- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
June 2014 Moms
nikki0808
member
Benjamin Edward - Birth Story and Pictures (nikki0808)
nikki0808
member
**WARNING** -- It gets a little rough, but does end well.
This past Saturday (May 24th) we went in and were admitted for cervadil to be induced. Went in, cervix was still high, thick, and closed so in went the cervadil. No big deal. I woke up around 4am-ish and was having what felt like some light cramping. Apparently, it started some contractions for me. By morning, I was about 20% and dilated to "1 and a wiggle". To me it didn't seem like it did much, but they all seemed pleased with what progress we had made. So, Sunday, doc wanted to insert a cook catheter (has 2 balloons, each sit on both sides of cervix to help it along)... that kind of sucked having that put in, but I got some meds afterwards and fell asleep. He wanted to come back around 4pm to break my water, but ended up getting caught in surgery and another delivery around that time. But, around 3pm, they started taking the water out of the balloons on the catheter to see what progress was made. After the catheter, I was dilated to about 4-5cm and they started pitocin around 4pm. That started making my contractions more regular and a little stronger. Still was pretty tolerable though. I did ask to have my epidural before my water was broken though, since I knew that would really get things going (and after the catheter insertion, I wanted to be comfortable). Around 8:00pm I got my epidural and by 9:00pm doc came in and broke my water. With the epidural, it was weird -- I could feel everything tightening when I would have a contraction, but no pain. They ended up putting internal monitors in, the first one was to better monitor my contractions (so they could adjust pitocin as needed), and then a little later they decided to place another internal monitor to watch Benjamin since he kept going off the external monitor (and I am SO glad they did this)... As the contractions got stronger through the night, I was feeling more pressure. Around 1:30am, they checked me again and I was 5cm. Which doc told me after 5cm, expect at least 1cm/hour after that. All was going great... until around 2am. The nurse came in, checked me, and repositioned me again (we had been going side to side to try to get him to continue to come down). After she stepped out of the room, I could hear his heartbeat on the monitor monitor slowing down... and slowing down... I looked over and was watching the number drop.. the lowest I saw was 34. Not good. The nurses all come rushing in and start moving me around trying to get me in a position where his heart rate would go back up. Finally, after what seemed like forever, I heard it picking up again. They changed the internal monitor and a couple nurses stayed in the room and my nurse had left to call the doctor. He came in about 20 minutes later (Ben's heart rate had stayed up again) and didn't seem too concerned. He explained that sometimes as we get really close to delivery, the heart rate can dip low then pick back up. Since he came back up and was staying up, we were going to continue to monitor and continue with our plan. He checked me and by this point I had dilated to 7-8cm. At 3:00am, the nurse checked me again, and I was at 8cm. I was too worried to really fall asleep and each time I would feel a contraction I would hear that Ben's heart rate would dip a little. It wasn't as bad as it was earlier, but it was still slowing. It made me nervous. I tried to sleep, but couldn't. I just laid there and listened to the monitor. Around 4:00am I was repositioned again, and his heart rate dropped, again. Quite low, although I didn't see the exact number. A few more nurses came in again, repositioned me until he came up again. By this point, I was getting really worried. My nurse told me she was going to call the doctor again and I asked her "with him continuing to drop like this, at what point do we just go do a c-section?" She told me it just depends on the doctor, but she would let me know what he says. A few minutes later, she came back in with a big bag of fluid. What the doctor was thinking was that since they broke my water, Benjamin was probably pushing on a part of his umbilical cord (with an elbow or something). So what they wanted to do was instill some fluid to try to float it out of the way so that it wouldn't be pushed on when I contracted. She hooked up the fluid, and began the fluid bolus. This was around 4:40am. She no sooner gets me hooked up and turns around to the computer to chart and his heart rate dips low...again. And he isn't coming back up. Several nurses quickly come in, and start turning me from side to side. He still isn't coming up. They turn me again. Still low. Turn me again. Still low. All the while they're all asking where the doctor is and that he needs to get here now. Next thing I know, I can't hear the monitor anymore. I'm really terrified at this point. The nurses turn me on to my back and start rubbing my abdomen. I'm almost in tears because I have no idea what is going on. The doctor comes in, and they continue to reposition me. He feels up there and maneuvers some things and finally, I'm hearing the heart beat on the monitor. It is slow, but it is there. The doctor starts telling me they're going to take me to c-section. The nurses are all handing me different medications to take, asking me questions, having me sign consent... a million things are going on at once. I felt so bad because I could tell DH was terrified... which I was too. We just told the doctor to do whatever you need to do, just keep baby and me safe. The CRNA was in my room, already changing and pushing meds into my epidural to make me numb. He told me if I wasn't numb before we got to the surgery suite (which is right around the corner from my room) then we were going to be put under. It was 5:15am and next thing I know, I'm being taken down the hall, practically naked, in a mad dash. We get into the room, they get me onto the table and immediately they start draping me and strapping me in. One of the special care nursery nurses came over and was