Introductions ... Share your C-Section story

<center>Welcome to the C-Section Support board!
Take a few minutes and introduce yourself- Tell us who you are, where you live, and of course - about your children. Also, take a few minutes and share your c-section experience. </center>


Hi guys, I'm Karen - moderator to the C/Section support board. I'm 24 and mommy to two little guys. Alexander, my oldest at 2.5, was born via c-section after 14 hours of labor. Andrew, my baby boy, was born via scheduled repeat c-section nearly 5 months ago. I've been married to my DH for just about 3 years, and I work as a Nursing Assistant in a long-term care facility (and will be going back to school to finish my nursing degree). Here are my stories:

My first c-section: April 10, 2002. After 14 hours of labor, we agree to a c/s. The baby's heartrate wasn't stable during contrax and though I fully dilated and effaced, they didn't think either of us would make it through pushing. My epidural from labor had been tapered off, and they did not believe me when I said I could feel everything. I experienced my first c-section without any anthesia. I had a panic attack as soon as the baby was born, because of the immense pain I was in - and was immediately put under a general anethesia so the OBs could close me up. I woke up about 4.5 hours later, totally drugged, not remembering the surgery and not knowing what had happened with the baby (we did not know the gender with our first).

My second c-section: August 11, 2004. After 3 days of contractions, I stalled at 2 CM. Later, we discovered that his head was wedged at a weird angle in my pelvis, and that is why we had troubles. I agree to a repeat c/s, and we schedule it for the following day. Much more relaxed, definitely an easygoing experience. Had a Spinal Block for the surgery, and was completely numb from the chest down. Made jokes with the OB and nursing staff during the surgery. Watch the baby being pulled out, and my DH cut the cord. Saw Andrew before they took him to be weighed and cleaned off. As they started to close, I panicked again slightly, which my OB later informed me happens quite frequently because apparently they lift the entire uterus out of your abdomen to sew it properly. (TMI, anyone?) Was in recovery and awake w/in 30 minutes of the surgery. Stood up and moved to a recliner after 4 hours. The catheter was pulled first thing the following day, and I was up walking immediately after that.

I still experience negative feelings towards the births, since I did not deliver vaginally, but at the same time, am starting to realize that without the c-sections, I would not have either of my beautiful little boys. :)

Welcome to the board - I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you!

I'm Tara (22), dh is Mike (26), and our little angel is Caitlin (almost 11 months). We live in a small town in Wisconsin and have been married for two years and almost 4 months.

(I was just going to copy my original birth story, but realized I should probably lead up to that day)

Exactly a week before Caitlin was born, I started having problems. On January 3, 2004 (a Saturday) we had a Christmas party with my dad's side of the family. It was late when we left so Mike and I went straight home. I can't remember the exact times here, but I know we headed right to bed because it had been a long day. Again, I don't know what time it was in the morning, but very early in the morning I woke up unable to breath, with horrible pains in the upper part of my stomach, and feeling like I was going to be sick (not a pleasant combination, let me tell you). I ran out of bad and sat myself in front of the toilet. I never threw up, but felt like I was about to several times. After about five or ten minutes, I picked myself up off the floor (at this point I was in severe pain and having trouble getting around) and dragged myself back to our bed. By the time I got back into bed, I was in tears. Mike had woken up when I jumped out of bed and so when I came back in tears he asked what was wrong. I told him that I didn't know, but that I couldn't breath and that I hurt...A LOT. He asked if we needed to call the doctor, I said no (as dumb as it sounds, I was always scared to call the doctor incase there was bad news...), and then he asked if there was anything he could do. I told him I didn't know (at this point I'm sobbing). I got back out of bed and he helped me run a hot bath and get into the tub (I had read somewhere that warm baths help with your stomach cramps up, so I figured it would be worth a shot). I stayed in that tub until I looked like a prune. While I was in there, it did help ease the pain, so I thought it was okay to get out. Boy was I wrong. As soon as I was out and dried off, the pain was back and I could barely stand up straight. I didn't know what to do, so we just went back to bed and eventually the pain lessened and I got a few hours of sleep. The next day I seemed to be fine, so I just ignored it.

During the next week of work, I went home twice and called in one night (I was on third shift) because of the same problems (the first night I had to go home, it was so bad that Mike had to drive me home..we work at the same place). After the first night of having to go home, I called the doctor and explained what had happened to them. Instead of seeing me to make sure everything was okay, they said that the shortness of breath was probably just due to the baby pushing up into my ribs. They said that if I started running a fever, to call them back and they would get me in. Now, even though they didn't seem worried, I knew something wasn't right..especially when it continued to happen.

Oh before I go on, I need to note that at that time we were working 6 and 7 days a week.

So, the Friday before Caitlin was born, we worked that night. I was usually was just seated in a chair at the end of the production line (we work in a factory) because I was on restricted duty due to earlier back pain (my job requires a lot of lifting and I tend to lift 800 to 1000lbs a night). Well that night I was bored and they were having a little trouble in another spot. So I decided that since all I had to do was stand there and fix rows of cookies that came down the line, I figured I could help out. The whole time I was there, people kept checking on me. The supervisor came over several times to make sure I was okay and would ask if I wanted a chair to sit on or anything. And then the lady running the wrapper (the thing that puts the cookies into packages) was always checking too. At one point during the night she said something about how I needed to take it easy because she didn't want that baby born on the production line (let me tell you, she got crap for that one when I finally saw her again..LOL). We finished work at 7am and then headed home to get a little nap in before the baby shower (our baby shower was at 2:00pm on January 10 (that Saturday). Mike and I both had vacation in for that night, so we weren't too worried about getting tons of sleep.

So we got up at about noon and got ready to go. We met my mom at the church (where the shower was taking place) at about 1:00pm or so and helped set things up (even though I still wasn't allowed to do much). Guests started arriving a little after 2:00pm and the shower got started. They started out with a couple games and then took a break for some food. Mike and I had barely gotten to eat anything when they decided that we should open our presents since some people had to get going soon. That really wasn't a big deal to us, we figured we will just eat as we open (I didn't get much of anything to eat..which wasn't real nice..lol). So we proceded to open gifts. We got to our last gift (this is probably around 4:00pm or so). It was a stroller/carseat combo from Mike's parents (we only knew that because they told us what they were getting a long time before that). As I squatted down to unwrap it, I felt the strangest sensation. It was kind of a 'plop' feeling. Kind of like if you were getting your period or something. It's hard to explain. Even though I really had no idea what it was, I knew I needed to leave the room (keep in mind our birthing classes weren't scheduled until the following Saturday..). I started to back up and my mom gave me a weird look and asked were I was going. I looked at her, lowered my voice, and said "I think my water broke". She gave me this horrified/shocked look and said "what?!" I repeated myself and we left for the bathroom..without saying a word to anyone..even my poor husband (I didn't want to freak him out incase it was nothing). We weren't even down the hall when my mom looked at me and said 'oh ****'. I kept going towards the bathroom and she ran back for Mike. I had no idea what she saw, but as soon as I was in a stall I found out. When I lowered my pants, all I saw was blood...and lots of it. I immediately started shaking. My mom and Cheri (Mike's mom) came into the bathroom and asked if I was okay (they were a lot calmer than me, which helped a lot). I said that I thought so, but that there was a lot of blood. A friend of mine was in there at this time too (she had just had a baby about 5 months before) and she said that it was okay, that she had some blood when her water broke too (I think she was honestly just trying to help keep me calm...every time I spoke, my voice just shook I was so scared). Mike came to check on me and then ran to get the car ready. I came out of the stall and stood in the doorway waiting for him to come back in. As I stood there, I everything got blurry and I almost passed out (not sure if it was from the blood loss or the shock of everything that was happening). Mike came back to get me and I was helped to the car (the poor people inside still had no idea what was going on). We got in the car and followed my mom to the hospital here in town (the hospital here actually doesn't deliver babies anymore...the hospital we had planned on is about 20 minutes from here, but mom asked where I wanted to go, and I said it was safer to go here in town first...good choice on my part). My mom went in first and came back out with an ER nurse and a wheelchair. I was taken into one of the emergency room, rooms and they helped me undress and get onto the table. Now, it wasn't until they got the fetal monitor hooked onto my belly and the nurse asked me if I was having contractions, that they started. And let me tell you, they were horrible (I will explain why later). My doctor got there (my mom made them call him..apparently they weren't going to) within probably the first ten minutes we were there.

