Birth Story, Part III

**WARNING....one picture below may be too much for some**

So, 40 minutes had passed, I got out of the shower and into bed. I looked at my Mom and said "I don't want to do this anymore." She laughed and said she'd been waiting for that. It was 1:30am at this point.

Janice checked me, said I was 8-9 cm's and the bag was still bulging. She broke it and within a mintue or two the surges got EXTREMELY intense. I would stay "Holy Shit" and then go into my Hypnobirthing and gain control of them. I destroyed those damn surges. haha

For the next hour Janice talked calmly to me saying my Hypnobirthing affirmations. I laod on my left side just breathing and moaning through them. As my breathing changed and I began to bear down, Janice said, "She's 10cm's. Let's have a baby."

At 2:35am, Janice felt that since lying on my left side was working fo rme, she had me start pushing on that side while Chris held my leg. After a few tries, she had me move to my right side. Preston's heartrate showed he didn't really like that side so back to the left side I went. No progress was being made so Janice had me try on my back for a while. I worked really hard but that wasn't working either. Then I got on all 4's and pushed hard but that didn't help so Janice told Chris to take me to the bathroom and do 3 pushes on the toilet.

I walked back to the bed and Janice had me push some more on my back. STILL no progress so Janice then hooked up the squatting bar to the bed, wrapped a sheet over the bar, and had me put my feet on the sides as I pushed and pulled on the sheet.

At this point Janice told the nurst to be sure the on-call OB/GYN did not leave the hospital. She told my Mom there was plenty of room for me to deliver the baby and either the baby was stuck on my tailbone or his shoulder was hung up. She said I had a strangely shaped tailbone and thought that was the problem.

Around 4am Janice left the room for about 10 minutes and when she came back she said to me, "Okay, it's time for me to make you not pregnant anymore and for you to not like me." She said she felt Preston was having trouble getting past the tailbone so she had to put BOTH hands inside of me during each surge and pushed down as hard as she could to get the tailbone out of the way.

Let me tell you....THAT was the worst part of everything. I whimpered and told her to take them out. She said, "Nope, push my hands out." I knew I had to get him out ASAP to end the pain of this.

At this point, I was getting extremely exhausted so they gave me an IV of Lactated Ringers to try to give me energy.

I said I wanted the baby out and Janice said, "Do you want a c-section and just get it over with?' I'm not sure if she was being serious or just trying to get me to focus but I immediately said "NO" so I got back into pushing and Janice got back into me. All of a suddent, Janice said, "Now we're getting there." My Mom looked and there was long dark hair beginning to show. I pushed like a mad woman. Pretty soon that little black haired head crowned. Janice asked if Chris and I wanted to feel his head. I said no but Chris said ok and then once he did, I did too and said "ew". haha

Then......his head popped out. Janice told me to stop pushing as the cord was wrapped around once, she unwrapped it, pushed one more time and his whole body came out. He came out SCREAMING!

Janice put the most beautiful baby boy on my chest and once I started talking to him, he stopped crying. He stayed on my chest for quite a while, until his cord stopped pulsing. Once it did, she clamped it and Chris cut it. He was then taken over to the warming station to be weighed, measured and what not as I got cleaned up.

What an amazing day/night. We were so happy he was finally here and perfectly healthy and that I got the labor & birthing experience that I wanted.

 7 pounds 6 oz's of perfection

She seriously was AMAZING! I hope to God she delivers our next child. She gave us this little shirt too. SO cute!

Birth Story, Part II

We arrived at the hospital around 8:15pm and the way they do it is that we have to go through the Emergency Room. Stupid, I know; I didn't like it at all especially because it was PACKED!!!

Luckily a lady saw that I was in labor and had us move right into registration so we didn't have to wait. (Thank you again, ma'am!) They had to go over some stuff and have me sign a couple things. I was shaking so badly that I could hardly sign my name but I didn't care what it looked like, they knew it was me. We waited for a wheel chair that I didn't want to ride it. Sitting was very uncomfortable so I told her I would just walk. Nope, nada, they weren't having that.

As we waited for the wheel chair, I rocked and swayed against the wall with the whole ER staring at me. You would have thought I had two heads.

Once we got up to Triage, I had to get into a gown and they again had to ask me a bunch more questions. A few times I would have to just stop talking and breathe through the surges (contractions).

