amyjoe
11-19-2005 Saturday, 02:52 PM
Well, I thought I'd start by posting a quick "birth story" before I forget the details. I still haven't downloaded the pics from the camera, and DH has taken it to a Baptism today... so, maybe tonight or tomorrow.
Anyhow...
Tuesday morning I had pretty rough contractions that were between 7 and 10 min. apart. I, of course, thought nothing of them... considering how many times my mornings had started like this :lol. So, DH took off to work a few hours later. I called him before he even arrived at work to say, "You had better turn around". They were so hard that if this wasn't the real deal, I was going to go beg my Dr. to break my water. My OB had checked me on Monday and I was 5cm dialated and 80% effaced, so I kinda figured it had to be for real this time. I mean... how much can you dialate and efface without being in "active labor"??
I didn't want to go to the hospital though, until I was really in labor. I was really just trying my best to avoid pitocin. So, when I finally showed up at the hospital (after a nice lunch at Chipotle ;)) at 3:30, I was 7cm and 90% effaced. My contractions were still 7 minutes apart though, so that was good. I could still breath enough between them to answer the bazillion questions they ask you upon arrival. Plus, that 30min of "required monitoring" would have kicked my behind had I been further along because it lasted a HECK of a lot longer than 30 minutes!! It was barbaric to someone laboring naturally.
As expected, the first nurse I had came in and said that I was getting an IV and that my bag of waters looks like it was bulging and the baby was still high... so she didn't want me to ambulate. And... no shower... :yikes This was not exactly looking good for my natural birth.... Thankfully my OB/GYN came in and kicked some boo-tay!! I'm not sure what she said, but I never saw that first nurse again :thumb.. THANK GOD. Soon, I was walking around and hunkered down in the shower with DH targeting hot water on my back for each contraction. Amazingly, they went from 7min apart to 2 min apart in less than an hour! So, I labored for almost all of transition in the shower! When they made me get out (I guess I hit the "off the monitors" time-limit), I was telling DH over and over again, "Ok, I can't do this"!!!!!!) He was awesome at re-focusing me on that one contraction and encouraging me. But, I finally "over-ruled" him and announced quite loudly to everyone that I needed an epidural RIGHT NOW as I settled back onto the dreaded bed. About that time, the night charge nurse came in early and was like "what?? you don't either!! what a waste! you're 10 cm and fully effaced. You have to PUSH!" She is also the one who noticed the baby was sunny side up, and had me get on my hands and knees to encourage him to flip. After one contraction, he flipped and we were ready to push. My OB came back in and was like, "okay your water is still intact!! so, let's break that first" :lol). 15 min later, Luke was born :bounce. He was a whopping 8lbs 13oz and 20in long. I was "over the moon" overjoyed to see him, and he was SO alert! He nursed right away for almost 20 minutes :thumb.
I have to say that I was blown away at how perfect everything turned out. It really makes a huge difference to have an OB that encourages a natural birth (if that's what you're looking for). I couldn't have done it on my back, hooked up to monitors for 3 hours. I was able to walk around about an hour later and by midnight I felt great! We left the hospital shortly after 24 hours, so we could get some real rest at home. And, here we are!
So here's my plug for Dr. Traci Nivens at Plano Presby!! I couldn't have done it without her! She was awesome! I couldn't have done it without my DH either... but ya'll can't borrow him ;)!! He's mine!
Anyhow...
Tuesday morning I had pretty rough contractions that were between 7 and 10 min. apart. I, of course, thought nothing of them... considering how many times my mornings had started like this :lol. So, DH took off to work a few hours later. I called him before he even arrived at work to say, "You had better turn around". They were so hard that if this wasn't the real deal, I was going to go beg my Dr. to break my water. My OB had checked me on Monday and I was 5cm dialated and 80% effaced, so I kinda figured it had to be for real this time. I mean... how much can you dialate and efface without being in "active labor"??
I didn't want to go to the hospital though, until I was really in labor. I was really just trying my best to avoid pitocin. So, when I finally showed up at the hospital (after a nice lunch at Chipotle ;)) at 3:30, I was 7cm and 90% effaced. My contractions were still 7 minutes apart though, so that was good. I could still breath enough between them to answer the bazillion questions they ask you upon arrival. Plus, that 30min of "required monitoring" would have kicked my behind had I been further along because it lasted a HECK of a lot longer than 30 minutes!! It was barbaric to someone laboring naturally.
As expected, the first nurse I had came in and said that I was getting an IV and that my bag of waters looks like it was bulging and the baby was still high... so she didn't want me to ambulate. And... no shower... :yikes This was not exactly looking good for my natural birth.... Thankfully my OB/GYN came in and kicked some boo-tay!! I'm not sure what she said, but I never saw that first nurse again :thumb.. THANK GOD. Soon, I was walking around and hunkered down in the shower with DH targeting hot water on my back for each contraction. Amazingly, they went from 7min apart to 2 min apart in less than an hour! So, I labored for almost all of transition in the shower! When they made me get out (I guess I hit the "off the monitors" time-limit), I was telling DH over and over again, "Ok, I can't do this"!!!!!!) He was awesome at re-focusing me on that one contraction and encouraging me. But, I finally "over-ruled" him and announced quite loudly to everyone that I needed an epidural RIGHT NOW as I settled back onto the dreaded bed. About that time, the night charge nurse came in early and was like "what?? you don't either!! what a waste! you're 10 cm and fully effaced. You have to PUSH!" She is also the one who noticed the baby was sunny side up, and had me get on my hands and knees to encourage him to flip. After one contraction, he flipped and we were ready to push. My OB came back in and was like, "okay your water is still intact!! so, let's break that first" :lol). 15 min later, Luke was born :bounce. He was a whopping 8lbs 13oz and 20in long. I was "over the moon" overjoyed to see him, and he was SO alert! He nursed right away for almost 20 minutes :thumb.
I have to say that I was blown away at how perfect everything turned out. It really makes a huge difference to have an OB that encourages a natural birth (if that's what you're looking for). I couldn't have done it on my back, hooked up to monitors for 3 hours. I was able to walk around about an hour later and by midnight I felt great! We left the hospital shortly after 24 hours, so we could get some real rest at home. And, here we are!
So here's my plug for Dr. Traci Nivens at Plano Presby!! I couldn't have done it without her! She was awesome! I couldn't have done it without my DH either... but ya'll can't borrow him ;)!! He's mine!