Thread: April 07 Birth Stories!

Happy Easter ladies!!!!! I came home today with my little "easter bunny"...she's sooo cuddley!

Here's my story:
I arrived at the hosital thursday night to receive my IV antibiotics since I was GBS +...at my OB appt earlier that morning I was almost 4cm so my midwife said I was "ready"....I got to the hospital at 12:30am and was hooked up to the monitor and IV. Throughout the night I felt a lot of what I thougth were BH contractions. Well......at 7am I immediately felt the most strongest contraction ever. They hit me instantly. I called for the nurse and of course if was change of shift...I was gripping the bed rails in PAIN! (Now, originally the plan was for me to get pitocin after 7am to kick start my abor) but THANK GOODNESS it started on it's own. I was soo happy I was already in the hospital because I probably wouldn't have made it if I were home. The contractions started at 7am and I delivered her 2 1/2 hours later.

My midwfie had just came in and was so happy that I started laboring on my own. I immediately asked for an epi.....it hurt soo bad. The Doc came in and gave me the epi and it felt great! I progressed to 10 cm by 9:15 am and started pushing. The pressure was unbearable. Finally after about four long pushes, Sophia entered the world!!She had the cord wrapped around her neck twice!!! The midwife was very concerned because her heart rate drooped really low. She came out blue and was brought over to the exam table for oxygen. Soon she pinked up and cryed..I started bawling!!!!

Sophia was born at 9:49 am weighing 7 lb 11oz and is 21" long. She is such a wonderful baby. I am feeling a bit sore, but made it through with no epis or stitches, thank goodness!!!!!


I will post pics soon....I just got home from the hospital......

Alyssa Lee Ruggiero
Birth Date: April 3rd,2007
Time: 4:23 AM
Weight: 9lbs, 6oz.
Length: 20 Inches

I woke up on Monday morning(my due date) to some pretty bad cramping, that I assumed to just be some really bad braxton hicks contractions because they were'nt really regular and Id been having some pretty bad braxton hicks recently. After getting my shower and having some breakfast, I went to the bathroom and noticed that I was having bloody show. I was pretty excited to see this, but I didnt want to get my hopes up. My husband was at the store picking some things up and after he was done, he was going to visit a friend of his that lives about an hour and a half away. I decided that Id better call him and have him come home just in case it was the real thing. While I was waiting for him to get home, I strated having really painful, regular contractions. I was timing them at 4 minutes apart and lasting for about 60 seconds. I then decided to call my doctors. They had me go into the office to be examined and monitored once my husband got home. When they examined me, I was 90% effaced and 2-3 cm's dilated. I was on the monitor for a little bit and definitely having real contrations. My doctor said that I was definitely in labor and told me to go home and grab my bags because I was going to the hospital to have my baby! Yay, it was finally time!!!
I went home, got a quick shower, ate and grabbed my bags. When we got to the hospital, I was 100% effaced and 4cm's dilated. The nurse asked me if I wanted anything for the pain. I really didnt want to get the epidural and decided that if I could handle it, I would just take demerol or stadol. At that point, I was in pretty bad pain, so I decided to get some stadol. The stadol really helped me deal with the pain for about an hour and then the pain was back and stronger than ever. They examined me again about 3 hours later and I hadnt progressed at all. At this point, I was in so much pain that I just couldnt take it anymore, so I gave in and got the epidural. The epidural immediately took my pain away and relaxed me so much. They started me on pitocin at this point hoping that things would progress. About 3 more hours passed and I was examined again. I still hadnt progressed at all. Another 3 hours passed and still nothing. 4 hours later, my doctor came in the room and told me that the baby's heart rate was dropping significantly after every contration and because I had made no progression even after the pitocin that I would have to have a c-section because they beleived that the baby might be too large to fit through my birth canal. I was really scared now, but knew that this would be the best thing to do for the baby.
When they were wheeling me in to get my c-section, I was really terrified. My mind was racing. It was really hard for me to calm down. When they were done prepping me, my husband was allowed to come in. I held his hand the entire time and kept trying to focus on him. I dont think I have ever been so scared in my entire life. My whole body was trembling, which they told me was completely normal.
Suddenly, I heard Alyssa crying. All of my fears and worries vanished and turned to happiness. I cryed because of how happy I was. I hadnt even seen her yet, but I loved her more than anything in the world! I heard my doctor saying, wow that is a big girl! I was wondering how big she could be. They weighed her and told me 9 pounds and 6 ounces. I was in shock because at my last prenatal visit, my doctor had estimated her weight to be around 6-7 pounds. She told me that she didnt expect me to have a big baby. Boy, was she off! All of the doctors from my obgyn's office were very surprised. My husband was able to bring Alyssa over to me for a few minutes before I went to the recovery room. She was such a cutie! I couldnt beleive how adorable she was! I was so in love with her right away!!!
I was in the recovery room for quite a while. They kept asking me if I could wiggle my toes, but I definitely couldnt. I asked how long it usually took for other people to start wiggling their toes and I was told about an hour. I started worrying that I was gonna be parilyzed from the waist down. I worry way too much!!! About two hours passed and finally I was able to get the slightest movement out of my toes. I was then trasferred to my post partum suite and shortly after, they bought Alyssa to me.
The first 24 hours following the c-section were the most painful. Im still in pain now, but it is definitely getting much better every day. Im just so glad that my husband stayed with me the entire time that I was in the hospital. We came home on Friday. Alyssa went to her 48 hour checkup at the pediatrician on Easter morning. She is doing great!!! We go back to the pediatrician on the 16th. Boy, being a new mom is so much work, but definitely well worth every second of it!