My Midwife, Janice, showed up and checked me. I was still 4 cm's but I was finally 100% effaced. YAY, I was making progress. The Triage was full (it was a full moon) and my birthing room wasn't ready yet so they asked me to walk for an hour in the waiting room. Sure, that sounds fine but little did I know things were just starting to get stronger.

My surges started getting VERY close together, about 1 minuted apart and lasting 50 sec's each. I got the Ipod out and listened to my Hypnobirthing stuff while I walked. I wanted to brush my teeth so my Mom and I headed into the bathroom. I couldn't even get through that without stopping, leaning my head on the counter and breathing. A "wonderful" woman comes in and sees I am in labor and says "ooooh man, do you want me to leave?". I told her no, she did her business, came out and said "Oh back labor is the worst" as my Mom was massaging my lower back. I wanted to yell "GET the F out of here, lady, and leave me alone" but I didn't.

At one point, I said to my Mom and Chris "I can see why people have epidurals". HAHA

Once the hour passed, we got into my room (318) around 10:30. I was immediately hooked up to the monitor to check my surges and Preston's heartrate. The birthing tub that I had asked for was being filled up by the SINK. Yes, the damn sink. So, it wasn't going very fast at all. My Mom had said Preston would be 3 years old before the tub was full.

I labored in bed for about an hour waiting for the tub to fill. Janice came in and was quite angry that it was not filling and said "Ok Stacy, we're getting you up and into the shower. You're going in naked and Chris & Nancy, you're coming with her.". I emptied my bladder first and she tended to my side as a surge came on.

I stood in the shower with warm water  hitting my back while Chris sat on the bench in the back of the shower and my Mom stood outside. My Mom rubbed my lower back for each surge and wow, it was such a relief. I would lean on the railing and Chris's lap during the surges as I swayed, squatted and breathed through them.

I was allowed to stay in the shower for 40 min's then had to get back in bed and have the monitor hooked up for 20 min's. I looked at my Mom and said "I don't know if I can do this any longer." My Mom said that I should see how far along I was at this point before giving up my hope to have an unmedicated birth.

Janice came in, checked me and said I was 7 cm's at which point I said, "Well, I'm not going to get one now then."

After 20 minutes on the monitor I got back in the shower. My Mom was soaked but that didn't stop her from doing her lumbar massage for me.

I rode the surges with my squatting, swaying and breathing and felt like I was having pressure at this point. I got out of the shower and Janice checked me again to tell me I was still at 7 cm's. After being monitored for another 20 minutes, Janice told me to get back in the shower and that if my water hadn't broke after the next 40 minutes, she would break it for me.

Stay tuned for Part III................

Birth Story Part I

Monday, May 16th, I was 41 weeks and had my "week past my due date" appointment scheduled for 3:30.

I woke up Monday morning very unhappy that I had to return to work yet again to hear the wonderful comments made by co-workers and to obviously (or maybe not as obviously as I'd thought) still be pregnant. Co-workers sure can be wonderful, can't they?

I had been having surges aka contractions that morning but nothing too crazy. Around 2pm, they started picking up where I was pretty uncomfortable but still thought nothing of it.

I went to my appointment at 3:30 with Belinda, one of my wonderful Midwives. I wanted her to check me to see if I had progressed since the week before. If you remember, I was only 1cm and 50% effaced. I just knew I had to be more than that. Luckily for me, I was. I was 4cm's and not quite 100% effaced with a bulging bag of water. This almost made me cry. I was fighting back tears.

Belinda then said "ok, hold on" and I knew what was about to come of that statement; stripping of my membranes. If you've never had this done, let me be the one to tell you that it is NOT fun. I yelled "don't do it, Belinda, don't do it" as she was already mid-strip.

She then had me hooked up the Nonstress Test to check the baby and how he was doing when contractions would hit. I got to sit in a, what looked comfy, lazy boy chair for 20 min's. This is where I knew lying on my back would not be an ideal laboring position for me. I was having quite the lower back pain during this 20 minutes.

We were on our way out when I saw my other wonderful Midwife, Janice. Janice hugged me and said "I hope you have drop to your knees contractions and that I see you later tonight."

Little did I know that this would all become so very true.