The first thing he says to me is "what are you trying to do? get me in trouble? I missed your birth, do you think I'm going to miss this one too? I don't think so". That was the only smile they got out of me (my doctor is awesome). He checked me to see if I had dialated, which I never did, told the nurses to give me something to stop the contractions (I can't remember what it was called though..I'm sure someone else can help me with that), and he left to see if he could get an ultrasound done immediately. So while we waited, they got an IV going in my right arm/hand (can't remember which IV was in the hand and which was just below in my wrist) to stop contractions. Whatever they used only worked for a few minutes (maybe 10 at the most and it could only be given every half hour I believe..) and it made my whole arm ice cold. They were also trying to keep an eye on the baby's heartbeat, but couldn't keep it on the monitor, which seemed to worry everyone. My doctor came back in and I was taken off to another room for an ultrasound (Mike was by my side the whole time). When the ultrasound was performed, all they could see was blood. They couldn't see where it was coming from or what it was coming from (they didn't tell us all that though..they were trying to keep us calm, which I do appreciate...there was an awesome staff working in the ER that night..we were very lucky to have such great people). I was wheeled back into the other room and waited for my doctor.

He told the staff that they needed to prepare for an emergency c-section. I don't know who, but one of the doctors working that night told him that they weren't set up for that situation and he told him that they better be really quick or he was going to be doing the c-section himself, right there in that room. He said that he wasn't losing anyone that night. So a surgeon from our original hospital was called and he was there in nothing flat (remember he was about 20 minutes away, but he was there in about 10...not sure how fast he was going). He came in and explained that they were going to be performing an emergency c-section, but that there was still a chance that the baby may not make it. When he finished, he left the room, and I broke into tears. I was so scared. Mike was trying to be strong and trying to tell me it was going to be okay (he never cried while I was there, but as soon as I was in surgery I guess he went and broke down in the chapel...he's amazing...he was so strong for me). The nurses came back in and started another IV in my left hand/arm that was going to be used for the blood transfusion (I had lost a lot of blood and needed more). I was wheeled to the elevator and then to the OR. At the doors of the OR, is where Mike and I parted. Because of the seriousness of the situation, they didn't have time for him to scrub up, and so he wasn't allowed in the room. They finished prepping me (putting a cathetor, strapping my arms down, and other things...it happened so fast, I'm not really sure of what all was done) and then I was knocked out (they had no time to wait for a spinal or epidural to take effect, so I was not awake for Caitlin's birth). I don't remember ever going under, I just remember the mask being put on and me getting really scared. That's it.

Caitlin Aeris Gehrke was born at 6:54pm and I was told that she came out pink and screaming. I guess when she was born, one of the nurses came running out to find Mike. She ran into the waiting room and said "It's a....wait, where's dad?". They pointed her into another room and she went running in there to tell him "It's a girl! And she's pink and screaming!" and then he was allowed to see her.

I was taken into a recovery room and prepped for my ambulance ride to another hospital. I was still out of it when they wheeled her to by me before she was loaded onto the helicopter (she was flighted to the NICU of the other hospital we were headed to). I couldn't really see her, but it was good to know she was okay (at that time I was in so much pain that I couldn't concentrate on much anyways).

So:

Caitlin Aeris Gehrke was born on January 10, 2004 at 6:54pm. She was born 6 weeks early by an emergency c-section due to a placenta abruption (which was the cause of my contractions being so bad..apparently that causes the contractions to come one on top of another, with no breaks in between).

Caitlin spent the next 17 days in the NICU of the Theda Clark hospital (I spent 4 days in the hospital). I was probably a good week before we were allowed to hold her. She was only on a ventilator for about 4 days due to her lungs not being completely formed, but she stayed in the isolet for a couple weeks. She never learned how to latch on properly so I pumped breastmilk for 3 weeks before it was too painful and we had to switch to formula (I still feel bad about that, but I was in tears every time I pumped..which was every three hours night and day).

When she came home she had to be woken up every three hours to eat (again, night and day) and was wrapped like a little baby burrito (I'm sure you all now that look). At 8 weeks old we finally asked if she could sleep through the night, since she had done it already (she had started waking every three hours, so we didn't set an alarm at night..one night she slept all night). So she started sleeping through the night at 8 weeks old and still does it now (12 to 14 hours a night thank you). She honestly hasn't been behind in anything so far. She's actually ahead of or right with other babies born when she was and she ahead of babies that were born when she was suppose to be born (she's been able to stand alone since she was five months old...no she couldn't pull up, but when you picked her up she would grab onto things and stand there and get mad if you took her away..lol).

She's now almost 11 months old (9.5 I think in her adjusted age..I'm not positive because I never go by that since she's ahead of those that age..for the most part) and getting ready to walk. She is honestly the best baby you could ask for. She is so happy and never fusses (and she has 8 teeth..8th one I felt today actually :) ) and she hasn't been sick once since she was born (that actually scares me..LOL). We've definitely been blessed with a little angel.


(my c-section recovery was horrible....I was actually cut from my belly button down..a nice 5 inch scar....I was in severe pain and couldn't do anything until those staples came out 10 days later) (as much pain as I was in, I refused almost all help anyone tried to give me...I didn't want to rely on other people..lol) (Caitlin is almost 11 months old and I still get twinges in the area of my scar once in a while) (I have also been told that I will never be able to have a child vaginally because of the way I am cut...I wasn't told that until I got my staples out and I almost started crying again...I have always wanted to natural birth..no pain meds or anything...and now I will never have that chance) (I'm still self conscious about my scar, but I'm getting better...I just tell myself that if it wasn't there, our little girl wouldn't be here..so I'll definitely take the scar for our angel)

That was an amazing story. :)

This is my story.

I still have not taken the time to fix the spelling in it yet.

My birth story:

DH and I went to bed around 11pm and had sex. About 5 min latter, I was laying in bed. I

felt and heard a "POP" I layed still a min and nothing happend. So I said to DH that was

strange and told him what happend. I decided I had to pee since I had the UTI and we just

had sex I figured I should not go to sleep without a trip to the bathroom.

I went to the bathroom and peed. Well when I was done peeing I still felt water coming out.

I was thinking ok this is new and strange. Once more I wated a min and then did a kegel and

more water came out and I could not controle it. I figured that it was my water braking but

I had to do one more thing to belive it. I pushed on the top of my fundus and yup lots of

water came out.