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:48 am Post subject: Finally my birth story

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I had to be at the hospital at 5am. My induction was supposed to begin at 5:30 but the baby would not cooperate for the monitor so my induction didn't begin untill 7:30. Well we went through all the usual stuff. The Dr. checked me at 11:00 and I was 1 maybe 2 cm. Then again at 1:08 I was 4 cm. Well at about 2:15 I told the nurse uhoh uhoh. She said don't say that. She checked and I was 10 cm. She told me not to push let her get the Dr. (he was across the parking lot) I said ok then a ciouple of minutes later I said uhoh uhoh. My husband said uh we need a nurse over here
and Connor actually fell out I did not push at all. The Dr. then walked in like 60 seconds later. Connor weighed 4 lbs 7 oz. 18 in. long. He didn't need any oxygen. We went home when he was 48 hours old.

Nora Ann
April 5, 2007
9lbs 4oz
21 1/4"
9:58 pm

Here's my story:

I went in last Wed, Apr 4th for an appt. she stripped my membranes again and my TMI, my plug came out with her hand. So she said labor was definately coming for me that night. She sent us home for 2 hours and wanted us back at her office at 7 pm. We set up Reilly at the sitters overnight and went back. I was having contrax by then, so she sent us to walk the local mall until 9:30 ot until the contrax were 5 minutes apart or under. They quickly got to 4 min. so at 830 I was admitted to the hospital. She had me walk a lot there, and to no avail they wouldn't progress. She broke my water at 5 am on the 5th, and they still didn't progress, so at noon on the 5th she started pictosin. She told them no to go above 10 on the drip. Around 8 or so I got and intrathecal, the prick Dr, missed the first 2 tries, it was agony, I just sobbed uncontrolably. He was so insensitive. WHen that finally worked the contrax wouldn't get any closer together and I was only at 6 cm. That was around 8 pm. THe doc came in and told me that I should have progressed from my 4 cm at least one an hour, I had gone only 3 in 4 hours. She said we could elect for a c-sect now or she would let me go 3 more hours then order me into a c-sect. I talked it over with Dh and after 30 some odd hours of labor, we decided that a safe baby was the most important thing. Something was obviously wrong that I wasn't dialating. The baby was also extremely high. We opted for the c-section. The jerk anesthesiologist came back and gave me a spinal, I almost cried when I saw it was him again, totally nice and nailed it in the first try this time, thank goodness. I think the nurse told him he was out of line after the first time. He was super good to me in the OR too.
Nora was born at 9:58pm. I puked before and twice during the c-sect, from the first intrathecal, and from being exhauseted. I was so tired I could barely hold on to see what she was. As soon as Dh and the nurses left to take her to the nursery, I passed out cold the rest of my surgery. I didn't get to hold her until 2am. I didn't trust my tired self. In the end I would have done it all over again.
After the surgery we found out that if we had waited and tried those 3 more hours, I would have ended up in an emergency c-sect. There was no way she could have been born vaginally. Nora's head was crooked, she never engaged in the birth canal. All 30 hours of my contractions were just beating her and my uterus up. The doctor said my uterus was a total bruise and extremely overstretched from all the contrax. I just thank God for a healthy baby and that we decided to go with the c-section when we did. I feel good about my experience. I did everything in my power to bring her here naturally first. Everything the doctor told me to. My OB also said that she would have no problem letting me try for a vbac if we decide to go for 3. There was no lasting damage done to my system. So that made me happy. I can say, that this recovery has been very hard, as opposed to the vaginal birth I had with Reilly. Still worth it!

