, right?" She goes "that's not how this works". So I was a 7 when she broke my water, less than 5 minutes later, she was just about to head out of the room and I said I had the urge to push. She didn't believe me but checked and sure enough, 10cm. Just like that. Roughly 13 minutes after breaking my water, DS was born at 1215pm. Only 4 hours after starting the induction
Baby 3: Had an appointment at 830am. She did a membrane sweep and I expressed my concerns over a fast labor after what happened with DS and being worried about not getting the antibiotics all in in time (GBS+ again). Had an NST, had small contractions at the time, went home and they started to pick up. Texted dh, who was at grown up day at DD's preschool, told him not to plan on going to work that day. Waited for him go get home and struggled to entertain DS without making him worried from me being uncomfortable. Ate a bagel, DH got home, debated on going in, so I called the nurse line and she said come in since the contractions were 2-3 minutes apart for almost 2 hours. Called my mom to come watch the kids, finished packing my stuff, got the kids clothes packed.
Got up to the hospital and they wasted so much time with me in triage, I was pissed. Finally admitted me and started antibiotics. Got an epidural around 330pm, progressed fairly quickly from there. At 5pm I was fully dilated, but still an hour from being done with the antibiotics. So I freaking held her in for AN HOUR. It was miserable. I kept bitching about how I felt like I was going to shit myself but I really didn't want to increase her chances of getting GBS, so I managed to keep her in until the drip finished. OB came in often and reassured me if I had to push, we could do it. She waited outside at the nurses station so that she could be there the instant I yelled for her if need be. At 6pm, OB came in when antibiotics were done, broke my water and dd2 was born at 606pm. And was infection free so it was all worth it lol
Rants/Raves: Rant: I wish I would have advocated for myself more. Rave: No matter how easy or hard labor is. Holding your tiny, squishy baby is by far the absolute best feeling in the world.
Did it compare to what you expected? I read tons of information regarding labor. I thought I knew what to expect; but, one thing I learned was you can have your birth plan but it doesn't mean what's on that piece of paper will happen so prepare your mind for the possibility things can change.
What will you (try to) do differently this time? Eat something before I go to the freaking hospital. I didn't get to eat for 2 days because I thought I could at least drink water. Nope, just ice chips allowed. As stated before, I will advocate for myself more. I had a nasty L&D nurse and I wish I would have kicked her out.
Other than the mesh undies everyone says are a must, what else should no mom be without? COMFORTABLE CLOTHES! I naively brought pants. Yeah, no. This time I'm bringing dresses that hide my postpartum 6 month looking belly, and yet still make me feel good because thise gowns do not do anything to make you feel good. Your own shampoo and body wash. Little things like that make it better because tbh it was a harsh reality accepting my new body. This isn't necessarily for you, alone; but, snacks for your SO as well.
Was it your dr that delivered or the on call doc? I ended up getting the on call Dr. He was good; but I learned to double check that they actually page your Dr and not just page the on call.
With my first daughter it was kind of a nightmare. I was told by my dr. that birthing classes were a waste of time and that they would just coach me through it when the time came. It was recommended that I get induced 4 days before my due date because my dr. was going out of town. I hadn't met any of the other dr.s so I decided to go ahead with the induction. I was told not to eat anything after midnight the day before coming in so I was already starving when I got to the hospital. The nurse who did my IV thought she got it in, but it wasn't in the vein so my hand blew up like a balloon. This was seriously the most painful thing I've ever had done. A different nurse was in the room and was able to get it in my other hand correctly. This made both of my hands so sore though. I was hooked up to pit and wasn't dilated or efaced at all when I got there. After being on pit for quite a while my body got stuck at a 2. They upped the pit as much as they could and my dr. broke my water. After a few hours I started progressing again. I got the epidural at a 3 and I'm sure this was because of the pit. fast forward 32 hours and it was time to push. My dr. was completely silent the whole time. The nurses didn't tell me what to do or how to push. I had had no coaching and didn't know what I was supposed to do. Finally my moms cousin came to check on me (she worked as a nurse at the hospital and had done l&d before). She pushed the nurses out of the way and coached me. It took 2 hours of pushing before my daughter was born putting my labor at 34 hours. I hadn't eaten anything (the nurse finally felt sorry for me after over 24 hours of not eating and brought me jello and broth, but I immediately puked that up.) I looked like I had been hit by a train. Most of the veins in my face, neck, and eyes were popped. I was miserable for a couple of weeks and didn't even want people to come visit because of how bad I looked. DD2: I went to the same woman's center but had a different dr. She was amazing. I was induced a couple of days early with this daughter as well but only because my dr. was going on vacation and I didn't want to risk getting the dr. who delivered my 1st baby. I was at a 2 for a month before being induced. Induction went so smooth. I lasted until a 4 before I got my epidural and labor total was 12 hours. No problems at all! I loved this dr. but she ended up moving across country before my 3rd was born. DD3: I decided to go to a different practice with this birth. My dr. was awesome and there were a total of 4 in the practice so I had to meet with all of them at least once during the pregnancy and can honestly say I don't care which one delivers my babies. They are all amazing. anyways...I had been at a 4 for a month before once again being induced. The Saturday before my induction I was up all night with contractions that were coming very consistently but weren't painful. We call my in laws to watch our older girls and headed to the hospital to get checked out. They hooked me up to monitor everything and said that I was indeed having the correct timing for being admitted but because it was a weekend and I hadn't progressed at all in an hour they sent me home. The contractions continued until about noon and then tapered off. I was told if it wasn't a weekend that they would have kept me and hooked me up to a low dose of pit to help things along. I was induced on my due date that Tuesday. Everything went very well. My dr. came to check on me at noon and broke my water and I got the epidural not long after at a 6. My dr. joked and said if I could have the baby at 4 that would be perfect because he would get out of his last appointments. Funny because I actually had her at 4. This labor was a total of 8 hours!
DD1: OB sent me for growth scans during pregnancy because they thought baby wasnt growing at a rapid enough rate. The center for maternal and fetal medicine called it "possible failure to thrive". They wanted her to cook as long as possible. It was a Friday (the 13th), and I had been tossing and turning all night due to extreme tightness. It wasn't crampy or too painful so I chalked it up to Braxton Hicks. I was 4 days past my due date. I sent DH to work even though he wanted to stay home. The tighteness became more intense and painful, and more often. I called my OB who said get to the hospital. I called DH to come home from work to get me and OB felt it was go time. He had just gotten there, oops! We made it to the hopsital. I was stuck in triage for a bit because there were no delivery rooms available. Maybe 2 hours. I was then put in a room, put on pitocin, and stadol (I dont recommend this stuff. Its a relaxer and I felt like I was flying high). I did get an epidural. Best decision ever. Baby then came 4 hours later after 15 minutes of pushing! She was tiny. 6lbs 1 oz at 4 days over due. Perfectly healthy peanut, just teeny. I did not tear or get cut with her. My OB did not deliver her. An on call Dr. did. I hated that. I to this day have no idea the dr.s name.