Next thing I did was look in the toliet and saw that it was like pink lemmon aid and I

called for DH. I told him of all of the above and asked him to get me the phone to call the

OB. I called and the nurse said she would have him call me back. As I wated for the phone to

ring I got up and put on my birth undies (granny type) and a pad. I also woke my Dad to tell

him what was going on. Just as I was done the phone rang.

It was Dr. Skory. I told him what was going on. He said not to worry about the pink color

that it just ment my cerix was changing. He told me to go to bed and call him at 8am if I

had no contractions by then. And if I was not haivng cx't by 6pm he would start pit.

Well I get off the phone only to find DH at the door dressed and ready to rush me out the

door. I LOL at him and said "What are you doing?" And then told him what the Dr. said. He

decided he could not go back to bed so he went out to smoke (yes he is quiting) with my Dad

and then down stairs to play the xbox. My Dad came inside and had coffee and I had a cup of

tea (I got a kick out of the fact that it was my last bag of prego tea) And headed to PO to

post what was going on and to see if anyone was on that wanted to chat.

I called Kim and Aunt Connie to let them know what was going on since I wanted them to be at

the birth.

I knew he was posterior when we had our 39 week visit just that morning and I was on YIM

with Julianna and she said I could try to hoola hoop, so I went and got out my mom's hoop

(she was always a good hoola hooper) and when I walked passed my Dad he said "what ya

doing?" So I told him he kept looking at me. I said "you are looking at me like I am a bomb

about to go off" And Dad said "you are!" and then I did holla. It was kind of fun but did

not work well with such a belly, so I gave up the hoop and came back to the cumputer to talk

more with Julanna on YIM and some of the girls on PO. As I stood and did the hoola without

the hoop.

1am Every time I sat I felt a gush.

2am Ok men are driving me nuts so I started to give them jobs. DH had to get the vedio cam

ready (charged) and I sent both men to the 24 hour walmart for last min baby things that DH

and I where going to get the next day, but baby decided to come now. We still needed a

battery for our camra and a video tape for the video camera, and I wanted more overnight

pads since I was leaking so much water I was sure I would need more for my bleeding once we

got home form the hospital. I called my brother to let him know what was going on and to

make sure his friend who puts in car seats was able to do this tomarrow. (his friend is a

fire fighter and dose this at the fire house for people all the time) it was not almost 2am

and no real cx't, just a few BH.

2:30am I am haivng mostly back labor and strange felings in my pelvis. A few min latter I

went to the bath room and heard my plug "plop" into the potty.Still no reg cx't they are

about 10 min apart.

3am I took a shower and by 3:30 was laying down.

5:15am I am back up, I could not sleep durring cx't and I was excited. I think I would have

stayed in bed longer had I knowen how much more I had ahead of me.The cx't where getting

stronger. But I came back to PO to hang out a bit and I did not like moving durring one. DH

and Dad where sleeping. I did not want to go to the hospital to early so I started to time

the cx't.

By 6:30 they where 5-7 min apart and getting stronger in my back. My Aunt Connie (Mom's best

friend who I asked to be at the birth in Mom's place) called and I asked her to come and sit

with me at the house.

At 7:15 I was still home and Aunt Connie was with me and we decided to go for a walk out

side to see if we could get things going. Things have slowed since I got out of bed. In bed

my back hurt alot and they where 5 min apart, now that I am at the computer they are evey 10

and not as strong. But when I go to the bathroom I am leaking alot of water still and seeing

alot of red goop.

I did not call the OB at 8am since I was having some cx't

At 9:40 I posted on PO: I have been walking around the block and the cx't are 3-4 min apart

and starting to hurt but nothing major. But when I stop walking they go to 10 min apart. So

I just called the OB and he said to come on in. So we are off to the hospital. Off we went

in Mom's new car, DH, Dad, Aunt Connie and myself.

I called Kim so she could meet us at the hospital in L&D.

We arived a few min after 10am. The nurse at in the L&D room said. "I hope your Dr. Skory's

because if not I don't know what I am going to do with you!" Lucky for her and me I was the

one she was wating for all the rooms now that I arived where full!

I got put on the monotor and we watch my cx't and the baby. Everything looked good. And by

11am we where walking the halls. Somtimes I went back in the room and used the birth ball to

bounce. Cx't are about 5-7 min apart when I walk but when I sit (or use the ball) they go

back to 10. GURRRR

I got checked around 4pm I belive.They did a spec exam to make sure my water was broken

(this took two trys since the first time my body pushed out the spec when I had a cx't, it

was they could see pooling but they took a samlpe anyway to look for ferning. The resadent,

had short fingers and said he felt somthing strnge going on, next the nurse tried, and she

said she tought I was 2cm on the outside but not sure if the inside of my cervix was a true

2cm but that she wanted other nurse to check. This nurse had longer fingers. I did not care

I was not haivng any issues or pain with the cervical checks, besides my cx't. This nurse

said I was at 2cm, she could strech it to 3cm and 100% and that she could feel the baby, but

that he was at -2 and I still had a posterior cervix.

The resadent was confused that I was 100% but stil posterior.

I figured once the baby moved down I would go fast since from being a Doula I knew that

first time mom's need to be 100% before they dilate. I had High hopes.

We took a short walk.

I asked for a emema since I thought that I was constaped and that was what was holding me

up. It was one of the best things I could have done for myself I felt so good to be able to

have a BM. I spent the next 15 min in the bathroom.

At 5pm I got my IV and a dose of meds for the GBS. It only took 15 min but the tape on my

arm was driving me crazy. I ended up taking the IV out myself (fter all the med was in) it

was bothering me more than my cx't and I could not relax durring them because of the IV. The

nurse was cool about it her name was Wendy.

It had been 18 hours since my water braking and I did not want pit at all.

So I asked if I could get in the tub and do nipple stim instead of the pit. She called Dr.

Skory and he said yes I could get in the tub, and never said anything about me needing pit.

What he said to the nurse was to tell me "Congrats on moving along" I was in the tub for 2

hours and durring this time I started to do nipple stimulation. Between cx't and stoped

durring one.

In less then a hour of the nipple stim I was having reg cx't that where 3 min apart and

lasting for a min or longer. I was so happy that things had started moving along with out

help from pit. It was just me in the tub and Kim with me in the bathroom, We had to ask

everyone in my delivery room (people who came with me in the car) to not talk that they

where destracting me. I would have good cx't and then hear my Dad talk and they would stop.

Seems like all I needed to do was get in a small room and have no nose and feel safe (almost

like an anamial in a den) to have good cx't. Wendy was taling with us between cx't in the

bathroom too she was so cool.

At 7pm Wendy had to go home but she stayed with me incase I was 10cm the next time I was

checked.


At 8pm the new nurse told me they wanted me to get out so they could get another strip on

the baby. Ok I think NP. NOT!!! OMG the cx't where so bad out of the tub. It took us a few

times to get me out of the tub dry and to the bed.I bet it took over 10 min. I went back to

the room and labored on the bed with the head all the way put and me facing the back and

holding on to the top of the bed. Once on the bed she put the monoter on me. I was in so

much pain and starting to loose it, I was tired. All I wanted to do was sleep. At this point

it had been 20 hours since my water braking. I cryed abit and I think everyone thought it

was over the pain but it was because I wanted my MOM.

I got checked and was a true 3cm and cervix more foward. Wendy went home.

Then I said I was going to get sick, and the nurse got me a tiny thing and I started geting

sick. DH said "she will do this for 5 min you will need a bigger thing." The nurse said

"5min? ok get the big wash tub." (DH was not wrong he has seen me have Ms so many times that

he knows I don't stop until I am empty and then somtimes I have dry heaves) I filled the

wash tub two times before I stopped getting sick.

