My January Baby birth story

WatchPot · February 2012

I'm going to try to write this as suscintly as possible and not blabber on too much

I was 1 week over due and reluctantly agreed to an induciton. After coming to terms with it, I actualy got a little bit of sleep the night before for the first time in weeks. We were scheduled to be at the hospital at 7am to start IV Antibiotics due to group B strep. We delivered at Swedish in Issaquah which at the time I was really excited about. I really wanted to deliver there. We got there and were pre registered, but there was a bit of confusion around the registration so we had to wait about an hour for the meds. This was the first of many of the "technical glitches" we encountered. Seems no one really knew the computer system so they were having troulbe putting in any orders with out seeing my chart. It was right at shift change so nurse 1 started my IV and soon after nurse 2 came on who would be with us til 7:30pm. She was great. She was formerly at Swedish Seattle and she was one of the only people who seemed to know what they were doing.

The next 4 hours were pretty uneventful. I got the IV after a few attempts and then we were set loose. We shopped, ate, chatted, played games, and came back to the rom at noon to start the pitocin. When interviewing the MW and the hospital i was really concerned with being able to be active during labor. I wanted to be moving as much as possible. They told me they had portable, wireless monitors. Turns out they were being calibrated so the didn't have them. THis was the biggest disapointement of my whole labor. At noon I had to be hooked up to the monitors and that meant pretty much tied to my bed the entire time. They started the pit at 1 and increased it gradualy until it got to a 4. I was having contractions but nothing unbearable. I was making slow progress but not enough to be satisified so I talked to them about breaking my water. We waited till 4pm. Once she broke my water things moved quickly. I went up to 6 on the pitocin and then didn't need anymore. I couldn't believe how much fluid there was. After she broke my water, I was able to see my feet! We were all convinced at that time that the baby would be smaller than we though, since I was so much smaller without all that fluid. Once they turned off the pitocin I was able to move around and be monitored less. I could get in to the tub, walk around, I was much happier.

Up till this point I had no "plan" for drugs. People kept asking me my pain management strategy and I didn't have one. I didn't want to set myself up for disapointment so we went in to the whole thing with a wait and see approach. DH was the only one to ask for the epi, I could ask him but he knew to know when/if I really wanted/needed it. at 6pm I was at a 7 and got in the tub THat didn't do much for me so I got out, said I was done, and I wanted the drugs. He didn't call for it and let me labor for a bit more. We were able to change positions as frequently as we wanted, used the ball, the bed, the bar. THat was enough to keep my med free for about another hour and before we knew it, it was too late for any drugs. At 7pm I asked to be checked one more time as I had the intense urge to push. I was at a 9 with a small lip but Wesley wasn't in the correct position to come out yet, so I had to hand n knees to get him to cooperate.

I unfortnately didn't make it to pushing before shift change so we had to wait for everyone to get settled (new nurses) before I could push. I pushed for about 20 minutes and he was ou at 8:13pmt! They presented him directly to my chest he and nursed like a champ. He was weighed and cleaned up by 9:30 and being transfered to post partum by 11pm. It was so relaxed and low key at that point, exactly what I wanted.

I feel like I was pretty laid back for the whole experience, which is how I wanted it. THere were some regrets/disapointments like the portable monitors not being available, the nursing staff was clueless about a lot of the hospital processes and technology, we answered the same questions a dozen times when I felt like they should have the charts with all that informaiton (it was easier to ask than to figure out how to read everything electronicly). Other disapointments: My MWs switched at 5pm. one was on call during the day and they switched at 5pm. So I labored with one and then she left me and I felt like I had to bring the other up to speed. THe nurse I loved left 30 minutes before I had him and didn't get to be there when he was born. and during the shift change, I was in the most pain and the most sensitive to the environment, people kept coming and going. I was not happy. And my MW's phone rang while I was pushing. She said later it was her husband wanting to know when she'd be home: Shouldn' you take care of that before you come to deliver a baby? we were home by 9pm the following day. We barely even had any hospital food. We tried to order food Tuesday night (the night he was born) but we couldn't get anyone to answer the phone in the kitchen. The next day we ordered breakfast and then had lunch brought in, so I can't really report on the food. The coffee was good though, they serve Cafe Vita, which is my favorite!

This was already way longer than I wanted it to be:hopefully I dind't leave out any major details.

Edit: Even with the minor disapointments, we were still extremely happy with the experience. Nothing ever goes perfectly, right? I knew the shift change would be an issue as we watched the clock, and there as really nothing we could do about it at the time.

KNemo · February 2012

I am sorry about your disappointments, but I am so amazed and proud of you for going w/out meds on Pit. I don't know how you did it! I though Pitocin was going to kill me! W is gorgeous, and you are amazing to me, mama! Congratulations, again!

~Lynchie~ · February 2012

I'm sorry some things didnt go as planned. Sounds like all the important stuff went great though!! Thanks for sharing!

jennlin · February 2012

congrats on getting through it like a champ, even though it wasn't as planned!

Nancy_Drew · February 2012

So glad you got the experience you wanted. Congrats on going drug free! I felt I was asked the same questions over and over as well. I had the same thoughts.... Just read people, I already answered this question!

Katie!!!! Do I see a ticker there?? Congrats!

theresab · February 2012

Congrats on little W. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences.

Maddimom · February 2012

Congrats girl! You did great.

cmcmillan · February 2012

Great job! I am amazed you could go drug free on pit, he is super cute.

blueLu25 · February 2012

Congrats!!! Sounds like you had a great birth and little man is perfect!

keri1013 · February 2012

Congrats again! I would have been really disappointed with the monitoring situation also. I'm so glad you still had a good experience, I'm so impressed you went natural with Pitocin! He is such a cute baby!

IkesHawaiian06 · February 2012

I'm sorry that you had some disappointing things happen, but good for you for going med-free! You rock! :-) I'm so happy for you! Congratulations again!!!!!