ChickieShannon
02-22-2006 Wednesday, 10:11 PM
I came across this tonight and wanted to share even though she'll be 3 in April! :) Mary (Gray's Mommy) was my doula and this is the story she wrote on Kaleigh's birth...
The Birth of Baby Bogan<o></o>
<o></o>
Shannon, Brendan, and I had arranged to meet at their home on <st1:date year="2003" day="16" month="4">Wednesday, April 16<sup>th</sup>, 2003</st1:date> at <st1:time minute="15" hour="5">5:15 a.m.</st1:time><st1> Shannon</st1>’s mother, Tammy, and I followed them to <st1><st1>Dallas</st1> <st1>Presbyterian</st1><st1> Hospita</st1>l</st1><st1>. Shannon</st1> was not yet having contractions but had started to dilate from the stripping of the membranes performed earlier in the week. Dr. Walter Evans also wanted to induce <st1></st1>since she had pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH).
<o></o><o></o>
After checking in around <st1:time minute="30" hour="6">6:30 a.m.</st1:time>, we were shown to Labor, Delivery and Recovery room 4.<st1> Shannon</st1> was placed on the external fetal monitor and her blood pressure was taken. <st1>Shannon</st1> had two labor and delivery nurses attending her, Regina Collins and Martha Vaughn. <st1:city><st1>Regina</st1> </st1:city>was the first to do an exam since <st1>Shannon</st1>’s admittance and she was 2-3 cms. dilated, -3 station, and 50% effaced. The Pitocin induction was begun at <st1:time minute="45" hour="7">7:45 a.m.</st1:time><o></o><o></o>
After a visit from anesthesia, Shannon and Brendan decided that an epidural would be administered shortly after <st1></st1><st1>Shannon</st1> made the request and that Brendan would be present while the epidural was given. This was against hospital policy, but they clearly stated their beliefs to the anesthesiologist who agreed that Brendan could stay.
<o></o><o></o>
Around <st1:time minute="30" hour="8">8:30 a.m.</st1:time>, Dr. Evans arrived to speak with Shannon and Brendan. An exam was performed and <st1>Shannon</st1> was 3-4 cms. dilated, -1 station, and 70% effaced. <st1>Shannon</st1> was progressing well, and Dr. Evans decided to artificially rupture her bag of waters. The water was clear and a very strong contraction happened quickly after the rupture. <st1>Shannon</st1> was starting a good labor pattern.<o>
</o><o></o>
The contractions were coming about every 2 to 3 minutes and <st1>Shannon</st1> was handling them very well. She had limited mobility due to the PIH so she was only able to walk to the restroom and back into bed. We dimmed the lights, and <st1>Shannon</st1> was breathing through her contractions wonderfully. The nurses turned up the Pitocin and the contractions were now coming about every 1½ to 2 minutes. <st1>Shannon</st1>’s legs began to tremble, and she was concerned about the contractions and her labor. Brendan believed she was showing the beginning signs of anxiety. He spoke to <st1:city><st1>Regina</st1> </st1:city>about possible medication options. Dr. Evans approved a dose of Phenergan at <st1:time minute="30" hour="10">10:30 a.m.</st1:time><o>
</o><o></o>
At <st1:time minute="50" hour="10">10:50 a.m.</st1:time>, an exam showed that <st1>Shannon</st1> was making great progress! She was now 5 cms. dilated, -1 station, and 80% effaced. <st1>Shannon</st1> decided that she wanted to have the epidural and anesthesia was called in at <st1:time minute="15" hour="11">11:15 a.m.</st1:time> with Brendan present. Tammy and I left to go greet Brendan’s parents, Phil and Connie, and his sister-in-law, Mindy. Brendan came back, and they all had the opportunity to say hello to <st1>Shannon</st1>. Brendan, Tammy, and I came in after they left, and <st1>Shannon</st1> was very comfortable and decided to rest a while.<o>
</o><o></o>
Brendan left for a little bit to speak with his parents in the waiting room since <st1>Shannon</st1> was resting. At <st1:time minute="45" hour="11">11:45 a.m.</st1:time>, another exam was done, and she was holding at the previous exam results. <st1>Shannon </st1>began to feel very light-headed after the exam and told the nurses. Soon after, her blood pressure dropped considerably along with the baby’s heart rate and <st1>Shannon</st1> fainted. A team of nurses came in to assist <st1>Shannon</st1>and she came to quickly. Tammy went to get Brendan from the waiting room.