Kim, DH and I went for a walk.

Durring the walk the cx't hurt alot most of it was in my back. Poor Kim tried to rub my back

durring a cx't and that only made it worse. I said "Kim please don't" and she said "you

don't have to be polite"

We kept walking. Durring a cx't I held on to DH's sholder with my right arm and had my left

hand on the rail on the wall (thank god they had one up and down all the halls) and I would

bounce up and down bending my knees and booping my head to some beat in my head. On time I

had DH slow dancing backward down the hall durring a cx't and it must have been funny

becasue him and Kim got LOL, I was not seeing the funny part in this, but I never did it

agean. They said they where sorry but it is hard to have a strong cx't when you are being

LOL at. So I went back to the bouncy thing. To me I would think that would have been funner

to watch (wish I had some of that on tape)

Cx't where getting strong and I did not want DH to leave my side. Durring cx't I closed me

eyes and a few times if one came over me fast I would scream for him to hold me. Even if he

was next to me since my eyes where not open he had to be touching me or I felt so alone and

that was more scarry then the pain its self.

We came back in from our walk to get a strip on the baby. I decided I needed to be out of

bed and sit in the rocking chair, that was better but not much. cx't still comming ever 2-3

min and so I rocked durring them.

I don't think she got the length of strip she wanted but the nurse was not in the room so I

decied I was getting up and walking so I took the monotor off.

At about 10pm I had to get on the bed the right way and I got checked agean and I was 4cm

100% baby was a bit lower and my cervix had come foward. I wanted to cry when they said I

was only 4cm but I remberd my Doula training and held it together.

I got back in the tub, and Kim came to sit with me. DH came in the bathroom a few times

while I was in the tub but most of the time he was in the L&D room when I was in the tub.

Once he asked how I was and I said "I am not doing this 7 times." (my friend kim is expecing

her 7th on x-mas day)

Midnight I could not stand the pain anymore (24 hour mark) I kept saying to Kim "Help me

Help me" She kept asking me how can she help me what did I think would help. I knew exactly

what I wanted but the cx't where to close together for me to say more than "Help me" I don't

know what or why I got out of the tub but I did (agean not an easy thing to do) I was able

to tell them all that I needed was to sleep. I said "I am so tired even if you said I was

10cm's now I could not push, Help me I need somthing to make me sleep"

The nurse called Dr. Skory and told him what was going on and he agreed that I needed Statol

(sp) He is not a OB that likes pain meds or any drugs durring labor but he understood that

my emotional state of not haivng Mom around and the last 25 hours in labor somthing had to

be done. (Nurses will say to his patents when they ask for pain meds "do you know what OB

you have?" He dose not keep it a secerit that he dose not like to do meds.)

I got the statol and I did not like the way I felt. The nurse said I would feel drunk but I

was expecing some pain control and there was non. So I said "grate now I am drunk and in

pain, not just in pain" or that is what I thought I said. Everyone started to snicker and I

later found out I sounded drunk also and no one knew what I had said. I could not keep my

eyes open now, not because it was making me sleepy but because whenever I did the room was

fuzzy and I could not foccus on anything and that was driving me crazy so I just kept them

closed. I could hear everyone in the room still and I think alot of the time they thought I

was sleeping.

I was able to sleep between cx't and would wake up durring the peak of one in such pain.

Latter DH told me it was so hard to watch me that way that he had to leave the room and go

into the hall a few times and I think he felt guitly for it.

Durring this sleepy state I rember seeing Dr. Skory. A bit latter I don't know how (I had

lost track of time after midinght when the statol was given) I got up and tryed to go potty

and was trying to push out a BM, then I was standing at the side of the bed and the Dr. had

his hand on my back and told me durring a cx't to push into the heal of his hand as hard as

I could. I was so confused. He never checked me to say I was 10cm so I did not think he ment

push the baby out so I pushed my back into his hand. It felt so good he had large warm hands

that knew what they where doing.

I then was back in bed and Dr. skory was rubbing my back and my calves. The cx't started to

come on top of one another (or it seemd that way since I could have still been sleeping

between them) But I was not getting more then a few awake sec.s between them. My mind was

blank and I let the cx't take over.

Someone Still not sure who, also was in my face telling me to breath durring a cx't and then

where breathing with me. IT HELPED SO MUCH WITH THE PAIN. Why had somone not done this for

me earlyer? Was all I could think of.

Ok so cx't Breath repete.

Then all I know was Dr. Skory was there and told me to start pushing. I was so confused

becasue I did not rember being checked. But I did as I was told and pushed while on my back

and hated it. So he said "ok can you push if you are on your side?" I could and I did. But

then the Dr. was gone (I don't know where he went) but Kim says he was going a hour and that

her, Dave and Aunt Connie just sat in the room and watched me, trying to push without

direction and on my side. (this is unlike Dr. Skory to dissapier with out saying where he

was going, we never did find out where he was)

All of a sudden to me at least (a hour passed acorrding to Kim) Dr. was back and I was

pushing, Dr. skory had his fingers in me and told me how and when to push and when to

breath. Once I had a BM and Dr. Skory was so cool, he never said anything out loud aoubt it

he just said "can I have a cloth" I never knew it happend Kim had to tell me 2 days later

and that explaned his comet and then the wet feeling on my bottom I recalled from the

pushing stage. I thought he was using oil or somthing to strech me guess not yet since the

baby was so high.(at the time I did not know where the baby was)

In the mean time DH was tring to call my Dad who after being told to stop talking went home

to sleep. He could not get Dad (after trying for 45 min) so he called my brohter to keep

calling Dad so he could be with me durring the pushing. I pushed unitl 3ish. Dr. Skory said

I was pushing hard (I kept pushing his finges out) but that the baby was not turing from OP

to OA.

Dr. Skory then Decided to try the vacume (another thing he dose not normaly use) he put it

on the babies head and then I pushed with all I had and he tried to turn the baby and

nothing helped. Kim said he gave it all he had and we tried over and over durring my cx't.

he told the nurse to get pit after 15 min of the vac. (BTW baby and me are stable this hole

time) He took off the vacume and told me that they where going to try pit and see if my cx't

wher stronger maybe I would be able to to push the baby out even in this OP position. If not

we would have to do a c-section.

I said "I can't I am too tired I and I just want the baby out, I can't have more pain whit

the pit and then still end with a section, just do the section." This was hard for eveyone

even me to admit that I need to do, Kim said it broke her hart to here me say I wanted a

section. And Dave got scarred. Lucky for me Dr. Skory understood.

The nurse came back in the room with the pit and Dr. Skory told her to forget it but tell

everyone to get ready for a c-section. She was surprised becasue like I said Dr. Skory dose

not do them unless it is totaly nessacary.

So now I want the pain to stop. It was ok for me to be in pain when I thought I was going to

get a baby that way but now all the pain seemed pointless. I kept pushing (my body was doing

it on its own, well I may have been doing it myself alittle I need to be dosin somthing) and

I kept thinking well maybe I will surprise everyone and move this baby more anyway or it

will turn.

I still had no concept of time. Then they had to prep, I got shaved and all that good stuff.

OMG I had to sign papers durring this time for the spinal and c-section permision. I could

barly see let alone scribble my name. I said to the nurse asking me to do this "can't my

husband sign?" I was told no. So I had to try and write between cx't I have not clue what I

signed, I could have been givign my baby up for all I knew. But I would do anything to

finish the birt at this point so sign them I did.