DD2: I was at my 38 week appt. when OB said she wanted to get one last growth scan in ( because of DD1) . Sent me over, and immediately was told she was "assymetrical" . Come on folks! I was never explained what that even meant! So OB sent me to the hospital, started to induce me. I got an epidural with her too. Thank goodness no stadol this time. Pushing time came (only 3 hours after pitocin started!) , and the epi started to wear off. Some A-hole of a nurse didnt believe me when I said I could feel my legs and her head coming. So she didnt up it. Ugh. A few quick pushes and she was here. She, too, was perfect! Nothing about her was "assymetrical" . She did have a slightly big head , but nothing abnormal. Come to find out, thats what "asymmetical" meant. That her head in proportion to her body didnt measure evenly. She was 6lbs 10oz. only 9 oz bigger than her sister. My OB did deliver her because I had just seen her that morning and she sent me over. I felt kind of bad at the moment because she had to cancel her afternoon appts for me, oops. sorry not sorry.
@bluejeanbabi05 That was number two. I was laboring at home, waiting for the midwife to say to head to the hospital. My husband had to sort of drag/carry me to the car. On the way to my friend's house to drop my son off, I told him I thought I could feel something down there (it must have been her head crowning but I thought it was the umbilical cord for some reason). He pulled into her driveway, ran over to my side and caught her just in time. We live in a rural area so all of these first responders showed up before the ambulance got there -- there were probably a dozen random cars and trucks in the driveway and my bare butt showing but I didn't care because I was in shock, lol. After that, I had two homebirths until the midwife retired. Now the doctors have me come in for inductions because my labors are so short and the hospital is an hour away. I still think the car birth was better than the c-section, though!
I went into my pregnancy with certain expectations on what I wanted my delivery to be like. I was so closed minded that I would not even read the C-section part in the baby books.
When I was 37 weeks I started to feel really horrible braxton hicks contractions, and I was already 1 cm dilated. The braxton hicks lasted until I was about 39 week. 3 days before my due date I started to feel really horrible back labor but it would only happen at night time. On my due date I had an appointment with my doctor at 9am. When I got there I was 4cm dilated, so hr suggested that I go to the hospital and he would induce me so we could speed it up. My blood pressure was normal at this time.By 10am I was checked into my hospital room and pitocin was started. At 10:30am my doctor came in and checked me and broke my waters, I was at 5cm. He then suggested that I get an epidural because my blood pressure was getting really high, and an epidural could bring it down. I absolutely did not want an epidural, so I decline. By 1:00pm my contractions were not too bad, I could handle it. But my nurse was getting really concerned about my blood pressure, and finally convinced me to get an epidural. I am so greatful that I had that nurse, she was so kind. She calmed me down while I was getting my epidural, and she really advocated for me. I wish that I could have had her during my whole labor and delivery process. Anyways the epidural brought my blood pressure down. But at 3pm my nurse left, and I got the nurse from hell. Around 4pm my bp started to rise again, because my nurse was a rude b****. Around 6 another nurse checked me because mine didn't know how to. I was 8cm and at a station 1. At that point the put the penut between my legs so that the baby could move down. Around 7:20 my doctor came and expressed his concerns about my bp and said that he'll give me an hour to dilate the other 2 cm or we needed to do a c section , but my baby had moved back up to a station -1. Well at that point I really started to stress and my blood pressure went up even higher. Around 7:50 he came back in, and started preparing me for an emergency c section because my bp was to the point where I was not safe anymore. He told me if I didn't take the c section he was not going to be my doctor anymore because my life was in serious danger. By 7:53 my room was filled with doctors and nurses. I got my spinal , signed my papers, took nausea medicine, and was being wheeled into the OR. I remember crying because I was so nervous and wasn't prepared. At 8:05pm my little boy was brought into the world. I got to do skin to skin while still on the operating table. I was stitched up by 8:15.The most horrible part about my experience was the nausea and vomiting that the spinal cause. I remember vomiting as I was being wheeled out the or. When in the recovery room I immediately breastfed. The first 24 hours were the worst after the c-section. I could barely move so my fiance had to change his first diaper, and the nurse had to teach him. My recovery from the c- section was a breeze. 2 weeks in , I stopped taking my pain med.
Rants/Raves- I wish I would have labored at hom instead of being induced, I wish I was more open minded while being pregnant, and I wish I would have stuck up for myself with that mean nurse.
Did it compare to what you expected? No, my labor and delivery was the complete opposite of what I expected.
What will you (try to) do differently this time? This time I am going to try for a vbac but if it doesn't happen I won't be disappointed. This time I am going with a midwife.
Other than the mesh undies everyone says are a must, what else should no mom be without? Really big pads, and bring your own stuff to the hospital to bathe with. Was it your dr that delivered or the on call doc? My doctor delivered my baby.
If you don't end up with the birth you want, its not the end of the world! After my c section I was so disappointed, I felt cheated. It toom me about 3 months to come to terms with my childs birth. I wish that I was more open minded to begin with.
@beautyundefined I'm so sorry you had such a crappy experience. I hope your next L&D gives you what you need to move past it.
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I heart theSkimm I heart YNAB --------- “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." - Albus Dumbledore
Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who shared I spoke to my dr. about pain management at my last check up and started with, "I want to go unmedicated as much as possible." She smiled coyly and said, "That's what everyone says."
Having all of your experiences, along with some follow up research I've definitely got to do, I feel more confident but also more open minded.
@PizzaMonster3 Wow... that would definitely rub me the wrong way if my OB said something like that to me.
Luckily your OB won't really be the one with you most of your labor.
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I heart theSkimm I heart YNAB --------- “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." - Albus Dumbledore
@jessafishy it did rub me the wrong way. I was a little caught off guard so didn't snark back but at least I know upfront that I'll have to be my own advocate and I can prepare for that.