My Mom and I went to the hospital to visit my friend, Krystel, who had her baby on the 15th. Things really started picking up there. I told Krystel that I hoped to see her later that night or the next morning because I was going to be heading to the hospital soon. We all laughed but little did we know......

My Mom had to drive home as I was getting very uncomfortable. Once I got home, I went straight to the couch, ate some strawberries and pizza and they were both delicious. If I got a surge, I'd go into my hypnobirthing and breathe right through them.

We called Janice, my Midwife on call, at 7:45 letting her know we were heading to the hospital shortly.....

Stay tuned, part II coming up.......

First cry post 40 weeks

I had it today, maybe about 30 minutes ago at 40 weeks 5 days pregnant. You would have thought I'd already done this possibly even more than once.

What made me cry, you ask?!

Well, Chris and I are in a group class at our Midwife's office. These classes are to replace the individual appointments so we wouldn't have to worry about showing up to an appointment and our Midwife being gone to deliver a baby. Luckily, this only happened once during the 9+ months we've been going.

Anyways, in our class we had a total of 6 couples including us. We would start off meeting once a month and then maybe in March, we started going every 3 weeks and in April every 2 weeks.

All the couples were due in April except us and K & C. K & C I believe were due today and I was due on Monday, as you all know.

Chris and I became friends with  K & C; went out to dinner with them one night, I met K for lunch last week thinking I wouldn't be at work this week (we work very close to eachother), and K & I text almost every day asking how each other is doing.

I said to my Mom today, I will just DIE if K has her baby before I do.

Maybe I shouldn't have said that. Maybe I jinxed myself. Maybe Preston really is going to stay in the womb forever.

About 30 minutes ago, I get a text from K that reads something like this "Any chance I will see you at the hospital tonight? I lost my plug and my water broke, well I think it did. I was in the pool when it happened. Called Janice (our MW) and she thinks so too. She said not to come in until 2am if things don't progress quicker than that. I think this little one is on her way."

I swore a little bit, I'm not going to lie. I told Chris and my Mom who text me and what it said. My Mom said, "Go ahead and cry". I replied, " I really want to". She said "It's ok, I don't blame you".

I really tried to keep it in, really I did but then Chris said "Preston will come out soon".

That's when I lost it. I said, "But I don't FEEL like he ever will" and I began to cry.

I want to meet my little boy. I want to kiss him, squeeze him, love him, show him off to the world, brag about him, cry because I am so happy he is mine, smell his sweet skin, inspect every finger and toe.

And all I can do now is ask WHY is God making us wait? My Mom claims it is because I am not patient and the whole learning process through all of this is to gain some patience. However, we all know that I am not patient nor will I ever be when it comes to waiting for things to happen.

I do want to say I am very happy for K & C. For they get to welcome their much awaited bundle of joy into the world today or tomorow. I am just extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeemely envious of them. We talked about being in labor at the same time and it's not looking like that's going to happen. All I can hope for now is that Preston will decide to start things tonight or tomorrow that way we'll at least be in the hospital at the same time.

I just think that sounds really fun!

It's official....I will be pregnant forever

OK, realistically, I won't and I know that but it sure does feel that way.

So, as I was explaining in my last post about seeing my Midwife and possibly having her strip my membranes to get things rolling. Well, she checked me and I was 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. This was progress as the week before I was only a finger tip dilated and my cervix was still long but soft.

She did a little sweep of the membranes because she couldn't get in to do a full sweep. She informed me that I could possibly have a "bloody show" later and that this was normal. Well, she was right. Right before bed I think I lost the rest of my mucus plug and then the bloody show came. It wasn't like a mestrual cycle but more like stale blood; brownish/pinkish in color.

I was SURE things would start after seeing both of these. This was Wednesday (May 11th) evening. I woke up Thursday and went to work and was having some surges that were much different than the days leading up. I thought it was go time. I left work early, around 11am, and went home to rest in case it was the real deal.

Needless to say, it wasn't. This boy is toying with me and I'm starting to really not like it. I got a pedicure hoping that would help, mind you we walked there, then to the grocery store and a walk around the neighborhood followed by bouncing on my exercise ball. All to no avail, he's STILL in my belly and I'm back at work.

So, I officially feel like he will never come out and I will be pregnant forever. I know it's not possible but WHAT.IS.HE.WAITING.FOR?!?!?!?!?!?!