DH told me today that from the time they decided to do the section until the time I was put

into the op room was almost another 2 hours. Once in the OP room I told eveyone not to tell

us the sex that we did not know what it was yet and since DH was going to not be able to cut

the cord I wanted him to tell me what we had. Expecialy since now I was having a section I

need a good memory.

It is around 5am.

Ok the prep for spinal. So I was having the cx't and now in a room where the only one I knew

was my nurse but everyone had masks on. I started to have a cx't as a nurse was walking past

me. And I grabed her and said "don't leave me" well I don't know if she had somthing to do

but she was never able to do it I held on to her until after the spinal kicked in.

Getting the spinal was not fun and I hope never to have one agean. First I was freaked out

that it was going to be put it in durring a cx't so eveytime I started to have one I

screemed "stop I am having one" Lucky for me he did. Ok so the nurse who I don't know is

holding me that cx't is over and then the guy cleans my back and gets the drap on me and the
drape on me before the next one started.

Then he gives me the novacaine, that was a small pinch not bad. Next he tries to put the

needdle in and OMG instanly my left leg gets an eletric shock and I can't feel it but it

made my whole body jump, the guy took out the needle fast and my feeling came back right

away. He then asked what happend and I told him. He asked if I could feel my leg now and I

said yes.

So he tried a 2nd time but since I had moved this time he missed the space. I felt nothing

that time so that was ok, but he was making me nervious. The third time he got he needle in

and of course I start to have a cx't and the nurse said "Don't move the needle is in your

back" I said "ok" but it was so hard to stay still and not breath heavy durring it. She kept

talking to me and telling me not to worrie that this would be the last cx't I would feel. I

did not belive her I was expecting a few more before the med kicked in. Well I was wrong the

next min they where helping me put my legs on the table and they where like dead wight to

me. It was so strange.

So I am laying down and Dr. Skory came in the room and started to clean my belly. Then they

checked my spinal, the guy took a sharp pionty thing and rubbed it on my arm and asked if I

could feel it I said yes. The then he started where if I was a guy my adams apple would be

and asked if I could feel it, I could he did this down in a line towards my toes until I

said I could no longer feel it. I lost all feeling at my nipple line.

Ok I did not like not being able to fell myself breath. They put up the drap and that made

me feel closed in. It was at this point that I said "where is Dave?" The nurse side he would

be right in and the he would me in PINK. I said "OK" (he could have had a tutu on for all I

cared as log as he arived) I heard them aked him to come into the room and then he was at my

head and he had the vedio camera with him.

He turned on the camera and we started talking and he was holding my hand and telling me how

much he loved me. I told him all I could see was his eyes but that they where my fave part

of him so it was ok. I saw his pink out scrubs and I said it was ok becase the hat was blue.

I said something about not feeling any differnt and the Dr. said good because they started.

All I said was "O"

Then I started to ask Dr. Skory somthing but stoped, all I could think was he is doing

surgery on me I should not aske questions now! Well he heard me start to ask and said "you

can aske me anything it is ok" SO I asked him how far did I get the baby down, he told me +1

and that he could get his fingers on the baby's head but he could not turn it and he felt so

bad that even the vacum did not work. I said "it is ok baby was OP no ones fault."

A few min passed and it felt like somone was playing the panio in my tummy. I told DH so and

he said "I don't think that is what they are doing." Less then 10 min after they started Dr.

Skory said "Ok now this baby is stuck we got it in you pelvis good." Then I heard him tell

somone to press hard on the top of my belly and I felt lots of movement.

Next thing I know I hear, "ok Dad what do you see?" and Dave said "It's a little boooooy"

and we cried. I said to him "You where right and so was Mom."

We could here him cry (in the wating room my family heard him also) and his apgar scores

where 9 9 and we found out he was 7lbs 30z and born at 5:49am.

I figure I should introduce myself...I am on the birth board with karen and Jules...
I also had an emergency c section at 39 weeks. My water broke at home and in the hour it took us to ge tto the hospital my contractions were right on top of eash other. DH had to get me a wheelchair to get me upstairs... thats when he started to worry...so not like me.
I got changed and with every contraction I felt it sharp and hard in one spot. The MW and the Dr showen up and after the epidural didn't take effect for over and hour, and anesthesiologist got worried when he had given me 2 additional pain killers any they didn't work. The DR felt my tummy where the pain was an it was hard. The said I think you are aprupting, DH and I talked alone for a moment then Pete had a huge decel and we went flying down the hall to the OR. From the time the DR said we are going to thr OR to the time he was born was 15 minutes. DH almost was not aloud to be in casue the epi didn't work until a minute before they started. The they gave me too much and I had trouble breathing...I actually found it funny at the time. I have never seen DH look so scared in all his life, And at 8:57pm Pete was born screaming and fine, my uterus was bruised all the way through the muscle so the abruption started a day earlier when I almost fell at Giant. The DR who was a complete *** sewed me up crooked (grrrrr) so the next time I'll have a scar revision. I will never be able to have a baby naturally because of the abruption, but I am ok with that now, thats what g-d intended. I still feel the occasional twinge of pain from the scar but I had a very easy recovery so I have no complaints, healthy baby and I am alive :)
Audrey

I am new here and pg with my 3rd who will also be my third section. my first was breech. the dr. scheduled a version to try and turn him on the 8th of Aug. Unlike most docs he gave me an epidural before the version. I think that may have hindered things somewhat . He managed to turn ds 3 times and ds turned back three times. The third time they turned him his heartrate dropped so they decided to go ahead with a section which I was fine with (the pain of child birth terrified me) As I already had the epidural in everything went smoothly. they got my dh dressed since he was kind of in shock and then they brought him into or. He gave me step by step and they let him cut the cord. I was up and moving around the next day and healed great with no probs. Just a note, my dh had had ankle surgery and was on crutches so we were quite a pair.

With dd we had a scheduled c-section. I had originally planned on VBAC but when my first dr sewed me up he only did the stitches in a different way which increased my chances of rupture so for safety's sake I opted for another c-section. Hubby cut the cord again and I nursed dd in the recovery room. The only bad thing about this one was the anesthesiologist took forever to get my spinal in and I had a bruise all the way up my back and I got the shakes really bad after the section. Recovery was a breeze and again no complications.

Now that I am expecting a third the only thing I am really stressing about is the spinal since that was a nightmare last time.

Hi! My name is Amy, and I just had my first daughter w/ a very unexpected c-section 4 months ago. Here is my birth story.

Natalia Jolie, Bday Feb.10, 2005, 5:38 pm. 8 lbs 15.4 ounces, 21&1/2 inches. Cute as a bug
Ok….grab a nice cup of hot tea, sit by the fire, curl up on your couch and get ready to read the birth story of Natalia Jolie (unless you really aren’t interested, and you’d much rather read picture books.) Sorry this is so long, but this is the story I’m going to put in her baby book, so I want it to be complete.

Most of you know the story of the last month of my pregnancy with Natalia. Basically, there is no story, because nothing happened. 37 weeks. Nothing 38 weeks Nothing. 39 weeks. Nothing. 40 weeks Nothing. 41 weeks. Nothing, Blah. Blah. Blah. I was wondering if this baby would ever even come out. It was Monday, February 7th and I was just praying that labor would start. My doctor’s office had just called and upped my induction to begin at 8 pm on Wednesday, February 9th. I really did not want to be induced because I have heard so many different things that could go wrong if your body isn’t “ready” for labor. But…my doctor insisted, and honestly, I was getting tired of the wait for our baby.