Waw. I just spent the last 2hours 1/2 reading your posts. Took me a while cause i had a to google a few things, FTM lol. Some made me cry (blame it on the hormones) others made me laugh.THANK YOU! It was GREAT to read everyone's story.
ETA : thanks @PizzaMonster3 for starting this thread!!!!!! ❤️ And edited for spelling.
Went in at 6pm for cervidal. Induction. 5am started pitocin. 9:49am baby girl was born.
Rants/Raves. i took a Bradley method labor class which was great for natural labor. I also learned a lot about my options. As a FTM, I felt assured and confident going in asking for what I wanted. I loved my labor and delivery nurse! My moms friend is head of the unit, so I got the best room with the best hand picked nurses. It was amazing.
Did it compare to what you expected? It was pretty much what I expected. I was up laboring all night, so I was exhausted after birth. Only downside! I missed those first precious moments because I was passing out from exhaustion.
What will you (try to) do differently this time? Last time I was induced. I won't do induction this time. Natural labor will start on its own. I will fight for it. Laboring at home is ten times better than the hospital when all they wanna do is hook you up to things. I'm walking in ready to push if I have any control over it. Also, I'm not packing as much. Hospital had everything! Also, I'm going to speak up more about what I want. Last time, I was nervous making demands, but this time I won't be. Example, my daughter was born with low jaundice levels. They poked her so much. I hated it. I get needing to assess levels, but as often was unnecessary. This time I would say I want it less. It's my baby! Also, I was fully dialated and needed to push, but dr had to run up from surgery. They made me hold pushing. It hurt worse than the contractions. Next time the nurse can deliver the baby! I don't care. I'm not waiting. It hurt!
Other than the mesh undies everyone says are a must, what else should no mom be without? I loved having my own bath towel to shower. Flip flops for the shower of ur a germaphob like me. Socks and nursing shirts/bras. I liked having my oil wipes too! My hospital gave it to me, but a water squirter for after birth bathroom trips!
Was it your dr that delivered or the on call doc? Yes, my OB, because it was scheduled. It was so nice. My OBs office is a group, and there are some drs there I have never talked to, so I would have been weirder out. Could happen this time tho!
Me: 30 | DH:34 Married: 08/04/12 DD: 6 years | Born: 03/28/13 DS: 1 Year I Born 10/15/17
Here's my looooong birth story sorry in advance: Dr asked me early in pregnancy about my wishes, I told her in all honestly I really don't have a need/want/desire to actually birth a child, I also have no desire to even try to birth a child if it's going to be over 8lbs. I am small 5'1" and I figure if I am going to have stitches I wanted to know how many and where! Basically I was going into labor with an open mind (AKA no plan) I told her the only thing I didn't want was to labor for 30 hours then need a C-section. She assured me that we would do a size scan at 38 weeks to gauge how big she was and decide from there. At 38 weeks we did the scan and my doctor said there was NO WAY she was going to be more than 8 lbs (ummm hmmm). Anyway, at 40 weeks to the day I went in to see her she asked me what I wanted to do, I said, I want her out! My Dr couldn't induce me that day because she had too many patients admitted already and the unit was full, but she could induce the next day, I said sign me up! The office called the hospital and got me set up for the next morning but before leaving she striped my membranes, she said she has never done that and not had someone go into labor. Sure as heck About 6pm that night the contractions started, the got progressively worse and about 10pm we called the hospital, they said to take a shower and see how I felt but if the contractions stayed the same to come in to get checked. I ended up getting there about 1130pm and they checked me I was 1cm... they decided to keep me since I was supposed to come in at 7am anyway. Dr, ordered her pain cocktail, some type of pain killer and anti-nausea, she wanted me to walk and try to get myself a little farther along. I tried to explain to the nurse, I totally understood I had never been in labor before but, my contraction felt like a hand pushing on a countertop. She looked at me like I had two heads. At 6am they gave me my epidural, I was still at 2cm... when it kicked in there was a patch about 3x3 inches that i felt EVERYTHING! The anesthesiologist didn't want to adjust it right away because she was worried she might have to do the whole thing over. I tried to get some sleep and the next thing I knew the nurse came rushing into the room giving me meds in my IV, my blood pressure had dropped dangerously low. They started my induction and for the next 12 hours they ended up starting and stopping the induction as it was making my DD heart rate go up and down. At 7pm they checked me again and i was at 4cm, my doctor called in at 8pm and we decided C-section it was! she go there about 9pm. I was freaking out just a bit because they still hadn't fixed my Epidural and i was worried they weren't going to fix it before my surgery. My doctor assured me they would! New anesthesiologist, got me good and numb, so numb infact that I couldn't feel myself breathing. He said just concentrate on breating in and out and I was totally fine. DD was born 8lbs 12 oz with a head in the 90th percentile!!!!! I had told my husband that he was to go with the baby and not stay with me so he went to the nursery with DD. After the delivery I was so exhausted, I wanted to go to sleep and the anesthesiologist say to but in my head if i went to sleep I couldn't concentrate on breathing. I think they gave me something that knocked me out, I woke up in recovery 2 hours later, shaking!!!! they asked me if I wanted to hold my daughter but I was shaking so bad i was freaked out to hold her. I told them I wanted to wait until I stopped shaking. Here's the important part... I didn't end up holding my daughter for 4 hours after birth and we were able to bond wonderfully and nurse until i chose to ween her at 15 months! Just because you may not get skin to skin from the moment they are born doesn't mean you can't have wonderful bonding. All in all I was in labor for 30 hours and then needed a C-section! But I still love my Dr and she will be delivering this one as a planed c-section! Sorry for the long tale but it goes to show labor doesn't always go as planned (or not planned in my case).
I still think you had the best outlook - open mind. My friends that had a set plan in their mind of how it was going to go are the ones who ended up having the worst experiences.
I'm pretty small, too, and they were shocked I was able to deliver a baby that was over 8lbs. If she had waited until her due date to make her appearance, I have a feeling I would have ended up with a c-section, too.
Here's to smooth, boring labor & deliveries this time
BFP#1: 12/3/13 EDD 8/15/13. Heartbeat found on 12/26/13, HB gone on 1/4/13. D&C 1/7/13
BFP#2: 4/19/13 EDD 12/28/13. Team Green for pregnancy and Baby Girl arrived 12/21/13. BFP#3: 2/9/13 EDD 10/18/17. Team Green for Round 2!
My goal was med free. Yeah that didn't happen for several reasons.