heres my birth story which is nothing like i expected it to be.

I walked all over the place last week even til the day i was in labor.

April 9- at around 11am I went to use the bathroom and saw mucus come out. it looked like snot and that never happened to me before. so i put on a panty liner and went on my merry way. I went to the bakery to get some snacks, went to burger king, walked around a little bit looking at clothes and whatnot.

9pm- time to go to walmart to buy some bras. I just needed some. I got those and got home at around 1030pm.

April 10
3am- I had never felt a contraction before but from 3am-430am I was having some crazy contractions. now those are painful. every 6 mins. dbf was getting ready for work at 430am and saw how much pain i was in but i didnt want to really show how much pain i was in. he asked me if i wanted to go to his brother and sis in laws house. and i said no because i just didnt want to do anything but scream!! then i got up and went because I would be alone if I didn't go over there.
5am- got to his bros house and he dropped me off. as soon as he leaves i try to sleep but the contractions go from 6 mins to 3 mins. i called him 10 mins after he dropped me off and said TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL NOW !! he wasa nervous wreck. But we got there at 6am.

So when I get to the hospital they made me sign papers because it wasnt my hospital and they didnt know anything about me. i had my handy dandy medical records with me. I got on the bed at 7 and they asked me if i wanted an epidural or pain medication. i said no epidural. clearly not smart. i almost ended up breaking the bars on the bed. I was having contractions still after the pain medication and yelled GIMME THE EPIDURAL NOW !! after that i was in sweet heaven. By 1230 I was 6 cm. When I got there I was 100% effaced and 2cm dilated. When they checked me at 430 I was still 6cm. The pitocin wasnt working or anything. I was just getting a really swollen left leg that i couldnt move. The doctor came and said that they were going to have to perform an emergency c section bc i was not dilating. He even gave me a little while longer hoping I would dilate but that didnt work. I had a fever and the baby did as well so they had to get him out. I was petrified of a csection. They did it though and he came out in 10 mins !! 7lbs 9 oz. 21 inches on April 10, 2007 at 520pm. I wanted to hold him but I couldnt because i was cut open and strapped down. I wasnt disappointed bc i couldnt have a natural delivery but im glad i overcame the csection which is the reason why my abdomen is killing me now !!! It was such a great experience. CHILDBIRTH IS THE MOST AMAZING THING IN THIS WORLD. But I dont think I can do it again. But it was a wonderful experience.

One more thing i had to mention. the doctors examined my placenta and the umbilical cord and found an infection in them both. Because of this they have to treat the baby for 7 days with antibiotics and he has to stay at the hospital. I was really sad and down because I wanted to take him home. We were both doing so well in the hospital recovering. I got that news the day before we were supposed to get discharged. I was discharged yesterday and I came back and stood with him until 2am. I bf him and he breastfeeds like a champ !! I'm proud of him. I know I won't be able to bring him home for a week but he's a strong little man and I know everything will be fine.



ill post more pics soon !!