Preston............we are begging you, PLEASE come out!!! Your Mommy, Daddy, big brother Dexter, Grandma, Grandpa, Nana, Papa, cousins, Aunts, Uncles and friends are all DYING to see you!

Just waiting.....

Here I am at 40 weeks and 2 days still waiting for this little boy to come into the world. I honestly did not think that I would go past my due date. I thought I would have had him in the 39^th week. Why you ask? I really can’t give you a reason, just a feeling that apparently was wrong. Haha

Sunday, the day before I hit 40 weeks, I started having surges (aka contractions for those not familiar with Hypnobirthing) and we started timing them and they were about 6 minutes apart. We decided that it would be best if I went to bed to get some rest as I was exhausted. When I woke up, they continued but as the day went on, they weren’t getting any worse and not really time-able.  I called in to work too thinking we’d have a Due Date baby, which doesn’t happen very often. We were wrong.

I returned back to work yesterday and I was miserable. People kept saying “no baby? I thought for sure you were having him yesterday”, “you’re STILL here” (obviously, you moron), “what are you doing here?” etc. I was getting VERY annoyed so I popped in my new relaxation CD that I had gotten from Target a couple days before and ignored everyone because otherwise I may have done physical damage to someone.....

I started timing my surges but then I’d get distracted by work or a meeting or something so I stopped for a while. After lunch I started again and I had 4 in a row that were only 2 minutes apart and lasting less than 1 minute and definitely stronger than the ones I was having on Sunday and Monday. I for sure thought it was going to lead to active labor that night and a baby today.

HA, again, I was wrong. This boy is testing me. Or God is, not sure which one it is but I’m really not liking it.

I went for a walk around the neighborhood after dinner and bounced on my exercise ball while watching The Biggest Loser and The Voice.

I woke up this morning with the same surges as yesterday. I am not timing them as I feel like that gets my hopes up. I’m listening to my relaxation CD again and just looking forward to my appointment later today with Belinda.

Belinda is one of the two Midwives at the office I go to. I love her. She’s from England and has a very strong accent. She’s loud and boisterous and really loves her patients. She comes in and sits down and spends time with me like I’m one of her friends. My Mom was even shocked by it. I’m really really reaaaaaally hoping that she’s the one on call when I finally go into labor. I think she would push me past when I think I can’t go any further.

I will have her check me to see how dilated I am (and it better be more than a fingertip like I was last Monday) and if I am more dilated I will ask her what her thoughts are on stripping my membranes. She offered last week but I quickly refused as I was too scared but we’re getting desperate. My Mom has been here for 1 week and 1 day from NY waiting for the arrival of her first Grand baby. I feel bad that she’s wasting time when she and I could both be home with my little boy. I don’t want to be induced for many reasons so if I can do this to help jumpstart things, I may just go that route.

Stay tuned……………

40 weeks = REALLY?!?!

How have I been feeling?... Annoyed, frustrated, etc. I want Preston to come out so we can meet him. I want to stop working, I can't handle the comments I am getting from people at work. (ie: "You're still here?", "You haven't popped him out yet?", "Wasn't your due date yesterday?", "Why are you still at work?", etc, etc.)

Physically, I am exhausted but that's about it. I started having contractions on Sunday and they were 6 minutes apart so we thought it was the real deal but it wasn't. BOO!

What am I looking forward to?... need I say anything more than..... HAVING THIS BABY!!!!

Any weight gain?... No idea, it's the last thing on my mind at this point.

How big is baby?.... It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.

How is my body changing??... Only getting bigger by the moment. lol

Health?... Great. No complaints!

Cravings?... Anything that I shouldn’t be eating…..not good!

Food Aversions?... Nothing.

New Sensation?... Contractions that are apparently false labor. We really had our hopes up he was going to come on his due date. Lets hope he comes ANY day now.

Next appointment?... Tomorrow and I'm seriously considering letting my Midwife strip my membranes to get this show on the road. I just don't want my Mom wasting her time here waiting around for him to come. She has to get back to NY to her part-time job and her life.....wish she could stay forever though. :-(

Here are my pictures and I hope they are the LAST of them....

39 Weeks

How have I been feeling?... Very good, actually. This past weekend I relaxed quite a bit which helped the swelling in my feet drastically disappear. Sometimes I feel like I'm 39 weeks but at other times, I don't.