I had mild contractions the day before while at work but pretty much ignored them since they were so far apart. The next day at work, they continued and became stronger. I stayed at work the rest of the day and then went to my drs appointment. My doctor said to keep track of them. Drove home and started timing. As the night went on, I knew I was in labor.
I labored at home for about 12 hours. It hurt but was bearable. And then it all changed. Around 11pm, in the middle of a contraction, my pain went from abdominal area to my back. I literally screamed in agony and fell over. My husband called the Dr and she said to come in right away.
We arrived at the hospital about an hour later. I was literally crawling up the bed post at this point because each contraction felt like someone was breaking my break. They did an ultrasound because they couldn't get a heartbeat with the belt. The reason for the pain and the fact that no heartbeat could be detected was because the baby had turned "Sunnyside up." Babies are usually born facing down but mine was facing up so with each contraction, she was pushing on my spine with her feet.
I fought the pain for a few more hours but then I started running a fever that kept climbing. The Dr told me I might need a c-section and an epidural might be a good choice in case things continued to go south. I agreed to it but it didn't do much. My fever at this point had reached 105 degrees.
I was pretty delirious at this point from the fever and was in and out of consciousness. I was put on antibiotics because they feared I had developed an infection in my uterus.
This all continued for 32 hours. I finally dilated completely and they gave me a chance to push before I would need surgery. I pushed for 10 minutes and she was out. It was painful because she was still face up.
Afterwards, my fever went down but my back pain remained. Come to find out, while my daughter kept pushing on my spine, she snapped my SI joint in half. I ended up needing physical therapy to fix it.
Honestly, I learned that some things just happen and that you have to adjust. And don't argue with your doctor's advice. They know more then you and have done this more often.
I would like to go med free this time but I'm having twins so I will probably need a c-section. It is what it is and I'll do what's best for everyone involved.
Labor was a pain and painful. But...it didn't stop me from doing it again. Because it's worth it.
I went into my pregnancy with certain expectations on what I wanted my delivery to be like. I was so closed minded that I would not even read the C-section part in the baby books.
If you don't end up with the birth you want, its not the end of the world! After my c section I was so disappointed, I felt cheated. It toom me about 3 months to come to terms with my childs birth. I wish that I was more open minded to begin with.
Your post reminded me of the common scenario that happens when women give birth in the US. I suggest you watch business of being born before delivering the second one. Of course the most important thing is to get your baby out in the best way possible at the time for you and your baby. They mention some of the common problems with being induced, what it can lead to, and the spiraling downward effect that often comes from taking pitocin. I hope everything goes easy for you both this time.
I worked in L&D for almost 5 years prior I got going into labor. I have seen all types of deliveries: natural with midwife and doula to crash and burn c-sections. So I had some idea about the technicalities but every woman Is different.
My story: My water broke during the Super Bowl and we watched until the end. NO gush just light trickle. WE dropped the dog off then went to the hospital. My contractions were super mild. I was GBS positive and had meconium so I got started on pitocin. I started with fentanyl then quickly went to an epidural. It was wonderful! Worked as predicted for me will get another the next time.
Rants: DD had a broken collarbone that was not diagnosed until 2 weeks. Raves: I bought my own hospital gown. Cute and comfy. Took all supplies offered.
Good Luck ladies. . May your deliveries be swift and uneventful.
I went into my pregnancy with certain expectations on what I wanted my delivery to be like. I was so closed minded that I would not even read the C-section part in the baby books.
If you don't end up with the birth you want, its not the end of the world! After my c section I was so disappointed, I felt cheated. It toom me about 3 months to come to terms with my childs birth. I wish that I was more open minded to begin with.
Your post reminded me of the common scenario that happens when women give birth in the US. I suggest you watch business of being born before delivering the second one. Of course the most important thing is to get your baby out in the best way possible at the time for you and your baby. They mention some of the common problems with being induced, what it can lead to, and the spiraling downward effect that often comes from taking pitocin. I hope everything goes easy for you both this time.
I really enjoyed the Business of Being Born. Just make sure you watch it with the knowledge that it really is trying to push home births and somewhat villainize hospital births and practices. It does have a lot of awesome information but just know it is slanted toward one outcome.
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I heart theSkimm I heart YNAB --------- “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." - Albus Dumbledore
@PizzaMonster3 in addition to being rude, your OB was also wrong because not everyone wants to go pain free from the beginning! I am a total wuss with pain so there was no question from before I ever got pregnant that I'd want an epidural. I mean, ideally they'd knock me out and somehow portal the baby out of me so I'd feel absolutely nothing, but the epidural will do until science improves!
I've had three. I've never had my doc deliver my baby. They were all quite different.
DD1: Spontaneous labour. Water broke at 8:30am, she was delivered at 5:09pm. Pushed for nine minutes, my body pushed on it's own, I couldn't stop it or really control it. No drugs until the very end and then only the gas. I didn't know how to use the gas properly so it really didn't work. No tears. Spent the majority of my time in the shower.
DS: Induction due to my son's medical issues. Water broken at 12:30pm, he was delivered at 6:30pm (I was ready to push at 4:30 but had to wait due to there being no NICU team available). I pushed for 5 minutes. I pushed on my left side which was amazing! I got an epidural at 3cm and that was beautiful. Small tear. There were more rules because of my epidural and him being sick but this was by far my favourite labour.
DD2: Spontaneous premature labour. 33w2d when water broke. Had to hold her in as long as possible. Contrations for 2 days. Nighttime morphine and steroids for her lungs, otherwise unmedicated. Attempted to use the shower for relief and almost passed out, had to pull the emergency thread. Finally allowed to get epi but told it was too late, had gas and then had to push. Came out in two pushes, made me push on my back. DD1 was present (she wanted to be) even though the docs tried to kick her out (I ignored them). Terrible experience all round.
This time will depend on if I have another preemie or medical kid BUT if this baby is healthy and full term I will: - insist on an epi - insist on pushing on my side - insist on anyone being there that I want there, that should be my call and no one elses
Formerly ChoicesMom "Squishy" 2007 "Lyric" EDD Nov/4/11 - c/p Feb/11 "Fishy" 2012 "Bean" 2014 "Lux" EDD Apr/21/17 - c/p Aug/16 "Kokonah" EDD May/24/17 - m/c Oct/16 1 surprise - 1 Noonie - 1 preemie - 3 gone but not forgotten - One more on the way!! Grab bag of mental health disorders Pancolitis
@sqfibemom Are you in America? I've never heard of the gas thing except from Australian moms....I always wondered how it compared to the epi.....I'm not even sure gas is an option in the US?