IM SO HAPPY ITS OVER !! && I ADORE YOU LADIES !!

Luke's here!!

My water broke (with an unmistakable GUSH) at 2:36 a.m. on Monday, April 9. Despite wanting to labor at home for as long as possible, we were advised to head in to the hospital around 8 a.m. (We had to jump the car because DH accidentally left the lights on when he went out to get the car "ready" at 3 a.m... oops!)

I was crampy an contracting irregularly when we got there, and my contractions picked up steam for a few hours... and then they petered out. That happened a few times before we decided to try Cervadel (sp?) to ripen my cervix. When that didn't accelerate labor and dilate me past 2 cm (about 24 hours in), we bit the bullet and put in the Pitocin IV. I wasn't thrilled because that meant I needed constant monitoring, but at least I could still get up and move around through my contractions. My DH was amazing about supporting me (physically and emotionally) through hours and hours of contractions. My doula was also fabulous, by the way. I never would have made it without her.

After over 40 hours of labor, I accepted a half-dose of Nubane so I could try to get some sleep. I "slept" for about two hours, but woke with each contraction and I kept thinking I had to pee. Trying to use the toilet was miserable. While I was asleep, they doubled my pitocin dose and I dilated to 8 cm. Although my water had already broken, the doctor had to break my "forewaters" twice.

After about 47 hours, I was dilated enough to start pushing. I wasn't ever fully at 10, but I insisted I wanted to push, and the doctor said my cervix was soft enough that she could hold it open for the baby's head while I pushed. What a sensation... pushing while the doctor held my cervix open. Good lord.

So anyway, I pushed for more than 5 1/2 hours, and I was SO exhausted. I was sure I'd never get him out. I screeched a lot more than I thought I would, and I think I swore like a sailor, but I did it! Luke was finally born after 51.5 hours of labor. I had a second degree tear (no epi), so I have a few stitches, but nothing major.

He was only 7 lbs 12 oz (after all that worry that he was going to be huge), and 20.5 inches long. He's beautiful, wonderful, perfect, and he's going to be an only child!!!

We're home now, and he's ready to eat (as usual!), so thanks for all your support, ladies!

Helaina Ember Geoffroy Born 2:04 pm 4/11/07 at 37 wks 1 day
9 lbs 4 ozs 20 1/2 inches Head 14 1/2 inches Chest 14 1/4 inches

I went to my Doc's appt at 10:15 am on Tuesday, April 10th for my 37th week checkup. BP was a little elevated and I still had notable edema. Weight gain was up only 1 lb.

Fundal Height:
32 wks - 34 cm
34 wks - 37 cm
35 wks - 38 cm (u/s showed baby weighing 7 lbs 6 ozs)
36 wks - 40 cm
37 wks - 42 cm

I was now measuring 6 wks ahead in fundal height. Doc was getting concerned about baby's weight. My first baby weighed 8 lbs 13 ozs and my second baby weighed 8 lbs 15 ozs, both were born on their EDD's. My third baby, born at 38 wks, weighed 7 lbs 12 ozs. So we knew that I make big babies

We discussed the pros and cons of inducing at 37 wks gestation and the concern about mature lungs. I had been having pelvic pain and every step was hurting now for several weeks. He checked my cervix and I was 1 cm, 50% effaced, and high.

We decided to induce that day. He had me check in the hospital at 5 pm so that he could meet me at 5:30 pm and put Cytotec near my cervix. Well he forgot he had a meeting at 5:30 pm and then he went out to dinner with his wife and kids. The OB nurses paged him around 7pm since he had not shown up yet

He showed up to the hospital at 7:45 pm and checked me and I was now at 2 cms. He inserted the Cytotec and joked and said that maybe we'd have a baby by midnight or around 2 or 3 am.

Contractions started about 8:30 pm and were coming at 3 mins. apart. The nurse checked me at 10 pm and said no change in cervix. She checked me at midnight and said that I was still 2 cms and about 75% effaced. She told me that she'd give me a Benadryl to help me sleep and would start me on pitocin by 6 am. I continued to have contractions all night and I got about 1 1/2 hours of sleep.

