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January 2011 Moms
RedZee
member
Introducing Simona (birth story + pics)
RedZee
member
Simona was born on Wednesday, January 19 at 9:45pm - 6 days late. She weighed just under 7 pounds and was 20 inches long.
I planned an intervention and med free natural birth and chose a hospital that supported that and focused a lot on mother/baby bonding.
I had been having almost constant contractions for 2 weeks and had lost my MP. My doc kept thinking I'd be in active labor but it wasn't happening. I had 3 NSTs and 2 BPPs. Despite the contractions, which at times would get really intense but then ease up when I was getting ready for the hospital. I finally got to 50% effaced and 1cm dilated, but wasn't going past there. My doctor said that she wasn't going to let me go much past 41 weeks and was preparing me for an induction.
On Tuesday (40w5d), I took castor oil and evening primrose oil, kept doing acupressure points to induce labor, ate spicy food, any OWT I could think of! The castor oil seemed to STOP my contractions. DH and I were getting into bed at 11:30 and we decided that if there was no change by the next afternoon we'd go in either Wed night or Thurs night for the induction because I was such an emotional wreck by that point from the constant contractions and lack of progress. I said, "I feel like my body has just let me down." and then we said goodnight. And then I said, "Um, hon...I think my water just broke" because I heard the pop and felt a trickle. He got a towel and I stood up and there was just a huge gush.
DH called the dr while I got in the shower. We had already been to the hospital 3 times for false alarms so we didn't have much to put together. On the way to the hospital, contractions returned. I labored for 12 hours with some stronger contractions. DH was AMAZING. I was waiting to get in the hot tub because I wanted my dr to see me first but she got stuck in the OR with 2 emergency sections. When she finally checked me, I was just over 50% and 1cm still. Baby still hadn't dropped. My contractions had basically stopped by then. So they started me on Pitocin and I got all the way to 20mg (or whatever measurement) before contractions got intense. The only place I could be was in the tub because I was having back labor and my front was killing and it was awful. I was basically delirious from the pain and exhaustion and had been in labor for 18 hours. They did an internal and I was 100% but only 3cm and the baby had not dropped. We were getting close to the 24 hour mark and I was GBS+ on top of that so the dr encouraged me to get an epidural. I had made DH promise not to let me get one, but at that point it was close to being a chose between an epidural and c-section so we decided to go for it. I'll admit they gave me a test dose and it was an amazing relief. They made me sleep for an hour and then came to check me...100% effaced, 10cm dilated, baby was +1!!! I just hadn't been able to relax enough to let anything happen.
I did practice pushes for an hour while everything wore off and then 45 minutes of pushing and our little girl was born! She was born with her eyes open and SO alert and just kind of whimpering, not really crying.
BUT, my temp had gone up during labor and hers was 102.2 so they let me hold her for maybe 20 seconds and then whisked her away to the NICU where they didn't let me near her because they were worried about my temperature. It was awful. She was in the NICU until Saturday and I struggled with BFing and just having time with her. It was so hard to have my whole birth plan and after birth plan totally ruined. DH was AMAZING the whole time - I never imagined that anyone could be that amazing - and that helped me get through everything.
We took her home Saturday night and the first week has been tough. I've been mostly on my own and it's a huge adjustment. I'm a total emotional wreck. When I think of how great DH has been, I start crying. She was crying for 5 hours the other day and I was crying even harder. But, we're getting more into a routine and yesterday was our first formula free day and it was really successful!
Thanks for making it this far, if you have. Here's a pic (I hope - I don't remember how to PIP):
DD1: born 1/19/11. DD2: born 10/10/13
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Introducing Simona (birth story + pics)
Carina 12.28.2010 | Aurelia 9.23.12 | Chart - Round 3
congrats on your baby girl! and, thank you so much for posting your birth story. my due date was yesterday (my siggy is wrong) and my dr want's to induce on tuesday and i was a total wreck when we found out yesterday. i felt the same way...that my body isn't doing what it's supposed to. i even got my membranes stripped at my 39 week appt and then again yesterday and am only 1 cm and 25% efaced (and he was being generous). i truly hope that she will come on her own before tuesday, but it is so reassuring to hear that other women with the same original birth plan had a good labor even though it wasn't what they originally wanted.
hope you have a fabulous friday!!