@KSweet I'm in Canada and I used gas and had an epidural. No comparison. The gas was great but it only dulled the pain. When things really picked up, it didn't do much. Plus, at that stage, it made me throw up and the mask made it feel like I couldn't breathe. The epidural completely numbed everything. I couldn't feel the contractions anymore. With this kid, I'd definitely used the gas again and an epidural if I needed it.
I think gas has become a more popular option in the US in the last few years. It wasn't available at my hospital when I had DS 2 years ago, but it is now, and I plan on trying it. But definitely staying open to the epidural if I need it.
@shan24 and @sqfibemom Do you control the gas in some way or is it just sort of constantly pumping out into the mask? I have had both unmedicated and medicated births but the epidurals make me so darn sick. I don't know if the gas is even an option where I am.
@KSweet it's constantly coming out but you hold it to your face as you need it, it's not attached to you. If you do it, make sure you breathe it in when you feel the contraction start but stop right before it gets strong, then you'll be good and dizzy when the worst of it hits haha! It does give a certain level of nausea just because you're dizzy but as long as you just accept and give into it it's not too bad and it wears off quickly
Formerly ChoicesMom "Squishy" 2007 "Lyric" EDD Nov/4/11 - c/p Feb/11 "Fishy" 2012 "Bean" 2014 "Lux" EDD Apr/21/17 - c/p Aug/16 "Kokonah" EDD May/24/17 - m/c Oct/16 1 surprise - 1 Noonie - 1 preemie - 3 gone but not forgotten - One more on the way!! Grab bag of mental health disorders Pancolitis
Re: Your L&D Story
I hired a doula so I didn't have to count on ANYONE for ANYTHING. This is not to discount the staff, or my family! But I wanted to be sure someone would be there for whatever I needed and they weren't going to be distracted, annoyed, impatient, etc. This helped me because she talked with me about what stage I was in, why the staff was doing what they were doing, helped me relax, offered me options if I needed them, and did whatever I asked her to do. It was the difference for me I believe because otherwise I would've been frantic hoping there was an angel nurse to help guide me or that my MIL wouldn't be in my face ticking me off.
Anyways. I watched a LOT of videos online about natural births, and also read a LOT of information about the birthing process and stages. It's important for you to be aware of what is happening at each stage, and what you may be likely to come across. It's also important to be knowledgeable about c sections, episiotomies, medicines, vacuums, etc so you can at least have an idea of what you may go through.
I hope this didn't drag on, and actually answered your question.
I also went into it wanting completely med free but I tried to just be prepared for anything. Likely if I had needed pitocin I would have ended up with an epidural. Pitocin labor is evidently more intense and anything more intense than what I experienced would have required stronger meds.
That being said, just going into it with an idea of your goals but an open mind to whatever might come up is my best advice.
I heart YNAB
---------
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times,
if one only remembers to turn on the light."
- Albus Dumbledore
Baby 1:
(This was 8 years ago and is starting to get fuzzy on exact details, but I can do the general jist) Woke up around 130am thinking I had a stomach ache and had to poop. Spent about 2 hours thinking this until I realized it was contractions and started timing them. Woke up dh around 5 and we headed to the hospital. Got there, got hooked up to the monitors, made slow but steady progression. Decided not to do an epidural because the thought of it scared the shit out of me. Around 7 or 8cm, at 10am, OB broke my water. After that, I asked for iv meds to take the edge off. Yeah, that was worthless. Shortly after 11, was fully dilated, had to kick all our family out while I was crying from nerves and pain. Pushed for about 15 minutes and there was a lot of yelling and screaming at the nurse, DD was born at 11:33am after 10 hours of labor
Baby 2:
I had to be induced because of Pre-e. Went in, got hooked up around 8am to pitocin and my antibiotics since I'm GBS+. Around 8:30, before the pitocin had even kicked in, nurse asked if I wanted an epidural since the anesthesiologist was already upstairs and now would be the time. So I went for it. Never felt labor and it was glorious. Spent my time reading gossip mags and being excited to read about Blake and Miranda's wedding. I did have some uncomfortable moments where it would wear off on one side, but I'd just roll to my side and it would fix it. Around 11:30am, I had progressed to a 6 and so they turned up my antibiotics drip so I could get the rest of my second dose in quickly. At noon, my OB came up to break my water, I joked and said "so you'll do this and he'll just slide out, right?" She goes "that's not how this works". So I was a 7 when she broke my water, less than 5 minutes later, she was just about to head out of the room and I said I had the urge to push. She didn't believe me but checked and sure enough, 10cm. Just like that. Roughly 13 minutes after breaking my water, DS was born at 1215pm. Only 4 hours after starting the induction
Baby 3:
Had an appointment at 830am. She did a membrane sweep and I expressed my concerns over a fast labor after what happened with DS and being worried about not getting the antibiotics all in in time (GBS+ again). Had an NST, had small contractions at the time, went home and they started to pick up. Texted dh, who was at grown up day at DD's preschool, told him not to plan on going to work that day. Waited for him go get home and struggled to entertain DS without making him worried from me being uncomfortable. Ate a bagel, DH got home, debated on going in, so I called the nurse line and she said come in since the contractions were 2-3 minutes apart for almost 2 hours. Called my mom to come watch the kids, finished packing my stuff, got the kids clothes packed.
Got up to the hospital and they wasted so much time with me in triage, I was pissed. Finally admitted me and started antibiotics. Got an epidural around 330pm, progressed fairly quickly from there. At 5pm I was fully dilated, but still an hour from being done with the antibiotics. So I freaking held her in for AN HOUR. It was miserable. I kept bitching about how I felt like I was going to shit myself but I really didn't want to increase her chances of getting GBS, so I managed to keep her in until the drip finished. OB came in often and reassured me if I had to push, we could do it. She waited outside at the nurses station so that she could be there the instant I yelled for her if need be. At 6pm, OB came in when antibiotics were done, broke my water and dd2 was born at 606pm. And was infection free so it was all worth it lol
ETA couple details forgot
Rant: I wish I would have advocated for myself more.
Rave: No matter how easy or hard labor is. Holding your tiny, squishy baby is by far the absolute best feeling in the world.
Did it compare to what you expected?
I read tons of information regarding labor. I thought I knew what to expect; but, one thing I learned was you can have your birth plan but it doesn't mean what's on that piece of paper will happen so prepare your mind for the possibility things can change.
What will you (try to) do differently this time?
