Weddingbee boards

Tatum    October 2, 2010   Minneapolis

I will post a picture below this post, because weddingbee gets a little finicky for me when I have lots of text and pictures.

 

OK, so I was laying awake in the hospitsl bored ( was supposed to be resting but sleep has been a pretty elusive thing this week) so I typed up my birth story and emailed it to myself. This is a cut and paste:

 

So, it all started tuesday at my 39 week appt. The doctor checked me and determined I was something like 50% effaced but cervix was totally closed. Contractions were non existent and baby had yet to drop, so I figured I had awhile. However doctor brought up a regular concern- when doing the uterus measurement I have been consistently 3 cm less the number of weeks I was- although the 4 ultrasounds I had showed the due date was either right on, or very close. Well, at 39 weeks I measured 32 cm. She sent me immediately for growth ultrasound which showed me almost 3 weeks behind, baby about 6 pounds. I put a fair amount of stock into this latest U/S as I had no progress and also- given my history I was much likelier to have had a 7 week cycle than 4. So, I figured my due date would be pushed back 3 weeks and was pretty bummed. The U/S tech told us to wait for the on call dr before we left. He had a different idea. This is interesting- he said growth ultrasounds are actually more accurate in the beginning so it truly was more likely that baby was 39 weeks and just wasn't growing well. So he said, baby was getting induced- that night.

 

So, the game plan was, husband, who had come straight from work and was pretty muddy, was going to go home and shower and come back with my hospital bags. During that time, I would be given something to ripen my cervix and hopefully sleep through the night and start pitocin the next day. Husband wasn't even planning on staying overnight because I wanted him to be well rested for the big show. Well, he is getting ready to leave (for the evening, after bringing my stuff to hospital) I am having minor contractions (which I can't feel, I only know because of fetal monitor) when all hell breaks loose. Baby's heart rate plummets and four nurses come crashing in. I am immediately turned over, stuck with an IV, an oxygen mask shoved on my face, and a blood pressure cuff on my other arm. Baby's heart goes back to 140s, but if I so much as twitch the heart rate drops. On top of that, blood pressure cuff keeps dinging because now my BP is way high. So I am on my side, trying not to move ( a position which really hurts my back) that damn band holding the fetal monitor is so tight it is making me sick to my stomach, and the IV is starting to hurt my arm. I am already so miserable and the big show hasn't even started! Husband is trying to help (after scare he said he was staying) but I am almost in tears. Well then, even after lying still, heartbeat drops again, and BP cuff goes off. Nurse comes in and apologetically says she needs to check cervix again. She tells doctor I am barely dialated and he says, that's it, we are going to c section.

 

At that point, I am crying. That cervical check really hurt, and I am so overwhelmed at that point. They are wheeling me out of room AS they are telling me (not asking me) that I am getting c section. Husband is trying to keep up and asking if this is necessary and didn't we skip a couple steps? From what I heard later, medical team was pretty much ignoring husband. One of the nurses shoves a clipboard in my face to sign for this. Now I'm bawling, my hands are shaking uncontrollably, I don't even think I could physically have signed. Dr. told nurse to leave me alone for now with that which was nice. He sat down next to me (at this point we are in operating room, I have been moved to another bed and like 6 different people are working on me- someone cut the belly band off, someone else is giving me a shot to stop contractions, 3 different men are holding my back in place so I can get numbing shot, etc) and explained that baby's heart rate keeps dropping, natural labor could take hours- I am barely dialated- and he wants baby out now. I feel a little better then and verbally consent to surgery. I am not against c sections but this seemed to come out of nowhere and I was mentally quite unprepared. Also, I was absolutely terrified I was going to feel everything! Anyways, they taped my arms down (i kept squirming and at one point tried to pull catheter out- I was pretty out of it) and put the towel up. The ceiling was reflective but I was not wearing contacts or glasses which was good because I certainly didn't care too watch. They finally bring husband in, and he sits down and rubs my head and also declines to watch. The actual surgery part was okay because the doctor kept telling me what I was going to feel and then I would feel it. At one point it was a bit uncomfortable but never too bad. Then the doctor says, in two min you're going to hear a baby cry. Followed quickly by sound of baby crying. I started crying again, and husband thought I was still in pain, but I was just so emotional. After they pulled her out, they took her and washed her and wrapped her up. This sucked because I could hear her, but couldn't see her at all. Husband was able to peer around blanket, but I was still taped down, numb from chest down, and my arms were shaking so badly there's no way I could have held her- I wouldn't even want to touch her while I was in that state. Anyways, after about 15 min they brought her over to us and husband held her, then kind of propped her on my shoulder so I could at least see her. They wheeled her out then to be fingerprinted and husband went with her while they finished putting me back together. She was born at 10:43 pm and I prob got back to my room at 11:15 or so. I have mobility in my arms but that was it. She brings baby back to me around midnight to try feeding. Well, I pretty much laid there while the nurse did all the work, but we got her to eat! She was 19 inches and just shy of 6 pounds. She's a great baby and I'm so happy! Pretty crazy to think that tuesday was just a routine appt and we ended having the baby that night!

ms sweets    September 3, 2010  

Congrats and glad to hear everyone is happy and healthy!

PasteMoo    November 22, 2010   Virginia

Wow that is so scary! I'm glad to hear they all got everything together to keep you and  baby healthy. Congratulations on your new baby girl!

ms.walter    June 1, 2011   st louis, mo

Congrats!! I can't imagine how scary it had to be for you but it looks like your doctors did what was best for your baby girl! I'm glad mommy and baby are healthy! 

Pelikila    August 30, 2008   Houston, TX

I'm so glad everything turned out alright.  I can't imagine the emotional storm that put you through.  Congratulations on your baby girl arriving safe and sound!

Tatum    October 2, 2010   Minneapolis

Well, I didn't expect that to take so long to finish! Anyways thanks for all the well wishes, she was tiny but is eating a lot now and is very healthy. I have no ill feelings towards the hospital or the doctors/nurses, although the actual birth was very scary the rest of the stay was awesome. Her name is Jenna Rosemarie. She is one week old in this pic.