Just thought I would share this since some of you have scoliosis.
Monday while watching TV I felt something start to feel like it was coming out, but I figured I peed myself and just ignored it. I had an appointment at 2:30 that afternoon for 36 weeks and the test for amniotic fluid came back negative. I was 3cm dialated and 75% with a favorable cervix. Dr said I wouldn't make it to the next week. Later that day we went to kickball practice and I soaked through a pad, underwear,shorts and onto a fold up chair. I didn't want to go to the hospital and be told I was peeing myself but FI finally convinced me to go. I made FI stop and buy me dinner just in case. Good thing! Turns out I had a high tear in my amniotic sac and was admitted.
I was having contractions but they didn't feel like anything. In the morning I was put on pitocin and an internal broke my water completely at 8:55am. They ended up taking me off the pitocin because my contractions were doing fine on their own. I was at 4cms at that point. I did not want an epidural due to severe scoliosis with 2 rods and a spinal fusion from L1-L4. Contractions were no big deal until back labor started and I thought I would die. I was shaking and could not get away from the pain but was at 7cms by that point so i just kept dealing with it. At 11:30am I was fully dialated and started pushing. 5 contractions later and baby was here. It didn't hurt at all and there was no tearing.
Hospital policy is that preemies go to the NICU for 6 hours after delivery but they let me do skin to skin for an hour before they took her, I was up and walking around as soon as they took her. By that evening I was having no more pain and by thursday afternoon 90% of the bleeding had stopped.
Maren Elisabet was born at 4lbs 13oz at 36w 3d and was 17.5 inches long.
She was initally cleared by the NICU but then started having trouble regulating her body temperature and was taken and put in an isolette for 24 hours. We were only allowed to be with her when she was eating. Nursing was rough but she caught on. Last night she roomed in with us but was taken back because her billi ruben levels are too high. We are hoping to be released by sunday or monday if her levels go down and stabalize.
Re: Maren's Birth Story-Long PIP
Pregnant with Letrazole (Femara) on the first cycle with DD after TTC 2+ years
TTC#2 with Letrazole (Femara) since January 2012
BFP 06.29.12 EDD 03.11.13 natural m/c 07.13.12
BFP 09.22.12 EDD 05.31.13 natural m/c 10.07.12
CP 11.09.12
BFP 01.01.13 EDD 09.15.13 d&c 01.24.13
BFP 03.26.13 EDD 12.04.13
<a href="http://www.thebump.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Pregnancy"><img src="http://global.thebump.com/tickers/tt1d0e64" alt=" Pregnancy Ticker" border="0" /></a>
I know this isn't exactly what you expected, but rest-assured she is in awesome hands. I know every one of the nurses there and she will be treated as if she was their own. I'm glad you are feeling good. Hope you are all home soon!
**side note, I had no bleeding and then suddenly had a big gush. Wear a liner and carry a big pad with you (and possibly an extra pair of undies) in case that happens. I guess it is pretty common and I didn't know. Thankfully my huge gush happened at 4am when I was home! **
We'll miss you sweet Debbie Girl (4.21.12) and sweet Cindy Girl (8.9.12)

DD1, Kathleen 9/15/2007
Thank you so much for sharing this. I have scoliosis too and am therefore afraid of the epi. I didn't get the surgery, but was in the brace for 2 years, was 36 degrees at my highest and about 28 now.
I am glad to hear you made it through, it gives me hope!
*hugs* and congrats!!