What am I looking forward to?... TOMORROW!!! My Mom is finally coming! YAY! And then after tomorrow, I cannot WAIT for the day this little boy is born! I will be exhausting all avenues after tomorrow night to get him out. lol

Any weight gain?... Since last week, I don't believe so. YAY!

How big is baby?.... Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

Researchers have theorized that when babies are ready to be born, they send a chemical signal of androgens to the placenta, which increases the production of estrogen and leads to labor. If so, it's proof of the old saying that "only a baby knows when it's ready to be born."

How is my body changing??... Don't be surprised if you get discouraged now. Relatives may be calling regularly to find out if labor has started. Ignore them and make plans every day—see a movie, take a walk, read or simply lounge around at home. Relish this peaceful time while it lasts! To get some relief from your weight and aches, do plenty of hands-and-knees cat stretches and pelvic tilts. Soak in a warm bath, swim, or just float in the pool to take a break from gravity

Health?... Great. No complaints!

Cravings?... Anything that I shouldn’t be eating…..not good!

Food Aversions?... Nothing.

New Sensation?... Nothing new....constant peeing, some contractions, swollen feet, etc. lol

Next appointment?... Thursday to keep an eye on my blood pressure to make sure it doesn't go up. It's not high but since I have protein in my urine and swollen feet, they want to monitor my BP to ensure I don't get Pre-Eclampsia, which you can read about here.

Yesterday, we did a belly cast. I got SO hot while doing it, I thought I was going to pass out, no joke. Luckily that didn't happen but I can't wait to sand it down a little and make it look pretty so I can hang it in his room!

Last week at our group class, the NP ordered a 24 hour urine sample and some blood work. Well, I collected my urine all day on Sunday (yesterday) and then headed to the hospital today to give them some blood. When I had my 39 week appointment today, I was told my results came back fine. YAY! No Pre-Eclampsia. That made me very happy.

And my weekly pictures..............

                                                              Those aren't stretch marks. Not sure why it looks that way.

My Birthplan

Ok, this is my plan. I know things can change and I'm sure something will change but these are the steps I have in order to help me through my birthing experience as painlessly and enjoyable as possible.

Hospital Admissions

• To be assigned a nurse who is partial to un-medicated birthing.
• To self-hydrate and decline routine IV prep upon admission.
• Natural means of inducement, moving to minimum does of artificial induction only if medically urgent.
• To have subdued lighting, music and quiet tones in birthing room.
• To have only intermittent monitoring (EFM) or FHR after the mandatory twenty-minute strip at admission.
• To have pictures and/or video
• To have telephone calls relayed to our room only after the baby has been born.

To have the following persons present during my birthing:

• My husband
• My Mom

During labor

• To have everyone be as quiet and calm as possible.
• To have the lights dimmed.
• To have as few interruptions as possible.
• Internal monitoring only in the event of medical urgency.
• Nutritional snacking.
• Freedom to walk and move.
• To change positions and assume labor positions of choice.
• Minimal number of vaginal exams – with permission.
• To use natural stimulation – nipple stimulation- in the event of a slow or resting labor.
• To be fully apprised and consulted before the introduction of any medical procedure –augmentation , membrane stripping.
• To enjoy the shower as needed along with the birthing ball.
• For pain relief, I’d like to use breathing techniques, massage or hypnosis.

During birth:

• To assume a birthing position of choice.
• Perinatal massage of perineum if necessary to avoid episiotomy.
• Episiotomy only if necessary and only after discussion.
• Complete birthing before suctioning baby’s nose and throat.
• Videotaping or pictures of birth.

After birth:

• Please let the cord stop pulsing before cutting
• Put baby to Mom’s chest right away
• Let Dad cut the cord
• Do bathing & testing with Dad watching
• NO Hep B vaccine
• NO Erythromycin
• Please allow breastfeeding as soon as possible
• Please do not allow any other visits until breastfeeding has been established
• To allow placenta to come out on its own…NO pitocin unless medically necessary

If a C-section is necessary, I would like:

• To make sure all other options have been exhausted
• To stay conscious
• My Husband to remain with me the entire time
• The surgery explained as it happens
• My husband to hold the baby as soon as possible
• To breastfeed in the recovery room