The Doc came in about 8 am and broke my water and checked and I was completely effaced and 3 cms and said maybe baby between 10 am and Noon. I was checked at Noon and I was 4cms and they could feel the baby's head. The nurses said that once I hit 5 cms they expected me to go fast.

Finally around 1:30 pm, I started feeling lot's of pressure and contractions every minute or so. They called the Doc back and they started letting me push about 1:50 pm. DH said that he heard the Doc whispering to the nurses. The Doc said that the baby head was stuck against the anterior lip of the cervix. They had me pushing with all I could. Finally her head cleared the cervix and she was born at 2:04 pm. I did not have any tears, just a few skid marks. The only pain meds I have was one shot of Stadol to take the edge off.

My DH, Grandmother, and Mother was in the room with me. Grandma later told me that the Doc was down on his knees trying to pull the baby out when she was stuck. She was a little bluish when she came out and had apgars of 7 & 9.

We stayed in the hospital for the standard 24 hours, but they offered a little longer if I wanted due to being 37 wks gestation. The Doc told me that he was glad that we induced when we did since she was getting so big. I probably would have ended up with a c/s if I went to much longer, or if they have trouble with the baby's shoulders getting stuck, the Doc said that sometimes they have to break a baby's collar bone to get them out and perform a 4th degree episiotomy on the mother. (Yuck, cutting perinium from front to back).

We are home now and she is doing great! I love her so much and I am so glad that she is here and she is healthy!

Doc holding baby up


Mom holding baby


Mom and 3 daughters

Emma Nicole has arrived! (took me awhile to get here!)

She joined us in the world on Monday, April 9th at 12:24pm
She weighed 7 lbs .1 oz, and was 19 1/2" long
She is absolutely perfect in every way!
We are so completely and utterly in love with this lil bundle, which we call our Emma Bean.

To make a loooong story shortish:
My waters broke at 7:45pm Easter Sunday. It was weird because we were on our way out the door of the inlaws after Easter dinner, and I was talking to my BIL about pregnancy, and he was telling me how my SIL didn't know whether her water broke. Well as the conversation ended, we walked out the door to leave and my water broke! (I wasn't sure at the time, though, as just a little leaked out) We went to the hospital, and sure enough, they had broken! I was put in a labor room right then. They started Pitocin around midnight. The contractions started shortly thereafter, and got more and more painful until I got an epidural at 6:00am. It seemed like I wasn't progressing at all, staying at 2 cm dialated but fully thinned out, until all of a sudden I was 5 cm! It went pretty quickly after that! It was pretty painful. I guess I thought an epidural was supposed to blot out all pain, and I'd just feel pressure, but it did hurt! I remember the nurse once asking if I felt the need to push yet, and I thought, "No. Should I? How will I know?". And then sure enough, the next contraction I knew it, without a doubt! I HAD to push! It went so quick I think the nurse thought I was nuts. I had to make her check my dialation again, and yes, I was ready to go. I pushed through a couple contractions and the doctor was called. I went so fast they had me breathe through some contractions and NOT push while we waited for the doc, which was horrible, but I made it! I ended up pushing through about 8 contractions total, and my little bean was born! It was the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced. Feeling her leave my body and join me in my arms is just such a wonderful memory. I love her so much, and it would be worth all the pain and agony in the world to do it again.

Here are some pictures.
Sorry they're huge (and so many!).

Good luck to all you ladies in waiting, and congratulations to all the new mommies!

Me, and Emma, a few moments old...

Dad and the Bean

Emma

Emma - how convenient I was trying to capture her crazy hair and she gave me a smile! makes me giggle every time I see this pic...

Emma and Me enjoying a nap

Ok, I am going to try and get this down as quickly as I can.