<o></o><o></o>
Shannon and the baby stabilized rapidly and finally got some well-deserved sleep. The nurses resumed the Pitocin at <st1:time minute="5" hour="12">12:05 p.m.</st1:time> to get <st1>Shannon</st1>’s labor pattern going again. Her blood pressure was still high, and Dr. Evans wanted Magnesium Sulfate administered to assist with stabilizing her blood pressure. This was done at <st1:time minute="40" hour="12">12:40 p.m.</st1:time><o>
</o><o></o>
At <st1:time minute="45" hour="13">1:45 p.m.</st1:time>, <st1>Shannon</st1>told the nurses that she was feeling a lot of pressure and asked to be checked. The results were fantastic. <st1>Shannon</st1> was almost completely dilated, +1 station, and an anterior lip was all that remained from her cervix. This was wonderful news. At <st1:time minute="0" hour="14">2 p.m.</st1:time>, <st1>Shannon</st1>said that she was still feeling a lot of pressure and at <st1:time minute="13" hour="14">2:13 p.m.</st1:time> a bolus of Lidocaine was administered to help take the edge off. A second bolus was administered at <st1:time minute="44" hour="14">2:44 p.m.</st1:time> when the first did not alleviate the pressure enough. <st1:city><st1>Regina</st1></st1:city> had to leave because of her shift ending and was able to say goodbye to Shannon and Brendan. <st1:city><st1>Regina</st1></st1:city> was such a wonderful and caring labor nurse; we were all sad to see her leave before the birth.<o>
</o><o></o>
A few minutes later, <st1>Shannon</st1> still was insisting that she was feeling tremendous pressure and asked to be check again. At <st1:time minute="0" hour="15">3 p.m.</st1:time>, an exam showed that <st1>Shannon</st1>was completely dilated and ready to begin pushing. Tammy gave her daughter a quick kiss and a hug and quietly left to wait for her grandchild to be born. <st1>Shannon</st1> was beginning to push at <st1:time minute="7" hour="15">3:07 p.m.</st1:time> in the side lying position, then her blood pressure dropped again. The baby’s heart rate remained stable, and <st1>Shannon</st1> got a little light headed, but did not faint. <st1>Shannon</st1> stabilized very promptly and Dr. Evans arrived.<o>
</o><o></o>
(text too long... continued in next post...)<o></o>
The Birth of Baby Bogan<o></o>
<o></o>
Shannon, Brendan, and I had arranged to meet at their home on <st1:date year="2003" day="16" month="4">Wednesday, April 16<sup>th</sup>, 2003</st1:date> at <st1:time minute="15" hour="5">5:15 a.m.</st1:time><st1> Shannon</st1>’s mother, Tammy, and I followed them to <st1><st1>Dallas</st1> <st1>Presbyterian</st1><st1> Hospita</st1>l</st1><st1>. Shannon</st1> was not yet having contractions but had started to dilate from the stripping of the membranes performed earlier in the week. Dr. Walter Evans also wanted to induce <st1></st1>since she had pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH).
<o></o><o></o>
After checking in around <st1:time minute="30" hour="6">6:30 a.m.</st1:time>, we were shown to Labor, Delivery and Recovery room 4.<st1> Shannon</st1> was placed on the external fetal monitor and her blood pressure was taken. <st1>Shannon</st1> had two labor and delivery nurses attending her, Regina Collins and Martha Vaughn. <st1:city><st1>Regina</st1> </st1:city>was the first to do an exam since <st1>Shannon</st1>’s admittance and she was 2-3 cms. dilated, -3 station, and 50% effaced. The Pitocin induction was begun at <st1:time minute="45" hour="7">7:45 a.m.</st1:time><o></o><o></o>
After a visit from anesthesia, Shannon and Brendan decided that an epidural would be administered shortly after <st1></st1><st1>Shannon</st1> made the request and that Brendan would be present while the epidural was given. This was against hospital policy, but they clearly stated their beliefs to the anesthesiologist who agreed that Brendan could stay.
