Birth Stories
rowanthefrog
member
Ethan James Birth Story (Hypnobirthing used!)
rowanthefrog
member
Ethan James arrived on July 30 at 5:01pm. He was 6 lbs, 8 oz, 20 inches - a good size since I was 36 weeks 4 days! He is healthy and PERFECT. No jaundice or anything else, pediatrician said that he would have never guessed he was a 36 weeker he was doing so well. I was proud!
Here's my birth story:
My water broke at 36w3d at about 5:30pm on Tues. We had planned to labor at home for awhile, but since my water had broken I was a bit anxious so we went in to the hospital. When I got there I was still only 1/2 cm dilated. We had studied Hypnobirthing and were hoping for a natural-ish birth, so we started walking the halls and walked until about midnight. When I got checked again I was still only 1/2 cm. Doc was a bit concerned since I was 1) early and 2) my membranes had ruptured - she said that since I was still early a lot of times your body hadn't quite built up the hormones necessary to thin your cervix. So I agreed to some cervadil while I slept to see if we could get some progress and good contractions.
At 4AM I went to the bathroom and lost the cervadil. They wouldn't put another one in for risk of infection. When I got checked at 7AM (14 hrs since water broke) I was only 1cm. At this point, doc explained that they really are uncomfortable letting someone whose water has broken go much longer than 24 hours, due to some risk of infection, and esp. since EJ was early. So, I agreed to a low dose of pitocin to try to get things moving.
I did start to get some contractions, but they weren't great ones. An interesting point to note here regarding the Hypnobirthing. ONce I started the pitocin the contractions were getting stronger and more painful, so DH and I started doing some of our hypnobirthing stuff. It was VERY effective and helped with managing the pain - so much so that my contractions actually lessened - the nurse even commented. The MINUTE we stopped my contractions increased again. At the time we decided not to continue with it, since we needed the contractions to get stronger, but it was pretty neat to see how effective it was on the pain.
Anyway, 23.5 hrs after my water had broken, contractions, cervadil and pitocin, I was still only 1cm dilated.
At that point we talked with the doc and while she said we could go longer it just didn't seem like my body knew what to do since I was early. We made the tough decision to go ahead and get the C-setion. I have to say it was pretty tough and I was not thrilled about it at all, but we knew that since he was a bit early and my risk of infection was increasing by the hour, it was best for our son to go ahead and deliver.
This hospital really has it together, from the time we said, "OK" the anesthesiologist was in here like 5 minutes later and I was wheeled into the OR within 20 minutes. I have to say I was TERRIFIED. I have never had major (or minor) surgery before and it was not something I was even remotely prepared for, but it was like hopping on a speeding train.
But - I got in there, James came in and about 5-10 min later after some tugging out came our son!! He didn't have any trouble breathing and once I was stitched back up they brought me into the recovery room where DH and his mom (who is an admitting nurse at our hospital) were doing all the tests and giving him his bath. I felt like it took FOREVER - he was like 5 feet away from me but I couldn't touch or hold him. FINALLY they brought him to me - and he is just the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
He has been great - eating well. The pediatrician said that he never would have known he was a 36 weeker - his color, weight, everything was perfect, no jaundice, nothing to worry about.
So we have been in the hospital getting to know each other. DH has been my rock - recovery from the C has NOT been fun, but he has been taking primary care of Ethan and helping to take care of me. He is napping right now since he took the night shift with Ethan, so my little man and I are hanging out this morning!
Anyway - just wanted to post and tell you my story
A
Here's my birth story:
My water broke at 36w3d at about 5:30pm on Tues. We had planned to labor at home for awhile, but since my water had broken I was a bit anxious so we went in to the hospital. When I got there I was still only 1/2 cm dilated. We had studied Hypnobirthing and were hoping for a natural-ish birth, so we started walking the halls and walked until about midnight. When I got checked again I was still only 1/2 cm. Doc was a bit concerned since I was 1) early and 2) my membranes had ruptured - she said that since I was still early a lot of times your body hadn't quite built up the hormones necessary to thin your cervix. So I agreed to some cervadil while I slept to see if we could get some progress and good contractions.
At 4AM I went to the bathroom and lost the cervadil. They wouldn't put another one in for risk of infection. When I got checked at 7AM (14 hrs since water broke) I was only 1cm. At this point, doc explained that they really are uncomfortable letting someone whose water has broken go much longer than 24 hours, due to some risk of infection, and esp. since EJ was early. So, I agreed to a low dose of pitocin to try to get things moving.
I did start to get some contractions, but they weren't great ones. An interesting point to note here regarding the Hypnobirthing. ONce I started the pitocin the contractions were getting stronger and more painful, so DH and I started doing some of our hypnobirthing stuff. It was VERY effective and helped with managing the pain - so much so that my contractions actually lessened - the nurse even commented. The MINUTE we stopped my contractions increased again. At the time we decided not to continue with it, since we needed the contractions to get stronger, but it was pretty neat to see how effective it was on the pain.
Anyway, 23.5 hrs after my water had broken, contractions, cervadil and pitocin, I was still only 1cm dilated.
At that point we talked with the doc and while she said we could go longer it just didn't seem like my body knew what to do since I was early. We made the tough decision to go ahead and get the C-setion. I have to say it was pretty tough and I was not thrilled about it at all, but we knew that since he was a bit early and my risk of infection was increasing by the hour, it was best for our son to go ahead and deliver.
This hospital really has it together, from the time we said, "OK" the anesthesiologist was in here like 5 minutes later and I was wheeled into the OR within 20 minutes. I have to say I was TERRIFIED. I have never had major (or minor) surgery before and it was not something I was even remotely prepared for, but it was like hopping on a speeding train.
But - I got in there, James came in and about 5-10 min later after some tugging out came our son!! He didn't have any trouble breathing and once I was stitched back up they brought me into the recovery room where DH and his mom (who is an admitting nurse at our hospital) were doing all the tests and giving him his bath. I felt like it took FOREVER - he was like 5 feet away from me but I couldn't touch or hold him. FINALLY they brought him to me - and he is just the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
He has been great - eating well. The pediatrician said that he never would have known he was a 36 weeker - his color, weight, everything was perfect, no jaundice, nothing to worry about.
So we have been in the hospital getting to know each other. DH has been my rock - recovery from the C has NOT been fun, but he has been taking primary care of Ethan and helping to take care of me. He is napping right now since he took the night shift with Ethan, so my little man and I are hanging out this morning!
Anyway - just wanted to post and tell you my story
A
M/c #1 - 10/30/07 - 5w3d, DS1 - born at 36w, M/c#2 - 12/7/09 - 5w, M/c #3 - 1/13/10 - 4w6d,
M/c #4 - 3/16/10 - 5w1d, DS2 - born via VBAC at 40w3d, M/c#5 - 11/5/12 - 7w2d
BFP #8 - 5/5/13- Looks like a sticky one! DS3 - born via epi-free VBAC at 39w1d
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Re: Ethan James Birth Story (Hypnobirthing used!)
Congrats!