Eat something before I go to the freaking hospital. I didn't get to eat for 2 days because I thought I could at least drink water. Nope, just ice chips allowed.
As stated before, I will advocate for myself more. I had a nasty L&D nurse and I wish I would have kicked her out.
Other than the mesh undies everyone says are a must, what else should no mom be without?
COMFORTABLE CLOTHES! I naively brought pants. Yeah, no. This time I'm bringing dresses that hide my postpartum 6 month looking belly, and yet still make me feel good because thise gowns do not do anything to make you feel good.
Your own shampoo and body wash. Little things like that make it better because tbh it was a harsh reality accepting my new body.
This isn't necessarily for you, alone; but, snacks for your SO as well.
Was it your dr that delivered or the on call doc?
I ended up getting the on call Dr. He was good; but I learned to double check that they actually page your Dr and not just page the on call.
DD2: I went to the same woman's center but had a different dr. She was amazing. I was induced a couple of days early with this daughter as well but only because my dr. was going on vacation and I didn't want to risk getting the dr. who delivered my 1st baby. I was at a 2 for a month before being induced. Induction went so smooth. I lasted until a 4 before I got my epidural and labor total was 12 hours. No problems at all! I loved this dr. but she ended up moving across country before my 3rd was born.
DD3: I decided to go to a different practice with this birth. My dr. was awesome and there were a total of 4 in the practice so I had to meet with all of them at least once during the pregnancy and can honestly say I don't care which one delivers my babies. They are all amazing. anyways...I had been at a 4 for a month before once again being induced. The Saturday before my induction I was up all night with contractions that were coming very consistently but weren't painful. We call my in laws to watch our older girls and headed to the hospital to get checked out. They hooked me up to monitor everything and said that I was indeed having the correct timing for being admitted but because it was a weekend and I hadn't progressed at all in an hour they sent me home. The contractions continued until about noon and then tapered off. I was told if it wasn't a weekend that they would have kept me and hooked me up to a low dose of pit to help things along. I was induced on my due date that Tuesday. Everything went very well. My dr. came to check on me at noon and broke my water and I got the epidural not long after at a 6. My dr. joked and said if I could have the baby at 4 that would be perfect because he would get out of his last appointments. Funny because I actually had her at 4. This labor was a total of 8 hours!
DD1: OB sent me for growth scans during pregnancy because they thought baby wasnt growing at a rapid enough rate. The center for maternal and fetal medicine called it "possible failure to thrive". They wanted her to cook as long as possible. It was a Friday (the 13th), and I had been tossing and turning all night due to extreme tightness. It wasn't crampy or too painful so I chalked it up to Braxton Hicks. I was 4 days past my due date. I sent DH to work even though he wanted to stay home. The tighteness became more intense and painful, and more often. I called my OB who said get to the hospital. I called DH to come home from work to get me and OB felt it was go time. He had just gotten there, oops! We made it to the hopsital. I was stuck in triage for a bit because there were no delivery rooms available. Maybe 2 hours. I was then put in a room, put on pitocin, and stadol (I dont recommend this stuff. Its a relaxer and I felt like I was flying high). I did get an epidural. Best decision ever. Baby then came 4 hours later after 15 minutes of pushing! She was tiny. 6lbs 1 oz at 4 days over due. Perfectly healthy peanut, just teeny. I did not tear or get cut with her. My OB did not deliver her. An on call Dr. did. I hated that. I to this day have no idea the dr.s name.
DD2: I was at my 38 week appt. when OB said she wanted to get one last growth scan in ( because of DD1) . Sent me over, and immediately was told she was "assymetrical" . Come on folks! I was never explained what that even meant! So OB sent me to the hospital, started to induce me. I got an epidural with her too. Thank goodness no stadol this time. Pushing time came (only 3 hours after pitocin started!) , and the epi started to wear off. Some A-hole of a nurse didnt believe me when I said I could feel my legs and her head coming. So she didnt up it. Ugh. A few quick pushes and she was here. She, too, was perfect! Nothing about her was "assymetrical" . She did have a slightly big head , but nothing abnormal. Come to find out, thats what "asymmetical" meant. That her head in proportion to her body didnt measure evenly. She was 6lbs 10oz. only 9 oz bigger than her sister. My OB did deliver her because I had just seen her that morning and she sent me over. I felt kind of bad at the moment because she had to cancel her afternoon appts for me, oops. sorry not sorry.
Oct. '17 June S.C. "You Had 1 Job"
BFP#3: 2/9/13 EDD 10/18/17. Team Green for Round 2!
When I was 37 weeks I started to feel really horrible braxton hicks contractions, and I was already 1 cm dilated. The braxton hicks lasted until I was about 39 week. 3 days before my due date I started to feel really horrible back labor but it would only happen at night time. On my due date I had an appointment with my doctor at 9am. When I got there I was 4cm dilated, so hr suggested that I go to the hospital and he would induce me so we could speed it up. My blood pressure was normal at this time.By 10am I was checked into my hospital room and pitocin was started. At 10:30am my doctor came in and checked me and broke my waters, I was at 5cm. He then suggested that I get an epidural because my blood pressure was getting really high, and an epidural could bring it down. I absolutely did not want an epidural, so I decline. By 1:00pm my contractions were not too bad, I could handle it. But my nurse was getting really concerned about my blood pressure, and finally convinced me to get an epidural. I am so greatful that I had that nurse, she was so kind. She calmed me down while I was getting my epidural, and she really advocated for me. I wish that I could have had her during my whole labor and delivery process. Anyways the epidural brought my blood pressure down. But at 3pm my nurse left, and I got the nurse from hell. Around 4pm my bp started to rise again, because my nurse was a rude b****. Around 6 another nurse checked me because mine didn't know how to. I was 8cm and at a station 1. At that point the put the penut between my legs so that the baby could move down. Around 7:20 my doctor came and expressed his concerns about my bp and said that he'll give me an hour to dilate the other 2 cm or we needed to do a c section , but my baby had moved back up to a station -1. Well at that point I really started to stress and my blood pressure went up even higher. Around 7:50 he came back in, and started preparing me for an emergency c section because my bp was to the point where I was not safe anymore. He told me if I didn't take the c section he was not going to be my doctor anymore because my life was in serious danger. By 7:53 my room was filled with doctors and nurses. I got my spinal , signed my papers, took nausea medicine, and was being wheeled into the OR. I remember crying because I was so nervous and wasn't prepared. At 8:05pm my little boy was brought into the world. I got to do skin to skin while still on the operating table. I was stitched up by 8:15.The most horrible part about my experience was the nausea and vomiting that the spinal cause. I remember vomiting as I was being wheeled out the or. When in the recovery room I immediately breastfed. The first 24 hours were the worst after the c-section. I could barely move so my fiance had to change his first diaper, and the nurse had to teach him. My recovery from the c- section was a breeze. 2 weeks in , I stopped taking my pain med.