I had an incoordinate labour that had to be augmented. It started Saturday night with horrible pains in my belly that I thought were gas. They were so bad that I couldn't get to sleep until almost 6am Sunday morning. At 11am I Rob's mum came round. I had had a few hours sleep but was still in bed at this stage. After a couple of minutes I thought I had better do the right thing but as I went to get out of bed I felt a small gush of fluid come out and noticed I had pink fluid running down my leg. I waited for MIL to leave then went to bathroom to check. I had a bloody show and within half an hour started to loose mucus plug. I went and told DBf he wouldn't be playing golf after all.

I went into the hospital that afternoon and they confirmed my waters had broken (it was very obvious at that stage - when trying to get a urine sample I kept getting a cup full of fluid instead.) The monitors showed all was fine with bubs so I was sent home and given till 7.15 am Mon morning to start proper labour on my own. Contractions started getting regular overnight and by 5am next morning were 4min apart so went in. I was having them every couple of minutes on drive in but as soon as we got there they slowed right down and got weaker.

I was cheched and was completely effaced but on 3cm dialated. Because my waters had broken over 18hrs before I had to have antibiotics. I was left to try and progress on my own.

By 11am I was having 4-5 contractions every 10 minutes but they still weren't strong. They checked me and I was 5 cm (had taken 4 hrs to dialate 2 cm). It was decided to augment the labour so I was given syntocinin (sp?) - meant I was hooked up to a drip and monitors from this point on.

Over the next couple of hours the contractions got worse but would not get regular so they kept upping the dosage. At this point I still didn't think it was that bad. The midwives kept bringing people in to watch me cos I had set myself up a little table and was doing the crossword puzzle. They said I just didn't look like I was in labour even though contrax were measuring big.

At some point in the afternoon we went from woah to go with contrax starting to come much quicker. I was only just under a minute break between them. At this point I hadn't had any pain relief and didn't really feel like any either. I had been getting some back labour so decided to jump in the bath to see if that would help things.

The second I got in the water my contrax started coming one of each other. I asked for some gas but I had already been feeling nauseous and that combined with no break between contrax (so almost continously sucking on gas) made me feel even worse.) I decided I needed to push and got the midwives to come help me out of the bath.

Back in the room I was checked again (5.5 hrs after last check and after almost 3 hrs of constant contrax) and I had only dilated to 7cm. Before they checked me they had thought I must have been ready to push so had said no to pethidine or any other drugs. After they checked me the midwife recommended pethidine which made me upset as I knew then they didn't think baby would be here for at least another couple of hours. At that point I pretty much cracked it. I hadn't had a break from contrax in a few hrs, I hadn't slept for 2 full nights and I kept hearing other people coming in and having their babies then leaving while I was still there.

The pethidine pretty much competely knocked me around. It took another couple of hrs during which we tried numerous positions to try and make things more comfortable and help with progressing. I was having wicked back pains (he turned twice during the labour, first from anterior to posterior, then back towards anterior at the last minute.) Finally I was allowed to push, and wouldn't you know it, after having costant contrax in the lead up my contrax completely stopped at this point. We waited for awhile but nothing happened so I pushed him out without contractions.

At 5.30pm on Monday 16 April Hayden William was born weighing 7lb 8.5 oz. He had the cord wrapped round his neck but still started crying the second his mouth was free (his had wasn't even completely out yet). I got a 1st degree perineal tear and two bilateral labia grazes that all required stitches. I had to stay hooked up to the drip for another hour after he was born and then went I got up I had a massive blood loss and they thought I was going to need a transfusion so I had to go back to bed for a while longer. In the end decided transfusion wasn't necessary.

We were in hospital till Wednesday afternoon (could have come home earlier but waited to have photos done). He's breastfeeding well, but he keeps pullinghis tongue back when he sucks so I have some blistering on my nipples. He does it when he sucks on his hands too (which he does a lot cos he gets bad wind and doesn't like to give it up.) Midwives think it was probably a habit he got into when inside. He also doesn't sleep a lot at this stage - is very alert and awake a lot. He put on 110grams his first 36 hours at home though, so he certainly isn't struggling.

Sorry guys, I just noticed her length was wrong. Nora was 21 1/4", not 20 1/4". Thanks.