On Tuesday, I began to lose my mucus plug, and I was so excited. I thought for sure that labor was beginning on its own and I wouldn’t have to worry about being induced.

On Wednesday morning I was stoked about going to my doctor’s visit because I had been having bloody show all morning and I was sure something had changed as far as progress goes. Nothing. Still posterior, high, barely effaced and 1 cm dilated. The doctor confirmed my induction for that evening and so we went out walking to try a last chance at getting things going. No luck though.

At 8 pm on Wednesday night, we checked into the hospital The nurse was getting me settled in the bed, and was going to put the Cervadil in. I had planned on getting a pretty good night’s sleep that night, since I didn’t really sleep the night before. The nurse decided to check me one last time before inserting the Cervadil, and whaddya know? I had progressed to 2 cm and 70% effaced, and “not-so-posterior and high”, in the nurse’s words. She said the Cervadil probably wasn’t necessary now, so she was going to let us go home and go to sleep and come back in the morning to start Pitocin, but she wanted to call the doctor to make sure that was okay. Well, she came back, and the doctor didn’t want us to go home. He wanted to start us on a low dose of Pitocin right then!! WHAT?!? So then, like lightning, this other lady comes and starts to jab me with a needle to hook up my IV and I nearly passed out! Granted, this is coming from someone who has never been to the hospital for ANYTHING. I’ve never been hurt, sick, etc…and the sight of my own blood makes me SOO queasy. I felt like such a wimp. They had to hook me up to the oxygen mask and put cold washcloths on my head, all for a dumb IV. When that ordeal was finally over, they told me that I had to stay hooked up to this monitor going over my tummy and this IV machine all the time, so it was such a pain in the butt to be 41 weeks pregnant, and having to pee every 10 minutes, dragging all this stuff with me, to and from the bathroom. Anyways, I laid down, and nearly got to sleep when the contractions started. They weren’t necessarily “painful”, but they were enough to keep me up all night So, needless to say, I was not rested at all for the labor that would follow.
At 5 am, the nurse came in and started increasing the Pitocin dose every half hour. Soon after, the contractions began to intensify, but I coped with them by bouncing on the birth ball (while trying to play cards with my husband), and rocking back and forth while standing. DH kept telling me I should sit down during a contraction, because standing up looked like it was painful, but I had to explain to him that the contraction was kind of like a HUGE Charley horse cramp and you have to move around to work it out. Sitting still just makes it worse.

At 9 am, Dr. Perkins (one of the docs in my group), came and checked me and I was dilated to 5 cm, and she decided to break my water. Let me tell you, that was WAY WORSE than any of the contractions I had experienced, and just the way she kept poking at the bag of waters was totally uncomfortable, and it felt like she was doing something unnatural. The water was very warm and it was a gross feeling to have it gush out of you every time you move. I felt like I was peeing. After she broke my water, I don’t know if the contractions actually got worse, or maybe I had lost my ability to cope, because I was so tense and I was shaking all over. My husband had to get in my face and tell me to calm down. The nirse asked me if I wanted an epidural now, and it would help relax me, and maybe give me some rest. I was so exhausted by this point that I was nearly incoherent, and all I wanted to do was sleep. So, I asked for the epidural, and she said I was lucky because I had the best anesthesiologist working today.

Well, the epidural doctor came in, and I don’t care if you think he’s the best doctor or not….it was still a painful process!! He had to poke me FOUR times because he couldn’t find my epidural space! He kept asking me if I had scoliosis. I’m saying NO!!!!!!! NO!!! NO!!! That was his excuse for not being able to “find my spine”, as he put it. And come to find out, after the 4th try…I didn’t have scoliosis after all! Just as I suspected…
He put the epidural on a really low dose, so I could still feel a little bit of pain with the contractions (more like cramps), and I could completely feel my legs and feet and everything.

The nurse continued to increase my Pitocin every 30 minutes, and Dr. Perkins came in again around 10 to check my progress. I was at 4 cm, and according to the monitor, the contractions were pretty strong. She left.

At 11 am, Dr Morris (another doc), came in and checked and said I was at 5 cm dilated and things were looking good.

Dr, Bray (another doc), came and checked me the next hour and I was at 5 1/2 cm and stretching to 6 cm. She told me it was completely normal for first pregnancies to take a little time, so she said she’d come back later.

After she left, I had another gush of amniotic fluid, and the nurse noticed that it was greenish, which meant that the baby had pooped inside!! AAGGHH!! That’s gross. She said it was “thin”, but it did kind of put a time limit on things in my mind, because I didn’t want Natalia to get sick from it. My mom and my husband also noticed that the contractions were getting a lot stronger on the screen and that the baby’s heartrate was dropping with each contraction. At that time, the nurse didn’t seem too worried. She said it was normal for it to slow down as long as it came back up.

At 1pm, Dr Bray came in again and she said I still hadn’t progressed any more. She felt inside and said that it seemed like the baby’s head was turned sideways instead of face down like it’s supposed to be, and maybe that is why I wasn’t progressing. She turned me on my side and put my legs in different positions to try and help the baby’s heart rate, and to get her head to turn. She also told the nurse to lower the Pitocin dose to see if that would help the baby some. Lowering the dose did seem to help the heartrate, so the
Nurse ended up turning the Pitocin completely off around 3 pm because the heart rate was getting dangerously low. I didn’t know this at the time because I was sleeping most of the time, and it was probably better I didn’t worry about that anyway.

At 3 pm, Dr Perkins came back in and said I was still at 6 cm. She thought the baby’s distress was coming from the lack of amniotic fluid and also the meconium. She thought maybe the umbilical cord was being compressed during the contractions. I knew she shouldn’t have broken my water!!!! So, to fix that mistake, she ordered an amnio-infusion to put water back into my abdomen so the umbilical cord wouldn’t be as compressed as much, and also to thin out the baby poop on the inside so it wouldn’t be as thick. So, I got to get all swollen in my hands from all the excess fluids they were pumping me with. Dr Perkins also ordered for the Pitocin to be turned back on. Fun.

I don’t know if that really helped the baby at all in the way of heartrate, because I was really out of it. They kept changing my position around too, because they wanted to make Dr. Bray happy as well. I told Nick I wished the doctors would talk to each other because they both seemed to have completely different ideas of what the problem was. I almost felt like whatever doctor happened to check me last is whose delivery plan I would be stuck with. It was frustrating.

At 4 pm, Dr. Bray came back in and checked me again. She said I was STILL at 6 cm. And for the first time in my labor, the words “c-section” were needed. It was kind of a shock. She still couldn’t really explain what the problem was, but she thought that it had to do with the way the head was positioned against the cervix. She felt internally and said that she felt a lot of “molding” (conehead), so the baby was definitely trying to get through, but not at the right angle. She was not tolerating the contractions well because her heartrate kept dropping. She told me that sometimes when someone is having a big baby, their body knows it can’t do it at that time, and will stop itself from dilating I had never heard of that before, but what freaked me out was that she said “big baby”. This was the same doctor that 2 weeks before said I was looking at a 7 pounder. Anyways, normally, they would have let me continue to labor, but since Natalia’s stats were dropping, she thought I needed to make a decision pretty soon. She gave me until 5 pm for my cervix to progress.