explaining to me what was going to happen, and then I heard a very slow, but steady noise. I asked her if that was his heart beat. She said yes. And I started to cry. I think she thought I was crying because it was so slow, but I was crying because it was there. I was so relieved that there was still a heart beat. The CRNA asked me if I was numb, and I looked at him, confused. He said "well, I'm going to assume you are because doctor just gave you one hell of a pinch and you didn't flinch.. we're getting started." It seemed like an eternity. I was so scared and shaking. I was praying that everything would turn out ok. I was so worried that after five years of trying to conceive and 37 weeks of an eventful pregnancy that it was going to end without a healthy baby in my arms. At 5:23am, Benjamin entered the world. I saw them take him to the special care nurses and pediatrician who were all the left of my head. I could see a little bit of him, and his color looked awful. I watched the nurses bagging him to help him breathe. I felt so helpless. Finally, I heard a little wimper. Then another. Then a cry. It was the most beautiful sound in the world. I could see the monitors for him, and his heart rate was still only in the 80s. One of the nurses came over and told me they were going to take him to the special care nursery and that later that day, after I regained feeling, I would be able to come over and see him. I thanked her and they took him away. It felt like forever before they were finally done stitching me back together. When I got back to the room, DH told me he and my family had gone over to see Benjamin and that he was doing well. Apparently his apgar scores were terrible to start -- almost all 0's. But after 5 minutes, he was doing much better. DH asked me if I wanted to see pictures and I said yes. He showed me some and I started crying again. The first thing I said when I saw the picture of him was "Oh my gosh, he looks just like you!" I was so relieved too because his color was much better. And he was breathing on his own.
Around 11am, I was finally able to go over and see him in person. It was an amazing moment. We got to hold him and feed him. And after he did so well eating, we were told that he would be able to come stay with us in the room except when he was due for his antibiotics (they had started that as a precaution because of how delivery went and how pale he was when he was born). After his rough start, everything was checking out wonderfully and everyone was pleased with his progress. We were even discharged earlier than expected, we got to come home this past Wednesday. It was so nice to be home and finally start to get into the groove of things.
ETA: Forgot to add that the cause of all of his heart rate dropping was because his cord was wrapped tightly around his neck.
Benjamin Edward
Born May 26, 2014
6lb 6oz 19inches
This past Saturday (May 24th) we went in and were admitted for cervadil to be induced. Went in, cervix was still high, thick, and closed so in went the cervadil. No big deal. I woke up around 4am-ish and was having what felt like some light cramping. Apparently, it started some contractions for me. By morning, I was about 20% and dilated to "1 and a wiggle". To me it didn't seem like it did much, but they all seemed pleased with what progress we had made. So, Sunday, doc wanted to insert a cook catheter (has 2 balloons, each sit on both sides of cervix to help it along)... that kind of sucked having that put in, but I got some meds afterwards and fell asleep. He wanted to come back around 4pm to break my water, but ended up getting caught in surgery and another delivery around that time. But, around 3pm, they started taking the water out of the balloons on the catheter to see what progress was made. After the catheter, I was dilated to about 4-5cm and they started pitocin around 4pm. That started making my contractions more regular and a little stronger. Still was pretty tolerable though. I did ask to have my epidural before my water was broken though, since I knew that would really get things going (and after the catheter insertion, I wanted to be comfortable). Around 8:00pm I got my epidural and by 9:00pm doc came in and broke my water. With the epidural, it was weird -- I could feel everything tightening when I would have a contraction, but no pain. They ended up putting internal monitors in, the first one was to better monitor my contractions (so they could adjust pitocin as needed), and then a little later they decided to place another internal monitor to watch Benjamin since he kept going off the external monitor (and I am SO glad they did this)... As the contractions got stronger through the night, I was feeling more pressure. Around 1:30am, they checked me again and I was 5cm. Which doc told me after 5cm, expect at least 1cm/hour after that. All was going great... until around 2am. The nurse came in, checked me, and repositioned me again (we had been going side to side to try to get him to continue to come down). After she stepped out of the room, I could hear his heartbeat on the monitor monitor slowing down... and slowing down... I looked over and was watching the number drop.. the lowest I saw was 34. Not good. The nurses all come rushing in and start moving me around trying to get me in a position where his heart rate would go back up. Finally, after what seemed like forever, I heard it picking up again. They changed the internal monitor and a couple nurses stayed in the room and my nurse had left to call the doctor. He came in about 20 minutes later (Ben's heart rate had stayed up again) and didn't seem too concerned. He explained that sometimes as we get really close to delivery, the heart rate can dip low then pick back up. Since he came back up and was staying up, we were going to continue to monitor and continue with our plan. He checked me and by this point I had dilated to 7-8cm. At 3:00am, the nurse checked me again, and I was at 8cm. I was too worried to really fall asleep and each time I would feel a contraction I would hear that Ben's heart rate would dip a little. It wasn't as bad as it was earlier, but it was still