Rants/Raves- I wish I would have labored at hom instead of being induced, I wish I was more open minded while being pregnant, and I wish I would have stuck up for myself with that mean nurse.
Did it compare to what you expected? No, my labor and delivery was the complete opposite of what I expected.
What will you (try to) do differently this time? This time I am going to try for a vbac but if it doesn't happen I won't be disappointed. This time I am going with a midwife.
Other than the mesh undies everyone says are a must, what else should no mom be without? Really big pads, and bring your own stuff to the hospital to bathe with.
Was it your dr that delivered or the on call doc? My doctor delivered my baby.
If you don't end up with the birth you want, its not the end of the world! After my c section I was so disappointed, I felt cheated. It toom me about 3 months to come to terms with my childs birth. I wish that I was more open minded to begin with.
I heart YNAB
---------
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times,
if one only remembers to turn on the light."
- Albus Dumbledore
I spoke to my dr. about pain management at my last check up and started with, "I want to go unmedicated as much as possible." She smiled coyly and said, "That's what everyone says."
Having all of your experiences, along with some follow up research I've definitely got to do, I feel more confident but also more open minded.
Luckily your OB won't really be the one with you most of your labor.
I heart YNAB
---------
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times,
if one only remembers to turn on the light."
- Albus Dumbledore
Some made me cry (blame it on the hormones) others made me laugh.THANK YOU! It was GREAT to read everyone's story.
ETA : thanks @PizzaMonster3 for starting this thread!!!!!! ❤️
And edited for spelling.
Rants/Raves.
i took a Bradley method labor class which was great for natural labor. I also learned a lot about my options. As a FTM, I felt assured and confident going in asking for what I wanted. I loved my labor and delivery nurse! My moms friend is head of the unit, so I got the best room with the best hand picked nurses. It was amazing.
Did it compare to what you expected?
It was pretty much what I expected. I was up laboring all night, so I was exhausted after birth. Only downside! I missed those first precious moments because I was passing out from exhaustion.
What will you (try to) do differently this time?
Last time I was induced. I won't do induction this time. Natural labor will start on its own. I will fight for it. Laboring at home is ten times better than the hospital when all they wanna do is hook you up to things. I'm walking in ready to push if I have any control over it. Also, I'm not packing as much. Hospital had everything! Also, I'm going to speak up more about what I want. Last time, I was nervous making demands, but this time I won't be. Example, my daughter was born with low jaundice levels. They poked her so much. I hated it. I get needing to assess levels, but as often was unnecessary. This time I would say I want it less. It's my baby! Also, I was fully dialated and needed to push, but dr had to run up from surgery. They made me hold pushing. It hurt worse than the contractions. Next time the nurse can deliver the baby! I don't care. I'm not waiting. It hurt!
Other than the mesh undies everyone says are a must, what else should no mom be without?
I loved having my own bath towel to shower. Flip flops for the shower of ur a germaphob like me. Socks and nursing shirts/bras. I liked having my oil wipes too! My hospital gave it to me, but a water squirter for after birth bathroom trips!
Was it your dr that delivered or the on call doc?
Yes, my OB, because it was scheduled. It was so nice. My OBs office is a group, and there are some drs there I have never talked to, so I would have been weirder out. Could happen this time tho!
Married: 08/04/12
DD: 6 years | Born: 03/28/13
DS: 1 Year I Born 10/15/17
Dr asked me early in pregnancy about my wishes, I told her in all honestly I really don't have a need/want/desire to actually birth a child, I also have no desire to even try to birth a child if it's going to be over 8lbs. I am small 5'1" and I figure if I am going to have stitches I wanted to know how many and where! Basically I was going into labor with an open mind (AKA no plan) I told her the only thing I didn't want was to labor for 30 hours then need a C-section. She assured me that we would do a size scan at 38 weeks to gauge how big she was and decide from there.
At 38 weeks we did the scan and my doctor said there was NO WAY she was going to be more than 8 lbs (ummm hmmm). Anyway, at 40 weeks to the day I went in to see her she asked me what I wanted to do, I said, I want her out! My Dr couldn't induce me that day because she had too many patients admitted already and the unit was full, but she could induce the next day, I said sign me up! The office called the hospital and got me set up for the next morning but before leaving she striped my membranes, she said she has never done that and not had someone go into labor. Sure as heck About 6pm that night the contractions started, the got progressively worse and about 10pm we called the hospital, they said to take a shower and see how I felt but if the contractions stayed the same to come in to get checked. I ended up getting there about 1130pm and they checked me I was 1cm... they decided to keep me since I was supposed to come in at 7am anyway. Dr, ordered her pain cocktail, some type of pain killer and anti-nausea, she wanted me to walk and try to get myself a little farther along. I tried to explain to the nurse, I totally understood I had never been in labor before but, my contraction felt like a hand pushing on a countertop. She looked at me like I had two heads.
At 6am they gave me my epidural, I was still at 2cm... when it kicked in there was a patch about 3x3 inches that i felt EVERYTHING! The anesthesiologist didn't want to adjust it right away because she was worried she might have to do the whole thing over. I tried to get some sleep and the next thing I knew the nurse came rushing into the room giving me meds in my IV, my blood pressure had dropped dangerously low. They started my induction and for the next 12 hours they ended up starting and stopping the induction as it was making my DD heart rate go up and down. At 7pm they checked me again and i was at 4cm, my doctor called in at 8pm and we decided C-section it was! she go there about 9pm. I was freaking out just a bit because they still hadn't fixed my Epidural and i was worried they weren't going to fix it before my surgery. My doctor assured me they would!
New anesthesiologist, got me good and numb, so numb infact that I couldn't feel myself breathing. He said just concentrate on breating in and out and I was totally fine. DD was born 8lbs 12 oz with a head in the 90th percentile!!!!! I had told my husband that he was to go with the baby and not stay with me so he went to the nursery with DD. After the delivery I was so exhausted, I wanted to go to sleep and the anesthesiologist say to but in my head if i went to sleep I couldn't concentrate on breathing. I think they gave me something that knocked me out, I woke up in recovery 2 hours later, shaking!!!! they asked me if I wanted to hold my daughter but I was shaking so bad i was freaked out to hold her. I told them I wanted to wait until I stopped shaking.