As soon as she left the room, I put on my brave face (and oxygen mask), until my mom asked me how I was doing. She has had 5 kids, and 2 of them were c-sections so I knew she knew how I was feeling. I broke down. I started sobbing uncontrollably and shaking so badly. I just kept saying that I didn’t want a c-section. I didn’t want a c-section. My mom kissed my head, and told me it would be okay, and she left me with my husband. He came to my side and told me how proud he was of me for all the labor I had endured today for our baby. He said that God could do a miracle right up to the last minute, like he did for Abraham and Isaac, and even if we ended up having a c-section, we were in God’s hands and there was reason behind it. I knew he was right. He prayed for us, and for Natalia, and for peace with the whole situation, and I felt better. I was still just so shocked. My whole pregnancy had been picture perfect, and to end like this just seemed wrong. I was still hoping in my heart for a miracle, but somewhere, deep down, I knew that I needed to prepare myself for the c-section.

Later, Dr. Bray came back, and there was still no progress. After that, everything was a whirlwind. Later, my husband told me that Natalia’s heart rate was getting very low on the screen (but I didn’t know it at the time). The room filled with people. They were poking me and prodding me and shaving me, and adding medicine to my epidural. I started to shake again. Then, they took me down to the OR, and Nick wasn’t around I started to get a little afraid, but I just kept praying. I kept telling the anesthesia lady and the doctor that I wanted them to pinch me SEVERAL times before they started cutting. I was so afraid I would be able to feel the pain of the knife cutting me. Finally, Nick came back in, and sat at my head. He asked me if I was afraid. I told him no, but I really was on the inside. I asked him if he was praying. He said he has been the whole time. He told me again he was proud of me and he loved me. The whole time that we were talking like this, they had already started cutting, and I didn’t realize it, thank God. Finally, Dr. Bray told Nick to stand up if he wanted to see the delivery of his baby, so he took a pic with the digital camera (sorry, that one is not included). I kept saying, “Is she out? Is she out?” Finally, I heard a cry, and some muffled coughing, and then more crying. Nick told me she really was a girl, and I started crying. I was trying to hold back the tears because my oxygen mask was on kind of tight and the water was getting built up in there. Nick was so excited, he kept running back and forth to check on me, and then go take another picture. I had to finally tell him to GO TAKE PICTURES!! They brought her over to me to see her, and kiss her. I couldn’t believe that she came out of me! She WAS a big baby (for a girl). She was 8 pounds 15.4 ounces, and 21&1/2 inches long. They sent Nick with her to the nursery, and they sewed me up. I was so exhausted from not having slept for 2 days that I fell asleep in the OR, and again in the recovery room. They wouldn’t let me see Natalia for about 2-3 hours because I was recovering. I remember when they brought me up to the mom & baby room, I just kept asking where my baby was. Finally they brought her to me, and she is so beautiful. I thought she would look like me, but honestly, most of her features are her daddies, and they look so beautiful on her. I can’t believe I’m a mom.

So far, recovering from the c-section has been really rough. On the first day, they made me stand up to walk to the bathroom, and blood gushed EVERYWHERE, and I mean EVERYWHERE. I nearly fainted again, and they had to pull the blue “Help me” cord in the bathroom, and the lady came running and said “Do you need the ammonia?!” Like I said, I’m a wimp with blood. My incision hurts really bad, and again, it’s probably because I’ve never been hurt before, but it is very hard to deal with. When the doctors said they were discharging me on Sunday, I was glad to be going home, but I was scared to go home because of my incision. Every step I take is painful. My husband had to lower our bed so I can get on and off it without screaming in pain. I can only sleep on my back, and I can’t even lift up my beautiful baby I feel bad because I want so badly to take care of her and be her mommy in her first few weeks of life, and instead, I’m stuck taking care of myself and having other people do things for me. I guess the good part of the c-section is that I didn’t have to worry about getting any tears or episiotomies, but I do have to have staples in my stomach, that I am so afraid they are going to bust wide open any minute and my bowels are going to come spilling out all over the floor. It has even been hard to breastfeed because this is the 5th day already and my milk still hasn’t come in. Poor Natalia barely gets anything when she nurses, and then she just cries because she is hungry. We ended up having to supplement until my milk comes in, which of course makes me feel like I’m failing somehow, even though I know I’m not.

So…all in all, I’d have to say I’m “learning to be content” whatever the circumstances. I know that’s what I need to do. I won’t say it is easy. It is very hard. Everytime I start to get a little sad about everything, I just have to go look at Natalia and that beautiful face and that cute little smile she gives us when she has gas. I know it is all worth it. I love her more than anything. The end.

This is my 2nd c-section... a scheduled one at 38 weeks, my first was an emergency one at 31 weeks.

Culin Isaiah Miguel was born on July 13, 2005 (his daddy's birthday), weighed 7 lbs 1.5 oz and 20.5 inches long.

The c-section was scheduled for 8 a.m. and we had to be there for 6 a.m, I hadn't slept a whole lot that night... not that I was worried or even really thinking a lot about it, just one of those nights when you *know* you have to be up at the crack of dawn and, therefore, don't fall asleep til mere hours before *sigh*. We got there almost half an hour early and they started preping me. That was fun. Actually... it wasn't bad, except for when the nurse tried to insert the catheter. I do not remember it hurting last time around... uncomfortable, yes, but painful, no. Then of course it slipped out and we had to start all over again. :roll: Once they'd shaved me and made me drink the lovely salty/sour tummy-neutralizer stuff we waited and dh got all dolled up in his OR scrubs. During that time I was finding it rather uncomfortable, kind of crampy and Braxton-Hicks-ish... not sure what was going on there, if it was because of the catheter (which was still uncomfortable at that point) or what.

Around 8 a.m. they wheeled me down to the 2nd floor to the OR and sent dh to the OR waiting room til it was time. This time the spinal seemed to numb me from just above my breasts downwards... I know last time it wasn't up that high, more just below them... made for an interesting time breathing. I was breathing just fine (as the anethetist kept reasurring me LOL) but it just felt heavy. Found I couldn't move my toes at all this time, last time I could slightly wiggle toes on one foot. Also found I was shaking while they were getting ready to do the spinal... not sure why. Wasn't cold, wasn't scared... must've just been nerves despite of it :dontknow: Found it kind of interesting/funny that the wife of the Dr. who delivered Janessa assisted this time around... all in the family I guess LOL They wouldn't let me watch... asked the nurses when they were getting set up and asked my OB when he walked in... they all just laughed and put the drape up in front of me anyway. LOL I mentioned that dh had watched Janessa being born through the mirrors around the lights... they told me that since then they'd gotten new lights so he wasn't able to use that sneaky little trick this time around. They brought dh in just as they were getting started and, sneaky sneak that he is, found he could see everything happening in the reflection of assisting doctor's glasses... so he got to "watch" Culin being born too! All I got was the tugging and pulling... hardly seems fair, does it? :( LOL

Things were a little different than last time... last time being an emergency situation... so in a sense I guess things were more "relaxed". Kind of funny though that last time my BP was SO very high and then this time, there was a couple times that the anethetist gave me something in the IV during the surgery to bring my BP back UP because it was a little lower than he liked! LOL When they told me baby's head was out I was concerned for a moment because he wasn't crying (:doh: let's get him suctioned and ALL of him out, right? LOL) but the moment they pulled him all the way out he started screaming and they said "IT'S A BOY!". I don't remember what was going through my mind... I know I had a couple tears on my face. With Janessa there was a sense of huge relief when she came out crying, didn't need/have that this time though :) Just happy he was born.

He was born at 8:31 a.m. and weighed 7 lbs 1.5 oz, 20.5 inches long... that's 4.5 inches longer than Janessa was at birth and almost 4.5 lbs bigger too!