slowing. It made me nervous. I tried to sleep, but couldn't. I just laid there and listened to the monitor. Around 4:00am I was repositioned again, and his heart rate dropped, again. Quite low, although I didn't see the exact number. A few more nurses came in again, repositioned me until he came up again. By this point, I was getting really worried. My nurse told me she was going to call the doctor again and I asked her "with him continuing to drop like this, at what point do we just go do a c-section?" She told me it just depends on the doctor, but she would let me know what he says. A few minutes later, she came back in with a big bag of fluid. What the doctor was thinking was that since they broke my water, Benjamin was probably pushing on a part of his umbilical cord (with an elbow or something). So what they wanted to do was instill some fluid to try to float it out of the way so that it wouldn't be pushed on when I contracted. She hooked up the fluid, and began the fluid bolus. This was around 4:40am. She no sooner gets me hooked up and turns around to the computer to chart and his heart rate dips low...again. And he isn't coming back up. Several nurses quickly come in, and start turning me from side to side. He still isn't coming up. They turn me again. Still low. Turn me again. Still low. All the while they're all asking where the doctor is and that he needs to get here now. Next thing I know, I can't hear the monitor anymore. I'm really terrified at this point. The nurses turn me on to my back and start rubbing my abdomen. I'm almost in tears because I have no idea what is going on. The doctor comes in, and they continue to reposition me. He feels up there and maneuvers some things and finally, I'm hearing the heart beat on the monitor. It is slow, but it is there. The doctor starts telling me they're going to take me to c-section. The nurses are all handing me different medications to take, asking me questions, having me sign consent... a million things are going on at once. I felt so bad because I could tell DH was terrified... which I was too. We just told the doctor to do whatever you need to do, just keep baby and me safe. The CRNA was in my room, already changing and pushing meds into my epidural to make me numb. He told me if I wasn't numb before we got to the surgery suite (which is right around the corner from my room) then we were going to be put under. It was 5:15am and next thing I know, I'm being taken down the hall, practically naked, in a mad dash. We get into the room, they get me onto the table and immediately they start draping me and strapping me in. One of the special care nursery nurses came over and was explaining to me what was going to happen, and then I heard a very slow, but steady noise. I asked her if that was his heart beat. She said yes. And I started to cry. I think she thought I was crying because it was so slow, but I was crying because it was there. I was so relieved that there was still a heart beat. The CRNA asked me if I was numb, and I looked at him, confused. He said "well, I'm going to assume you are because doctor just gave you one hell of a pinch and you didn't flinch.. we're getting started." It seemed like an eternity. I was so scared and shaking. I was praying that everything would turn out ok. I was so worried that after five years of trying to conceive and 37 weeks of an eventful pregnancy that it was going to end without a healthy baby in my arms. At 5:23am, Benjamin entered the world. I saw them take him to the special care nurses and pediatrician who were all the left of my head. I could see a little bit of him, and his color looked awful. I watched the nurses bagging him to help him breathe. I felt so helpless. Finally, I heard a little wimper. Then another. Then a cry. It was the most beautiful sound in the world. I could see the monitors for him, and his heart rate was still only in the 80s. One of the nurses came over and told me they were going to take him to the special care nursery and that later that day, after I regained feeling, I would be able to come over and see him. I thanked her and they took him away. It felt like forever before they were finally done stitching me back together. When I got back to the room, DH told me he and my family had gone over to see Benjamin and that he was doing well. Apparently his apgar scores were terrible to start -- almost all 0's. But after 5 minutes, he was doing much better. DH asked me if I wanted to see pictures and I said yes. He showed me some and I started crying again. The first thing I said when I saw the picture of him was "Oh my gosh, he looks just like you!" I was so relieved too because his color was much better. And he was breathing on his own.
Around 11am, I was finally able to go over and see him in person. It was an amazing moment. We got to hold him and feed him. And after he did so well eating, we were told that he would be able to come stay with us in the room except when he was due for his antibiotics (they had started that as a precaution because of how delivery went and how pale he was when he was born). After his rough start, everything was checking out wonderfully and everyone was pleased with his progress. We were even discharged earlier than expected, we got to come home this past Wednesday. It was so nice to be home and finally start to get into the groove of things.
ETA: Forgot to add that the cause of all of his heart rate dropping was because his cord was wrapped tightly around his neck.
Benjamin Edward
Born May 26, 2014
6lb 6oz 19inches
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Benjamin Edward - Birth Story and Pictures (nikki0808)
Married DH 7/30/11
CSC arrived 5/7/12
CHC arrived 6/2/14
Me (36) + DH(35) = Married 9yrs!
Pipsqueak born 6/9/14
BFP 10/8/2013
Miss Camryn Marie arrived 6/20/2014
Me: 33, HSG & b/w normal; partial septate uterus DH: 33, SA good but low morphology (3%)
Started trying to make a baby Apr'12 Aug'13 DX: Unexplained Infertility
Sept'13: 50mg Clomid + IUI #1 (13m + 11m post wash) CDs 11&12 + 200mg progesterone 3x daily = BFP! Beta 16dpIUI = 391 EDD 6.14.14 Delivered 6.13.14
BFP 4/17/13, MC began 5/2/13 @ 6 weeks
My FF Chart