Matthew's birth story! (Long with PIPs)
Our beautiful and sweet boy was born on Tuesday at 10:52 am, weighing 7 lbs and 8 oz and 19.5 inches long.
Birth story:
I told Brian on Thursday that I felt like labor was coming soon. I nested Friday.
I started to have some contractions Friday morning. These were the typical mentsral type cramp contractions that got timable but went away. This lasted Friday on and off and Saturday on and off all day. I made labor cookies Friday morning and ate a few of those Friday. They are basically ginger cookies with a cayenne pepper kick. Not very good, but it was worth a shot. Saturday, I only at one - that's all I could stomach. I went to work Saturday night, still having contractions. They were getting stronger, but they weren't too bad. I was working fine through them.
Sunday during the day, the contractions got stronger. But, they were not timable. So, after only a couple hours of sleep during the day (because my contractions kept me awake), I went to work. About 11 pm Sunday night, the contractions really picked up in intensity and were about 8-10 minutes apart. After about 2 hours of this, I told my co-workers and charge nurse that I think I maybe in labor. I texted Brian to tell him I was ok but I think this may be it and I'd keep him updated. I continued to stay at work, though I wasn't very productive! Luckily I had some awesome co-workers who helped me during the night to get things done. Around 4am or so, I talked to the charge nurse at the L&D - a girl who I knew growing up. She advised me to come get triaged and get checked out before I head home. So, I went to the L&D about 5:30am Monday morning, getting off work early. One of the L&D nurses checked me and I was 3 cm and 50% effaced, continuing with those irregular contractions. After about an hour of being there, we talked and decided to strip my membranes before I left to go home. When she went back in, I was 3.5 cm dilated and she said she could easily stretch me to 5cm if she wanted to (but did not). So, she stripped the membranes and she told me she felt sure I'd be back by 11am and we'd have a baby!
So, I'm pretty stoked - I get home and anticipate heading out at some point during th day. My contractions are a lot stronger - anywhere from 7-15 minutes, obviously still irregular but very strong. I slept for about an hour and a half, and woke up to an intense contraction. Long story short, all day, the contractions continue, but are never timable. After a LONG day, I call the doctor's office and ask what to do. The doctor tells me to stay home until they are regular. I walk several times during the day - and by 8:30pm, I've had it with the contractions. I was exhausted and I was in alot of pain. The contractions still weren't that regular, but they were 6-8 mintues apart for the most part, so I called the doctor again. This time, they told me to head back in and get checked.
We arrive at the L&D around 9:00pm or so. Get triaged. I was 4cm, thinking I'd be admitted and we'd have this baby. Well, the doctor is not convinced I'm in labor because my contractions were still irregular, so she has me go walk the halls of the hospital, and to come back around midnight (it was 10:30pm at this point). So, we go walking - we walked to my old place or work, and my current work area. Contractions more intense and about 4 minutes apart while we are away. We head back to triage at midnight, and the doctor comes to see us. Still 4cm. She gives us the option of going home with percocet and ambien or going to observation for the night. I was so mad and upset. I was 4cm! Why wouldn't they admit me!? I told the doctor that some people just don't have regular contractions, maybe I was one of them. I could not convince this doctor I was in labor. So, we decided to stay in L&D as observation. We got to the room around 1am, and I took ambien and percocet to see if I could rest. Yeah right!!! These contractions were crazy hurting. There was no resting possible. I was in so much pain - I could not understand why I was in observation! I thought they were torturing me! I took about 2 hours of it, and could not take it anymore. Pain was out of control. I had Brian call the nurse back in - and she checked me - I was 5 cm. She called the doctor, and FINALLY! I was admitted to the L&D.
We walked over to the delivery room about 3am - which I vagely remember. And they gave me stadol (which is a pain medicine) right before they did the epidural. The stadol did I number on me. I could not hold myself up - Brian had to hold me up for him to do the epidural. And I could barely form any words I was so out of it. I had to concentrate really hard to speak. It was really bizarre.
After the epidural, I do not remember anything until about 7am. Apparently, I fell asleep right after the epidural, from being exhausted, the pain medicine, and having a great epidural. Family started coming in. I was still out if it, but awake enough to know who was in the room. The doctor broke my water at some point - I honestly could not tell you when. I remember being checked and I was 8 cm, and then about 30 minutes later I was 10cm. Everyone left the room so I could start pushing.
A few pushes into it, my contractions still weren't regular (GO FIGURE....). We were having to wait around alot to push, so the doctor put me on pitocin to try and regulate the contractions better. I pushed for just less than an hour - most of that time was spent waiting around for contractions. Even on pitocin, they were still not too regular, but it did help some. I really didn't push that much. The epidural was perfect. I had no pain at all but I could feel the tightening of the contraction so I knew when to push, AND I could feel the pressure of pushing but no pain at all. Matthew came out very easy - they got him out - sucked his mouth out well, and then I heard that first cry which was amazing. They immediately put him on my chest and wiped him down. He was just perfect.
I ended up with a 2nd degree vaginal tear and had to have a few stiches. Matthew weighed much less than what I thought - I was glad!! I was expecting an 8 lb+ baby from what all the doctors kept telling me. But 7 1/2 lbs he was! And I also thought he'd be longer too, just because he was 0 station and still kicking my ribs. I guess he just was stretched out in my belly.
So, had the doctor believed I was in labor, maybe I would not have been in labor for 37 hours. Maybe I would have gotten admitted at 4 cm and had my epidural, rather than have waited hours and hours later. But, it all worked out in the end - Matthew is here and healthy and doing great. I'm still a bit sore, but doing well other than that. It's been a pretty easy adjustment to having Matthew here. It is very natural. I am so blessed!
Re: Matthew's birth story! (Long with PIPs)
TTC#2=July 2011: Surprise BFP: Chemical Pregnancy
Congratulations on your baby boy! Yeah they were off on my baby's measurements too.
He is adorable!
What a sweetheart. Congrats!
Congratulations!
What a labor story... I can't imagine how exhausting that must have been. I am so glad it has a happy ending!
Married 8.13.2005, M/C 12/8/06- 5 weeks, M/C 2/27/07- 7 weeks, M/C w/ D&C 8/10/09-6.5 weeks *Charles Lawrence born 5/2/08 @ 3:14am, 7lb 8oz, 20.5 inches. Clomid, Crinone and baby aspirin. *Alexandra Claire born 9/14/10 @ 9:52am 6lb 14oz, 20.5 inches. Femara, Crinone and baby aspirin.
Amber
TTC since March '06
MFI, LPD, possible PCOS
3 chem pgs * m/c identical twins at 9w 10.06
IVF w/ICSI #2 - beta - 187! (9dp5dt), beta - 367! (11dp5dt)
IVF w/ICSI #3 - it's a girl!
My IF Blog: Between the Lines
My Parenting Blog: Letters From Your Mama
LO #1 - 1 unmedicated/self-monitored IUI w/ donor sperm.
LO #2 - 1 m/c, 2 BFNs, 4th IUI worked (unmedicated/self-monitored with new donor sperm).
Life is beautiful!
Congrats Alie!
What a crazy long labor, but I am glad you finally got taken seriously! Your son is adorable! I too loved my epidural- the only difference is I got mine right away and didn't have to suffer like you did...
Welcome to motherhood! IT is so wonderful! Welcome to the other side... I can't believe that life existed before this little guy...