<o></o><o></o>
Around <st1:time minute="30" hour="8">8:30 a.m.</st1:time>, Dr. Evans arrived to speak with Shannon and Brendan. An exam was performed and <st1>Shannon</st1> was 3-4 cms. dilated, -1 station, and 70% effaced. <st1>Shannon</st1> was progressing well, and Dr. Evans decided to artificially rupture her bag of waters. The water was clear and a very strong contraction happened quickly after the rupture. <st1>Shannon</st1> was starting a good labor pattern.<o>
</o><o></o>
The contractions were coming about every 2 to 3 minutes and <st1>Shannon</st1> was handling them very well. She had limited mobility due to the PIH so she was only able to walk to the restroom and back into bed. We dimmed the lights, and <st1>Shannon</st1> was breathing through her contractions wonderfully. The nurses turned up the Pitocin and the contractions were now coming about every 1½ to 2 minutes. <st1>Shannon</st1>’s legs began to tremble, and she was concerned about the contractions and her labor. Brendan believed she was showing the beginning signs of anxiety. He spoke to <st1:city><st1>Regina</st1> </st1:city>about possible medication options. Dr. Evans approved a dose of Phenergan at <st1:time minute="30" hour="10">10:30 a.m.</st1:time><o>
</o><o></o>
At <st1:time minute="50" hour="10">10:50 a.m.</st1:time>, an exam showed that <st1>Shannon</st1> was making great progress! She was now 5 cms. dilated, -1 station, and 80% effaced. <st1>Shannon</st1> decided that she wanted to have the epidural and anesthesia was called in at <st1:time minute="15" hour="11">11:15 a.m.</st1:time> with Brendan present. Tammy and I left to go greet Brendan’s parents, Phil and Connie, and his sister-in-law, Mindy. Brendan came back, and they all had the opportunity to say hello to <st1>Shannon</st1>. Brendan, Tammy, and I came in after they left, and <st1>Shannon</st1> was very comfortable and decided to rest a while.<o>
</o><o></o>
Brendan left for a little bit to speak with his parents in the waiting room since <st1>Shannon</st1> was resting. At <st1:time minute="45" hour="11">11:45 a.m.</st1:time>, another exam was done, and she was holding at the previous exam results. <st1>Shannon </st1>began to feel very light-headed after the exam and told the nurses. Soon after, her blood pressure dropped considerably along with the baby’s heart rate and <st1>Shannon</st1> fainted. A team of nurses came in to assist <st1>Shannon</st1>and she came to quickly. Tammy went to get Brendan from the waiting room.
<o></o><o></o>
Shannon and the baby stabilized rapidly and finally got some well-deserved sleep. The nurses resumed the Pitocin at <st1:time minute="5" hour="12">12:05 p.m.</st1:time> to get <st1>Shannon</st1>’s labor pattern going again. Her blood pressure was still high, and Dr. Evans wanted Magnesium Sulfate administered to assist with stabilizing her blood pressure. This was done at <st1:time minute="40" hour="12">12:40 p.m.</st1:time><o>
</o><o></o>
At <st1:time minute="45" hour="13">1:45 p.m.</st1:time>, <st1>Shannon</st1>told the nurses that she was feeling a lot of pressure and asked to be checked. The results were fantastic. <st1>Shannon</st1> was almost completely dilated, +1 station, and an anterior lip was all that remained from her cervix. This was wonderful news. At <st1:time minute="0" hour="14">2 p.m.</st1:time>, <st1>Shannon</st1>said that she was still feeling a lot of pressure and at <st1:time minute="13" hour="14">2:13 p.m.</st1:time> a bolus of Lidocaine was administered to help take the edge off. A second bolus was administered at <st1:time minute="44" hour="14">2:44 p.m.</st1:time> when the first did not alleviate the pressure enough. <st1:city><st1>Regina</st1></st1:city> had to leave because of her shift ending and was able to say goodbye to Shannon and Brendan. <st1:city><st1>Regina</st1></st1:city> was such a wonderful and caring labor nurse; we were all sad to see her leave before the birth.<o>
</o><o></o>
A few minutes later, <st1>Shannon</st1> still was insisting that she was feeling tremendous pressure and asked to be check again. At <st1:time minute="0" hour="15">3 p.m.</st1:time>, an exam showed that <st1>Shannon</st1>was completely dilated and ready to begin pushing. Tammy gave her daughter a quick kiss and a hug and quietly left to wait for her grandchild to be born. <st1>Shannon</st1> was beginning to push at <st1:time minute="7" hour="15">3:07 p.m.</st1:time> in the side lying position, then her blood pressure dropped again. The baby’s heart rate remained stable, and <st1>Shannon</st1> got a little light headed, but did not faint. <st1>Shannon</st1> stabilized very promptly and Dr. Evans arrived.<o>
</o><o></o>
(text too long... continued in next post...)<o></o>