Here's the important part... I didn't end up holding my daughter for 4 hours after birth and we were able to bond wonderfully and nurse until i chose to ween her at 15 months! Just because you may not get skin to skin from the moment they are born doesn't mean you can't have wonderful bonding.
All in all I was in labor for 30 hours and then needed a C-section! But I still love my Dr and she will be delivering this one as a planed c-section! Sorry for the long tale but it goes to show labor doesn't always go as planned (or not planned in my case).
I still think you had the best outlook - open mind. My friends that had a set plan in their mind of how it was going to go are the ones who ended up having the worst experiences.
I'm pretty small, too, and they were shocked I was able to deliver a baby that was over 8lbs. If she had waited until her due date to make her appearance, I have a feeling I would have ended up with a c-section, too.
Here's to smooth, boring labor & deliveries this time
BFP#3: 2/9/13 EDD 10/18/17. Team Green for Round 2!
I had mild contractions the day before while at work but pretty much ignored them since they were so far apart. The next day at work, they continued and became stronger. I stayed at work the rest of the day and then went to my drs appointment. My doctor said to keep track of them. Drove home and started timing. As the night went on, I knew I was in labor.
I labored at home for about 12 hours. It hurt but was bearable. And then it all changed. Around 11pm, in the middle of a contraction, my pain went from abdominal area to my back. I literally screamed in agony and fell over. My husband called the Dr and she said to come in right away.
We arrived at the hospital about an hour later. I was literally crawling up the bed post at this point because each contraction felt like someone was breaking my break. They did an ultrasound because they couldn't get a heartbeat with the belt. The reason for the pain and the fact that no heartbeat could be detected was because the baby had turned "Sunnyside up." Babies are usually born facing down but mine was facing up so with each contraction, she was pushing on my spine with her feet.
I fought the pain for a few more hours but then I started running a fever that kept climbing. The Dr told me I might need a c-section and an epidural might be a good choice in case things continued to go south. I agreed to it but it didn't do much. My fever at this point had reached 105 degrees.
I was pretty delirious at this point from the fever and was in and out of consciousness. I was put on antibiotics because they feared I had developed an infection in my uterus.
This all continued for 32 hours. I finally dilated completely and they gave me a chance to push before I would need surgery. I pushed for 10 minutes and she was out. It was painful because she was still face up.
Afterwards, my fever went down but my back pain remained. Come to find out, while my daughter kept pushing on my spine, she snapped my SI joint in half. I ended up needing physical therapy to fix it.
Honestly, I learned that some things just happen and that you have to adjust. And don't argue with your doctor's advice. They know more then you and have done this more often.
I would like to go med free this time but I'm having twins so I will probably need a c-section. It is what it is and I'll do what's best for everyone involved.
Labor was a pain and painful. But...it didn't stop me from doing it again. Because it's worth it.
My story: My water broke during the Super Bowl and we watched until the end. NO gush just light trickle. WE dropped the dog off then went to the hospital. My contractions were super mild. I was GBS positive and had meconium so I got started on pitocin. I started with fentanyl then quickly went to an epidural. It was wonderful! Worked as predicted for me will get another the next time.
Rants: DD had a broken collarbone that was not diagnosed until 2 weeks.
Raves: I bought my own hospital gown. Cute and comfy. Took all supplies offered.
Good Luck ladies. . May your deliveries be swift and uneventful.
BFP#3: 2/9/13 EDD 10/18/17. Team Green for Round 2!
I heart YNAB
---------
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times,
if one only remembers to turn on the light."
- Albus Dumbledore
DD1: Spontaneous labour. Water broke at 8:30am, she was delivered at 5:09pm. Pushed for nine minutes, my body pushed on it's own, I couldn't stop it or really control it. No drugs until the very end and then only the gas. I didn't know how to use the gas properly so it really didn't work. No tears. Spent the majority of my time in the shower.
DS: Induction due to my son's medical issues. Water broken at 12:30pm, he was delivered at 6:30pm (I was ready to push at 4:30 but had to wait due to there being no NICU team available). I pushed for 5 minutes. I pushed on my left side which was amazing! I got an epidural at 3cm and that was beautiful. Small tear. There were more rules because of my epidural and him being sick but this was by far my favourite labour.
DD2: Spontaneous premature labour. 33w2d when water broke. Had to hold her in as long as possible. Contrations for 2 days. Nighttime morphine and steroids for her lungs, otherwise unmedicated. Attempted to use the shower for relief and almost passed out, had to pull the emergency thread. Finally allowed to get epi but told it was too late, had gas and then had to push. Came out in two pushes, made me push on my back. DD1 was present (she wanted to be) even though the docs tried to kick her out (I ignored them). Terrible experience all round.
This time will depend on if I have another preemie or medical kid BUT if this baby is healthy and full term I will:
- insist on an epi
- insist on pushing on my side
- insist on anyone being there that I want there, that should be my call and no one elses
Formerly ChoicesMom
"Squishy" 2007
"Lyric" EDD Nov/4/11 - c/p Feb/11
"Fishy" 2012
"Bean" 2014
"Lux" EDD Apr/21/17 - c/p Aug/16
"Kokonah" EDD May/24/17 - m/c Oct/16
1 surprise - 1 Noonie - 1 preemie - 3 gone but not forgotten - One more on the way!!
Grab bag of mental health disorders
Pancolitis
Formerly ChoicesMom
"Squishy" 2007
"Lyric" EDD Nov/4/11 - c/p Feb/11
"Fishy" 2012
"Bean" 2014
"Lux" EDD Apr/21/17 - c/p Aug/16
"Kokonah" EDD May/24/17 - m/c Oct/16
1 surprise - 1 Noonie - 1 preemie - 3 gone but not forgotten - One more on the way!!
Grab bag of mental health disorders
Pancolitis
Formerly ChoicesMom
"Squishy" 2007
"Lyric" EDD Nov/4/11 - c/p Feb/11
"Fishy" 2012
"Bean" 2014
"Lux" EDD Apr/21/17 - c/p Aug/16
"Kokonah" EDD May/24/17 - m/c Oct/16
1 surprise - 1 Noonie - 1 preemie - 3 gone but not forgotten - One more on the way!!
Grab bag of mental health disorders
Pancolitis