They checked him out and then the ped came around the screen before they brought him over to let us know they were just double checking a "dimple" on his lower back to make sure it was closed... if not, that could've indicated a posiblity of Spina Bifida (though she didn't tell us that... not going to scare you unnecessarily, I just knew that and my aunt confirmed it). Anyway, it was and then they brought him around and handed him to dh to hold while they double checked the bracelets and put one on me. He was more blue-ish than purple-ish (like Janessa was) and had black, black hair and, best of all... CURLS! Well... not full-fledged curls yet, but the squiggles that indicate curly hair :lol:

Dh left then with the ped and the NICU nurse to take him up to the nursery to get weighed/etc. and they stitched me back up and got me back on my bed (didn't panic that I was going to fall off the table this time... though when they rolled me on my side to put me on the backboard to transfer me I did feel like I was going to fall LOL). Then Travers and one of the nurses wheeled me out and back up to the 4th floor where they put me in the OB recovery room. Started feeling dizzy on they way to the elevator. They said it could be a combination of the heat (so very hot that day... OR was air-conditioned but as soon as we got out of there it was like walking into a sauna), my BP (which had been lower than normal a couple times), and/or the motion of being wheeled around. Not long after I got up to the recovery room I felt nauseous and ended up throwing up. VERY weird sensation trying to do that when numb from chest down! LOL The anethetist told the nurse that if my BP got below a certain point to give me some medication. She never needed to but a little later I did throw up some more... this time in the bowl of ice cubes she'd just went and filled up because it was the only thing she had handy LOL She ended up giving me some Zofran in the IV to help fight the nausea, just in case.

Once I could start moving my legs they wheeled me out and down the hall to my room. They stopped at the NICU and one of the nurses went in and opened the curtain so I could see in. I couldn't really see the baby but dh was standing there at one of the warming tables by the window with Janessa. I had thought he was going to wait to have my aunt bring Janessa over AFTER I was settled in my room so I really wasn't expecting to see her there. She was standing up on a stool reaching in and touching the baby's hand. It was so cute! Too bad I wasn't in the position to take a picture of it :D After I got settled in my room dh and Janessa came down to see me and then went back to get the baby.

Janessa was the "talk" of the NICU that day. I guess when dh brought her up to the NICU to see the baby and told her it was a boy she was none too pleased... "I don't want *that* baby! Put it back! I want a GIRL baby!" :rofl: The ped and the nurses just howled. However, by the time dh paged my aunt later on to come get her she had decided we could keep him :lol:

Me: Jamie/27
DH: Joe/27
DS: Darian/3
EDD: June 1 2006 c-section date will most likely be May 24 2006

Here is my birth story.
We went to U/S for a 6:30am am appointment to check on Darian's size as he was two week's late. From ther over to L&D for the fetal stress test.

They had just hooked me up when the OB came in to talk with me about the U/S. Given the baby's size and my size they said Darian had no more room to grow. She wanted to induce me right now. I asked if I could wait until the weekend and was told no.

So by 7:30am I was hooked up to the machine's and had the pictocin drip. They would come in and up the level every once in awhile. At last my labor seemed to be progressing slowly.

I had a fairly easy labor, I had wanted drug's but ended up holding off. Around 4pm the OB on call came in and checked me for the umteenth time, I was at 6cm. She decided to break my water's, it didn't feel good and she didn't get them to break. My mom was with me the whole time as was my DH but my mom was my miricle worker. She kept me calm and focused and she was my voice. She noticed when I was losing it a bit and got me something for the pain, it was a morphin shot. It helped keep me calm and returned my focus.

At about 9pm they asked if I would like to try the birthing tub for pain management. I said sure I had made it this far with out an epi I was game for anything. That was where thing's got a bit shakey.

Nobody had checked to see how dilated I was before putting me in the tub. That is the only time I sort of lost it. I was wanting to push and the contraction's where coming hard and fast BUT they had to drain the water before they could let me out. I have never felt so trapped in my whole life.

My water broke on my way back to my delivery room. Then I mentioned that I would really like to start pushing and could I please do that now. You see I had never given birth before I kept waiting for someone to tell me ok start pushing just like I had seen on all the T.V. birth's I have watched.

I pushed for an hour straight in a squatting position. Good strong pushes. The nurse and OB both took turns reaching in and feeling the babies head and watching there arm move forward with each push. After each push though he moved not one inch. He was stuck fast.

(this was due to a family trait on his father's side. Little to no spft spot Darian's was only as big as my thumb pad)

My OB then told me ok I can let you push for another hour but I would really like to do a c-section on you know. I never knew there was a problem until after it was all over with. My mom and DH told me the next morning.

My mother say's that I calmly replied to the OB "please just get the baby out" I was exhausted and was relieved that the long day would soon be over.

My Dh held our son first and he also cut the cord. However He was brought over to me as soon as he was cleaned up and layed on my chest to BF'D (after I was stiched and moved back to my room). I think he was only gone for about ten min. I was alert the whole time he was being delivered I remember every detail of it. That first cry was amazing! darian was born at 11pm and weighed 8lbs 13.5 ounces and was 22 inches long, he had a crease on his forhead for the first 7 mos of his life where he was stuck and being squeezed in and by my body.

My recovery was fairly easy, I didn't have any complication's from the c-section at all. I just wish I had remembered to tell my OB that all of the children in my DH father's side ended up being delivered c-section. It would of helped me out in the long run.

My midwife arround this time thinks that a further complication is the way I am shaped inside. That unlike being a tunnel I get smaller the closer you get to the cervical opening. So Darian's head plus my body shape may of added to my difficult birth.

All in all I am glad my OB was alert to the fact there was a problem instead of being gung ho and making me push on through.

Hi all

My name is Sarah and I am from Yorkshire UK. I thought I would share my C section story with you...

On 29th july 2004 after an uneventful pregnancy, I went into labour 3 days before my EDD. It was 6.30am when I woke in pain and felt my waters go, and by 7am I was having contractions every 2 mins. I started to panic as my DH works in London (a 3 hr drive away) so I phoned him to say start heading up the motorway...

DH called his mum who came round to take me to the hospital, and we left for the 30 min drive with me barely able to sit down! At one point I was virtually hanging out of the car window!

9am and we reach delivery suite and I experienced the joys of entonox (by the end I was told if it wasn't piped directly into the ward they would have run out of cannisters for the amount I used!). The midwife checked me and I was 7am dilated and seemed to be progressing well.

1pm and still labouring, had only made it to 9cm. The midwife was surprised I hadn't birthed yet but let me carry on. I was coping (ish!) on entonox.

2pm and 10cm (yay!) so started to push, and push, and push for 11/2 hrs until they told me baby wasn't descending and he was posterior (he had turned during labour). They put a monitor on at this point and found he was distressed (high heart rate) and the doctor was called. She examined me (really painful by then!) and said there was still a lip of cervix left so they would take me to theatre, give me a spinal and see if it had gone so they could use forceps.

4pm, in theatre and still cervix left. The spinal was the most wonderful feeling I have ever felt - all that pain over on seconds! They couldn't speed the labour with drugs as babys heart rate was so high so a CS was done.

4.20pm Baby Max Field born weighing 8lb 10oz. Apgar 9 + 9

I was really proud of myself for getting so far in labour without an epidural, but disappointed I couldn't push him out.

CS recovery was quite good. Painful for a few weeks but I was up and around the day after Max was born.

Sarah